22. Mother of youngest Sandy Hook victim gives interview

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/27/mother_of_youngest_sandy_hook_victim_gives_interview/

In Natasha Lennard's article, "Mother of youngest Sandy Hook victim gives interview," she describes the feeling of Veronique Pozner, the mother of the youngest victim of Sandy Hook massacre. Lennard shows the shock of a mother who lost her child through the article she wrote. She starts by describing how the young Noah Pozner, the victim, was. Noah was an intelligent and bright children who was curious about everything. Then she shows Veronique Pozner's feelings and reactions of when she heard the news of the death of her son. Lennard is able to show the trauma and deep sorrow the mother felt. "Noah’s famously long eyelashes, which she spoke about in her eulogy, rested lightly on his cheeks and a cloth covered the place where his lower jaw had been."She ends her article by describing the corpse of the young boy's body and his mother's words in her son's funeral.

Lennard's purpose in writing this article is to describe a mother's feeling toward this massacre, especially having her own son being the victim. He also wishes to reveal to the audience the sadness of such a case occurring. The audience is people who wishes to know about what happened and to show that they feel sorry about what happened. Lennard describes and informs Veronique Pozner's feeling in losing Noah Pozner, her son.

21. Android surge shakes Apple

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/27/android_surge_shakes_apple/

In Alex Halperin's article, "Android surge shakes Apple," he reveals the danger Apple is facing in falling behind Android. Halperin starts out by referring to a previous case which happened in Beijing, China where the Apple iPad sales were too low. He continues by showing reports which shows Apple "a gravitational pull on app developers." He also interviewed a former graphics engineer at Apple who, even though he favors Apple, he feels that Android is slowly catching up. Halperin shows that iPhone 5 is the most sold phone in the US, however Android does not fall back with Samsung Galaxy SIII as the best selling phone ever. He also states that Apple are barely able to keep up. Their tablets are the best ones, but they could easily lose the spot of best sold tablets. Halperin ends his article by stating, "It’s foolish to look too deeply into a stock but it may be fair to say that since consumers now have options, investors might want them too." He means that Apple must start taking this problem more seriously and take serious measures. 

The author's purpose in writing this article is to reveal to people that Apple is slowly falling behind Android. There was not only one case which shows the droppings Apple faced, but more times. His audience are people who are interested in technology affairs and those who wants to know about the relationship between Apple and Android. Halperin wrote this article to inform these people about the problems happening between these two companies who both wish to sell the most and get the most sales.

22. 2012: Global warming became reality

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/26/2012_global_warming_became_reality/

Seth Borenstein wrote an article on December 26^th about how global warming’s effects have been clearly seen especially throughout the year of 2012. He gives numerous examples of how climate changes have affected the world and has set new records, everything has gone to the extremes. Borenstein said how long lasting and widespread droughts have occurred throughout the United States and how flooding has also devastated many countries around the world. He said how tornadoes have been occurring more often and temperatures have skyrocketed. This rise in temperature has caused a large amount of ice to melt which affects the weather of the entire world. With increase in droughts, wildfires become prevalent and the combination of all these events collectively “provides confirmation of precisely what climate scientists predicted would happen decades ago if we proceeded with business-as-usual fossil fuel burning.” Borenstein ends his article with a warning: “What we view today as unprecedented extreme weather will become the new normal in a matter of decades if we proceed with business-as-usual.”

The purpose of the author in writing this article was to inform his readers that global warming is a reality and has worsened dramatically and to persuade those who don’t think it has had any effects on global weather. Seth Borenstein uses many quotes from many experts in order to persuade his audience with credible information. He uses a large amount of examples of devastating climatic events which have occurred around the world to support his ideas as well. His tone is formal and language is objective, filled with statistics in order to persuade his readers. With these devices, the author is effective in presenting his ideas and persuading his audience to recognize the reality of global warming and its effects around the world.

20. In Psychiatric Illness, Families Must Be Our First Responders

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/12/in-psychiatric-illness-families-must-be-our-first-responders/266628/

In Lloyd Sederer's article, "In Psychiatric Illness, Families Must Be Our First Responders," she discusses about the recent tragic Newtown massacre and some possible changes which should happen. Sederer starts out her article by revealing her opinion about gun control. She states that as a psychiatrist, she feels that those who cause these happenings, the criminals, are most likely to be mentally ill. By having gun control it won't help solve the problem, the measures which must be taken is to find these mentally ill people and possibly cure them. Sederer states that those who are most likely to find them are their families. Family are the first people to find a difference in behavior or character. However, other people, such as doctors, don't sense these change, therefore, don't think it is necessary to cure them. Sederer shows that to avoid cases like the Newtown massacre, people must take action to avoid people with mental illness in becoming a criminal. "Let's involves these families in engineering the most effective systems for involving their early warnings, using their leverage with their loved ones, and capitalizing on their ongoing support of the treatments that, if delivered early and consistently, will reduce the risks for tragic events." She ends her article by revealing that families must be supported and taken seriously so that tragedies won't happen again.

The author's purpose in writing this article is to reveal a new measure which people should take to avoid tragedies, such as the Newtown massacre. She wishes that people may take measurer and precautions, so that no sad occurrences may happen again. Sederer's audience are other psychiatrist or doctors who must watch out for these sick patients and possibly cure them. It could avoid them from becoming criminals. Sederer wishes that people might take action and nothing like the Newtown massacre may happen again.

