SWA #19

1. Andriesen mentions all of the criteria that make up a sport such as scoring, racing, whether it requires physical effort, taking turns, but he never actually defines his personal opinion.  He states that whether an activity is considered a sport is to be determined by each individual.  He does compare the Olympic sport curling to requiring "about the same level of effort as sweeping the back porch".  This could mean that he is slighting curling as a sport, or he is simply stating that effort isn't an important fact in curling because the sport is still a competition and timing is involved.  I think he is implying that an individual my consider an activity to be a sport if it requires one, many, or all of the criteria he has suggested, but that each individual is left to decide that on their own.

2.  It might be important to have accepted criteria for what constitutes a sport if you're having a discussion about this topic.  I think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion of what a sport is and I will respect that.  I think a sport should require physical effort otherwise I would consider it a game.  I think that sports can be games, but games cannot be sports.  Sports are competitive, but contests are not sports.  Knowing the criteria for what a sport is will only benefit you in an argument, otherwise the information can only be applied by the individual.

SWA #18 Research Project Ideas

1. World Hunger
This issue was the easiest to find reliable sources of information.  World hunger has been an issue forever and it's about time that we receive some answers or suggestions to how we can truly help relieve this social issue.  I would like to write about this topic because I think I have found plenty of reliable sources.  One source suggests that science and technology will lead to the end of hunger.  Another source suggests that the media has not said much about the raised food prices.  It says that the production of the food has not slowed down at all, yet the demand for food has risen outrageously.

2. Depression: Males vs. Females
The subject of depression has always interested me, possibly because I have experienced it in the past.  It was fairly easy to find sources based on this topic.  I think it will be very interesting to find out what the differences actually are between depression in males versus depression in females.  One source suggests that females are more prone to depression due to serotonin levels.

3. Substance Abuse in Local Students
This was probably the hardest topic to research because the information is limited to the Columbia area.  It would be interesting to learn about this topic, though.  The sources listed statistics and compared the drug use with aggression and suicidal thoughts.

SWA #17 Factory food artificially cheap, bad for your health

This article was very informative and quite disturbing.  I think that it is disgusting and disgraceful that the animals are given a "genetically modified feed that is foreign to the animals' native diets"  and that the feed is "infested with rodents and feces."  Who in their right mind would ever be interested in eating such things?!   The author claims that we need to revert back to the old ways of agriculture on trusted family farms and get rid of factory farming.  I agree with the author because I certainly do not want to eat meat that basically consists of fat and toxic materials.  According to the EPA "at least 47 waterway contamination events that killed hundreds of aquatic animals were linked back to animal waste runoff from factory farms" in Iowa.  Aquatic animals?  These factories should not be killing aquatic animals as well.  Clearly these factory farms are not doing us any good and they must be stopped.  The author is convincing because these reasons are legitimate motives for wanting to return to an agricultural system.  The factory food system is definitely something that needs attention in our country.  All animals deserve to be treated with respect and we deserve to eat foods that are rich in nutrients, not foods that are grown and raised with hormones and harmful chemicals.

SWA #15 Fear Factories

He starts out by informing us that he has written a book this particular issue.  Then he goes on by introducing the subject.  He says, "industrial livestock farming is among a whole range of animal-welfare concerns that extends from canned trophy-hunting to whaling to product testing on animals to all sorts of more obscure enterprises like the exotic-animal trade and the factory farming of bears in China for bile believed to hold medicinal and aphrodisiac powers" (108).  He also says that it is our "responsibility to know" about what happens to the animals.  He then talks about the obligations towards the treatment of animals and says that this lets us feel "personally opposed to cruelty but unwilling to impose that view on others" (109).  Scully mentions the seriousness of the cruelty when he describes their environments.  He says, "they lie covered in their own urine and excrement, with broken legs from trying to escape or just to turn, covered with festering sores, tumors, ulcers, lesions" (113).  He tries to appeal to his audience with a strong pathos by offering information to make us think and to disturb us in order make us feel sympathetic.  He organizes the article by slowly intensifying each claim until the conclusion.  He continues by telling us about how they have been "tampering with genes" for future cloning of animals.  Everything just makes the audience more and more concerned with the present and the future.  He finally concludes by personally appealing to the audience by saying, "and when human beings cannot do something humanely, without degrading both the creatures and ourselves, then we should not do it at all" (118).  This is a perfect conclusion because this is the statement that he wants to stick with the reader when they finish.  It sums up his whole point in one simple sentence and hopefully reaches out to the audience in order to start a reaction for a better system of the treatment of innocent creatures.

SWA #14 R.A. #2 Outline

Introduction: The first advertisement of Calvin Klein's new fragrance "One Shock" appeals to both genders in their late teens or early 20s.  The ad stereotypes the party scene in young people through their image.  The second advertisement for Juicy Couture's "Viva La Juicy" appeals to an audience young women.  This ad stereotypes women into thinking that they need this product in order to be sexy, beautiful, and appealing to men.

Thesis:  Although consumers cannot truly determine if they like a fragrance until they have tested it, they can get a feel for what the fragrance is like by interpreting the visuals that make up the advertisement for it.

A. Images

CK: The models actions include dancing, flirting and smiling.  Some have their eyes closed and others have them open.  The guy models have their shirts off and one of them has a mohawk.

JC: This ad features a model dressed in a skimpy black outfit with that mesh-like, itchy material typically found under dresses to make them pouffy.  She is sitting down in an awkward position against an off-white wall while holding the fragrance in her hand like she is trying to sell it with her appearance. She is staring at the audience as well.

