38. Fathers Are Not Fungible

In this article, W. Bradford Wilcox discusses the role of fathers in today's society. Most of the article revolves around him stating data that overwhelmingly prove that having a father is crucial for kids to develop into health adults. He cites several studies that prove this, such as a Princeton study that said that man who were raised without fathers are 3 times more likely to go to jail by the time they reach 30.

The author's purpose was to prove that fathers still have a crucial role. He says that in today's society where single moms are becoming more common, the father's rule is being thought of as not so important. In this article, he proves that that notion is wrong, that fathers are extremely important for boys and girls alike.

37.Ownership of Genes Stops Research

In this article, Shobita Parthasarathy explains how patents on genes harms research. She uses the company called Myriad as her main example. Myriad is a company that carries out gene research that has patents on the BRCA gene, an important gene that causes different diseases when mutated. Since Myriad holds patents on this gene, it becomes extremely difficult for other companies to conduct research. This severely stalls progress because only virtually only one company has access to the gene.

The author's main purpose was to denounce the company Myriad for its practices and to question companies abilities to hold patents on genes. The author claims that if this practice becomes common place, it could pose severe problems on medical and biological research later on.

39. Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

In this article, Mario Vittone informs that it is difficult to notice when people are drowing, and presents the indications that a person might be drowning. As his introduction, he narrates a short recall of a story in which a lifeguard captain had saved a child from drowning while her parents had not noticed though they were less than 10 feet away from her. Vittone explains that when people actually drown, it rarely looks like the splashing and calling for help as they do in movies. Vittone refers to the theory of Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D, called "Instinctive Drowning Response" which involves no spashes, no calling for help nor any waving of the arms or legs. This reference provides a supporting evidence to his thesis through mentioning a professional in the topic. Statistics are also used to emphasize the magnitude of the problem of not being able to notice someone drowning. Vittone then listst the descriptions of the Instinctive Drowning Response as previously presented in Dr. Pia's article in the Coast Guard's On Scene magazine. In his conclusion, Vittone states, in summary, that "sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don't look like they're drowning."

Mario Vittone's intended audience for this article is anyone with minimum to medium education, especially adults. The purpose Vittone put into the article is to inform many people for greater safety and less accidents of drowning children right infront of the parents. Vittone successfully accomplishes his purpose using references to professionals and the technique of listing.

38. Meet North Korea's New Girl-Pop Band

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/meet-north-koreas-new-girl-pop-band/276360/

Olga Khazan's article, "Meet North Korea's New Girl-Pop Band," informs about the new kind of entertainment culture in North Korea that Kim Jong Eun is allowing for the people and  ponders that his purposes could be to distract the people from the faime and from the smuggled pieces of entertainment from the outside world such as the South Korean dramas. To show the audience what she is talking about, Khazan provides a video of the MoranBong Band. She quotes the North Korean news agency for ethos and briefly describes the video in a satiristic tone. In getting to her point, Khazan states that pop music plays a big role in the regime's indoctrination of its citizens, especially when there is famine in the land. Khazan then concludes with the claim that perhaps the MoranBong band was created by Kim Jong Il to let the North Korean people to have entertainment from within so that they would not secretly get peeks of the outer world.

The intended audience of this article is the general public with medium education and a general background knowledge about North Korea's communist impact on the people. Olga Khazan's purpose in this article is to inform the Western world of what is going around in North Korea, especially in terms of popular culture. She also focuses on implying the injustice and oppression of the regime on the people by hinting that the regime constantly tries to block information of the outside world and to placate its citizens. Khazan successfully reaches her purpose using a satiristic and informative tone while referring to other sources for support.

39. Samsung May Have Passed Apple in U.S. — for Now

In this article, Brian X. Chen writes about the possibility that Samsung Electronics market has surpassed Apple market. In the beginning of the article he explains that it is mostly because of the new phone, Galaxy s4, combination of Galaxy Note II and S3.  Then he continues writing the article by quoting Michael Walkley, the Canaccord Genuity analyst. Walkley claims that for the first time since Iphone 5 was launched, the Samsung market is on the top. However, the writer states that the research that was made does not include information about Apple market, and for this reason, explains that it is just a possibility and not a proven fact.He also states that this research represents strong performance in May, and it does not mean that  the Samsung market has surpassed Apple market. Then Chen ends the article by explaining the strategies Samsung used to sell more of their products. They made good use of the months between Iphone upgrades, and they have taken more advantage of the predictability of the Iphone release cycle. 

The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about the Samsung Eletrocnis that may have surpassed Apple Market in the month of May. In order to do that effectively, the writer includes several rhetorical devices in the article. First of all, the most noticeable device is allusion, when he quotes Michael Walkley, the Canaccord Genuity analyst. It gives more credibility to the article, and it shows the reader that his argument is supported by an expert. Besides that, he uses metonymy as well. The writer uses the name of the companies to write about the people and the representatives in them. For example, he says that there is a battle between Apple company and Samsung company, while in fact, there is a battle between the representatives and their workers ( When the writer says that they are in battle, it's a figurative language). 