21. Fighting Poverty By Giving Poor People Money

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/12/25/give_directly_the_new_charity_that_fights_money_by_giving_poor_people_money.html

Matthew Yglesias posted on December 25th about "most underrated tool around for fighting poverty": giving money to poor people. The author opens his article by saying how he himself sent money to a charity that gives the money to poor families then urged his readers to do the same. He recognizes the opposing arguments that the money could be used on booze or tobacco and that the people who conduct the charity could gain large percentage of the donations, but he gives the percentages of the funds that reach the recipients and the percentage of the funds that go overhead. Yglesias also says that by giving poor families money, it will improve the community's economic state by increasing trade.

The author's purpose in writing this article is to persuade his readers to consider this type of charity and donate money to these institutions. He uses his personal experience to show how he has engaged in the donations. He also gives the percentages of where the money goes to and explains how the institutions are not stealing money from the funds. Yglesias also uses a quote which supports his view in favor of giving money to the poor, however he doesn't give that person qualifications. His arguments are logical and he is successful in achieving his purpose,but he should have gone further to convince a more opposing audience.

20. North Korea Rocket Might Have Western United States in its Range

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/12/23/north_korea_missile_could_hit_western_united_states.html

Daniel Politi wrote an article on December 23rd about North Korea’s status in missile technology. He says that according to South Korean officials, debris from a test rocket launch show that the North Koreans have the capability of firing a missile that could reach more than 6,200 miles away, an area which includes the United States. However, Politi reassures his readers that they don’t have the technology to deliver a nuclear strike through that missile. In addition, South Korean officials believe the North Koreans could have connections with Iran judging from the remains of the rocket. Politi says how this launch test has been a “huge boost to young leader Kim Jong-un” and that the “scientists and technicians involved in the development of the rocket” were greatly rewarded.

The author’s purpose in writing this article was to inform his readers about North Korean missile technology, but reassuring them that no nuclear attack will occur in the near future. Politi quotes several people and credible sources which make his information more reliable. He provides more information surrounding the subject, yet is successful in keeping the article short and easier to read.

20. "Say a Prayer": The Heartbreaking Scene in Newtown on the Night of the Shooting

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2012/12/14/newtown_school_shooting_the_heartbreaking_scene_on_the_night_of_the_shooting.html

Justin Peters writes on December 14th a remarkable essay of the night of the shooting of Newtown, this past friday. He begins his essay showing how many people and places have been holding services and prayer vigils though out the night, and how people are moaning for their losses. Peters also says that the senator Richard Blumenthal has very strong set of words when he expresses his condolences for the families, by saying "There's a saying: a picture is worth 1,000 words, This picture is worth many more than 1,000words." Peters also says a very strong, shocking bu still true statement when he states a verse in the bible saying that good triumphs over evil and Death and Hades are thorn into a pool of fire. He says that while the priest was talking about the event, tears start rolling from his eyes, and he asks "What was it like inside?" meaning during the sooting how was the scene inside the school. 

In this article Peters writes and essay after the night of the shooting. He shows condolences when using his words. He satiates with a very sympathetic and thankful tone of voice that churches and local community centers are hosting prayer vigils for the families and friends of the lost lives in Newtown. In Peters essay, he uses many quotes and references to reenforce his essay. He has many strong quotes and explanations to show how things are not going to well in Newtown. In his last paragraph he says that while he was writing this at a Dunkin Dounuts close to the shooting and says that there were people who were arguing at the top of their throats weather or not to allow guns, while there where people moaning the loss of their loved ones. This statement wraps up his essay very well, because even though he was showing the case that was happening in Newtown, he also shows the side of people that others don't see. By using this example he shows how the shooting didn't only affect families who lost their kids, but also the community as a whole.

19. The Santa Lie

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2012/12/the_santa_lie_is_the_big_christmas_con_hurting_our_kids.html

In her article "The Santa Lie," science writer Melinda Wenner Moyer argues that telling young children that Santa Claus exists is a not a bad type of lie and can benefit their cognitive development. Moyer grabs the attention of her audience as she first recognizes the possible argument of why the Santa lie is ridiculous for the children to progress; it obviously contradicts them being told "to be truthful" and the teaching "about the laws of physics." In the following paragraph, Moyer also suggests that 'it's generally best to keep" lies "to a minimum, both to develop trust between yourself and your child and to lead by example." However, she claims that there are good lies and bad lies and argues that the Santa lie is a "good lie" which does not harm the health of the children's mind set. Moyer claims that the Santa lie "feeds the imagination" and cultivates "theory of mind," a skill which "helps kids predict and understand other people's behavior." She exemplifies this with a "1997 study by University of Oregon psychologist Marjorie Taylor" which discovered that 4-year-olds who frequently play using their imaginations are better able to "distinguish appearances from reality, understand other people's expectations and know that perceptions depend of the context." Moyer also claims that fantasy play helps develop children's reasoning skills because they force kids to think through hypothetical scenarios. She supports this claim with another professional study by "Alison Gopnik, a psychologist at UC-Berkeley" which suggests that fantasy play eventually "helps children develop models of how the world works." Moyer supports her last claim of fantasy play and imagination being effective "therapeutic for kids going through tough times" with the example of the 2006 study which found that within the "sheltered camps during the end of the second Israel-Lebanon war" children who were asked to "look after" a stuffed animal "experienced fewer stress-related problems" than children without the stuffed animals.

