TOW #13 - IRB Blink

    Humans are faced with hundreds of both simple and difficult choices every single day. Ranging from a simple yes or no question to a potentially life changing choices, people are met with decisions that likely take time to answer. However, many of these choices have to be done nearly instantaneously, in a blink of an eye. In his book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell effectively reveals to everyone "the power of thinking without thinking" by utilizing eye-opening statistics and real-life psychological tests.
    Even without thinking or noticing, human beings make spontaneous choices throughout their lives. When examining CEOs across America, an interesting pattern emerges as "Among CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, that number is 58 percent. Even more striking, in the general American population, 3.9 percent of adult men are six foot two or taller. Among my CEO sample, almost a third were six foot two or taller" (87). Despite many modern day companies striving to provide equal wages and opportunities to employers, humans still make decisions without even realizing. Gladwell picks out very compelling statistical evidence to prove that the instantaneous choices that humans make, even if it goes unrecognized, can have a huge consequence.
    Malcolm goes on to reveal the fascinating consequences by actually testing the readers on a real life psychological test.  When giving a seemingly straightforward word unscrambling quiz, Gladwell secretly incorporates words such as "wrinkled", "old", and "gray" into the list of words. The effect of the test draws the audience's attention as the author explains, "You thought that I was just making you take a language test. But, in fact, what I was also doing was making...your adaptive unconscious think about the state of being old" (53).  By engaging the readers through an interactive activity and revealing the unknown effects of the test, Macolm Gladwell shrewdly validates his claim.  Through the interesting psychological test, the readers realize the power of instantaneous unconscious thinking for themselves and the potential effects that it may have in their everyday lives.
    Contrary to popular belief, Gladwell proves that there is great potential in "thinking without thinking" through the integration of notable statistics and surprising psychological tests.

TOW #12 - Visual Text "A Third Season of Tanking May Be Too Much to Ask"

    With Bryan Colangelo as the new head of the front office for the Philadelphia 76ers, the franchises' years of losing has officially come to an end. Appearing on the sports section of the Philly.com during the "Hinkie Era", the satirical cartoon by Rob Tornoe mocks then General Manager Sam Hinkie for intentionally losing to acquire better draft picks, more popularly known as "tanking".  Through the use of  creative humor and exaggerated understatements, Tornoe effectively argues Sam Hinkie's ineffective leadership in a satirical visual cartoon.
    Sam Hinkie has been widely recognized for the massive amount of losses he had brought to the Sixers during his tenure as the manager. Tornoe creatively pokes fun of Hinkie's plan as he uses wordplay to mock the hardships the GM brought to the fanbase.  His infamous "tanking" plan is illustrated as an actual tank that runs over innocent lives, specifically representing the Philly fans. This in effect reveals the ridiculous extent to which Sam Hinkie did not have sympathy towards the suffering fans across the city of brotherly love.
     Hinkie's strategic plan to intentionally lose in order to set up a potentially better future is also highly questioned by Tornoe when presenting a statement that is worse than depicted.  After running over a Sixers fan, Tornoe mocks Hinkie stating, "Don't worry, that'll start to feel better in 3-5 years".  Clearly depicted by the cartoon, the injured man is in critical condition, but Hinkie is shown to undermine the issue that is at hand. As the general manager of a profession organization, Hinkie is mocked for not proving to be an effective leader in the front office as he directs the injured fan to just wait "3-5 years".  Although Hinkie's timetable to rebuild a team is a ridiculous long period from the views of many, his statement undermines the problem which depicts his lack of skills as a GM.
   Hence, Rob Tornoe justifies his claim that Sam Hinkie is not a competent General Manager for the Philadelphia basketball organization through his ingenious use of humor and understatement in the satirical sports cartoon.

