Documentary Post 2

         The film makes the claim that relationships have changed because of the internet.  Social networking sites have created a new foundation for how people can connect, but in some cases, the people we meet are not who they seem.  New (potential) danger has been brought into the world because of how easily people can create false identities.  Regulations should be enforced on these websites to ensure the safety of all who use them. 
          In 2009, Philip Markoff committed three robberies, killing one victim.  He became known as the Craiglist Killer as he met these women through Craigslist.com.  Using websites to give meet people on false pretenses is wrong, especially if there violent. But, the formation of these websites allows this to happen.  It’s becoming more common for bad guys to connect with people on these sites.  More often, assaults are connected back to a social  networking site.  For years, young people have been educated on “stranger danger” but today that stranger, it seems, has changed his/her form.  This stranger can appear to be attractive, kind and intelligent.  But it could be all a lie, as in Yaniv’s experience.  As a society, we trust the Internet to inform us, to let us share our opinions, to connect.  But that trust can not and should not extend to every use of the Internet.  People need to be informed on the importance of privacy.  If social networking site users keep their profiles available only to friends and family, they won’t be at risk.
         The film Catfish is an example of a best case scenario for social site abuse.  But too often, people are being harmed for meeting people who are not who they appear to be online.  Technology has changed the way we communicate and connect, but bad guys will always remain.  It’s important to move cautiously towards online relationships as not everyone will be as fortunate as Yaniv Shulman

Documentary Post 1

          Catfish, directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Shulman, follows Yaniv Schulman as he builds a relationship with a woman on the social networking site, Facebook.  Yaniv Schulman is a photographer and receives a painting done by Abby Pierce, an incredibly talented eight year old painter.  He soon becomes in contact with the rest of the family and starts a romantic relationship with Megan, Abby’s older sister. They keep in touch through Facebook and phone conversations, but soon Schulman starts to sense there is something unusual about Megan.  She sends him MP3s of her music, but Schulman finds the same songs on you tube.com, sung by a different artist.  He determines that she lied about being a singer.  Next, she tells him that Abby has sold many pieces at an art gallery downtown.  Schulman discovers that the art gallery doesn’t even exist.  Joost, Ariel and Yaniv Shulman decide to travel to Michigan to confront Megan.  They arrive at Angela’s house (Megan’s supposed mom) and suspect that Angela has been the mastermind behind the Megan and the collection of lies.  She affirms their suspicion.  Angela is Megan.  In fact, there is no Megan.  Angela used photos of a model!  For months, Angela had been posing as 16 different characters on Facebook.  She created a circle of friends and made Yaniv believe she was someone she really isn’t.  This film has much to say about the dangers of social networking sites.  It’s easy to create a false identity for yourself and who you come in contact with, may not be who they seem.  The film makers never criticized Angela for what she did, they instead sympathized with her.  Angela stated, that the personalities she created were just fragments of herself: who she was, who she wants to be, who she’ll never be.  The film emphasizes how easy it can be to create your own fantasy world, but reminds the audience, all actions do have consequences.
          Most of the film is shot with eye level composition, which is the most natural camera position.  Most footage is candid.  As Yaniv makes all these discoveries about who Megan really is, the audience is right there in the moment with him.  There is no formal interview.  Because it is eye level, it’s as if Yaniv is telling us his thoughts.  This makes him seem personable.  It’s like the audience is on the journey with him.  The documentary also uses a point of view shot composition, meaning the camera reveals what a character is actually seeing.  As Yaniv messages Megan, the audience often sees the conversation.  We see the pictures on Facebook, the you tube videos . There is also a lot of footage of maps and roads and GPS routes.  This element of travel emphasizes distance and how far apart Megan and Yaniv are, yet how close a friendship they had.  Despite being thousands of miles apart, Yaniv and Megan (actually Angela) were able to make a unique connection.   There was a relationship between the title and something Vince, Angela’s husband, said.  He stated, “This guy came up with the idea that if you put these cods in these big vats, put some catfish in with them and the catfish will keep the cod agile. And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes.”  This speaks to one of the themes of the movie.  Without the people who “keep you guessing and keep you thinking” everyone would be boring and dull.  Angela proved to be a catfish.  At the end of the film, there was a sequence of follow ups.  It ended with the phrases: “Nev is on Facebook. He has 732 friends. Including Angela.”  The audience is left with a good impression of Yaniv.  It establishes ethos.  He appears to be an understanding and empathetic young man. The mood of the film was incredibly informal, but usually online dating is just that.  The way they edited and produced the film was appropriate and fitting for the subject.

