TOW #13- How Trump Stole Chrismas

In the spirit of the holidays, I decided to look at this poltical cartoon aimed at Donald Trump. Within the  image, Donald Trump is depicted as the iconic Christmas Grinch. Complete with the his signature floppy hairstyle and and puckered- out lips, the cartoon obviously aimed to show the cold-nature of the poltican using allusion and imagery

Obviously, the artist alludes to the classic tale of The Grinich within the cartoon. As per the story goes, the Grinich lived in isolation- distinguished by his hate for everything joyful and an overall grumpy disposition. By comapring the grinich to Trump- he makes the point that his desire to rid all the muslims  

is extremeley cold-hearted and hateful. In addition, at the bottom of the page is the phrase, "His Heart Was Too Sizes Too Small." This phrase is iconically tied to the tale, in which the movie declares that the grincihes heart was too small to feel the warmth of christimas. This- combined with the heart x-ray makes it clear that Trump is a hateful, bad bannana. 

Not only did the author compare the Trump to the grinich, but the drawing used to compare the two is unflattering to put it niceley. The iconic, biligerent looking face compined with the small heart makes it obvious that the author views Trump in an decidelngly unflattering light. 

TOW #12 - IRB

The first half of Robert M. Pirsig’s book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, is based on the profound examination of how we live and a meditation on how to live better. The story itself is the authors’ firsthand account of when he went on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son. Through the use of imagery and compelling, yet relatable storyline, the book becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions, showing us that it is the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.
 To make his information more presentable and interesting, Pirsig utilizes imagery. For example when writing about how once must take in their surroundings, he describes his surroundings. “After the rain stops, the sky lightens a little. But from the motel courtyard, I see past the cottonwoods that a second darkness, that of night, is about to come on. We walk into town, have supper, and by the time we get back, the fatigue of the day are really on me. We rest, almost motionless, in the metal armchairs of the motel courtyard, slowly working down a pint of whiskey that John brought with some mix from the motel cooler. It goes down slowly and agreeably. A cool night wind rattles the leaves of the cottonwoods along the road." (201) By describing the since, he not only creates interest, but he also is able to convey the point of the majesty of simple human life without directly telling the audience.
 
Pirsig also makes information more understandable by using a storyline. When one talks about such subjects such as the meaning of life, it is hard to describe such deep material. In order to convey this, Pirsig uses stories. The entire book is based on his own road trip, and it is throughout this trip in which he takes little experiences and analyses the deeper value.

TOW #11- Why Women Can't Have It All

Ninety-six years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment gave American women the right to vote, a new age of feminism has taken over. For the first time in history,  a majority of women are able to achieve higher levels of 'success' and work in positions that were once exclusively for men. As a result, many modern day mothers work as well as manage the home front. Yet, despite this shift towards equal rights, Anne Marie Slaughter agues that it may not be for the better. As the first woman director of policy planning at the State Department, a foreign-policy dream job, she faced first hand the struggle of balancing her professional life with her family- ultimately resulting in her resignation. Within her article in The Atlantic, Slaughter uses relatable anecdotes and as well supported facts to show her idea that until society changes in order to allow more flexibility, women can't "have it all"


In facing such a controversial topic, Slaughter draws on her own experience to show how working in high level positions is not condusive to a maintaining successful family relations, and afterwards uses well corroborated facts to support her claim. In the beginning, she talks about how her position didn't allow flexibility for her to maintain her job performance and be an active participant in her children's lives. "I could no longer be both the parent and the professional I wanted to be—at least not with a child experiencing a rocky adolescence (Para. 11)" By admitting how she, even a high power executive and self proclaimed feminist, had trouble achieving a balance, she strikes to make her claim more valid. 


In addition to her own personal stories, Slaughter also uses data and other professional’s accounts on the topic to generate reasoning. She points to other high-powered executives, claiming, " I am hardly alone in this realization. Michèle Flournoy stepped down after three years as undersecretary of defense for policy, the third-highest job in the department, to spend more time at home with her three children, two of whom are teenagers. Karen Hughes left her position as the counselor to President George W. Bush after a year and a half in Washington to go home to Texas for the sake of her family.  Afterwards, she comments on the overall structure of American society and how the business world is still unprepared for a women workforce by not allowing women, "to work off-site or to have flexible work schedules."

By combing her personal experience with other firsthand accounts, Slaughter is able to successfully comment on how, in order to women to fully achieve equality, we must insist on changing social policies. Simply put, instead of forcing women to choose, we must bend career tracks as a whole to accommodate their choices.

TOW #10

My dad, a typical red-blooded beef eating American, has always been intrested in politics. The more controversial the subject is, the more it seems he wants to talk about. Needless to say, when I approached him with the question of "What should I do for my TOW, " he immediatley recomended a conservative artist, Eli Wasserman. In an effort to avoid unwanting conversation about the current election, I selected an image from a few years ago. Around the time of the Congress election, Wasserman released a cartoon that received massive media attention. Despite the medium he chooses to work with, Wasserman's work is clearly trying to make a statement about the current U.S. Congress. 

