Letter to the Editor and Persuasion

Bob Dinneen wrote a letter to Rolling Stone concerning “The Ethanol Scam”. In this article Bob discusses Ethanol, the effects of it, and how he feels about it. Bob states in multiple examples that Mr.Goodell has only presented only one side of this argument and that is inappropriate to do. This article makes a good point because when writing to persuade, one should typically present both sides of a debate even if only one side is agreeable to them. Bob appears irritated by the fact the Mr.Goodell has presented one side to the Ethanol issue and clearly elaborates in numerous ways as to how that is unacceptable. He literally attacks each point Mr.Goodell made and explains his thoughts on each. I agree that Mr.Goodell should address both parts of this Ethanol debate, and due the fact that he did not, he appears less credible. Writing to persuade is explained in a way through this letter to the editor. Due to the fact the Bob elaborates each one of Mr.Goodell’s points, it demonstrates the lack of valuable and valid points made. At the end of this article, bob says “But it is irresponsible to present one of the argument without fully understanding the role renewable fuels like ethanol must play in our nation’s energy future. Mr.Goodell and Rolling Stone would be doing right by their faithful readers if they would at least consider all the facts.” This is a valid point made by Bob because I agree that it is true. To be persuasive or to make a point, verifying understanding of both sides is important. Just reading this has given me not only a different view about ethanol, but also a helpful example of how persuasive writing can be influential.

Coworker Problems

Nothing is more condescending than getting to work and seeing notes on your desk from the coworker that worked there prior to you. When these notes tell you how to do your job or what else you need to do before you end your shift, it tends to become a tad irritating. Along with the notes being condescending alone, the coworker is also frustrating because they do not do the job they are supposed to. I have tasks to do at the end of each of my shifts, as well as my other co workers. These tasks can include closing my drawer, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning windows, taking out the trash, etc. Coworkers now have the habit of not taking out the garbage so then when I go to take it out, the bottom breaks out and spills all over the floor. I then become angry. As well as the garbage breaking, coworkers complain of wanting more hours, however, they will not take hours that are offered to them. Consistently helping them out and taking their shifts when needed and then they do not take yours is infuriating. Hello people, be kind and helpful coworkers. Makes the atmosphere much easier to work in. As well as "scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours", mind your own business. If you are not going to helpful and do your own job, you have no room or authority to say anything to anyone else. Not to mention the fact that just because you have been there longer does not mean you do it better than anyone else, hence my garbage bag breaking on a regular basis...

Text Response: In Praise of Chain Stores

 Virginia Postrel writes about chain stores within this paper. This starts out saying how basically multiple locations all have the same exact stores with the same exact items. Along with this, she also states how most places look the same as well, because stores don't give places character, other things do. I agree chain stores are everywhere. Although they may be everywhere and it can be boring, it is also convenient too. Having the same stores does not leave for much surprise, but at the same time, you will always be able to find what you want no matter where you are. Now, that just goes for the content of this entry. As for the convincing or persuasive side of it, I feel she does a decent job of doing so. However, she also does not support her cause until further into the paper and that led me into some confusion because at the beginning I was under the impression she was against chain stores. I was mistaken. Her thesis did not initially stand out to me. With what I have learned about persuasive or convincing writing, her tact may not necessarily be bad for the piece she chose to write about. When it comes to being the reader this time though, I know I felt confused after I continued to read. I felt as though she could have framed her paper a little differently to convince me better. The convincing did work though, simply because I generally agree with her point, but if I had a different point of view, I do not know that this paper would have fully persuaded my thought process.

Holiday Shenanigans

 The spirit filled holidays are quickly approaching and because of this, I sat down at my kitchen table today to try to figure out what I was going to purchase for people and have an idea of cost. Not only does it excite me to think of what i'm going to buy people, but it also makes me stressed for the face that I will probably break my bank doing it. Although there is Black Friday, which I do participate in, I still know there are some things you just cannot purchase at Black Friday. Some people require gift cards, such as my pregnant sister in which I will for sure be buying her a Baby's R Us gift card. When it comes to gifts, I have become a pro shopper for deals, but that does not take away the stress of finding what people will like and not paying an arm and a leg for it at the same time. Why do holidays have to be so expensive? Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy them. But holy cow, the end of the year is definitely a stressful time just as much as its enjoyable. I wanna know how people go purchase a million gifts for everyone, is there a secret store I am unaware of that has awesome prices? Besides the monetary aspect of holidays, I can not even wait to have a break from school and blogs and be with the family. So many traditions!