39. No, Trayvon Martin Didn't Film His Friends Beating Up a Homeless Man

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/06/03/trayvon_martin_homeless_fight_video_zimmerman_team_concedes_video_isn_t.html

In this article Josh Voorhees writes on June 3rd, about how George Zimmerman claims he did not video record two buddies of his beating up a homeless man. Voorhees starts out his article by talking about the pre-trial that happened in the past week, where the defense lawyer told the court that Zimmerman took footage of his friends “beating up a homeless guy.” To contradict the defense lawyer, Zimmerman’s team claims that he taped two homeless men fighting over a bicycle. Voorhees then says that the revelation did not come to much effect because the judge; Debra s. Nelson, had already put restrictions on what the defense could and could not tell the jury about Martin. This would restrict Zimmerman’s team of talking about how Martin used drugs, being suspended from school and also past fighting events. Voorhees continues to explain that this debate would still be decided and soon he would be pronounced guilty or innocent. Voorhees ends by saying that the texts and other footage that Zimmerman would have to be considered in as a second degree murder. The defense team said that his finance would have to start at $75 million to give Zimmerman a chance at fighting. 

In this article Voorhees rapidly talks about how Zimmerman and his lawyers claim that the footage in his cellphone was two homeless men fighting for a bicycle. Voorhees restates the full statement to emphasize the importance of the trial and show how the Zimmerman’s lawyer had the right things to say, to contradict what the defense attorney said against him. He also says that since both sides want to prove Zimmerman’s innocence or guilt, they have been trying to get the message out to the public. Voorhees to end his article, he shows the price tag that the defense attorney ironically states, and then says “at least $75,000, to give George a fighting chance." This is a very short yet clean cut essay, where Voorhees states his thesis and provides evidence for it. Although it is a very short article, he has a formal way of writing; this also helps because he does not take any sides in his article. He shows both sides of the trial and explains that both want to show the public what is going on, and get their opinion.

39. Another Day, Another “Accidental” Child Shooting Death

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/05/31/trenton_mathis_accidental_shooting_another_day_another_accidental_child.html

On Friday, Slate Magazine's crime correspondent Justin Peters wrote about another "'accidental' child shooting death." The article talked about the author's viewpoint on the issue of adults, especially parents, owning guns. The beginning of the article referenced a recent child shooting death on Wednesday, in Tyler, Texas. Soon after, the author expressed, "Trenton Mathis didn't have to die." He further added that the death of the innocent child was the country's fault, its "indifference toward the basic principles of gun safety." He made it clear that he was criticizing both parents and the government of not taking precautious measures to prevent such disasters, thus causing him to consider them "accidental deaths" and revealing that "the frustrating thing is that they are preventable." Peters' solution ideas to prevent future deaths were soon followed by a list of "accidental deaths" that would continue to grow unless adults started to be more careful.

Peter's purpose for writing this article was to reveal his stand and opine about the issue of possessing handguns. His article seemed to be primarily directed to parents who own handguns at home as well as the government. The passage clearly calls for the adults' attention to keep the guns out of the children's reach and the government's concern to consider the issue more seriously. The choice of words contribute in building the author's tone, which would best be described as one of boldness and even criticizing. This is especially evident when Peters said, "His senseless death is a direct result of this country's baffling indifference toward the basic principles of gun safety," and "If you can't be bothered to take two minutes to unload your handgun and put it in a gun safe, then you shouldn't own a gun." Throughout the article, Peters' position regarding the issue was evident all thoughout ("It's a point I've made before, and it's one that I'll continue to make as long as children continue to die"). He did not only present the evidence that would contribute to his stand, but rather, also considered the opposition (such as the third paragraph). In addition, Peters used a point that would be used against him and turned it in such a way where he could further reinforce his argument.

38. Housebound

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/06/should_one_person_always_stay_at_home_an_economist_considers.html

Writing about whether having one parent always at home or not make is more efficient, Emily Oster writes an article on June 3^rd explaining that it doesn’t really change anything. She starts off her article with a story of a friend of hers from elementary school. She explains that his mom made the best cupcakes every, in her opinion it’s the top 5 favorite dessert. Unlike her mother who would say “Get the list first, and sign up for soda and f you miss…sign up for plates.” Oster goes on to explain that in her house, her parents split everything 50/50. She explains that in a feminist view the women is the one who does everything, but she says that after a cover story at the Atlantic on gay marriage, they don’t have this indifference because they don’t have any feminist baggage to worry about and it’s not a good idea to have one. Oster then talks about her household, she says that there are many people in her house like nanny, her, her husband, the cleaning lady, and her daughter, but the difference that it all works is that her and her husband split time between child care and work. While others only do one at a time, which is not a very good choice. Oster ends her article explaining that “specialization insight” doesn’t necessarily mean that one parent has to be home all the time, but is certainly makes it easier.

In this article Oster uses irony in her writing, to illustrate her opinion, making her point; that it doesn’t really make a difference, stronger and vivid. She uses irony when talking about how her parents would split everything “50/50” even the cooking, but she says that her dad was not any good at cooking but they would still split everything with each other. She also uses irony to end her article by saying that she does not blame her mother for not doing the cupcakes but she does blame her for not getting someone else to do it for her. She also ends her article by rephrasing her beginning point, in the beginning she talks about how she loved Mikey’s moms cupcakes but her preferred taking sodas or plates, then ends by saying she does not blame her mom for this but she does for her mother not finding someone who could do the cupcakes. Oster uses many of personal touches tough out her article to interpret to the audience that she knows what she is talking about. Although she uses personal pronouns, she maintains a formal diction, which enables her audience to comprehend her and make her words flow.