TOW #11 - Sojourner Truth: "Ain't I a Woman"

     The United States was a whole different world for African-Americans during the 19th century. Slavery was still prominent across the United States and it would last until the late 1800's. Even more so, women's rights were almost non-existent as men dominated the American society.  Millions of women, even the wealthy whites, were restrained from certain rights until the late 1900's. Sojourner Truth, a notable African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist, experienced not only neglect due to her gender, but also discrimination due to her race. In her influential speech "Ain't I a Woman", Sojourner Truth alludes to her religious views as well as utilizes repetition as a means of effectively persuading women, particularly African-American women, to stand up for their individual rights.
    During a less secular time period, religion, particularly Christianity, was an vital aspect of many American's lives. Truth realizes that although she is nearly powerless, she can question the white men through religion, asking, "he says women can't have as much rights as men,' cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him". Despite being an African-American woman, part of the lowest levels of the social structures at the time, Sojourner truth positions herself to directly challenge the higher class men by alluding to a reverend God that the people believed to be omnipotent.  She persuades African American women that since Jesus Christ was born from a mother, women are just as capable as men and should be treated equally as men, if not more.
   To further her argument for equality, Truth emphasizes the idea of women's rights as well as the
abolition of slavery by reiterating the same point numerous times. When faced with both discrimination and gender inequality, Truth lets her anger out by stating, "Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! Ain't I am woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have plouged and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?" By repeating the phrase "Ain't I a woman", Sojourner Truth sparks a mix of passion and anger among the African-American women. Every time the phrase is repeated, her idea builds onto the previous idea, ultimately creating a dynamic argument. Through the inclusion of repetition in her speech, Truth accentuates her idea of equality for all African-American women and makes her passion towards the subject clear.
     Hence, through the integration of allusion and repetition, Sojourner Truth effectively influences African-American women and provokes an urgent feeling of personal rights.

TOW #10- Donald Trump demands apology from "very rude" "Hamilton" cast

    On Friday night, the newly elected President Donald Trump stirred some noise on social media, causing controversial reactions once again. Vice-President elect Mike Pence was addressed directly by actors at Broadway's play "Hamilton" on the current social issues in the country after the performance. Reena Flores of CBS news effectively captures the American reactions to the disputed statements delivered by the performers at the Broadway show by weighing both sides of the argument and revealing the reasoning made by the opposing sides.
    After the show, Donald Trump tweeted out his bitter opinion on the Hamilton performers' course of action. On Saturday morning, Trump stated that Pence was "harassed" by posting "The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!" On Sunday morning, Trump extended upon his frustration by stating, "The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior". Trump's tweets received more than 100,000 likes and almost 50,000 retweets from Americans which has caused mixed reactions from the public. In Trump and his supporter's view, the performers were uncivilized for "calling-out" Pence single-handedly and were a disgrace to Americans, especially Trump-supporters.
    On the contrary, many citizens, especially politicians, voiced their opposing opinions via Twitter as well. Washington Post's Ruth Marcus argued, "Harassed? Watch the video. It was heartfelt and respectful, told audience not to boo. First Amendment at its finest- please read it!" Many people were on the same page as Marcus as they believed that the performers were only practicing their rights of freedom of speech. Throughout the election race, anti-Trump supporters feared the candidate would take away rights of certain individuals, such as their right to publicly address their opinion. Many Americans are now infuriated by Trump's controversial statement of "harassing" Pence and Flores reveals that the country is once again divided politically in specific social issues.
    By integrating the views of both Trump and anti-Trump supporters, Reena Flores clearly reveals the disagreements that are present amongst Americans in her article, "Donald Trump demands apology from "very rude" "Hamilton" cast".

link: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-demands-apology-very-rude-hamilton-cast-harassment-mike-pence/

IRB Post #2

For the second marking period, I will be reading Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is about the importance of split-second decisions that we as humans make everyday and how people can become better decision makers.  I decided upon this book because I have previously read Outliers and The Tipping Point which are also Gladwell's works.  Personally, I think psychology and sociology books are very interesting because it make me more aware of myself and my surroundings. I have heard even greater reviews on Blink than the other two books that I have read, so I am eager to dive into this piece.