The author's purpose is to persuade the readers that the "Santa lie" is harmless by proving how beneficial it can be to a child's cognitive development. She also wishes to advise parents to recognize and minimize the "bad lies," which parents use to avoid responsibility, while allowing the "good lies" such as the Santa lie, to benefit their children. The author intends this message toward parent readers with young children, hoping to rescue them out of the possible dilemma of whether or not the Santa lie would hurt their children.

19.China to Flatten 700 Mountains to Build a City

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/08/china-to-flatten-700-mountains-to-build-a-city/?iid=nf-article-trend-now

 About a month ago, China announced that the city of Changsha would try to build the world’s tallest skyscraper in 90 day. Now they have some more surprising news. China is planning on flattening 700 mountains to build a city. The project was actually launched in October. This project is not only huge but very expensive. 3.5 billion dollars are needed to blow up 700 mountains to make room for a city in a poor monotonous region. According to China Economic Weekly magazine, the country’s state council approved the plan in August after some years of preparation. The city, called the Lanzhou New Area, will be built on the outskirts of Lanzhou which is the capital of Gansu province. China Pacific Construction Group, the company behind the project, hopes to create an urban paradise. The city sounds magnificent but Lanzhou is one of the most polluted areas in China. With so much pollution, experts wonder if the project is environmentally doable. Gansu is also plagued by sandstorms due to its desert surroundings. However, the China Pacific Construction Group says there is nothing to worry about. A spokesperson told the Guardian “Lanzhou’s environment is already really poor, it’s all desolate mountains which are extremely short of water…Our protective style of development will divert water to the area, achieve reforestation and make things better than before.”



The author of the article Regina Wang informs people on a recent and big construction project. She provides background information as well as information on some of the surrounding areas. A video is also provides for the reader. Quotes from China Pacific Construction, the group behind the project, are given. Speculations and worries from the World Health Organization as well as other are discussed in the article. Wang gives many other outside sources, like the China Daily, on the story.

19. Poll: More Americans support gay marriage

Jillian Rayfield writes to the Salon on December 9th about a new increase in percentage of Americans who support same-sex marriage. She begins the article by telling the reader a new poll was made by the George Washington University which resulted in a higher percentage than those against or indifferent about the cause.   Rayfield continues the article by giving more information about the remaining percentages: 30% support civil union but not marriage while 24% don't agree with neither. The author presents a quote from the Politico with more percentage stastistics and more information on how the poll occurred.

Rayfield's purpose with the article was to inform the reader. Her diction is simple yet effective, she remains impartial on the subject and doesn't try to persuade the reader in any way. She uses stastistics and facts to prove her credibility and to inform the reader with precise and accurate news.

19. In Girl’s Last Hope, Altered Immune Cells Beat Leukemia

Denise Grady wrote an article about a the story of a leukemia patient who was saved by a new treatment. Emma Whitehead was diagnosed with Leukemia at age five and had been struggling with it for two years. After several failed treatments, doctors and her parents began losing hope. That is when Emma's parents turned to an experimental treatment developed by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The treatment consists of injecting the patient with an inactive form of the AIDS virus that in turn reprograms the patient's immune cells to destroy the cells. The treatment, which causes severe side effects such as fever, almost killed her. But after doctors administered a drug to reduce the symptoms, she recovered. The treatment was tried on other patients with mixed results. However, the treatment is promising, so much that a major drug company, Novartis, has committed 20 billion dollars to the establishment of a research center in a University of Pennsylvania to bring the treatment to the market.

The author's purpose is not as much to persuade as much as it is to inform. Although the author relies heavily on the element of emotion when describing the Emma's story, the author does not take a stance on the issue.

 

19. The Season of Renewal and Suicide

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/12/suicide_rate_season_there_more_suicides_in_spring_and_not_during_the_holidays.html

Brian Palmer, author of "The Season of Renewal and Suicide," wrote on December 7th about the mystery behind the varying suicide rates at different times of the year. The author began by clarifying the misunderstanding that "the suicide rate does not peak during the holidays," and stating that suicides are more common during the spring and summer. Palmer provided a brief background of how the issue was studied since the 1800s, and since then, researchers have gathered evidence for such argument. Following this, Palmer explained that the reason why people commit suicide more often during the spring is due to the change in their everyday routines. From a season with less work, less interaction, and less conflict to a time with greater interaction with others and more work and stress, people tend to have more suicidal thoughts. Not only has season thought to have an effect on the suicide rate, but also other factors such as climate, rain, barometric pressure, and even thunderstorms.

Palmer's article was directed to the general public, with the purpose of informing and arguing a very debated issue among psychiatric researchers - what causes suicides to be greater during the spring and summer. The title of the article cannot be fully understood unless one reads the article, which refered to spring and summer. Palmer's formal and informative language, as well as the simple and direct diction was successful in communicating with the reader without any trouble. His tone was unbiased, and he seemed to not be so confident on which side he took. Palmer's unsure tone was evident in passages such as "possibly because," "there's still no consensus," and "although the data are sumilarly tenuous." Providing several examples of people, observations, and studies, the author supported his claims with these evidence.

19. In Instagram's War With Twitter, the First Casualty Is Truth

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/12/05/instagram_photos_on_twitter_just_stopped_working_is_it_facebook_s_fault.html

Will Oremus writes in his article about the fight between Instagram and Twitter, and how rivalry can cost one of the sides many users. He begins his article by telling readers about how Facebook, after buying the photo-sharing service in April, promised his users that they would be able to share their picture in other social networks. He goes on to explain that when Instagram posts photos on Twitter, twitter gets more and more known and Instagram less and less. He also states an ironic sentence explaining how Instagram will allow sharing with Twitter, but not their photos. He comments on a very important comment that Systrom; creator of Instagram, says in the interview "Sorry, Instagram users, but we're sacrificing your convenience because we can't afford to keep subsidizing our biggest rival." Oremus continues by saying that Systrom has a very big future ahead for Instagram and it doesn't only come by sharing it to other social networks. Oremus finalizes his article, by explaining that all the social networks are clawing for a targeted-ad revenue, but user experience are always subject to revision.