AOW April 15

    In the article “Lena Dunham's 'Girls' Navigate New York City Life,” David Bianculli reviews a new comedy series on HBO entitled “Girls”.  The show is already being called the next Sex and the City and Bianculli gives it an excellent review.  He calls the writing “complete,” “very funny,” and “brilliantly clever” (1). 
     Bianculli is a guest host and TV critic on NPR’s Fresh Air.   From 1993 to 2007,  Bianculli was a TV critic for the New York Daily News.
    Context: The show is premiering today, April 15.  Reviews are often written a few days before a new show airs to inform people on whether or not they should tune in.
    The purpose was to convince the audience to watch the show because of its excellent and realistic writing and acting.
    The audience intended for this article is listeners/readers of NPR and those interested in the show.
    Rhetorical devices used: detailed summary and comparison.  Bianculli paints a clear picture of what to expect without giving too much information away.  Instead of going into too much detail, he just explains how much he loves the show: “And it's during this opening scene, when Hannah realizes she's about to be launched into the next phase of her life, that I fell in love” (2).  He goes on to compare this show to others that share a similar plot, which gives the audience a better understanding of what to expect: “The first episode's opening scenes remind me as much of Sex and the City as they do other, earlier single-working-woman TV comedies. The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the '70s, with Mary Richards landing a job at a Minneapolis TV station…” (3).  Bianculli  is charmingly honest and his high praise has convinced me to watch the show.


  http://www.npr.org/2012/04/13/150505453/lena-dunhams-girls-navigate-new-york-city-life
   

AOW March 25

In the article "Scenes from a Beautiful Life" plane crash survivor Stephanie Nelson tells of her journey to recovery. 
The authors of this article are Cathy Free and Alicia Dennis for People Magazine.  People Magazine is celebrity and human interest magazine that was first published in 1974.
The context: Stephanie Nelson and her husband Christian went for a plane ride one summer afternoon in Arizona.  They crashed and Stephanie's face was destroyed with burns that covered 80 percent of her body.  Three years later, her life has normalized and she has accepted the tragedy that happened to her and her family.  The Purpose: Stephanie Nelson had to discover what made life worth living after her appearance had altered so significantly.  She learned that despite all the pain and despair, it is important to move on and find joy in simple things.  It is what is in side that makes a person beautiful. This article was written for readers of People magazine. The rhetorical elements used are narration and usage of quotes from Nelson's blog.  The authors use narration to offer an emotional interpretation of what life was like for Nelson after the crash.  For example, "She recognized her vivid green eyes, but the face gazing back at her was that of a stranger" (1).  Quotes from Nelson's blog were also used to give readers a look at what exactly Nelson was thinking during her recovery.  The readers get to know Nelson better and sympathize with her hardships.  It also lets us see what life was like then, and how good life is for her now. The authors were successful.  The article was very moving and had a very inspiring message.

This article was found in April 2 issue of People Magazine.

AOW March 18

The article entitled “Is Your Purse Making You Sick?” explains that because purses often go everywhere with women- to the bathroom, the floor, the gym, they can carry tens of thousands of germs. 
The author of this article is Elizabeth Shimer Bowers.  Bowers is a freelance writer and covers a variety of topics including health and ghost writing.  This article was found on Everyday Health.
The purpose of this article was to inform women that their purses can contain bacteria and germs.  To solve this problem, it was explained that it is important to keep your purse out of bacteria danger zones and to practice good hygiene. Context: Women’s purses are an extension of themselves, but they may contain germs that are harmful to their health. The audience intended for this article are women and readers of Everyday Health. Rhetorical elements used include: appeal to ethos and listing of information. Bowers interviewed many doctors for this article who explained the science behind this problem and also practical solutions.  For example: “The germs most likely to live on your purse?  ‘ “Primarily bacteria, including staph and E. coli species, which can result in infections,” ’ says Susan Stuart, MD, a dermatologist at La Jolla Dermatology in California.” Bowers also had a list of solutions which makes it easier for the audience to see the main points. I never actually thought about how dirty my purse is. This article was definitely a wake up call and I will try to be more aware of where I place my purse.