TOW #9 - Weekend brings more anti-Trump protests across nation

    After Tuesday's surprising election results, Americans across the nation voiced their opinions publicly. In a matter of days, notable cities including Los Angeles, New Haven, Orlando, Chicago, and Boston were all part of protests against the newly elected President Donald Trump. Despite the popular vote being in favor of Hillary Clinton, the Republicans came out victorious, leaving more than half the nation's voters infuriated. Ray Sanchez of CNN News effectively highlights the country's uproar through the integration of social media sources and references to authoritative figures and protesters themselves.
    The movement against Donald Trump gained momentum nationwide largely due to the social media platforms that captured the discontent of Americans. In "Weekend Brings more anti-Trump protests across the nation", Sanchez includes popular twitter and Instagram posts that effectively illustrates the ongoing riots visually. In an Instagram post by a fellow protesters, @lmed305, the picture exhibits hundreds of outrageous protesters holding signs that are against Donald Trump's views on issues such as LGBT, immigrants, and women's rights. In another post by @khushbuoshea, the photo reveals people burning the American flag, showing the frustration of numerous patriotic individuals.  Through the inclusion of social media elements of the current issue, the Americans are not only more informed, but can also aware of what actually goes on in the demonstrations visually.
    To bring further awareness to the protests, Sanchez refers to both authoritative figures and civilians.  Subsequently after the night of the first protests, Donald Trump tweeted out, "Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud". On the other hand, Sanjay Mendonca, a fellow civilian, states, "I'm here for my kids because I don't want them to think we didn't do something ... A lot of people feel hopeless right now".  By quoting both President Trump and American citizens, the audience are more informed about the opposing sides and the logical reasoning that both sides are taking. Instead of being biased towards one group, Sanchez incorporates both views on the nationwide protests and provides a scope of the issues surrounding the riots.
    Hence, through the mix of social media posts and references to both protesters and supporters, Ray Sanchez effectively brings the Anti-Trump protests to attention for the rest of Americans.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/12/us/protests-elections-trump/

TOW #8 - IRB Unbroken

    Millions of men and women fight everyday in combat across the world. Many Americans, however, are unaware of the soldiers that are risking their lives to protect the country. Through Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand reveals the struggles of Louis Zamperini, a WWII prisoner of war survivor, and displays the heroism of soldiers to the Americans public. Hillenbrand effectively shares the fascinating life of the war survivor by appealing to the audience's emotions through the references of the personal resilience and significance of family.
    The life of Louis Zamperini was filled with both physical and mental struggles. From the time when he was bullied as a kid to the near-death circumstances he faced in the Japanese prisoner of war camps, Zamperini fought through many obstacles. However, in the midst of all the suffering, the survivor remembered his brother advising him, "A lifetime of glory is worth a moment in pain" (Hillenbrand 35).  Had it not been for this significant advice, Louis Zamperini may have struggled even more to overcome the challenges that he faced. Through the inspirational quote, Zamperini displayed numerous acts of personal resilience that appeals to the emotions of the American body. From starving on a lifeboat to being brutally attacked by Japanese officers, Hillenbrand patriotically illustrates the courageousness of the survivor that touches the heart of the readers.
    The Zamperini family, especially Louis's brother, Pete, also plays a significant role in influencing the emotions of Americans. After finally returning home from war, Pete and Louis see each other for the first time in several years as "Pete was gaunt, and he'd gone largely bald. The brother fell together, eyes shining"(Hillenbrand 336). The story of Louis begins with his childhood growing up with a close brother, and the story ends by Hillenbrand capturing an touching scene between the two siblings. Pete was the great role model that taught Louis to be resilient, a characteristic that allowed him to survive the brutal times at the war camps. Even after years of separation, the solid bond is clearly revealed through the eye connection.  The shining eyes illustrates the emotional roller coaster that both brothers faced through the war and the reunion between them finally allows for a bittersweet ending. 
    Hence, Laura Hillenbrand effectively writes an inspiring story of "survival, resilience, and redemption" by appealing to the audience through pathos. The display of personal resilience and close family bond shares a moving story of the incredible World War II survivor, Louis Zamperini. 