In this article Oremus shows readers, the new war between to very known social networks, Instagram and Twitter. He uses very clear and right to the point tone of vice, explaining how this may affect both networks and their users. Oremus uses an interview with Kevin Systrom, on why he is not going to allow Instagram users to share photos to Twitter. He uses simple words, and his public are the "users." He has very stung evidence to show refers how Systrom may be doing a very big mistake, when not allowing his user to share anything but photos. As Oremus ends his article he says that even though Instagram will not allow users to share they're "filters", Twitter already are coming up with their own. Oremus ends his article with a very shocking statement that not only puts a lot of power in the users hands but also that the revenue that social-media want, lay in the hands of users experience.

19. Chávez Says His Cancer Has Returned and Names His Successor

     In this article William Neuman, the New York Times Andes Region correspondent, writes about the announcement of Chavez, president of Venezuela, about his operation and his desire for Nicolas Maduro to be his successor. Neuman starts the article by giving a brief summary of what happened. On Saturday in Caracas, president Hugo Chavez of Venezuela announced that he was going to have an operation for cancer and that he wants the vice president Nicolas to be his successor. Then the writers goes on  by giving more details about the president's announcement. It took place just some weeks after his re-election, and when he tested immediately after his re-election, the doctors have found no cancer in him. However, when he started to feel pain and swelling, he went to the hospital and found out that he had some malignant cells. He said that they will be victorious, but he acknowledges that after the operation he might not be able to continue as president. Then Neuman ends the article by informing the readers that the president refused to say where the cancer takes place, and by informing that the vice president Nicolas Maduro is now, a bus driver and a minister. 
     The purpose of this article is simply to inform the readers about the serious problem that takes place in Venezuela. It is a shock to people in Venezuela since in such a little time after his re election, the president announced that his cancer has came back, and might not be able to work as president anymore. Besides that, the writer also wants to inform the readers that in despite of the cancer, the president stays positive and believes that they will be victorious in the end. In addition to that, the president does not want to worry the Venezuelans, so he keeps in secrete about where the cancer takes place, and also suggest his successor, who will be able to rule the country well as he did. 

19. "If We Had Been Giving Our Daughter Vitamin D, Would She Still Have Developed Diabetes"

m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/if-we-had-been-giving-our-daughter-vitamin-d-would-she-still-have-developed-diabetes/266010/

In Katie Bacon's article, "If We Had Been Giving Our Daughter Vitamin D, Would She Still Have Developed Diabetes," she reveals the possibility of preventing Type 1 Diabete by taking vitamin D supplement. Bacon starts her article with a personal story of her daughter diagnosed with T1D. She and her husband would discuss about how they could prevent their daughter from getting this disease. Bacon reveals that there are studies which suggested that vitamin D is helpful for children's who have genetic susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. She shows that since her dad died from melanoma she tried to prevent her daughters from getting, so she put sunscreen on them everyday. However, it had the opposite effect, her daughter got T1D. She ends her article by stating that she will give vitamin D supplements to both of her daughters: to prevent T1D and to help T1D.

Throughout Bacon's essay she expresses a lot of emotions and some studies. This reveals that her audience was wavering, since she used pathos and logos to support her article. Her purpose was to warn parents about children who could have the possibility of having a disease concerning their immune system. Bacon shows that vitamin D is helpful and that she is using it on her own daughter, making the information more credible. Her audience is parents who wishes their children the best and wishes that they are healthy. Bacon wishes to warn all parents so that children may be prevented from having immune system diseases.

19.Racetrack Drugs Put Europe Off U.S. Horse Meat

        For a long time american racehorses after retirement has been shipped to Canada and Mexico where it is legal to slaughter horses , and processed for consumption means. sold to europe and beyond. But the European food safety officials notified Canad and Mexico about a great concern about the american horses dilvered to them. The american horses have cause a great concern of being overdosed by drugs, according to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, "Racehorses are walking farmacies" alerting slaughter houses ,causing them to turn away truckloads of horses coming from the united States because their clients were concerned about the potential drug issues warning many buyers to keep away from american horse meat. Due to many issues cause by doping horses, prominent trainers have been disciplined for using all type of legal and illegal drugs , loading horses with painkillers has been breaking down in arresting numbers.
     
      For many buyers and horse meat this has become a very alerting issue and concern. Once the buyer consumes the horsemeat doped with drugs it can cause a long-term ilness or side effects threathning the consumers health. Therefore this article had the purpose and responsibility to alert the buyers to stay away horsemeat coming from different origins , and to choose their meats wisely otherwise it could actually damage ones health.