AOW March 11

In the article. “Moms of Boys Are Jealous Shrews, So Here's a Contract for Your Son's Future Wife” Jenny Isenman describes the tasks a daughter in law must take to show appreciation to the mother in law.  Isenman is a humor columnist for a blog at suburban jungle.com.  The purpose of this article was to be ridiculous and to show that mothers are very attached to their sons. Daughter in laws should be sensitive to the fact that they “took away” someone’s son and should go to extremes to appreciate their mother in laws.  The audience intended for this article are readers of Huff Post and in general, women.  The rhetorical element mainly used is exaggeration. For example: “My husband has told me time and time again to cut the cord... no f*****g way! I'm waiting until that thing rots and falls off” (1) and “If he's 40 and wants me to lie with him and scratch his arm, I'll be all "Move over, Megan," or whatever his unappreciative, son-stealing wife's name is” (2).  Isenman is annoyingly pessimistic.  Sure, she really loves her son, but maybe she’ll also really love her daughter in law?  Why does there have to be competition between a mother and daughter in law?  She’s just being childish and truthfully, I feel sorry for whatever kind woman marries her son.  She most likely wrote this article to make all those mommies out there laugh, but to me, she just looks a bit insane.  Isenman: calm down.  Your son will never cut you out of his life…unless you continue with these obsessive thoughts.  Your son is five years old. Don’t forget that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-isenman/moms-of-boys_b_1320116.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl13|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D142553

AOW March 5

    In the article, “Controversial Kids Movies” certain Disney and Pixar films are examined for having hidden (racy) messages.
    The article was posted on Moviefone.com which is a website that gives movie listings and information on movies.
    This article was written in response to several allegations that arose because of what some people believed were inappropriate scenes.
    The purpose of this article was to show the ridiculousness in some accusations.  It proved that the kids films are usually just kids films- with no hidden meanings on feminism, sexism or smoking.  These films do nothing to corrupt teens, despite what some parents may believe.  
    The author of this article used the rhetorical devices of humor and description.  The author successfully undermines and makes fun of the allegations.  For example, “It took only two weeks before conservative critics began perpetrating the idea that the recently released "Muppets" movie was a vehicle used to brainwash your children into being anti-oil and anti-one-percent. Of course, it's no surprise that Miss Piggy got the last laugh on that”  (1).  The writer also gave a summary of the scene so that the audience is on the same page.  For example,  “This episode of Disney sex conspiracies involves everyone's favorite Shakespeare adaptation, "The Lion King." During the film, there's a scene where Simba looks off into the night sky and sees what appears to be the word "SEX" scrawled in stars. However, the animators stated that it actually says "SFX," standing for special effects” (2).  The writer also supplied the actual photo so that the audience could make an opinion of it themselves. 
    The audience intended for this article is people who enjoy movies, in this case, specifically the kid kind.  Also, people who go on moviefone.com.
    The writer was successful.  He/she provided the necessary information, used a humorous tone so that the audience could infer she was mocking the allegations and at the same time, allowed the audience to form their own opinions.

 http://news.moviefone.com/2012/02/28/controversial-kids-movies_n_1307421.html?1330538186&just_reloaded=1#s735609&title=The_Lion_King