TOW #7 - Visual Text "National Dialogue on Race"

    In the 21st century, the growing media presence has been one of the major factors in publicly bringing police brutality to attention. In particular, the issues between the white police officers and black victims have stirred an uneasy tension between the two groups. In cases such as the shooting of Michael Brown, the American media covered the riots and nearly every American was well aware of the existing conflict. Just in the past year, there have been numerous similar cases of police brutality against black individuals and groups. In a political cartoon by Jimmy Margulies, an award-winning editorial cartoonist for AM New York, it highlights the two contrasting views of the repeating issue of civil unrest by applying distinct color schematics as well as utilizing irony.
    When first viewing the cartoon, the readers immediately recognize the split color difference of the half black and half white background. The cartoon depicts the left side as the black community with an African-American person reading a newspaper while the right side portrays the white community with a white individual reading a similar newspaper. The background does not gradually transforms into the opposite color, rather there is a abrupt line that splits the African American and white. The sharp color distinction between the black and the white background exemplifies the great separation that exists between the two different races.
    Margulies also vividly reveals the contrasting viewpoints between the white and black community by depicting an ironic situation. Although both characters are reading an article on the same subject, the two have completely contrasting reason for questioning "Again?" While the man on the left only sees the white police officers brutally killing more black men, the man on the right only sees another uproar rising from the black community. Despite the different perspectives on the issue, both people state the same word to show the irony that exists between distinct races in the country. This ironic circumstance that is illustrated shows the lack of unity among the American population, especially in the case of police brutality.
    Through the ironic cartoon that is illustrated by sharp color distinctions, Jimmy Margulies  displays the conflicting views of the reiterating issue of police brutality in a humorous manner.

Link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/74379831322474463/

TOW #6 - Won for the ages: After years of waiting and suffering, Cubs are in World Series

     71 years have passed since the Chicago Cubs have last captured the National League Pennant. Even more so, it has been over a century, 108 years to be exact, since the Cubs laid their hands on the World Series trophy. For numerous decades, die-hard Chicago baseball fans have endured painful times watching their beloved players come so close to becoming world champions, but never true winners. Paul Sullivan, a Chicago Tribune reporter, captured the significance of Saturday night's victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers for baseball fanatics across the world.   Through colloquialism and figurative language, the writer effectively illustrates the compelling victory which revived the Chicago community.
     Rather than a composed and formal article, Sullivan records the historic win in a informative, yet engaging manner. The post-game celebration was zealous as "Willson Contreras jumped into David Ross' arms like a 6-year-old jumping on his bed. The bubble of fun was just starting".  The Chicagoans have been awaiting for a win for countless years, and to truly capture the joy of the victory, the author described the moment in a way that people could relate to emotionally. Instead of merely stating that the people of Chicago were in high spirits, the author utilizes common phrases and ideas that conveyed the importance of the win in a more impactful tone.
     In addition to conversational style of writing, Sullivan also incorporates figurative language to relive the memorable victory. When looking back on the bitter history of the Cubs organization, "There was always something to blame, be it a billy goat, a black cat or a fan trying to catch a foul ball down the left-field line. When the team crashed and burned before it reached the promised land, it was rarely pinned on underperforming players".  To effectively communicate the idea that the baseball team had experienced lengthy years of hardship, Sullivan applies a metaphoric style in his article. The writer illustrates the decades of painful memories through figurative languages rather than stating plain facts, ultimately to emphasize the importance of the acquisition of the pennant.
     Overall, Sullivan effectively illustrates the vital win for the Chicago Cubs and examines the significance of the organization's victory for baseball fans. Surely, Saturday night will be a date in which all Chicago fans will remember for the next 71 years to come.