19. "A Tumultuous Trip to Mobile App Transparency"

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/technology/effort-to-clarify-mobile-app-data-rights-hits-snags.html?ref=technology

Natasha Singer, on December 8th 2012, published an article on apps. People download apps without often knowing what it does or what it is for. The scary truth is that apps collect a lot of personal information from our phones such as contact list and other data in the phone. For example, an app that allows you to share pictures may ask for access of your contact list in order to help you find your friends, but really all they just want to get access of your list for their own benefit. Groups have been trying to change this, so that now apps need to state what kind of data they will have access to if you download the app. The White House even had a meeting in order to discuss about developing a "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights." They announced their first step into this process and that is to work out a code of conduct to see how apps handle the consumers data. John Morris said that he is pleased with the process the stakeholders have made. Since some disagree with Morris, they have created a voluntary transparency screens. The level of strife over the mobile app issue does not work well with the large federal effort as Singer says. App industries decided to come up with a screen on what the app  will collect from your phone. The screen will offer the types of data collected such as personal contracts and locations and another screen will offer the kinds of entities such as ad networks and data brokers. This will allow consumers to compare apps not only by what they do but also what kind of data they collect. Although this is a great way to show information, the app industries don't like it because they feel as if consumers do not want to go a whole bunch of pages before purchasing the app.

Singer uses a very good title into capturing the reader's attention right away. She also uses different point of views which allow the reader to know what all industries are thinking and saying about this particular situation. Her tone throughout the article is serious in order to show us how serious this matter really is; app stores having access to whatever they want to on our phones. The author's purpose for this article is to show us how dangerous apps really can be and are.

19. Caregiving for an Aging Parent From Afar: Six Ways to Help

http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/06/caregiving-for-an-aging-parent-from-afar-six-ways-to-help/

           With many people facing financial difficulties, it is hard to find a good way for them to care for their aging parents and keep the wallet in check.  Though it can be hard making them go somewhere off, people can still care for their old man and mother.  How?  That is what Suzanna de Baca shows, very well, in her article.

           This article is very touching to a person with a bleeding heart, like me, with its many appeals to pathos.  With illustrations of de Baca’s own past experiences, she portrays sweet and sad images.  Not only are her pieces of advice comforting and manageable, but they are from an experienced person.  Consider moving Mom or Dad in with you, get the facts, be in touch – often, plan a budget for your travel, choose the appropriate primary caregiver and services, and learn about the sources of financial help are the six steps offered by de Baca.  To help her stand, she loads each example with details and reasons behind it.

19. Tablets during Takeoff

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/12/07/tablets_during_takeoff_fcc_chair_asks_faa_to_allow_ipads_kindles_on_airplanes.html

          Will Oremus, the author of the article "Even the FCC Thinks It's Dumb That We Have To Turn Off Electronic Devices During Takeoff," writes about how most people including himself agree that it is completely useless to turn off electronic devices inside an airplane during takeoff. The author says that this rule is based on no evidence whatsoever; the Federal Aviation Administration requires passengers in an airplane to turn off their electronic devices for no particular good reason. Julius Genachowski is the chairman of the Federal Aviation Administration and he is one of the many who believe such a rule is ridiculous and should be stopped. Genachowski even sent a letter to the acting administrator in order to at least allow Kindles and iPads to be used since even pilots could use iPads as flight manuals. Oremus includes a part of the letter from Genachowski which tries to convince and ask for the enablement of e-readers and tablet usage during takeoff.
           Will Oremus uses a lot of different strategies to achieve his purpose. The author uses a very distinct yet honest and sincere title which captures the reader's attention. The author also uses the possessive pronoun "we" in order to establish a closer relationship with the reader and indirectly persuade the reader to think similarly. The author uses a very informal tone and also uses some inappropriate words "people who think this is stupid." The author mentions real life examples of tablets which should be okay to used by airplane passengers during takeoff. The author also takes a further step by including a portion of the letter from the chairman of the FAA. In the letter, Genachowski uses a cause and effect pattern ( the cause: tablets and e-readers okay to be used during takeoff/ effect: passengers informed and connected with friends and family/ second effect: small and large businesses will be more productive and will grow/ third effect: economic growth and boost in U.S competitiveness). The author uses a chain of effects for a single cause which he believes should be taken into action.

19. The Civil Rights Case of Our Generation

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/12/supreme_court_to_hear_gay_marriage_cases_the_justices_agree_to_hear_windsor.html

Emily Bazelon wrote an article on December 7th about a court case that will take place soon regarding gay marriage. She opens her essay by stating and describing a minor and a major court case about this issue: United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry respectively. The latter case was ruled in the 9^th Circuit (a United States court of appeals which included states from the West of the U.S.), and as Bazelon finished writing about the near victory of the side in favor of gay-marriage, she says that supporters of Proposition 8 (against gay marriage) appealed to higher court, the Supreme Court. The author cites a law professor who assured readers that the Supreme Court “will find some middle ground, some way to allow gay marriage in California without forcing it on the parts of the country that aren’t ready” instead of ruling completely for or against gay marriage.

The author’s purpose in writing this article is to inform readers about a soon to take place Supreme Court case regarding one of the most highly debated issues at the time: gay marriage. Although the author explicitly includes her personal views regarding this topic, she does not seem to try to convince her readers to side with her. The tone in this article is definitely informal since Emily Bazelon uses contractions, slangs, first person, and includes her personal thoughts informally. In the beginning and in the end, Bazelon makes an analogy comparing the court case with a large theatre production (“It’s going to be one blockbuster of a history-making year at the Supreme Court”, “a full-dress, five-act opera”, “I can’t wait to watch this megaproduction. I can’t think of a more exciting show.”) Bazelon also uses hypophoras to make her readers to think about some of the possible outcomes of the case’s rulings and quotes experts as a way to present her own opinions (“These are the most significant cases these nine Justices have ever considered, and probably that they will ever decide.”)