AOW Feb. 26

     In the article "5 Surprising Reasons You're Not Losing" Denny Watkins explains why you may be having a "stalemate with the scale" (1) and offers solutions to get back on track to be leaner and fitter.
     Denny Watkins is a freelance journalist who specializes in health fitness and nutrition.  He has been published in Men's Health and other magazines and newspapers.  Health Magazine is an American magazine focused on women's health, first published in 1981.
     The context of the article is the struggle with losing weight, even though in theory, you're doing everything correctly.
     The purpose of the article is to show simple solutions to lose weight and explain that the problem with not losing weight may be hidden among random things you do everyday.  The key is to outwit habits that are sabotaging your best efforts.
     Rhetorical elements used: appeal to ethos, pathos and logos.  Watkins uses the opinions and suggestions from a variety of experts: doctors, authors of diet books and research results from several studies.  Watkins also relates to the audience by speaking a simple language.  The ideas from the experts are simplified in a way that is understood.   The rhetoric is relatively informal, for example, "keep dollars on hand for snack breaks- you might just save on calories" (2).  This solution reads like a friend or close doctor is suggesting this.   Watkins also appeals to logic.  The shows that he understands many people struggle with balance and his solutions fit to a busy lifestyle.  For example, "If you awaken before the alarm, you can get by with less sleep.   But if you hit snooze, you may need eight or even nine hours a night to wake up refreshed, recharged and ready to burn some fat" (3). 
     The audience intended for this article are readers of Health Magazine and people who want to lose weight.
     The author is successful.  The suggestions for changes to your lifestyle are reasonable and adaptable.  There are many solutions I might try, like getting more sleep and eating only a small snack before exercise.

Article found in the March issue of Health Magazine

AOW Feb 19

     In the article entitled, The Nubile One, Lauren Slater discusses the confusing feelings of being a over weight middle-aged woman, watching her daughter on the cusp of her womanhood.  Slater describes what it's like to be nostalgic for her youth and how it can be difficult to deal with her growing daughter.
     Slater is a psycholoist and author.  She has written six books and is a contributer to the New York Times Magazine, Harper's Magazine, Elle Magazine and others. The article is found in Self Magazine which is a health magazine for woman, founded in 1979.
     The purpose of this article was to show that growing old is difficult.  Even though Slater believes she has lost some of her physical beauty, she sees that those losses have given her strength with great capacities.  She can guide her daughter in so many ways, because she is a strong person.The context of this article is: Slater is a 50 year old woman, ashamed of the weight she has become and confused at what she feels about her daughter's maturity. The audience intended for this article is readers of Self Magazine and middle aged women.
     The rhetorical devices used are: narration and dialogue.  Slater uses narration throughout the entire article, in addition to some reflection to give a more detailed look into her life.  She also uses dialogue between herself and her daughter to give a up close look at their discussions, therefore their relationship.  The author is successful in telling stories, but to me, she comes off as immature and silly.  I found it to be annoying to read of a grown woman's struggles with her aging body and jealousy with her daughter's! A mother never should be jealous of her daughter.  She's a good writer, but the whole context and purpose were very very strange in my opinion.

IRB February 13

   
 IRB Change to The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton


The Man Who Was Thursday is about mystery story  beginning with a debate about the meaning of poetry between Gabriel Syme and Lucian Gregory.  They get to the topic of anarchism and Syme suggests that Gregory is not a true anarchist.  This frustrates Gregory so much, that he takes Syme to an anarchist meeting underground. Gregory reveals that the secret of being in this group is to publicly talk openly about anarchy so to make yourself appear to be harmless.  The main council is made up of seven men, each named after the day of the week.  At this particular meeting, one man was going to be voted the position of Thursday.  Gregory is expecting to win, however just before the meeting began, Syme revealed that he was a undercover policeman.  Gregory is then afraid to give the speech he had planned as it could be used against him in prosecution, so then the council is unconvinced by his words and no longer want to vote for him.  Syme then makes a wonderful speech and all of the council intrigued.  They vote for Syme to receive the position of Thursday.  Syme is then terrified as he must closely deal with these anarchists.  Most intimidating is Sunday, the head of the council.  At one meeting, it is discovered that one of the men in the main council is actual another undercover policeman.  Some rhetorical elements used are: descriptive language and irony.   The words he uses to describe places are beautiful and captivating:  “The suburb of Saffron Park lay on the sunset side of London, as red and ragged as a cloud of sunset” (1).  He also very wisely observes aspects of life: “That young man with the long auburn hair and impudent face- that young man was not really a poet; but surely he was a poem” and “We say that the dangerous criminal is the educated criminal… Thieves respect property.  They merely wish the property to become their property that they may more perfectly respect it” (2).  These insights say much about Chesterton and make the story  more compelling.  Much of this story is ironic:  Syme revealing that is he an undercover policeman at the anarchist meeting so that both men have secrets about the other that would result in major conflict if ever told; Syme winning the election and becoming Thursday.  The irony makes the story unique and intriguing.  I have come to expect many twists in the plot, but I am always surprised at what they are.  This book is fantastic! I love it so far.