Link:http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-win-pennant-spt-1023-20161022-story.html

TOW #5 - Trump as Champion of Working Class? ‘Come On,’ Obama Says

     As the presidential election draws closer, President Obama is taking action on the political race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.  On Friday, the president delivered a speech on the importance of the people's votes and choices in Cleveland. Mr. Obama addressed the issue of the working class in the United States and described Donald Trump as a wealthy opportunist.  In the political article by the New York Times columnist Michael Shear, the author brings the political race between the two political candidates to attention to American citizens. By consistently referring to a prominent figure and providing numerous statistics, Shear effectively informs the US population on the ongoing presidential race.
     Throughout the article, Shear makes numerous references to President Obama to capture the interest of the readers and bring the campaigns into awareness.  In numerous occasions, the writer quotes the president's campaign rally speech stating, "'Ohio is always close,' Mr. Obama told the crowd, 'you can go vote early right now ... This is an opportunity for you to exercise your right to vote, your civic responsibility'".  By explicitly stating the president's words rather than alluding to the speech, the author engages his audience as the information presented is directly coming from the mouth of an authoritative figure. In addition, Shear specifically includes quotes in which President Obama directly speaks to the American people because the readers are being referenced which both grabs their attention as well as inform them with relevant news.
     To provide a better insight into the ongoing political race to the general population, Shear adds statistical information in his article. When comparing the candidates' chances in the state of Ohio, "poll released Friday showed the race in Ohio between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton essentially tied among likely voters, with Gary Johnson, the libertarian candidate, getting almost 10 percent of the vote". By including relevant data, Shear puts the political campaigns into context and brings to attention just how close the race has become. The inclusion of statistics ultimately allows the Americans to not only become aware of politics, but also comprehend the political race between Trump and Clinton in depth.
    Overall, Shear effectively brings the current campaigns to attention for the American citizens and informs them on the ongoing political race between candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. As November 8th, the election day, approaches, Americans are becoming more aware of the potential presidents of the United States.


Article link: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/15/us/politics/obama-donald-trump-ohio.html?ref=politics

TOW #4 - IRB Unbroken

     With 60 million deaths and casualties in a six year period, WWII was the deadliest military conflict in history in respects to absolute terms of total deaths. In Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the author captures the life of  WWII prisoner of war survivor Louis Zamperini and shares a powerful story of the war hero to the American public. By appealing to the emotions of readers and building credibility through relevant evidence, Hillenbrand effectively shares the compelling story of "survival, resilience, and redemption".
     Hillenbrand purposely tells a war story through a personal account of a veteran because it paints a clearer picture of the inhumanities of war. After being taken to the Japanese prisoner of war camp, Zamperini suffered in various ways such as being "condemned to crawl through the filth of a pig’s sty, picking up feces with his bare hands and cramming handfuls of the animal’s feed into his mouth to save himself from starving to death" (Hillenbrand 291). Through a biography of a WWII prisoner of war survivor, Americans can truly understand the harsh conditions that soldiers faced in combat. Rather than a textbook highlighting only key ideas and events, the individual narrative shares an emotional aspect of war and the adversities that cannot be told through concrete facts. Through the account of Zamperini's life, Hillenbrand appeals to the emotions of Americans and reveals war in a eye-opening perspective.
     In addition to pathos, Hillenbrand also builds credibility throughout the book to still show that this personal account truly happened. To put the war into perspective for the readers, the author includes notable facts stating, "In the Army Air Forces, or AAF, there were 52,651 stateside aircraft accident over the course of the war, killing 14,903 personnel" (Hillenbrand 66). By integrating a personal story with statistical evidence, Hillenbrand appeals to her audience through ethos in the midst of pathos and reminds Americans that this personal account of WWII truly occurred. Despite the story largely being written in a narrative style, the author incorporates statistics and relevant background information put the story into its historical context. Overall, Laura Hillenbrand writes an engaging personal war story of Louis Zamperini through the combination of both pathos and ethos.

