Article by Walter Kirn
I believe it's seldom that an obviously one-sided article can actually crane it's neck to see the other point of view, and yet Kirn has. While still advocating for the small town Post Office, he still at least recognizes the idea that perhaps this epitaph is expendable.
Small town Post Offices around the country will be closed and with it a central location to congregate and mingle. As important as that fact is, the article could have perhaps touched on the fact that so many people would be out of a job. Perhaps a not could be made that until the mid 90's, more than half the population of Post Office employees were Deaf, and now will be again cut. Obviously this article was more about the need for these places for small town life, but there is room to make this point.
Monday, February 7, 2011
"A Prescription for Fear" a Reflection
Article by Virginia Hefferman
The mass populous of our country is without health insurance, as many have been so forcefully made aware of with constant struggle with new laws. With the added fact that we are overloaded by advertisements online and on TV, the last place it's necessary is in our own attempt to feel better. Hefferman took the time to compare two different online "diagnostics". The Mayo Clinic would be the equivalent of going to a local clinic, while WebMD is more like going to a private clinic (stock full of sample pills to sway the doctors hand in prescription writing.)
This piece of writing was very informative, giving examples of the difference between trying to find help for even a common head ache. You can even tell the type of website each is by just the homepage. The information was very helpful to the online hypochondriac, and I found the writing style to be fun and a little silly, but I thought perhaps I could have had more. Information on making an appointment or even where a clinic is would be a very helpful tip for those not located in Massachusetts.
The mass populous of our country is without health insurance, as many have been so forcefully made aware of with constant struggle with new laws. With the added fact that we are overloaded by advertisements online and on TV, the last place it's necessary is in our own attempt to feel better. Hefferman took the time to compare two different online "diagnostics". The Mayo Clinic would be the equivalent of going to a local clinic, while WebMD is more like going to a private clinic (stock full of sample pills to sway the doctors hand in prescription writing.)
This piece of writing was very informative, giving examples of the difference between trying to find help for even a common head ache. You can even tell the type of website each is by just the homepage. The information was very helpful to the online hypochondriac, and I found the writing style to be fun and a little silly, but I thought perhaps I could have had more. Information on making an appointment or even where a clinic is would be a very helpful tip for those not located in Massachusetts.
Monday, January 31, 2011
"The iPod Gets the Dick Tracy Treatment" a Reflection
Article by Rob Walker
What little boy hasn't dreamt of a multi-purpose watch? This new piece of technology (at least to me) seems exciting and practical. However small the gigabyte usage might be, this article makes the use of this "watch" very exciting. Pointed out about halfway through is the limited use of the new nano, yet it somehow doesn't seem to make the reader want to slow down and think, "is this truly necessary?" Yes, it's an interesting idea to have a watch that can hold your music library, but is it really needed in this day and age? If you stand on the point of fashion, there are many sellers of more fancy bands, and if on the point of actually usage, there are options for more memory and more apps. This seems to be the new "it" piece by Apple.
What little boy hasn't dreamt of a multi-purpose watch? This new piece of technology (at least to me) seems exciting and practical. However small the gigabyte usage might be, this article makes the use of this "watch" very exciting. Pointed out about halfway through is the limited use of the new nano, yet it somehow doesn't seem to make the reader want to slow down and think, "is this truly necessary?" Yes, it's an interesting idea to have a watch that can hold your music library, but is it really needed in this day and age? If you stand on the point of fashion, there are many sellers of more fancy bands, and if on the point of actually usage, there are options for more memory and more apps. This seems to be the new "it" piece by Apple.
"Gridiron Girls" a Reflection
Article by Katie Baker
Who knew that sports were more than behemoths knocking each other down and unconscious? According to Baker and the new polls, 32% of viewers watching "Sunday Night Football" are women. This fact, according to Baker, is not due to the new Faith Hill song broadcast at the opening, nor the new line of women's clothes for the league, not ever the adverts for the official air sanitizer of the NFL, Febreeze. According to this article, Soap Opera fans are missing out on the next big "story" (since day time television programs like Soaps are often referred to as "storys"). The interviews, the TMZ.com coverage, and shocking scandals, all these are evidence to the new soar in female viewership. Why watch Jersey shore, when you can watch "Sunday Night Football?"