18. “Anti-energy” drink sickens kids

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/04/anti_energy_drink_sickens_kids/http://www.salon.com/2012/12/04/anti_energy_drink_sickens_kids/v

Chrisanne Grise writes an article to the Salon on the 4th of December regarding a new "anti-energy" drink released. She opens the article by giving an overview of the whole situation: the drink baptized after Bob Marley caused students to feel nausea, to vomit and to feel dizzy. Grise then talks briefly about the bevarage's composition and its supposedly all natural botanical ingredients and about the warning label found on the bottle. The author mentions another case involving the drink in a different school and cites a spokesperson who says the drink didn't go through the approval process required. Grise closes the article by citing previous issues with different energy drinks, but stating this is the first problem with an "anti-energy" drink.

Grise's purpose with this article is simply to inform the reader about the new issues surrounding the recently released Marley anti-energy drink. She uses citations, previous issues and a different variety of evidence to properly present the story to the reader. However, throughout the whole story, there's an issue with post hoc fallacy, as there is no proof the drink actually caused all the sickness going around.

18. What if NASA Could Figure Out the Math of a Workable Warp Drive?

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/11/what-if-nasa-could-figure-out-the-math-of-a-workable-warp-drive/265655/

Rebecca J. Rosen, editor at The Atlantic, reports that astronomers have detected an Earth-sized planet orbiting the star, Alpha Centauri B, which may suggest that there is a small possibility of the discovery of another planet like Earth if scientists can manage to make a spacecraft move in one-tenth the speed of light. The Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to Earth, but "it's still four light years away." This means that it would take "700 centuries" to reach Alpha Centauri with the speed of Voyager 1 which is "still in our solar system." Rosen quotes MIT astronomer Sara Seager, who claims that "There are a lot of people who think we have the capabilities to get to a tenth of the speed of light. [...] If we could achieve that speed, then we could get to Alpha Centauri in just over 40 years." She also affirms that if it is possible, there will be people willing to volunteer for the journey. Rosen introduces an alternative, referring to NASA physicist Harold White, who says the trip will only take two weeks if we can warp the space-time to travel. White is inspired by physicist Miguel Alcubierre's idea of the warp drive which will take "advantage of a cosmological code that allows for the expansion and contraction of space-time, and could allow for hyper-fast travel between interstellar destinations." The problem with this, Rosen stats, is that it takes the amount of energy "equal to the mass-energy of Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system. So that's not going to work." However, White had come up with a new idea for the warp drive, that "if you made the thickness of the negative vacuum energy ring larger--like shifting from a belt shape to a donut shape--and oscilate the warp bubble, you can greatly reduce the energy required--perhaps making the idea plausible."

Rosen's audience must be able to understand the basic knowledge about astronomy, like the solar system and interstellar travel, but her simple explanations allow for most of the general public to comprehend the material. Rosen's purpose of introducing this issue is to inform and inspire the readers about the excitement and hope in a possibility of being able to find another planet like Earth. Even if the accomplishment of such technology seems distant, she states, "the idea that physicists at NASA are even toying with it gives me hope that interstellar travel could one day be possible, even if this isn't how it is ultimately accomplished."

18. Would You Rather Go To Church or Prison?

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/11/texas_judge_sentences_a_teenage_drunk_driver_to_church_attendance.html

On November 30th, Ryan McCartney wrote an article about an unusual decision a judge made to "punish" a criminal guilty of murder. McCartney's introductory paragraph was effective beginning with the eye catching first sentence to the vivid description of a car accident scene to the alarming conclusion the driver Tyler Alfred was punished with. In the next paragraph however, the author tells the reader instead of Alfred serving four years in prison, he has commited to attend church and follow a whole another list of orders for the next ten years. It was also made clear that, if Alfred did not fufill any of the requirements, he would have to go to prison. However, the Muskogee County distric attorney, along with ACLU opposed Judge Norman's decision in allowing Alfred to choose between going to church or prison for such action was declared unconstitutional.

McCartney's purpose in writing this article was to inform about a recent unusual event the Texas judge sentenced Alfred with. The article was directed to the general public, and it was effective because it engaged the readers into the topic, making them also decide whether Judge Norman's decision was constitutional or not. His diction was clear and direct, and it was evident he wrote in an unbiased tone, since he did not favor one side more than the other.

17.“Walking Dead” author is OK with AMC’s creative liberties

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/02/walking_dead_author_is_ok_with_amcs_creative_liberties/

On December 2nd Joseph Lord writes to the Salon about Robert Kirkman's opinions on one of the most relevant TV shows of today's media, The Walking Dead. Lord begins the article my mentioning several occasions where the authors of original series that had their works adapted to television or movie screens were completely unsatisfied and even angry at the final production of what was supposed to be a rendition of their stories. The author then constrats this situation to the present one, showing Robert Kirkman is not mad at all, he is, in fact, very pleased with the results of the show, explaining he plays a big role on giving opinions and making decisions about the plot and characters. Lord presents a list of several differences between the original comic book and the tv show, and then uses Kirkman's statements to show his thoughts about it.

Lord's purpose with this article is not only to comment on a relevant topic of the entertainment media, but also to bring a new perspective of the show to the viewer: although it does alternate from the original, something considered vile by many, it is always agreeing with the original author's view and consent. He shows that throughout the whole article, as he quotes Kirkman several times and, being a fan of the show, inserts a bit of his own opinion about the contrast between the two.