37. The Starbucks of Pot

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/05/jamen_shively_and_the_starbucks_of_pot_obama_should_let_big_business_marijuana.html

In this article Dominic Holden writes an article on May 31st, about how marijuana is becoming bigger and bigger and Barack Obama should let it prosper. He begins the article by saying that Jamen Shively tore a page from the Starbucks handbook and he realized that they have “high-end product that satisfies America`s craving for a mild buzz.” He doesn’t end there, he continues to say that that it is not coffee anymore, know the “high-end product” is pot. Holden says that there is a project of $100 million investment to establish a new brand in an industry that doesn’t exist. He goes on to show that states such as, Colorado and Washington have already legalized marijuana, but he says that in California has allowed marijuana for medical use. Holden also explains, if Obama tried to stop the states from legalizing or authorizing the use of marijuana he would surely loose legally and later on politically. Then Holden shows that ex President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, wanted to legalize the use of marijuana, he says this because he believed it would cut crime. Fox says that criminals would no longer have the ability to gain money for pot, because they would be available anywhere for a lower price. Holden expresses his feelings towards smoking marijuana but he also says that it would be a good thing for the market, but sellers would as for ID and would have to pay for taxes. Holden ends his article by saying that if Obama and Holder tried to stop this progress, they would not have anything to offer but more years of failed war on drugs, “the president and his attorney general should let them do what the White House can’t—beat the black market at its own game.”

In this article Holden talks about the new upcoming market of marijuana. He explains throughout his article the affects it has had in society and explains the mad and good outcomes. He does allusions to Obama, Holder and the ex Mexican President Fox. Holden does comparison and contras of the effect the government would have if President Obama tried to confront the legalization of marijuana in the states, he explains that if he tried he would loose. He also shows the viewpoint of Fox to promote the legalization by saying that if it where legalized, crime could be reduced. He uses statistics to make his point clear. His diction is very formal and easy to understand, this makes his article flow and easy to understand what he has to say. Over all, Holden explains that he doesn’t agree with the smoking of marijuana, but he explains that even so, it may be a very good outcome for the nation.

39. 3 Veteran Storm Chasers Killed by Oklahoma Tornado

http://nation.time.com/2013/06/02/3-veteran-storm-chasers-killed-by-oklahoma-tornado/

 

Three veteran storm chasers died in the Great Plains. Tim Samaras and his son as well as a friend Carl Young, died Friday with 13 others when an EF3 tornado with 165 mph winds hit them in Oklahoma City.   The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma said, “They put themselves in harm’s way so that they can educate the public about the destructive power of these storms.” Tim Samaras had told people before that tornadoes were unpredictable. His brother said, ““I don’t know if I would say I worried about it because one of the biggest things he stressed was safety… He knew what to look for. He knew where not to be and in this case, the tornado took a clear turn toward them.” Time Samaras had been featured on Discovery Channel and received multiple meteorology grants. The Storm Prediction Center was sad to hear of Samaras’ death, “Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend … who brought to the field a unique portfolio of expertise in engineering, science, writing and videography.” Since his death, those who knew him remember Samaras’ bravery and love for his job.

Authors Kelly P. Kissel and Thomas Peipert inform readers on more death tolls in the recent tornado in Oklahoma. This time, it is a story of sorts about a storm chaser named Tim Samaras. As such, they have quotes from family and people he worked with. The article emphasizes the bravery and caution the late Samaras practiced. The article even mentions the fascination of storms when Samaras was young and watching The Wizard of Oz. There is a sad repetition of the fact that Samaras died doing what he loved. Overall, the tone of the article is quite somber.

39. How to Hold a Pen Correctly

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/05/hovv-yov-ovght-to-hold-your-penne/276366/

                Megan Garber, the author of the article " Hovv Yov Ovght to Hold Your Penne," basically presents with readers some writing tips and advice from 1611. The author talks about how writing itself is a difficult task - from getting a pen and writing symbols and signs to actually sitting on a chair. A long time ago, the physical act of writing was a form of technology since no one knew how to hold a pen, how to position the elbow, or how to position the paper. Richard Field published a book in 1611 called A Nevv Booke, containing all sorts of hands vsvally written at this day in Christendome, as the English and French Secretary, the Roman, Italian, French, Spanish, high and low Dutch, Court and Chancerie hands: with Examples of each of them in their proper tongue and Letter. Also an Example of the true and iust proportion of the Romane Capitals. Collected by the best approued writers in these languages. The book basically says to sit in an upright position, the elbow should not be too close or too far away from the body, and softly hold your pen. 
                  The author uses several rhetorical devices. The author's purpose is informative (exposition). The tone and diction all point that the author has light humor regarding the book. The title of the article shows light humor as it is written as if it were in 1600s. The main point of the article is to talk about a book published in 1611 which not only has a funny and long name, but it's content is also very funny. The article itself is structures as a how-to organization; it shows how the book describes how to perform the act of writing correctly. The author includes quotations from the book and then plays with the different language with the last sentence to create a sense of humor: "Hold your pen 'very gently in the hand without gripping," because to fail to do this would mean that "command of hand' gets 'vtterly lost.'"

39. "Climate Change's Psychological Milestone"

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/new_scientist/2013/06/carbon_dioxide_at_400_parts_per_million_the_keeling_curve_milestone_measurement.html

On June 2, 2013 Catherine Brahic wrote an article to Slate newspaper about the climate changes the world is now facing. Brahic interviewed scientist Ralph Keeling and he explains why it is important to measure CO2. Scientist Keeling said that every year the concentration goes up by 2 ppm per year. With the rise of this, he believes that the sea levels have dropped significantly, forests have become smaller, and now more sea ice. He also believes that we are in a climate danger zone because the concentration is now 400 ppm when it was first 280 ppm. When Brahic asked Keeling if these levels can drop again, he said that their is a possibility, however the possibility of the concentration staying the same or rising is much greater. 