Who knew that sports were more than behemoths knocking each other down and unconscious? According to Baker and the new polls, 32% of viewers watching "Sunday Night Football" are women. This fact, according to Baker, is not due to the new Faith Hill song broadcast at the opening, nor the new line of women's clothes for the league, not ever the adverts for the official air sanitizer of the NFL, Febreeze. According to this article, Soap Opera fans are missing out on the next big "story" (since day time television programs like Soaps are often referred to as "storys"). The interviews, the TMZ.com coverage, and shocking scandals, all these are evidence to the new soar in female viewership. Why watch Jersey shore, when you can watch "Sunday Night Football?"
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
"Only Cowgirls Run For Office" A Reflection
Article by Rebecca Traister (1/21/2011)
This is a clear a concise example of persuasive writing. Explaining our own nations history of "rootin'-tootin'" cowgirl-types that has been our only source of female heroism, Traister explains how it seems to be time to perhaps put our guns back in their holsters. Citing that we cannot and do not have, within our own history, great women like Joan of Arc or Catherine the Great, or Cleopatra, we created strong female archetypes within our own frontier days.
Female politicioans in this day and age do work very well when they "get up on that horse", so to speak, and take charge in their states come election time. Being conservative when it comes to gun control has been an ongoing thread among these women. Sarah Palin may have done so well based almost entirely on her "caribou-hunting, bear-evading shtick (as put by Traister)" as well as Senator Gifford.
Gifford, being described as "charming, lovely, brilliant, warm, intellectually curious, intellectually honest — and tough as nails," By Rep Steve Rothman of New York, was as well a gun enthusiast. Now having been shot through the brain with months more of rehab in front of her, perhaps she will change her stance? Some colleagues of hers already have.
This is a clear a concise example of persuasive writing. Explaining our own nations history of "rootin'-tootin'" cowgirl-types that has been our only source of female heroism, Traister explains how it seems to be time to perhaps put our guns back in their holsters. Citing that we cannot and do not have, within our own history, great women like Joan of Arc or Catherine the Great, or Cleopatra, we created strong female archetypes within our own frontier days.
Female politicioans in this day and age do work very well when they "get up on that horse", so to speak, and take charge in their states come election time. Being conservative when it comes to gun control has been an ongoing thread among these women. Sarah Palin may have done so well based almost entirely on her "caribou-hunting, bear-evading shtick (as put by Traister)" as well as Senator Gifford.
Gifford, being described as "charming, lovely, brilliant, warm, intellectually curious, intellectually honest — and tough as nails," By Rep Steve Rothman of New York, was as well a gun enthusiast. Now having been shot through the brain with months more of rehab in front of her, perhaps she will change her stance? Some colleagues of hers already have.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
"Watch Me, Read Me." A Reflection
Article by Virginia Hefferman (1/14/2011)
This is short one paged article was about a new piece of visual media that combines the options of reading and viewing. People buy how-to books all the time and often without much result. Vook is a new app on the iPad or iPhone that combines reading text and watch/listening to video to further instruct you on how-to projects as well as regular reading.
Hefferman does a good quick over view of how the Vook works and the future of the app. She does perhaps a bit of a half hearted attempt to truly explain the app and it's full breadth of uses, but none the less imparted a bit of information.
Sometimes reading can truly just be about learning about something new. In a day and age where "something new" is a daily occurrence, and quiet honestly is usually about something dreadful, it's a nice change for what I'm learning about to just be about something that integrates two medias together. Reading, like mentioned in the article, is usually a mind work out, but I enjoy the idea that I could maybe take the strain off if I were to try and learn to cook a specific dish or maybe do yoga.
This is short one paged article was about a new piece of visual media that combines the options of reading and viewing. People buy how-to books all the time and often without much result. Vook is a new app on the iPad or iPhone that combines reading text and watch/listening to video to further instruct you on how-to projects as well as regular reading.