B. Colors
CK: The picture is mostly in black and white and then has transparent tinting on top of it including the colors green and pink (which correspond with the bottles of the fragrances) and some purple/blue as well as a hint of red, orange and yellow.  There is also yellow and white displayed through the light-drawing that was added to the image.  This was probably done to add to their idea of a wild, crazy, great time at a party.
JC: The color of the font corresponds with the large pink bow on the fragrance in the picture, while contrasting to the neutral tones in the rest of the ad.

   

C. Font

CK: The font adds to the "fun" created in the ad.  It appears to be a font called "Tapewriter" which is made up of squares and looks like it would or has been on a video-game of some sort.  The font on the actual bottles is a simple sans serif and the word "shock" on the girl's bottle is written to look like it was made with lipstick or nail polish or a paint brush.  The word "shock" on the boys bottle looks like it was written with paint and some is dripping down the bottle.

JC: The font is possibly original to the company, but looks as though someone wrote it in nail polish or with a paint brush.b. The brand name is written in "Old English CE," a font that looks old-fashioned like the title of an article in a newspaper.

Conclusion:  Both advertisements appeal to a similar audience except one is directed towards both girls and guys while the other is only directed towards girls.  They both have implications about attraction and  both have their product included in the ad.  The visuals contribute to the overall effect of the ads and allow the audience to choose which fragrance might be the best fit based on what they interpreted from the ad.
CK: Ad is implying that all young people do with their time is go out and party.  At the same time, people will be interested in this product if they do go out and party regularly.  Others could be offended by this stereotype and lack interest.
JC: The ad implies that if women use this fragrance then they will be attractive. In another perspective the ad could be suggesting that by using this product, you will look and feel as attractive as the woman in this picture if others smell this product on you, without having to dress like her.

SWA #13 Rhetorical Analysis #2

Both of these ads were in the October 2011 edition of Nylon Magazine.

1st ad: New fragrance for her and him from Calvin Klein called "One Shock"

The details written about the fragrance are written a font that looks to be "Tapewriter." This font is made up of squares and kind of looks like it would be in a video-game.  The ad pictures what looks like a group of teens or young adults out partying.  It features some light drawing (in yellow) which adds to the effect by making it look more interesting and fun.  The color scheme includes transparent lime green and a bright pink with some purple, blue, and black color as well.  The models appeal to be flirting, dancing, etc.  Some of them have their eyes open and some have them closed.  The creator of this ad was trying to appeal to the party scene of young adults, implying that the use of their fragrances will allow consumers to feel more attractive and will result in a fun night of partying or entertainment.  This ad culturally stereotypes young people by implying that all young people do is party.  At the same time, people could find interest in their product if they want to because they want to look like the people in the ad.    

2nd ad: Juicy Couture for their women's fragrance called "Viva La Juicy"

The name of the fragrance, "Viva La Juicy" is written in what might be their own original font.  It kind of looks like someone wrote it with nail polish or a paint brush.  The font is also in pink which corresponds with the pink bow on the top of the bottle in the picture and contrasts with the neutral colors in the rest of the ad.  The brand name is written in "Old English CE," a font that looks old-fashioned like a fancy title in a newspaper.  The model is dressed in a skimpy black outfit made out of and is sitting down against an off-white wall.  She is staring at the audience and is holding up the product as to sell it directly.  This product would appeal to young women in their late teens and early 20s.  This ad is implying that if women use their fragrance that they will be attractive.  This ad culturally stereotypes women into thinking that they need this product in order to be sexy or beautiful or appealing to men.  In another perspective it could be suggesting that by using this product, others might find you as attractive as the woman in the picture when they smell it on you.  

SWA #11 Ads

#1: Jet Airways

http://imageshack.us/f/237/ad0070804yp3.png/

The targeted audience is anyone who travels on airplanes and in particular families.  The product is a private cabin while traveling in an airplane.  The picture is a mom reading a book to her daughter on a plane.  It is supposed to make the targeted audience feel content by having privacy on the ride.   The advertisement says that someday all international airlines will offer this, but Jet Airways claims that they are the only ones that offer this feature now.  

#2:  Color Mirage

http://www.communicatorsintl.com/images/advertising-communicators-intl.jpg

The targeted audience is anyone in need of resurfacing tile/blocks.  They emphasize the color by providing a black and white background, making the product seem futuristic.  Without knowing what this is advertising it looks like an add for sunglasses or something to do with vision.  If you read the text it says that it is company for glass products.   It claims that its products are "no illusion" and that they are really unique and a "new vision in glass surfacing."  

#3: Pantene Pro-V Products

http://www.femilicious.com/blog/wp-content/ponyadsmall.jpg

The targeted audience is women who want to gain or maintain silky, shiny, and healthy hair.  The advertisement is just a profile picture of a woman from her shoulder-up and is in black and white.  The ad is implying that if you use Pantene products you will be as pretty as the woman in the picture (well, at least your hair).  The color of their logo stands out from the black and white image to add contrast and to draw attention to the source of the product.

SWA #12 My Postsecret Card

My Postsecret card was about Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  Her secret was that she "tripped" and fell down a rabbit hole into her own fantasy world.  I conveyed this implicitly because there is more meaning than just what was written on the card.  I chose to write the word "tripped" because it could imply the interpretation about Alice entering a world of drugs.  This was left up to interpretation by the creator, but it could explain her character in a deeper manner.  Her secret is also known as dramatic irony, because we, the audience, know that she has fallen into a fantasy world, but the other characters such as her family do not know.  I colored the background so it could appeal "trippy" or psychedelic.  I included an eye crying because in the cartoon Alice says, "Oh dear, I do wish I hadn't cried so much."  The tears were supposed to  be falling towards the teacup.  I wanted the text to be legible and I was hoping that the visuals I included would help others figure out who it was about.  I wanted the viewer to be able to relate to her because sometimes we all get lost in our own little world full of nonsense.