Chapter 19 text response

Chapter 19 discusses writing with style. Writing concisely is one of the main parts of writing with style. Writing with style has to deal with active and passive voice effectively and how wording things to specific people is important to readers. I agree that the way to get a point across to readers has much to do with how something is being said. This chapter talks about taking out pointless words and basically getting to the point of what someone is trying to say. Sentences can be extremely long that don't need to be. With that being said, taking out useless words may also help keep the reader interested. Along with that, introductions should not be filled with cliches and untrue facts. An introduction should be interesting to keep the reading wanting more. I completely agree and can relate with this because I know if I am starting to read something that if the beginning is boring, there is a high chance I will not continue reading, nor will I care about what was being said. Writers that just rant on about their topic also lose my interest because I don't feel the writing is open to various readers. Just as chapter nineteen discusses, some words and phrases can alienate some readers and that can definitely be avoided. I have felt that way when reading so I completely agree with that. This has also given me a whole new way to view my writing. Now when writing, I think of way to say things precisely without beating around the bush and adding in pointless words or redundant points.

My Rant About Constant Government Talk

     Recently, the government has apparently shut down. My opinion on that? It is inconvenient as all get out, however, I am not a politic nut who is going to live and breathe the shut down. When it does come to my opinions on it though, I feel like it makes us as a country look ignorant for the simple fact our government cannot solve its problems, but instead must shut down. Shutting down does not help our country, and it does not make us look very intelligent either. Along with that, I feel as though our government does things like this pretty frequently that makes us appear to be idiots...such as Obama care. I am not very informed on politics, because I usually do not care as much, but if someone could enlighten me on who, besides Obama, would think Obama care is a good idea, that would be awesome. Again, to reiterate the fact that I am not too knowledgeable about politics, because I honestly do not really care to be, I still think most of the actions our country takes are inconvenient, especially for the citizens. Other countries probably view us as ignorant, money hungry, and rash. I also think that I dislike politics so much because I am so used to hearing about our governmental issues, rather than hearing about the government coming up with beneficial and logical solutions to problems. Quite frankly, I am over the government. Our leaders, and country as a whole, need to get it figured out in a positive manner. Then maybe, just maybe, I will want to take the time to understand everything going on entirely. Until then, why must we all obsess about the consistent stupidity..

Chapter Seven, "Living (and Dying) Large"

Living (and Dying) Large is a paper used as an example in chapter seven. This entry discusses football players and how they feel the need to be very large to excel in their sport. It states that although football requires speed and strength, the media focuses mostly on football players and their weight. NFL offensive linemen who weigh less than three hundred pounds are considered to be “undersized”. Due to this image, NFL players, and even younger football players, like high school teams, feel they should be larger as well. Because of this, they are going to unhealthy extremes to get bigger. Both the NFL players and high school players are taking legal supplements to help increase size. In turn, some of the steps they are taking are making them dehydrated. Long summer training camps do not mix well with dehydration. The increase in dehydration also increases chance of heatstroke.

I agree that all of the statements above result in a true analysis. I have seen people talk about how they need to be bigger and stronger and I have also seen the extent of which they go to as well. Football players are not the only athletes to do this. I know how it feels to be an athlete and feel like you could do better if your body was stronger or faster. I do understand that type of pressured feeling; however, I do not agree with the extent of which they go to. I also know that the media makes this problem much worse too. I don’t think athletes would feel as much pressure to be bigger or faster if it weren’t for surrounding influences. I also don’t agree about the extent some of the football players or other athletes go through to accomplish this. Athletics is not worth living the rest of your life with an unfixable health issue, or even death.

Analysis

     Chapter 7 discusses analytical reading to write. Analyzing something is to break it up into parts. I recently had to analyze a philosophical entry for another class. I had a difficult time doing this because it is so tempting to just summarize something you read. Naturally, I wanted to explain what was being discussed. However, this is not what making an analysis is.  An analysis involves a question, and trying to answer that question. An analysis can be made from almost any type of document. Document types may include the news, blogs, social networking, academic entries, and much more.The document I read was philosophical, therefor I felt it was a bit challenging. I don't know if it is just me or not, but the urge to just summarize came naturally. Not only was reading this philosophical argument challenging, but trying to fully comprehend it enough to analyze each piece was also a struggle. I have discovered in both Comp 110 and Philosophy, that analyzing can be either simple, or difficult depending on the document and the information within it. There can be an analysis for the news, which may not be difficult at all. On the other hand, a philosophical entry, as I have experienced, may not seem as simple to analyze. Not only is philosophical entries, or news entries analyzed, but things like Shakespeare has also been analyzed by scholars as well.
What types of documents can be thought of all day, but to be an analyzer is also part of it. Typically, when writing an academic piece, you are the informer. However, when it comes to analyzing, you are to adopt the role of interpreter. Interpreting is the same as analyzing. Meaning, that is what it is to analyze.