This article has a few rhetorical devices that you are able to catch right away. The first one is the fact that this article is based on an interview gathered directly from the scientist, Ralph Keeling himself, which makes the importance of the information much greater. With that said, the author uses the interview to his advantage and is able to ask personal questions about his father's invention and what he is doing to make sure it keeps on working. Also, the author is able to get straight to the point. Instead of developing 30 questions to ask, she figures out a way to get everything answered in 10 which does not bore the reader. 

37. America's Top Colleges Have a Rich-Kid Problem

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/americas-top-colleges-have-a-rich-kid-problem/276195/

On the article published on May 24, Jordan Weissmann addresses the issue of Top Colleges consisting mostly of students from wealthy families and criticizes their systems of lacking diverse economic levels within the school communities. By beginning with a graphical set of statistics on the Socioeconomic Distribution at Colleges, by Selectivity, Weissmann presents the audience with evidence of his arguments later on in the article. By this, the audience is likely to quickly absorb and understand the claims and implications without questioning the validity of the information. Weissmann notes the problematic issues that follow this trend, supporting why this socioeconomic distribution in colleges is a troubling fact. For instance, he states, "If you think that higher education should be a ladder for upward mobility, then you should regard these numbers as a disgrace." Wiessman continues to use logos by referring to numerical data, other writers and experts, such as Josh Freedman, who had written about the high costs of Universities, the economists Caroline Hoxby and Christopher Avery, and the circle graph on "High achievers by family income quartile."

Jordan Weissmann discusses this topic of the lack of economic diversity in colleges to alert the public, and perhaps even the colleges, about its unfairness to the poorer but still intelligent students who do not have equal opportunities as the rich students. His article does not require a higher level of education to be understood, and his audience consists of the general readership, especially adults and young adults directly affected by the issue. Weismann successfully informs and concerns the audience with his main use of logos and a easily comprehensible tone of assertion.

39. Fears of Google Glass Are Unfounded

http://ideas.time.com/2013/05/22/fears-of-google-glass-are-unfounded/

     There has been a lot of buzz around the production of the Google Glass.  Many people seem to be put off by the new gadget, as they see that it produces a threat to privacy and things alike.  The author, Brad Keywell, provides many reasons throughout the article over how many arguments against Google Glass are biased and untrue.  While people seem to be scared about their privacy, it has been diminished greatly in public places with the invention of the security camera.  There are also many other things, such as phones, that can take pictures and videos without anyone knowing.  With the Google Glass, voice commands are necessary for it to preform any of the privacy-deteriorating functions.  Back in the day, the Kodak camera was banned from places for similar reasons, we can see how that worked out now.

     In order to show that the release of the Google Glass may not be as bad as the public thinks, Keywell also wants to teach his readers that we need facts to back up our fears and assumptions.  Through evidence and many historical facts, he does this.  Also, by pointing out other things that impose on our privacy, Keywell makes a good point.  Overall, his article is strong and very convincing ending with a quote from Helen Keller, "The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next," kind of like the Kodak camera.

39.Eurozone unemployment reaches new record high in April

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22727373
When it comes to unemployment in the area of Europe, the situation really heats up. as the unemployment reached it's new record in April it seems as if every month becames a new record of the high umemploment rate. Bringing out numerous concerns the author writes about how serious these numbers are becoming and how they are effect the many lives of the european countries who are in great crisis in the moment. Greece and Spain are the two mais affected countries with 25 % above rate on unemploments and Austria has the lowest unemployment which can in a blink of an high rise up. "We do not see a stabilisation in unemployment before the middle of next year," said Frederik Ducrozet, an economist at Credit Agricole in Paris. "The picture in France is still deteriorating." bringing out serious concerns to the eurozone.

The author does a well done job bringing out the concern to the audience throught tone and method of writing, emphasizing the diction with intense words to bring out such emotions. most importantly the author states emphasizing quotes on authorities of europe , making the situation worse and he pick out the quotes that shows how the authorities were't ready for this crisis and how they are in conflict in resolve this issue, making the situation much more dramatic. By using the graph the author gave a clear over image of how critical this situation is turning out to be.

39. Report: 1 in 5 public schools classified as “high-poverty”

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/30/report_1_in_5_public_schools_classified_as_high_poverty/

In Katie McDonough's article,"Report: 1 in 5 public schools classified as 'high-poverty'," informs that 1 in 5 public schools are in extreme poverty. The school does not have enough financial support which are affecting the education of the students. These students are receiving a low-standard of education and there has been a study which shows that "unemployment among men and women without a high school degree is much greater than statistics for those with at least a bachelors degree." When these men and women enter the real world, they don't have any experience or knowledge which will help them survive. MrDonough reveal the thoughts of the executive director of a school which says that they don't have the resourced they wish they had and can't do anything to help these schools in high poverty. She ends her article by revealing the unemployment rate.

The purpose of the author to write this article was to inform people about these tragic case. As the title mentions, this article is a report made by the author to his audience which are mostly the authorities and people interest the the development of a better United States. McDonough uses her sources well by referring to an executive director, to actual school, and to statistics. All of the examples add credibility to her article making it more reliable. Her tone is formal and serious, meaning that people must take action and help these students which are in need of a better education, so that they may have a brighter future. McDonough is really effective throughout her article, making the reader understand the importance of education and the funds.

39. Let's Be Clear: Establishing a 'No-Fly Zone' Is an Act of War

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/05/lets-be-clear-establishing-a-no-fly-zone-is-an-act-of-war/276319/

On May 29th, Conor Friedersdorf wrote for The Atlantic about the “no-fly zone” policy adopted by the United States towards the war in Syria. Friedersdorf is firm in his conviction that this term is the total opposite of what the U.S. has actually done. He believes that it is a euphemism for declaring war against Syria. After introducing the topic, Friedersdorf describes and quotes authors and politicians to support his idea that the “no-fly zone” actually means sending weapons to contain and confront the Syrian forces.