In the background Washington D.C., and more specifically the Congress building, is shown while the foreground depicts two congressmen.  The first aspect of this work that makes the overall message more effective is rather simple: each man is wearing a different color tie.  Blue traditionally symbolizes the Democratic party, while red traditionally represents the Republican party. By representing both parties as in cahoots with one another the criticism is broadened to the entirety of congress rather than one party or the other.  This also serves to broaden the audience of the visual text.  If Wasserman were to target only Republicans, for example, he would risk offending readers who primarily agree with the Republican platform.  It would also serve to weaken his argument that Congress as a whole is not invested in the concerns of the people, as representing one party would imply that only that group was at fault.

While this is a visual text, it is still reliant on words to make its overall purpose clear.  The man in blue brings up an actual issue, a notice that all airbags nationwide must be recalled.  In effect this scenario is rather absurd, but in context the entire nation is at risk. The second man simply reassures his startled friend by reminding him that they still have their jobs, and that there is nothing for them to personally worry about. Overall, Wasserman blantly points out how out of touch Congress is with problems that affect everyday Americans.
The larger message of the text is not simply that Congress is content to mull about doing nothing.  Instead it challenges the reader to force their elected officials into action by making it seem like their jobs are at risk.  Changing out one party for the other will not change the issue either, Wasserman's image argues, as it is the people within the institution causing the problem not individual parties.

TOW #9

In his essay, "I lost 100 pounds in a year. My "weight loss" secret is really dumb," Alasdair Wilkins, a student at University of North Carolina, writes about his experiences of losing a staggering 100 pounds. Through his personal experience, he reveals the broader implication of how our weight obsessed culture perpetuates our unhealthy relationship. In order to shed light about the stigma on such a highly opinionated topic, Wilkins uses facts, and anecdotes to change his readers' perception on what it really means to be 'fat'.

First and foremost, 
Wilkins uses statistics to explain the misconceptions behind being overweight. In his essay, he points out that obesity is a result of ones environmental and society rather than ones deliberate actions. When he writes the obesity epidemic, he remarks that "a third of all adults in the United States are obese, and another third are overweight." (11) Then, after using facts to show the severity of the situation, he counters it with the argument that,  "the obesity epidemic doesn't exist because more than 200 million individual people lack willpower, or love food too much, or are too lazy to exercise" (11).  By using data, Wilkins appeals to logos and helps create the argument that weight problems are not issues with individuals, but rather, a result from the high stressed, and subjective society we live in today.

In his introduction,Wilikin uses personal stories to describe his own weight lost journey to the reader. Wilkins draws upon his own feelings and experiences surrounding his life before and after the weight-loss. Wilkins starts the beginning of his essay by listing the ways in which he feels better about life, but then for the rest of the paper, talks to the reader of how he wishes that he was happy with himself regardless of how he looked. The use of stories highlights Wilkins purpose of changing societies opinion on weight in hopes of encouraging others to find satisfaction in themselves and not a scale number.  

Through and through, Wilkins uses facts and anecdotes to craft an engaging and candid essay. He may not have shared a "secret weight loss" cure,but  he reveals to us the impact ones surrounding can have on a persons both physical, and mental well-being. 

IRB Intro #2

This marking I have decided to read, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values. Unlike most philosophy text, the author Robert M. Pirsig takes a carefree approach with topics ranging from the meaning of life, to basic manners.  I've already wanted to read this, and thought this would a good time to start. The book contains a series of anecdotes, coupled with general life lessons. The book itself has sold five million copies, and was on the bestseller list. How he ties motorcycles to the concept of Zen is beyond me, but I am excited to find out how.

TOW #8- France to Lift Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood

This past week, France announced that it will lift a ban on blood donations by gay and bisexual men starting next year. It is one of the many countries that have loosened or scrapped such restrictions, which many see as outdated vestiges of the 1980’s AIDS crisis. Starting in the spring, men who have not been sexually active with other men in the past 12 months will be able to donate blood. Gay men who have had only one partner for the preceding four months, or who have not been sexually active, will be able to donate blood plasma. This policy is very different from the current US standards, where the Food and Drug Administration is still trying to pass legislature to try and end the longstanding ban on blood donations by gay and bisexual men. In order to highlight the progressive aspect of Frances New policy, author Aurelian 

Breeden has used multiple quotes from well-respected figures within France. Many times, she quoted health Minister Marisol Touraine as well as Jean-Luc Romero-Michel, a local politician in Paris and the president of an association of elected officials fighting AIDS, by including statements such as “Giving one’s blood is an act of generosity and of civic responsibility that cannot be conditioned by sexual orientation.” By using these direct quotes, she establishes credibility between the audiences and adds validity to her claim that by lifting this band, France is heading towards a more equal society. Breeden also includes logical facts in order to counter any opposition and address any concerns. Because of the nature of the HIV virus and the fact it may not be detectable for a certain number of months after infection, the French government has included a deferral period that will hopefully be the same as heterosexual donors (4 months.) By addressing the concern of AIDS, and sharing what the deferral policy is, Breeden successfully puts the audience at ease by assuring them that even though homosexual can donate despite the stereotype of HIV, the spread of this disease is not going to increase due to this policy. 