Hefferman does a good quick over view of how the Vook works and the future of the app. She does perhaps a bit of a half hearted attempt to truly explain the app and it's full breadth of uses, but none the less imparted a bit of information.
Sometimes reading can truly just be about learning about something new. In a day and age where "something new" is a daily occurrence, and quiet honestly is usually about something dreadful, it's a nice change for what I'm learning about to just be about something that integrates two medias together. Reading, like mentioned in the article, is usually a mind work out, but I enjoy the idea that I could maybe take the strain off if I were to try and learn to cook a specific dish or maybe do yoga.
Monday, January 17, 2011
"Can Europe Be Saved?" A Reflection
Article by Paul Krugman (1/12/2011)
This article was was supposed to be a straight forward approach to help make the American people understand the struggles that the Euro is facing in most european countries. It addresses a few historical examples of depressions and reasons behind them. It also makes some side by side comparisons between states within the US and different european countries.
It mentions how certain countries have stayed afloat, like Argentina, by pegging their dollar worth to that of the US. While other countries did more spending and borrowing, like Greece, and other's merely watched other markets. It mentions a lot of countries and a lot of different ways they kept their economy afloat before and after the Euro and how each was a bad or good way of doing things.
One side by side comparison was between Nevada and Ireland. There appear to be similarities and he believes he's making good points. Then, when he harps in on the differences it makes the previous statements completely irrelevant. It makes the entire section a little confusing by making you think one way and then immediately flip-flopping.
It talks a lot about how the housing bubble burst and the economies in several countries fell when issues with the Euro arose. Some points seemed very compelling, while other I felt myself losing the point of view. I found it pretty obvious that this paper is written from a more right wing perspective, with a more critical eye on that of europe and a more lenient one on the US. While that may not constitute "right wing behavior" the over all tone of the article felt conservative.
The hardest part about the 8 page long dig on european countries was the constant back and forth. Jumping back and forth not only from year to year, but country to country within that same thought. Making random references to economists, delegates, and diplomats added to the whiplash I experienced reading.
In my opinion, this article was actually incredibly hard to follow and even more difficult to truly understand. I think the author got so caught up with making points and allegories and references that he lost the main focus of the piece. Perhaps I just have a more untrained eye and a feeble mind, but this was just a rough read and I ended wondering how I could have read 8 pages and understood less than half of what it said.
This article was was supposed to be a straight forward approach to help make the American people understand the struggles that the Euro is facing in most european countries. It addresses a few historical examples of depressions and reasons behind them. It also makes some side by side comparisons between states within the US and different european countries.
It mentions how certain countries have stayed afloat, like Argentina, by pegging their dollar worth to that of the US. While other countries did more spending and borrowing, like Greece, and other's merely watched other markets. It mentions a lot of countries and a lot of different ways they kept their economy afloat before and after the Euro and how each was a bad or good way of doing things.
One side by side comparison was between Nevada and Ireland. There appear to be similarities and he believes he's making good points. Then, when he harps in on the differences it makes the previous statements completely irrelevant. It makes the entire section a little confusing by making you think one way and then immediately flip-flopping.
It talks a lot about how the housing bubble burst and the economies in several countries fell when issues with the Euro arose. Some points seemed very compelling, while other I felt myself losing the point of view. I found it pretty obvious that this paper is written from a more right wing perspective, with a more critical eye on that of europe and a more lenient one on the US. While that may not constitute "right wing behavior" the over all tone of the article felt conservative.
The hardest part about the 8 page long dig on european countries was the constant back and forth. Jumping back and forth not only from year to year, but country to country within that same thought. Making random references to economists, delegates, and diplomats added to the whiplash I experienced reading.
In my opinion, this article was actually incredibly hard to follow and even more difficult to truly understand. I think the author got so caught up with making points and allegories and references that he lost the main focus of the piece. Perhaps I just have a more untrained eye and a feeble mind, but this was just a rough read and I ended wondering how I could have read 8 pages and understood less than half of what it said.
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