The author’s purpose in writing this article is to inform and persuade his audience not to fall for what appears to be true about the “no-fly zone”. His tone is satirical and mocking, since he uses irony to make fun of the U.S. government’s attempt to use the euphemism, especially in the last sentence. He is more informal than formal because of the use of expressions, contractions, first person. Most of the times in the article, the use of short paragraphs are meant to emphasize on an idea and the long paragraphs expand on those ideas. The author is not really effective to persuade those who do not agree with him since he does not use solid evidence to support his idea about the U.S. waging war against Syria.

38. French Soldier Stabbed in the Throat While on Patrol Outside Paris

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/05/25/french_soldier_stabbed_in_the_throat_outside_paris.html

Daniel Politi wrote on May 25th, about an attack on a French soldier on patrol near the "western outskirts of Paris." The report stated information about the victim and where he was when the attack happened. The victim was transported to a hospital where he was under treatment, but the incident did not keep the French citizens assured of safety. Politi quoted the Washington Post by saying it "sent a shudder through the French capital." The second paragraph of the article talked more about the criminal, what he was wearing and how he disappeared from the scene. Although the identity and the reason behind the assult was unknown, President Francois Hollande assured the journalists the police were investigating everything.

Politi's purpose in writing this article was to inform everyone, particularly the French people, about the assult.  His report about the incident was short, yet contained a lot of information about the issue. This was successfully achieved through the author's objective words to describe the situation. In addition, the short and coherent syntax contributed to the informative approach of the article because it directly stated the facts and the information following each idea had a logical flow that allowed the reader to understand what was going on. Throughout the article, Politi referenced the Washington Post, and Reuters, both of which would be considered as highly respected and credible sources to support his arguments. Furthermore, he alluded to a recent murder of a London soldier and quoted President Francois Hollande's words in order to provide true facts.

38. Iraq’s Sectarian Violence: Bombings Plunge Country Into Deadly Spiral

http://world.time.com/2013/05/21/iraqs-sectarian-violence-what-will-stop-the-deadly-spiral/

Bombings are chaotic and leave great destruction. Monday in Basra, a mostly Shi’ite city 420 km from Baghdad, a bomb went off at a sandwich kiosk. It was one of two in the city and many more were in Iraq. Reports say that dozens of bombs went off in markets, mosques, and bus station. There have been 95 deaths and over 250 wounded. Yet, these bombings are only the most recent in a bloody time in Iraq. While it is unknown who is responsible for the bombings, some believe that domestic and political rifts are the first cause. The Shi’ite majority has conflicts with the Sunni minority. Stephen Wicken  who works for the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C. says, “You often hear people saying, Is it 2006 again…Other people are saying, No, it’s 2003 again, which is probably closer to the mark, actually, in terms of security forces acting as bullet magnets in the way that coalition forces did a decade ago.” This spring has proven to be a bloody one for the nation and there is little optimism. The future looks very grim overall. Wiken said, “Any situation in which there is a high level of tension and where there are people pointing weapons at each other, it’s a magnet to groups like al-Qaeda to come in and destabilize things or provoke people to go over the edge.”

Nate Rawlings starts with a personal story about when he witnessed the carnage from a bombing. His story was sad and gives a glimpse on the tragedies. The story also establishes credibility because he was there and has experience in the country as well as situation. Rawlings uses tallies from the Associated Press along with a few other findings. A bit of past information is given to remind the reader of past evens.

38. Thousands of Bridges Across the United States Are at Risk of Collapse

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/05/26/thousands_of_bridges_across_u_s_are_at_risk_of_collapse.html

In Daniel Politi's article, "Thousands of Bridges Across the United States Are at Risk of Collapse," he reveals that many bridges across the country are collapsing after one accident. He starts out his article by showing a recent accident, which resulted in a collapsed bridge. Politi says the structure of the bridges are too weak and don't have enough protections. State officials state that the bridges are being inspected. However, they are still at risk of collapsing and millions of drivers cross these bridges without knowing that. Politi ends his article with a quote from the chairman of the NAtional Transportation Safety Board encouraging people to notice this problem.

The author's purpose in writing this article is to warn people about the collapsing bridges across the country. The audience of this article are Americans, since this problem is occurring in the USA and the victims are those who live there. Politi does a good job in referring to credible authorities such as the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. He also uses logos and pathos to support his point. Politi writes about the bridges collapsing which is a true fact that most people already know. His tone is serious, which means that action must be taken soon. Politi does a good job in informing people and letting people realize the significance of knowing this problem which can hurt many people.

37. Obama surveys tornado damage

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/26/obama_surveys_tornado_damage/

In Nedra Pickler's article, "Obama surveys tornado damage," she reveals the President's actions toward the tornado which hit Oklahoma. She starts out the article by stating the number of death and Obama;s visit "to survey damage" of the tornado. Pickler also talks about Oklahoma's governor Mary Fallin's thoughts about this tornado. Fallin reveals that she wishes that the financial help from the government could be given faster, so that the victims could be helped. Obama said that the whole country will support them through their time of need. The President will be going to the suburbs of Moore to survey the damage of the tornado. There were many deaths, especially children, which is a very sad news. Fallin stated that most schools have been encouraged to have a safety room for these kind of unfortunate cases. Pickler ends her article by quoting Fallin that said that looking at the debris and damage of the tornado, 24 death is really little.