18. 7 Are Feared Dead in Japan In Highway Tunnel Collapse

In this article, Martin Fackler writes about the death of seven Japanese due to a collapse of highway tunnel. Fackler first draws the readers's attention by describing how the incident happened. 7 people were trapped in their vehicles when the tunnel collapsed, which started a fire that filled the passage with smoke. Then the writer goes on by describing it in more detailes: According to the natural disaster management agency, the vehicles were crushed by the Sasago Tunnel, 50 miles west of Toky. However, it remained unclear why all of these happened. It killed people from 3 different vehicles and Central Nippon Expressway even held a news conference to apologize for the accident, and were in investigation to find out the reason. Then finally the writer ends the article by informing that this incident made a section of Chuo Expressway close, which connects Tokyo to western Japan.

The purpose of this article seems to be simply just to inform the readers what has happened recently in Japan. It is a different informing article because many people think that technology in Japan is developed and it is common for people to think that it is safe, but things such as these happen sometimes. Even though it did not kill many, the whole tunnel collapsed, which could have caused more damage. The writer, to inform in an effective way, uses many strategies such as researches and numbers. In addition to this, he sticks to the formal tone throughout the whole article. 

18.hurricane sandy donation storm charity 15% what?

Due to the damage that hurricane sandy brought in, New York's buisiness has gone down. so some companies are making charitable donations to help renovate certain places the storm has made a damage,  for every new card application American Express for example, would donate one dollar for the statue restoration and eventually the effort led to 1.7 million dollars. companies and businesses are working on advancing their interests while igniting charitable impulses to raise money to help on restoration of the city. for example a company called VenueBook that plans parties online offered to donate 15 percents of their proceeds to City Harvest that has helped feed many of the storm victims.

The author's purpose is to persuade everyone to help the victims of the storm by being charitable or even contributing slightly on making the victim's life much better and by renovating the city at becoming a better place 

18. Saying No to College

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/fashion/saying-no-to-college.html?hpw&_r=0

           Alex Williams, the author of the article "Saying No to College," starts out with an interesting comparison: Benjamin Goering is not similar to Mark Zuckerberg. He then proceeds to talk a little about Goering's life: he was a sophomore at the University of Kansas studying philosophy and computer science but was frustrated that he wasn't acknowledged from professors. Goering dropped out of college and started his own business of softwares. The author also mentions some other companies who are run by college drop outs (Tumblr, Twitter, and Apple).
           The author's purpose is to inform the reader of a new rising concept: college diplomas are now not the tickets to success. He also has some persuasive intentions. The author uses quotes from Goering and uses comparisons and analogies. The author also tells his arguments through examples: Steve Jobs was a college dropout but now is one of the best businessman of the world. The author use Goering's life to proceed throughout the article. The author also mentions Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Mark Zuckerberg and also mentions that all are the top billionaires on earth. The author tries to prove a point: college is not the way to success and college dropping is also not the best way.

18. Autism’s Invisible Victims: The Siblings

http://ideas.time.com/2012/11/30/autisms-invisible-victims-the-siblings/

Nearly one in eighty eight children in The United States are diagnoses with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The rate of Autism has been growing. Just last week Darrell Issa the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had a hearing on how the federal government can respond better to the startling rise in autism. Amidst all this, the siblings of Autistic are overlooked. Within the past four years, only four studies have been reported on siblings of Autistic children. However interviews have show that children who have autistic siblings have pain, the grit, and endurance like children who have a family member with a chronic disease.  These children will talk about some of the odd things their autistic siblings will do. But a striking quality in the interview children was their fierce devotion to their sibling. These children have show very protective instincts when their sibling is in possible danger and sacrifice because they cannot “abandon” their sibling. Unfortunately, these siblings feel a bit jilted sometimes. Parents need to take care of their special needs child and sometimes have to sacrifice time with their other children. The kids also sometimes desire a companion that can function the way they do. At times children feel the whole family revolves around their autistic sibling. Autism affects whole families. But despite some negative effects, there are many positive effects to children having an autistic sibling. Children with autistic siblings displayed sacrifice and maturity beyond their years.

The author of this article was Barbara Cain. This article informs and sheds some light on the siblings of autistic children as well as the trials some of these children face. The author uses many examples of children she has interviewed. One example is of a girl whose brother wandered off and was described as being, as vigilant as a tiger mom and created an invisible tether connecting each to the other.” The author also uses vivid language to engage readers. Cain also references the very few studies done by Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

18. Those sexy Samsungs: Why iPhones are no longer cool in China

http://qz.com/32793/can-this-economy-be-saved-indias-gdp-growth-slows-to-5-3-rates-not-seen-since-post-lehman-collapse/

In Naomi Rovnick's article, "Those sexy Samsungs: Why iPhones are no longer cool in China," she reveal the reason which iPhones are getting less and less popular in China. She starts her article by showing the decrease in the number of consumers compared to the beginning of 2012. Rovnick states that one of the causes for this decrease is the price of the Apple products compared to other brands, such as Samsung and Lenovo. Some Chinese-made products compared to Apple are much cheaper and do not lose in quality. Another reason is that people do not feel that the iPhone 5 is better than than 4 or the 4S, so they do not feel the need to buy a new phone. At first, people bought iPhone because it was popular, not for the technology or the apps. Now, they see that Samsung products are fancier -- the high quality display and wider screen. Rovnick ends her article by showing the statistics of the decrease in the last year of consumers and the number of sales. She concludes by stating," The question remains whether they’ll find buyers this time."