TOW #8- Escape From Camp 14

Reporter Blaine Harden retells the remarkable tale of Shin Dong-Hyuk imprisonment in a North Korea's political prison camp in the book, Escape From Camp 14. These prison camps have existed twice as long as Stalin's gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi Concentration camps. No one born or raised in these camps has ever escaped- no one, that is, except Shin. In this account, Blaine uses Shin's firsthand stories to try and paint a picture of the torture he and millions of others went through within these death camps. Beaten and tortured, many of the prisoners were subjected to subpar living conditions and harsh rules. During Shin's elementary school days, the teachers and guards often beat him and his classmates. He retells a particular instance in which, for stealing 5 kenerals of corn, a young girl was, " struck in her head again and again. As Shin and his classmates watched in silence, limps puffed up on her skull. Blooded leaked from her nose. She toppled over on the concert floor. Shin and other classmates picked her up and carried her home to the pig farm that night. Later that night, she died" (Blaine. 25) By including these stories, we are able to see how cruel the camps really where, and how the prisoners lived in constant fear. In addition to stories, Blaine also cites relevant facts that allow the audience to understand the historical and political history of the nation. After Shin escapes to China, the author includes many short blurbs about the relationship between China and North Korea. “Since 2002, when hundreds of North Korean asylum seekers embarrassed China by rushing into foreign embassies, soldiers had begun rounding up illegal border crossers and forcibly repatriating tens of thousands of them” (Blaine. 146) This added information helps familiarized the reader on atopic typically not discussed or known about within the West, and allows the reader to gain a better grasp on the human right violations and policies that go on in North Korea.  

TOW #7- Sheikhs Vs Shale

This year, The Economist published an article featuring a political cartoon on the topic of United States oil industry. Famous for their articles dealing with domestic and international affairs, the magazine used this image to highlight their main expose about America’s waning reliance on Oil form the Middle East and the implications this competition has on the future economy and political tensions.  

As shown, the cover shows two men, standing back to back with one another. Within their hand is an oil dispenser- held almost as if a weapon. With narrowed eyes and cold expressions, the positioning of men is analogy gunfights one would see in a Wild West movie. The author clearly wanted to emulate on of these duels as a way to express to his audience how the battle for dominance within the energy field will cause strife and the hostile nature of the countries relations.

In addition, each man appears to follow broad generalizations of the country they are from. The Sheikh is drawn to be a  stereotypical Arab, with the traditional thoub and beard. He most likely works in the oil industry considering the title of the piece as well as the fact most sheikhs are involved the oil industry. The American, on the other hand, is wearing what appears to be a uniform with the patch that says, "Keep On Fracking." This patch indicates that, unlike the Arab, the American is working in the field of natural gas- a growing alternative source of energy. By drawing these men back to back also allows the audience to compare the two, and see how both of them are extremely different except for the fact they both look irritated. This juxtaposition shows how the nations share completely different cultures, and with the fact they both are championing a different energy source, implies how different their ideal goals are.  

TOW #6- How not to say the wrong thing

  An opinion piece from the Los Angles Times, clinical physiologist Susan Silk tells readers about an interpersonal strategy referred to the 'Ring Theory' of kvetching.  It is meant to work in all kinds of crises- with the idea that by following the rule, people can react to other hardship in socially appropriate.  The 'ring theory' is based on the idea of comforting those who are most directly affected by a problem, and 'dumping out', or complaining to those who are even less affected then you by the event. To demonstrate this idea, Silk uses detailed instructions to show the principle. Using her close friend Kate as an example, she carefully explains the reader the process of creating the ring. “Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. For Katie's aneurysm, that's Katie. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. In the case of Katie's aneurysm, that was Katie's husband, Pat. Repeat the process as many times as you need to.”  By providing these instructions, she helps the audience understand how to put the theory into everyday use.
Silk also uses anecdotes to provide examples of when people disregard the theory. Again, using her friend Katie as an example, she says, “She was in intensive care for a long time and finally got out and into a step-down unit. She was no longer covered with tubes and lines and monitors, but she was still in rough shape. A friend came and saw her and then stepped into the hall with Katie's husband, Pat. "I wasn't prepared for this," she told him. "I don't know if I can handle it." As a result of failing to follow Silk’s rule, the coworker looks inconsiderate and extremely self-centered. Through the use of these stories, the reader is able to see what happens when the rule isn’t followed, which further adds credibly to Silks claim of the validity of the idea.