The author's purpose of the article is to inform people about the tornado that happened in Oklahoma and reveal how the President is taking action toward this case. She refers to the President and the governor of Oklahoma, which makes her article more reliable, since she alluded to them. Pickler shows statistics about the damage. Her diction is very formal and direct. Her tone is very serious. She uses many quotes to reveal the circumstances of Oklahoma. Pickler's readers are people who wants to know what is happening after the tornado and wants to know how the government will take action.

37. The Belgian Teen Who Went to Fight in Syria: The Brian De Mulder Story

http://world.time.com/2013/05/22/the-belgian-teen-who-went-to-fight-in-syria-the-brian-de-mulder-story/

 

Brian De Mulder was a very typical boy who enjoyed playing football and planned to make a living playing the game. Two years later though, at age 17 Brian was devastated when cut from his football club. It was a big blow for him because it seemed to be the end of his dream. TIME was told by his family that they never would have imagined what happened next. Brian was raised Catholic and was a good boy. However, soon after he was cut from his club, some Moroccan teens invited him to play indoors with them. Brian eagerly accepted. During the course of two months he began hanging around the mosque of his new friends and eventually converted to Islam. Brian changed his name as well. His patents were shocked at the sudden change but tolerated it believing that Brian was merely going through a phase. His sister said their mother, “She thought it was a phase of a teenager—of puberty…‘In six months it will be over,’ she hoped. But it became worse with his age.” Thought a good student, there were problems at school when Brian became angry with less pious Muslims at school and he eventually dropped out.  By 18, Brian had begun to take Arabic lessons and praying five times every day. His aunt said, “It was more philosophical back then…He was asking about things, wondering about God. It was more like learning. He was not radical at all.”  Brian began to follow the teachings of the radical Foad Belkacem. Relatives believe that Belkacem radicalized Brian turning him from a kid with “a golden heart” to “a programmed robot” in a matter of months. There were many attempts from Brian’s family to keep him away from such radical people, the family was fearful of Brian going on jihad. Eventually after telling his family he would “drop them like bricks” Brian left in January after telling his little sister, “I love you, but you will never see me again.” After much searching, the family happened on a YouTube video that showed Brian with rebels laying down weapons to pray. The story of Brian is not unlike many others who have gone to war in Syria. It is estimated that 6,000 foreigners have fought in Syria since March 2011. Ten percent of those are from western nations. Aaron Zelen, who is a part of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, believes that this is the fastest mobilization of foreigners into the conflict. Experts believe that the internet has also been a major use in introducing radical ideas to youths from all over the world. Vulnerable teens or college aged men who feel discriminated or have difficulties in society are typical converts. While the De Mulders want their son back there will be issues. It is unknown how Brian will be welcomed back nationally if he decides to return. In April, Brian did communicate with his older sister but did not show any signs of returning. May 18, the family tries to “keep spirits high” as they celebrate Brian’s 20^th birthday.

Andrew Katz wrote this article May 22. In order to get to many of the subjects in the article Katz tells a story about Brian De Mulder to connect the ideas. Katz uses a detailed past about Brian to get the reader interested. Details to describe Brian, such as his dream to play football, make him seem innocent causing the reader to feel concern for the young man. This makes the results tragic when the reader sees such a nice kid leave his family. The conflict in Syria is talked about and connected with Brian’s story. There are various outside resources such as a report for King’s College London.  Various people are quoted, such as the De Mulder family and Clint Watts, to show the vulnerability of young people to extremist ideas.

 

38. K-Pop Plastic Surgery Obsession

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/the-k-pop-plastic-surgery-obsession/276215/

              Zara Stone, the author of the article "The K-Pop Plastic Surgery Obsession," writes about how k-pop surgery has made a huge mark on culture. The author talks about how Korean Americans are starting to become highly unsatisfied with their appearances and are turning toward plastic surgery to have the ideal k-pop star face. The author includes an example of Kim who is currently taking a break from college to save up money for more plastic surgery (she already had her nose and eyes done). Kim is now looking forward to having a V-line surgery which supposedly shaves the jawbones to create a more Western and anime-like image. The reason Koreans are widely having cosmetic surgery is because they equate feminine beauty with economic and social success. K-pop stars have also intensely influenced Koreans to become more beautiful through painful and expensive processes.
               The author used several rhetorical devices and strategies to achieve her purpose. The author's purpose is informative and the tone is serious and grave. The author uses primarily the cause and effect structure and organization for the writing; the cause is that widespread k-pop is influencing Koreans all over the world and the effect is that Koreans are getting obsessed with cosmetic surgeries. The author includes a lot of statistics and facts to explain how Koreans are starting to get more and more cosmetic surgeries to become more like k-pop stars in Korea so that they can have a more Western look or an anime look which would supposedly result in successes in life. The author includes real life stories and examples of Koreans who have all had cosmetic surgeries because of k-pop influence. The author also adds on to say that k-pop is now not only confined to music but its cultural impact is extending out to the appearances of peoples.

37. California Has Too Much Money

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/us/californias-new-problem-too-much-money.html?hp&_r=0



              Adam Nagourney, the author of the article "California's New Quandary, Too Much Money," tackles a rather paradoxical topic: California has a huge problem BECAUSE it has too much money. The state of California handled state budgets carefully as well as cutting out on spending. For three years the state of California was conflicting over a deficit of about $60 billion but today the surplus is predicted to be approximately $1.2 billion to $4.4 billion. The normal reaction would be a positive won since the state is so full of Democrats who are famous for their excess spending programs. The surplus of money has brought up debates whether the money should be used to support welfare programs or save money for another economic downturn.
              The author used several rhetorical devices and strategies to enhance his writing. The author's purpose is informative. The tone is serious and very formal. The main topic of the article is ironically paradoxical and the author plays with the main topic: California has too much money and that is causing more problems than when it didn't. The author also uses a lot of quotations from experts as well as including statistical facts and numbers as to increase the credibility. The author also included a compare and contrast structure of writing to compare California when it had a deficit and California now that is has money.