IRB

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Section 1: 1-192

Section 2: 193-384

Section 3: 385- 576

I chose this book because it was highly recommended by both my brother and Mrs. Pronko.  I also want to be challenged. 

AOW January 30

     Mark Jenkins tells of his adventure in Papua New Guinea with the last of the Meakambut cave people.  He and his team walk into a crisis; the people are no longer fighting off cannibals or headhunters, rather diseases like malaria and tuberculosis.  One woman named Lidia is extremely ill with lungs filled with fluid.  The team became concerned with getting these sick people to a clinic. Sebastian Haraha, an ethnographer who came to pinpoint the exact locations of their caves and then register them under the National Cultural Property Act so their land will be protected, left this duty to escort the sick people.  Jenkins is offered a trip up to Kapoa Cave- the Meakambut’s most sacred.  Jenkins learned that the Meakambut people are struggling.  There are no more pigs to hunt and people are dying.  John, one of the Meakambut shares with Jenkins: "We, the Meakambut people, will give up hunting and always moving and living in the mountain caves if the government will give us a health clinic and a school, and two shovels and two axes, so we can build homes.
     Mark Jenkins is an award winning writing and adventurer, currently writing for National Geographic.  He was a global correspondent for Rodale Press.  He has written four adventure books.
     Jenkins wrote this article in response to his trip to New Guinea.
     The purpose was to show how despite the civilization of the Meakambut people is dying, they are willing to give up their nomadic lifestyle for the chance of stability. 
     The audience intended is readers of National Geographic.  
     One main rhetorical device used is narration.  Jenkins tells the story of his adventure, which makes the audience feel they’re on the adventure as well.  He uses descriptive language so that each picture he is creating through writing is vivid and captivating: “We hunch beneath a low overhang and stumble into a gantlet of skulls. Human skulls. They are lined up as though they are whispering to each other. Their craniums have turned green and their dark, haunting eye sockets stare directly at intruders.”
     The author is successful.  His article is beautiful and makes me want to find out more about the Meakambut and the ways that we can help them.


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/02/karawari-cave-people/jenkins-text

AOW January 23

    Joe Paterno died Sunday January 23, 2012 from complications of lung cancer.  He was 85 years old.  Paterno was known for his excellence in coaching football.  He worked with the Nittany Lions of Penn State for 46 seasons and amassed his career victories to 409.  His won his first national championship in 1983 and again in 1987.  Recently, he was fired from job because of his connection with the Joe Sandusky scandal.  He failed to meet a “obligation, a moral responsibility, for all adults to watch out for children,” said trustee Mark Dambly.  Despite his last weeks filled with scandal and health struggles, his legacy will live on.
      This article was written in response to Paterno’s death.  Controversy had filled his final days, but he was a talented coach and deserves respect for his accomplishments.
    Rana L. Cash is a writer for Sporting News for NCAA Football.
    The audience intended for this article are readers of Sporting News, fans of Joe Paterno and people who follow the Sandusky scandal.
    Some rhetorical devices used are: appeals to pathos and ethos.  Cash portrays Paterno as a very strong and kind man with quotes from family members and Paterno himself.  This creates a nostalgic tone; you remember all the good things he has done, instead of the more recent reports of his character.   Cash also writes a biography of sorts, from when he was born, to the college he attended, his career.  This is important for people who only know him for his involvement with the Sandusky scandal.
     The author is successful.  She puts Paterno in a positive light, which I think is important when generally good people die. 
   