Chapter Six: Dare Devil Family

     In chapter 6, Chris Nashawaty writes a story called “Danger Is Their Middle Name”. This story discusses a family of dare devils. They are the Epper’s. Matt Epper is encouraged to jump off of a roof at age ten. The Epper family have risked their lives in the film industry since the 1930’s and I have never heard of a whole family being composed of dare devils like this one. They were not the most famous stunt group in Hollywood, but their roots are the deepest. Their dare devilish ways go back to old westerns. Their past could be elaborated on for quite some time. If you asked them why they do it, they just laugh. The Eppers have been concluded to be the most fearless bunch in Hollywood. There has not been an Epper to die from a movie stunt yet. 

     Great-grandmother, Jeannie, did her first professional stunt at the young age of nine. She is now married to someone who is 21 years younger than she. Her knees are almost useless, but she is still paid to jump through windows. One of her children also states that they will be doing dangerous stunts like that until they can no longer walk anymore. I am in disbelief that there is a family made up entirely of dare devils. I would usually think there is always someone in the family who is not like everyone else. However, though, this whole family manages to keep the stunts alive. Through old age, they still continue. I find this family risky but also very interesting as well because I have not known of something like this before.

Runner Or Not

     I am not much of a long distance runner, however, I have developed an enjoyment for participating in 5k's. I recently ran the Neon Vibe 5k with my sister and we definitely had a wonderful experience. This run was my very first 5k. Saturday, September 8th 2013, was the first time it had come to Peoria. The Neon Vibe was held in the Expo Gardens starting at dusk. There was a $40 registration fee which included a tshirt, a packet of colored corn starch, and your number for the race. The money raised went to various communities and charities.
     I personally enjoy running at night anyway, so this run was great for someone like me. The race started at dusk, and each heat had approximately 250+ people. The packets of colored corn starch they provided were to be put on before the race. After that, once your heat was by the starting line, they poured more on everyone. The course had various check points that also provided more colored powder that they threw on people as they ran by. These check points were also black light so runners would glow in the dark. Everyone, including myself, was dressed up in bright neon colors which made everything look even more appealing and exciting. The course went up and down hill, through grassy area, through barns, and on black top. Running while dressed up with an enormous amount of people brings upon such a positive feeling. After the event, there was a dance floor and DJ provided as well.
     The Neon Vibe is a wonderful 5k for runners, anyone in support of charities, or just people who want to have some fun. Not only were there experienced runners, but also moms with strollers. However, if you would like to continue running, this is a wonderful run to start with. I highly recommend this to anyone. My sister and I had such an exciting experience and hopefully will be able to do it again.

Social Networking

     In the article, "Is Social Networking a Waste of Time", Bernhard Warner suggests that social networking has created a loss in productivity in school or work. Although he feels this way, he also does not look negatively upon it because he says it is a way of creativity and can require work depending how someone is networking.
     I do agree social networking is distracting because I know I can be distracted by it from time to time, and I also have seen others be distracted by it as well. Various distractions come from networking, such as conversations, music, or just looking at others profiles. I know when I am distracted by it, I probably do not get things done as quickly as I could, and I imagine it would be that way for other people as well. On the other hand, I do also agree it could require creativity and such, but I still believe there could be other less distracting ways to be creative and support whatever you believe in Along with being distracting, networking often contains bullying as well. Because of this, that also makes social networking less appealing.
     Yes social networking is distracting, and yes it can also be used for purposeful things, bus as a whole I feel it tends to be used more negatively. I know it can be positive, but how positive is it really? I fully encourage the creativity that can come out of social networking, but I feel that there are other ways to be productive that do not bring as many issues.  

Lift of Military Ban Creating Opportunity

I considered joining the military at one point in time. Around that same time the defense secretary, Panetta, lifted the ban on women serving front lines in the military. I personally was happy about this because I felt as though I had more options to choose from. I imagine other women felt this way as well. I have thoroughly thought this through and I support the lift of this ban because not only does it open approximately 237,000 jobs to women, but it also allows more opportunity to be a stronger military as a whole due to the diversity. There are specific physical and mental requirements in every branch for each job, such as carrying a certain amount of weight, or running a distance in a specific amount of time, and much more. If women can meet the same requirements that men have had to, they should be allowed to be in any position as well. In the links I provided, there was a logical comment made about how women have technically been serving front lines alongside the men for quite some time anyway. On the other hand, some may say that women may weaken the military, but how? Some men may not be as strong physically or mentally, so why are they allowed to try for jobs, but not women? I feel that if women are given the same opportunities as men, that will also increase the amount of people choosing to join the military. With that being said, that would mean we could continue having a strong military.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/23/16664507-defense-chief-panetta-to-clear-women-for-combat-roles?lite

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323539804578260123802564276.html