38. Huge anti-gay marriage protest march in paris

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22671572
In this article the author describes the chaos that has been happening in Paris since Tuesday. Now becoming the  ninth country in Europe and 14th globalized country to legalise gat marriage   a large crowd protested and uproared against the official legalization of gay marriage in Paris after a heated debate. high authorities of Paris claim that they've decided to allow gay marriage because, ""huge gap between this government and the citizens" over the marriage issue." estimating up to 150,000 marchers the police had quite some work to do in order to calm down the outraged band of citizens whereas up to 90 people were arrested , not knowing if they'd done the right choice or not the government now has to deal with and angered crowd.

The author's purpose in the article is to inform his readers about the chaotic yet worry some case that has been uproaring the country of Paris.The author uses several examples and direct quotes of what the autorities in Paris have in mind this instant about the big issues that has been heating lately. by using parallel syntax the author emphasizes how the citizens are against this law.

38. Urbanization Is Making China Wealthy— But Is It Sustainable?

http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/05/urbanization-is-making-china-wealthy-but-is-it-sustainable/276202/

On May 24th, Matt Schiavenza wrote an article addressing the problems China is facing regarding its plan to increase the country’s wealth. In the first half of the article, Schiavenza first presented the suggested urbanization plan and explained how it has and how it may continue making the Chinese wealthier. He makes comparisons with the United States in respect to the percentage of people in rural to give some perspective and moves to explain the problems behind this plan. The second half of the article focuses on the several problems behind urbanization in China and some possible solutions the government is turning to. The author says that the two main problems is that the governments are in huge debt, so they may not be able to handle the support for such a large migration and the second is that the income gap between the rich and he poor is extremely high. Schiavenza ends by stating what the Chinese government has been doing in order to solve some of these predicaments, giving a hopeful preview of what China may be able to overcome by saying that it has become more willing to make reforms.

The author’s purpose in writing this article was to inform his readers about the dilemma China is facing. He uses many examples and refers to the history of the country in order to support his claims about urbanization in China and in the world and how it is able to increase the wealth of a nation. He compares China to the United States to make his ideas clearer since most readers are probably Americans and he also uses a rhetorical question in the end to introduce the idea that China has become more open-minded regarding reforms.

38. Three more arrested over Woolwich brutal attack

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/26/three_more_arrested_over_woolwich_brutal_attack/

On May 26, the Associated Press posted on the Salon about the attacks made against an off-duty Sodlier, Lee Rigby. The article begins with straightforward information on the killing which occurred this past Saturday. The author then explains a bit more about the attack by mentioning the possible suspects and what's their current situation - some detained, others being watched in hospitals due to injuries that were caused during the murder of Rigby. The article ends with more information on another suspect, which is not only being charged of murder, but also of terrorism offenses.

The purpose of the article is to inform the reader and to show the tragedy as something tangible. Although the author maintains an impartial point of view throughout the whole article, the usage of the video as a media device to show how explicit the murder shows the inconscient intention of the author to shock and impress the audience.

38. Asthma Symptoms Hinder Children’s Sleep and School Performance

http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/22/asthma-symptoms-hinder-childrens-sleep-and-school-performance/

     Despite millions of people having asthma, the chronic disease is still very persistent and many times not well treated.  People seem to have not payed much attention to it, since there are many medications ready to aid people affected by asthma.  Unfortunately, studies show that children who suffer from asthma not only lose sleep, due to lack of oxygen, but also ten to perform worse academically than other children.  Asthma is annoying enough without suffering sleep-wise or academically.  With this new information out, researcher are hoping that people will spend more time finding better solutions to help children under the influence of asthma.

     Alexandra Sifferlin uses this article to inform her readers.  Since so many people have asthma, or know someone one who has it, there are sure to be many people interested in what she has to say.  Through the words and wisdom of researchers, and complicated tests, Sifferlin reports her findings on asthma and its links to sleep loss and academic struggles.

37. Boy Scouts Recognize Gay Boys as Equal

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/boy-scouts-recognize-gay-boys-as-equal/276186/

In an article for The Atlantic, James Hamblin wrote on May 23rd about Boy Scouts’ acceptance of gay boys. He opens up by stating what opposition has said about the issue and then gives some information about the circumstances in which the voting to approve the resolution occurred. Although the author says that the resolution was passed because of outside pressure, he supports the decision since the boy scouts is “a massive organization that professes values of a good, moral life” and should not distance itself from such a minority group. Hamblin says that the boy scouts do not accept gay adults, but points out that “it will only be a matter of time before adoption of this policy leads to integration of gay adult leaders.”

James Hamblin’s purpose in writing this article is to inform his readers about the acceptance of gay boys in the boy scouts, but he also wants to persuade them to believe that it was a good decision. The article is effective in presenting information since it uses quotes and details, but it does not do a good job in persuading his audience to reflect on how the resolution won’t inject “hypersexuality and gay activism into a youth organization” as said in the beginning of the article. It does not present a lot of convincing evidence to support this claim and some parts of the article are a little confusing to understand. However, the overall tone and style employed is still effective to convey the author’s position in the situation.