Unit 3 Reflection

     Despite influential speakers, writers and activists,  it appears to be inevitable for history to repeat itself.  It is discouraging to see destructive patterns developing in other countries:  governments restricting its people and responding to protests with violence.  There is hope, however, for reforms to happen, just as those same reforms happened in our country more than 100 years ago.
    With brave and controversial diction, Patrick Henry proved to be a distinguished advocate for the rights of his people.  He is the perfect example of how every individual should act towards his/her government.  Speaking to the President he states, “Different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if… opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely…” I believe Henry showed respect to the diverse opinions of strong minded men and though it may not be necessary for every public speech, individuals need to consider ideas that are different than their own, especially ideas that are our government’s.  It is also important, as Henry stated, to share our thoughts and criticisms.  One of the most important duties an individual has to his government, is to challenge it.  If authority is never challenged, nothing can progress or change.
     In a time when equality among men and women was far from reality, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments.  She wrote it to resemble Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence , connecting the need for women’s rights with an American symbol of liberty.  “Such has been the patient sufferance of women under this government” Stanton states, paralleling “such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies under this government” in the Declaration of Independence.  The American government was created to escape the tyrannical rule of Great Britain and ironically, they were placing the same tyrannical rule on women.  It is incredibly important for the government to take notice of how their people react to regulations.  If people are calling for reform, they can not let time pass and prolong their suffering.  Though the Declaration of Independence and Declaration of Sentiments differ in a literal sense, in essence, they wrote this for their people, exercised their duty to government and demanded freedom.  The government’s duty is to listen.
    I found this unit to be very thought-provoking.  Last unit, I almost drowned in the works of Plato, Cicero and Machiavelli.  Not that they weren’t interesting, just very challenging.  Though I know their work is taught for a reason, I struggled with finding the big picture, the real value.  In this unit, the written work of Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Elizabeth Cady Stanton  proved to me, there is purpose behind the way things are written.  Because I understood the historical context of many of these pieces, I could more directly see their impact in society and it made the unit all the more intriguing. 

Literacy Memory

     When I was in elementary school, I was obsessed with a picture book about a Japanese girl.  I can remember the exact spot in the West Broad Elementary school library where it belonged, the pictures, the burgundy color of the cover. Remembering the title of this beloved book, however was annoyingly difficult and required nearly 45 minutes of my precious time to type absurd phrases into Google, in hopes of rediscovering it.  (One Google search: children's book Chinese school girl/tea)  I was determined but also, completely doomed.After a long while, I found it and I certainly felt accomplished!  The title of this book is Tea with Milk by Allen Say.
     As a fourth grader, I  would frequently check out Tea with Milk from the library.  I would play teacher up in my attic and read it to an empty room, thoughtfully showing the pictures on each page to no audience.
 Surprisingly, this book is a fairly mature tale for a child.  A Japanese American girl, May, is forced to move to Japan with her parents: switch jeans for a kimono, pancakes for rice.  She has to learn Japanese and complete high school all over again.   But, she has a dream to be independent,  to make a living for herself and to escape the marriage her parent's planned for her.  She eventually finds success in the city of Osaka and also love.
      Looking back, it is hard to imagine a 10 year old enjoying this kind of story.  I look back to that time and find it amazing that I felt so happy simply reading a book to an empty room. This story seems to hold more significance in my life today as I too, dream of traveling and being free of school, parents and Ambler, PA.   Looking to the future, I feel confident that I can find the same peace of mind May found, in a new place with change and opportunity everywhere.    
      

AOW Jan. 16

     The article “Murder at the Queen’s Estate” tells about the body that was discovered on New Year’s Day at Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham estate.  The girl found was identified as 17 year old Alisa Dmitrijeva- a Latvian immigrant who had come to Britain two years ago. 
Alicia Dennis is a writer for People Magazine- a magazine of celebrity and human interest stories.  In October 2005, it was named “Magazine of the Year” by Advertising Age for excellence in editorial, circulation and advertising. 
     The context of this piece is a response to the recent investigations into who Alisa Dmitrijeva was and why she was killed.  Detectives have been questioning royal gamekeepers, grooms, and other estate workers to see if they know anything.  Officials have been looking into the life of Dmitrijeva and are racing to find out what happened to her.
     The purpose of the article was to show the possible reason why such a tragedy would occur.  The article explains the type of person Dmitrijeva was and that she was recently hanging out with the wrong crowd. Dmitrijeva was described as a “bubbly teen” (1) however her parents noted a change in her.  When she enrolled in college and struggled to learn English, she began to stay out all night.  Her mother tells Mail on Sunday, “She took drugs and got arrested for stealing” (2).  How and why she was killed remains a mystery.
     The audience for this article is readers of People Magazine and those interested in royal news.
     Rhetorical elements used  are an appeal to ethos and a narrative-style introduction.  Dennis incorporated reports from important people in this case-  Detective Chief Jes Fry and royal protection officer Ken Wharfe.  This establishes a lot of credibility.  She also uses information from an interview with Dmitrijeva’s mother to show a very personal side of the girl’s character.  Dennis begins the article with a story-like introduction: “On the crisp, 50-degree afternoon of Dec. 18, the Queen and her companions tramped through the countryside of her sprawling Sandringham estate for a high spirited holiday shoot…” (3)  This pulls the audience in and establishes the juxtaposition of the entire event- how such a tragedy could happen on such beautiful (and royal) land.
     The author was effective. Though the mystery remains unsolved, Dennis did a good job with summarizing what had happened and giving insight as to why it did. 