TOW #3 - Visual Text "Liking Isn’t Helping. Be A Volunteer. Change A Life"

     The 21st century has become known as the age of technology. While the advancement in this field has allowed great innovations to be made, there have also been some drawbacks.  People are connected better now more than ever, but the strong network has not necessarily translated to positive progression. In an advertisement produced by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), a non-profit humanitarian aid organization, a powerful image clearly depicts the modern day issue with technology. The CRS attempts to persuade Americans into volunteering those in crisis rather than just watching the ongoing issues on social media without taking action. By appealing to the audience's emotions and using satire, the organization conveys a dynamic idea to millions of United States' civilians.
     The Catholic Relief Service presents a bold image of a helpless child wrapped around the body of his mother to effectively spread their message. The organization directly captures the interests of Americans and touches their hearts through the use of pathos. By appealing to the audience's emotions, the CRS makes Americans realize the urgency of the humanitarian issues and persuades them to take action. In addition, the monochromatic coloring creates a more depressing mood, which makes the audience sympathize to a greater extent. Ultimately, the heartbreaking image influences viewers to go and assists people in need, such as the frail boy in the poster.
    The use of satire also changes the perspectives of Americans and convinces them to volunteer. A sense of stupidity and ignorance is highlighted by the pointed up thumbs surrounding the feeble boy. The thumbs represents the iconic "like" button on social media, but more specifically, it signifies the lack of consideration by the American population.  By ridiculing its audience through this symbolic image, the CRS persuasively convinces people to stop lingering and start helping deprived individuals. Hence, the utilization of pathos and satire in this compelling advertisement effectively spreads a meaningful message to countless Americans.
 

Link: http://www.demilked.com/social-advertisement-powerful-ads/

TOW #2 - China and North Korea: Nuclear Tests Highlight Complex Relationship

     Dictator Kim Jung Un and his country, North Korea, has induced tension to the rest of the world once again with the recent nuclear bomb tests. The latest experiment done on September 9th was the strongest-ever nuclear test in the nation's history. With the heighten tensions, North Korea and its bordering neighbor, China, displays the complicated relationship between the two nations. China is one of very few nations that have the ability to influence North Korea, yet the Chinese government is not denouncing the recent activities in Pyongyang. If China condemn the nuclear tests, the country would be supporting its opposition, the United States. However, China also cannot allow for continuous experiments to take place due to safety issue. Cassandra Vinograd, a reporter for NBC News, clearly illustrates this convoluted tie between China and North Korea to the American pubic through metaphors, similes, and rhetorical questions.
     Throughout her article, Vineograd utilizes figurative language to exhibit the aforementioned unique relationship. The author connects the two nations in the beginning of her article stating, "Beijing is the isolated nation's lifeline" and later on writing, "the relationship characterized by some former Chinese leaders as 'close as lips and teeth'". Rather than describing the connection between North Korea and China in a literal sense, the reporter employs metaphors and similes to vividly illustrate her claim. The purpose of her article is to 'highlight [the] complex relationship', and the best way to achieve this goal is to create a representation that the readers can easily understand. The use of rhetorical devices not only creates a clear image of the difficult situation, but also assists readers to comprehend the topic better.
    To further strengthen her purpose, Vineograd asks rhetorical questions over the course of her text. The title of the sections in her articles read "Who's provoking who?", "What are the options?", and "So now what?".  The author intentionally titles the section in this manner to make her audience connect back to the reason she wrote this piece.  By asking these broad questions, her readers dig deeper into the article and understand just how complicated the relationship is for themselves.  Hence, Cassandra Vinograd effectively informs the American population of the foreign affairs through the use of various powerful rhetorical devices.