Rovnick's purpose in writing this article is to inform the readers about this case that is happening in China. She wants the reader to know about the reasons behind this problem. She makes the reader interested and wanting to know what will be Apple's reaction. Her audience is people from all ages, but especially for people who are interested about technology. The audience is mostly interested on how technology affect people's lives.

18. Blowing the Dust Off a Spiral Galaxy

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/12/01/nearby_spiral_galaxy_seen_in_the_infrared_by_spitzer_space_telescope.html

Phil Plait, an astronomer, writes an article on December 1st talking about his "old friend" and how the space-based Spitzer Space Telescope took amazing pictures that he has never seen before. He begins his article talking about the different wave lengths and light waves that each pigment had from each other. He uses images to explain what is happening to them and how that explains how this is a very in trusting picture even for him; who has seen so many. Plait also tells us that is you look closely to the image, you can see that it is a little down, which makes him wonder what happened to it, but n one really knows. Because of this, he has a a whole new set of questions, "Which is awesome."

In his astronomical article, astronomical uses many rhetorical devices. He begins his article by explaining what "old friend" mean to him. He uses strong diction when he explains how the Splitzer Telescope has shown him a new image and has made him come up with even more questions about them, because of the placement of the wavelengths. He uses the images, to show his audience, not only what he is talking about, but also that they can see though his eyes. In this article Plait uses words such as; "breathtaking," "lovely," "interesting," etc; to show how these are very important factors, especially in his life. By saying, "The spiral arms are still there, but now you can see the pink glow of gas clouds, and the blue of hot, young, massive stars blasting light into space," Plait shows his enthusiastic feelings towards astronomy and how psyched he is to have come up with many new questions about it.

18. "Health Insurers Will Be Charged to Use New Exchanges"

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/health/health-insurers-will-be-charged-to-use-new-exchanges.html?ref=health

On November 30, 2012 Robert Pear wrote an article on health insurers. The Obama administration said that starting on Friday that they will charge insurance companies for selling health insurance to Americans through the web run by the government. Since the government is charging, the companies may raise their prices, affecting their consumers. The government says that the consumers will have access to nationwide health plans like the ones that are available to the people working for government. This will create a larger competition within the insurance companies and make sure small businesses have better insurance. Some consumers and insurers have concerns about this new rule being delayed. Beginning in October consumers will be able to purchase health insurance and most Americans will be required to have it. The exchanges will be self-sustaining starting in 2014. The secretary of health and human services said that the government will be able to cover the majority of the costs. The government will run the exchange in any state that is unwilling or unable to do so. A spokeswomen predicted that insurers will not raise their prices. The administration said that it retains authority in order to make the final decision.

Pear did a great job at letting the reader know exactly what is going on with the health insurance plans and what the future plans for health insurance are looking like. He was able to bring in different people from the government who know what is going on to better explain this new process. He was also able to bring people from the outside to see what they thought about this new adaptation the government is trying to persue.

18. Why Can't We Have a 300-MPH Floating Train Like Japan?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/11/30/japan_s_300_mph_maglev_train_why_can_t_the_us_build_high_speed_rail.html

On November 30, Will Oremus posted an article comparing Japanese railroad technology with American railroad technology. The author starts by describing Japan’s newest train technology and gives some statistics (cost/price, speed, average time to reach certain places.) He also gives information about their past as well as their future plans. After this, Oremus starts describing American railroads and says how they are much slower. He also gives information about past plans and future plans, but only with the purpose of emphasizing their failures. Next, he gives reasons for the delay in American railroad technology and ends by saying that in the future America will be way behind other countries’ regarding infrastructure.

The author’s purpose in writing this article was to inform his readers that the U.S.’s railroad technology is outdated compared to Japan and to tell them the reasons for this antiquated state. He uses hypophoras to attract readers’ attention and cause them to reflect on the questions. He also uses comparison to say how American trains are not up to date. The tone and language are informal because of some of the words and sentence structures he uses as well as contractions. In his article, Oremus seems to include some of his own thoughts and feelings regarding this subject making it slightly biased. 

18. Munchausen By Internet: Faking Illnesses Online

                As there are many disorders found throughout humanity, it is hardly surprising that there is one concerning people who pretend to be ill.  This disorder has grown worse, and more dangerous, due to what?

                The internet of course.

                Maia Szalavitz discussed this topic well, revealing the scary effects it can have.  She brings up a story in which a cancer patient was in search for people who were facing the same hardships as her.  What she found was two stalkers disguised as cancer patients.  The following speaks of the subjects feelings afterwards.

                This article has a sense of warning to it, unfortunately though, Szalvitz distracts from the main purpose when weaving in her tale.  Though it originally supported her claims, Szalvitz’s tale went on to a bit of a random and unrelated note, bringing up things that had nothing to do with the message.

16. North Korea Says It Will Test Long-Range Rocket in December

An article written by The Associated Press talks about North Korea's plan of launching another Long-range rocket. North Korea has claimed that it will a satellite launch. However, the author shows that UN is suspicious that the launch is a long range missile test launch because they have intel that shows that North Korea has enough plutonium to create six atomic bombs. Another source of concern is that it is doubtful that North Korean scientists have fixed the issues that resulted in the failure of the past launch. "Preparing for a launch less than a year after a failure calls into question whether the North could have analyzed and fixed whatever went wrong," said David Wright, a physicist with the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The author'r tone is formal and very objective. His purpose is to inform his audience because he takes no stance of the issue, he simply reports about it.