-January 23, 2012 issue of People Magazine

AOW January 9

In the article, “A Digital Death? Why Kodak Stopped Clicking” it is made clear that Kodak could be heading for bankruptcy and they may have been their own downfall.  Kodak once was incredibly popular; it had one of the most innovative researching departments in the world.  In 1975, they found the digital camera, “a product that would eventually be its undoing” (1). Kodak has tried to make and sell digital cameras and other products, however, they were “never really able to capitalize on the product it had invented, and its digital strategy was a bust” (2).  Currently, they are trying to sell patents for digital photography to prevent bankruptcy.

JIm Zarroli has been a reporter for NPR since 1996 and covers most often articles on business and the economy.  He has written for The Christian Science Monitor, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.

The context of this article is that Kodak has recently begun trying to sell about a thousand patents for the technology behind digital photography.  Since they are heading for bankruptcy, the company may not have a choice in the matter.

The purpose of the article was to show that Kodak’s own invention of the digital photography ultimately led them to their state today.  “Over the years, as digital photography has taken off, the innovations developed by Kodak have been widely used in smartphones, notebooks and tablets” (3) and unfortunately their demise may be caused by their innovations.

The audience intended for this article are listeners of NPR and people interested in the trends of businesses.

Rhetorical devices used include: appeal to ethos and clever diction.  Zarroli makes an appeal to ethos by citing Rob Cethre of the consulting firm of Photizo and Mark Zupan, dean of the business school at the University of Rochester.  By using experts in both photography and business interests, his purpose is more clearly explained and credible.  Zarroli makes him article more interesting and creative with his word choice.  His diction: “Kodak has tried to jump on the digital bandwagon”, “during its heyday” and “the profits it earned from selling film have dried up.” (4) Light phrases like these are not often used in reports on failing businesses.  Usually, diction is very formal. This is just one way the author is able to show some persona.

The author did achieve his purpose.  He uses quotes from experts to make his article credible and shows his character, making the article informative and interesting.     

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/06/144801653/kodak-tries-to-buy-time-by-selling-patents

AOW January 1

This article is about Tom Carano, who lost 230 pounds after being obese for most of his life.  He spent “ a lot of years overweight, depressed and just existing in my miserable self” (1).  He realized his only option was to lose weight the healthy way through diet and exercise and not gastro surgery, as his wife would be forced to take care of him.  He did not want that for her. He got a membership at the YMCA and walked for 20 minutes three times a week and started an aerobics class. This combined with eating what he calls “real food” (cheese, peanut butter, chicken, hummus, etc) brought him to his goal. Because the new year has just begun, people are making resolutions- many revolve around weight loss.  The purpose of this article is to inspire other people to lose weight. The audience of this article are readers on aol and also people want to be inspired to lose weight and fulfill their resolution.One rhetorical element used is blunt language.  Carano is very honest and to the point.  For example: “There were not many things I had the energy to do, just work, eat, couch. I knew there was more, but I was too scared to change. I couldn't reach my ankles without breathing so heavily it would wake my wife” (2).The author is successful in this article.  He even made me want to go exercise.

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/26/tom-carano-weight-loss_n_1157811.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl6|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D124203