Link: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/north-korea/china-north-korea-nuclear-tests-highlight-complex-relationship-n648691

TOW #1 - The master plan behind Apple Airpods and iPhone 7

The notorious company, Apple, has made a tremendous leap in the technology industry once again. On Wednesday afternoon, the corporation revealed the much anticipated iPhone 7. Matt Weinberg, the tech reporter for Business Insider, recapped the significant reveal of the new device in his recent article, The master plan behind Apple AirPods and iPhone 7. The biggest headline that came out of Apple’s announcement was the removal of the traditional 3.5 mm headphone jack and the creation of “AirPods”, a wireless Bluetooth headphone. The innovative technology that Apple has incorporated in its new devices is a huge risk for the company; nevertheless, taking a chance has allowed better features to be added to the newest iPhone. Weinberg effectively captures the interests of the millions of tech enthusiasts around the world by organizing the article in a coherent manner and relating to his audience in his writing.

To organize his article, Weinberg divides Apple’s “master plan” into four main ideas: AirPods are the Key, Siri is Everything, Our Science Fictional Future, and Barriers Ahead. He purposely enlarges the four labels and bolds the text to make each section stand out to establish coherence. By structuring his writing this manner, the reporter allows the readers to easily navigate through the text and understand specific details that they are interested in learning.  For instance, if the readers are interested in learning about the drawbacks of the new technology, they can easily find the "Barriers Ahead" portion of the article and locate the desired information. The structured writing ultimately allows the author to convey the new information efficiently and effectively.

In addition to the organization, Weinberg also establishes a relationship with the audience to make his writing more engaging. When describing the new features on the iPhone, he notes, "Siri lets you use your apps without taking your phone out of your pocket or checking your Apple Watch". The author employs the pronoun "you" and "your" numerous times throughout the course of the article to create a close connection between the tech fanatics. Rather than utilizing third person pronouns such as "one" or "he or she", he directly speaks to his readers to make his writing more appealing and relatable. Overall, Matt Weinberg does an excellent job giving a synopsis of Apple's reveal date through his effective writing technique. 

Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-7-airpods-master-plan-2016-9

IRB Post

For this marking period, I will be reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. I chose this book because I have previously seen the movie that came out in 2014. I have heard that the book is actually better than the movie, so I purchased a copy from Barnes and Nobles.

The Lives of the Cell (1971) - Lewis Thomas

       One cannot possibly imagine comparing the enormous Planet Earth to a single microscopic cell. Lewis Thomas, however, manages to creatively connect the two seemingly polar opposite matters into one through his brilliant piece, "The Lives of a Cell". Thomas, a former dean of Yale Medical School and New York University School of Medicine, effectively relates man with nature in order to illustrate the biological functions of a cell in an informative, yet comprehensible manner for the general public. By utilizing more figurative language while tying in scientific terms, Thomas creates a distinct and innovative way to explain that all living things are interdependent to one another, similar to the various organelles that make up the cell.
       Throughout his essay, Lewis Thomas exhibits a close relationship between organelles' functions and human activities through the use of metaphors and similes. Due to the lack of scientific knowledge during the 1970's, Thomas purposely uses figurative language to explain biological facts which he exemplifies by stating, "Our genomes are catalogs of instructions from all kinds of sources in nature, filed from all kinds of contingencies." (Thomas 359). By comparing ideas that are relatable to the audience, the author is able to explicitly inform his readers about a unique and revolutionizing concept. Rather than introducing puzzling new facts to prove his point, the author's writing technique allows the readers to comprehend and retain the same information much more effectively.
       In addition to the stylistic language, the author also incorporates scientific diction in order to appeal to his audience. For instance, Thomas adds specific jargon when comparing humans and cells stating, "My centrioles, basal bodies, and probably a good many other more obscure tiny beings at work inside my cell, each with its own special genome, are as foreign, and as essential, as aphids in anthills" (Thomas 359). The use of biological terminologies such as centrioles, genome, and aphids allows the author to not only inform readers, but also builds his credibility as a writer.  Ethos is evident throughout the passage which supports Thomas's claim because the readers trust his expertise in biology. Lewis Thomas balances new concepts with familiar terms as well, which allows his audience to comprehend his claim while seeing the validity of his work. Even during a time when the area of biology was much more vague than today, Thomas was still able to effectively present a revolutionary scientific idea through his eloquent writing style.

http://magazine.jhsph.edu/2007/Spring/features/dna/_images/cell_to_earth.jpg

Thomas compares the different aspects of the cells with human interactions to reveal the similarities between the biological matter and planet earth.

Letters from Birmingham Jail (1963) - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

         Known as one of the most reverend civil rights activist in history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expresses his passionate viewpoint on discrimination to eight white clergymen in his notable "Letter from Birmingham Jail". After being arrested for parading without a permit, King attempts to defend justice for African-Americans across the country through his passionate thoughts. Despite the letter being sent to only eight officials, King's intended audience is high class, white individuals. Throughout his letter, Dr. King utilizes both ethos and pathos appeals to capture his readers' attention and communicate his opinion effectively, even during a period in history when segregation was ever so evident.
       Of all the devices that King includes in his letter, his appeal through ethics is most frequently employed. Numerous significant historical figures are referenced in order to justify his argument in a compelling manner. For instance, King cites one of the most prominent U.S. presidents to his advantage by stating, "Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist - 'This nation cannot survive half slave and half free'" (King 273). In order to support his stance, King establishes credibility through the use of a variety of influential figures in order to ultimately express his passionate viewpoint. Importantly, the civil rights activist does not reference only African-American leaders to justify his point, rather he notes a variety of figures such as Jesus Christ, Lincoln, and Bunyan in order to appeal to his audience.  By building up validity to his argument, King establishes a firm foundation for his writing.
         Not only does King include ethics in his argument, but he also strengthens his claim by engaging the readers' emotions. He clarifies to the aristocratic white readers that it is easy for them to wait for change, but for black individuals such as King himself, a change is imperative. He exemplifies the harsh brutality faced by the black community by explaining "when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brother and sisters with impunity... then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait" (King 267). By referencing the harsh treatments that innocent men, women, and children are facing, Dr. King makes the readers have a sympathetic connection with the oppressed. Including precise diction such as vicious, lynch, and brutalize allows King to expressively share his point of view to the carefree white community. Through his engaging and passionate words, Dr. King strengthens his compelling stance on discrimination and effectively adds onto his already well-established argument.

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Dr. King reflects on discrimination behind bars of Birmingham Jail.

How It Feels to Be Colored Me (1928) - Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston, one of the most distinguished writers of African American literature in the twentieth-century, captures her journey of discovering her true identity during a segregated time period in her renown essay, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me". Hurston describes her emotional experiences of learning to appreciate herself despite facing discrimination from her white peers. She strongly emphasizes in her essay to people of all different races, genders, and ethnic backgrounds that despite being an African-American, she believes she was created to be herself. She asserts that the color of her skin does not define her as a person by utilizing detailed metaphors and powerful symbolism throughout her writing.

In the beginning, Hurston recounts an anecdote from her childhood when she first lost her innocence to discrimination.   It was through this experience, however, that she began to realize her true identity. Hurston does not express sorrow, rather pride and determination stating, "No I do not weep at the world - I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife" (Hurston 115). Through her powerful metaphor, the author effectively conveys her point: discrimination will not stop her from moving forward nor will it change her as a person. The inclusion of strong figurative language emotionally appeals to her audience, which makes her stance even more convincing.

To conclude her essay, Hurston also includes symbolism with a brown bag filled with random objects in order to reiterate her point of self acceptance. She compares herself with the brown bag to show that if different objects from different bags were all scattered and then mixed into her bag again, then "a bit of colored glass more or less would not matter" (Hurston 117). Through this meaningful symbol, Hurston reemphasizes her claim that she will not be distressed by her skin color. She insists that the Creator perhaps intended to create all the different races and had a meaningful purpose for each color. Hurston’s incorporation of a symbolic metaphor at the end of the essay builds onto her passionate claim that she established throughout the narrative and hence, does an effective job concluding her compelling viewpoint.

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Zora Neale Hurston learns to appreciate being an African-American, even during a period in history when white was considered the "ideal" skin  color