38. "The Best Reality Makeover Show Yet. Really."

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/05/23/rock_my_rv_with_bret_michaels_best_reality_makeover_show_yet_really.html?wpisrc=flyouts

June Thomas wrote an article to Slate Newspaper on May 23, 2013 talking about one makeover show that really does what they said they do. There is always a new show being creating, but nothing is ever new. It's always the same thing such as stars, home makeovers, and family businesses. Bret Michael's  the host of the home makeover show, isn't as all the other celebrities we have seen. He is a genuine person with the want to help people who are in tough situations. He graduated from family vacations to logging millions of miles on a tour bus just to help out the community. He knows he is just the host of the show and not the expert, so he does his part and does not intrude in the other people's part.

The author uses many rhetorical devices in his article. One of them would be that Thomas provided a lot of background information on the origin of the show and the host, Bret Michaels. This allows the reader to develop a well rounded idea on the purpose of the home makeover show and why it has become a popular television show. The author also uses good vocabulary that attracts the reader into wanting to read more about it. Lastly, the structure from was very simple but very well developed to getting Thomas's point across.

37. How You Deal With Your Emotions Can Influence Your Anxiety

http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/13/how-you-deal-with-your-emotions-can-influence-whether-you-have-anxiety/


    Anxiety is something that many people struggle with and deal with.  Fortunately, studies have shown that a person's emotions while facing a problem can greatly affect how anxious they become.  Alexandra Sifferlin searched for information on this topic and found many results.  Some in which she says that people who meet problems as a challenge rather than an issue are more prepared and less anxious.  People that avoid the problem and treat it as a great issue tend to become more anxious and sick about it.

     The purpose of this particular article is to help people who are anxious or satisfy the curiosities of others.  Alexandra Sifferlin supports her claims about anxiety through references to studies and the like.  Her tone is educational and informational, not necessarily light hearted or happy.  It is short, so it gets to the point quickly, but the article is a bit messy, so it seemed.  Overall, the article was interesting and had a good message to share with the world.

37. "Is Anywhere Safe in a Tornado"

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/2013/05/oklahoma_tornado_storm_shelters_where_is_the_safest_place_in_a_tornado.html?wpisrc=flyouts

Forrest Wickman wrote an article to Slate Newspaper on important facts about tornados on May 21, 2013. The most recent tornado was that in Oklahoma on Monday that killed 24 people. Wickman adresses and answers the question in everyone's mine, is anywhere safe during a tornado? Wickman said yes, that there are many storm shelters approved by the NWI that are designed to survive through winds up to 250 mph. This means that these shelters would have survived through all of history's tornado incidents. These special designs includes a 15 ft long wooden 2 by 4 propelled at 100 miles per hour. There also exists in house safe rooms that only cost $2,000, this is especially important in Oklahoma.

Wichman used several rhetorical devices in his writing. One of them would include comparison and contrast. In the middle of the article he talked about the differences between a shelter that is approved by NWI or a regular shelter made by state. The differences in why the NWI shelter would survive a tornado and a regular won't. The author also provides help towards the end saying that people can pay $2,000 to create one inside their own house. This can be very helpful to anyone living in areas such as Oklahoma who face many tornados. Lastly, the author is able to attract many readers just by his own title. Therefore, he is already deciding who his audience is going to be.

38. Times Site Is Attacked by Hackers

In this article Christine Haugney writes about the incident that took place earlier on this week. New York Times was a victim of an online attack which caused the site to slow down and also, limited access to some articles. According to a company spokesmen, Danielle Rhoades Ha, the rackers tried to slow down the site by "bombarding a host site with requests for information", and they did not find out who is responsible for this attack. This is not the first time it happens to New York Times, but last year the newspaper had been attacked by Chines hackers. In the last paragraph of the article, Haugney reminds the readers about other attacks in other websites such as some twitter accounts, and also other media companies such as The Associated Press and Union. 

The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about the serious online attack on New York Times that happened this week. It is also to explain to people who read articles at Times website the reason why it was having problems. In order to do that, Christine Haugney made the article "well structured". While in first paragraphs she introduces the readers to the idea, in body paragraphs she gives evidences and sources from other people to support her argument, and in the last paragraphs she concludes the article by mentioning online attacks on other companies. Besides that, she quotes people that work in New York Times, such as Danielle Rhoades Ha, which gives the article credibility (ethos). In addition to that, she uses rhetorical elements such as metonomy in the article. For instance, she says "Syrian Electronic Army said " even though it is not the army itself that said it. This element helps the readers understand the situation better in a simpler way, otherwise, probably the article would have become confusing. 

37. Giants snails invading florida, "major threats" to crops

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130417-giant-african-land-snail-florida-invasive-science-animals/#

In this article Than informs the readers with the news alert of a new kind of giant snail species from africa threatening Florida's most important crop as well as other animals. the reason behind why scientists are intensely tyring to get rid of these snails is because most snails feed on decaying plants but these new threats have the ability to eat the plant itself , also being known that it eats rat's feces so by touching the snail's slim many animal's and humans can become at risk. What concerns them the most is the unanswered question of why people bring them in illegally, it is known that some religions uses snails for specific reasons and many american like to have them as exotic pets. Which is why many people are caught trying to bring them in illegally but despite all effort the Giant snail from africa managed to find a way to settle for a hot and cozy weather in Florida. additionally being fast at reproducing has brought a great disadvantage , reproducing up to 100 snails per month it could take a significant amount of time to eliminate them

The authors's main purpose is to inform how the snail are not only effecting the crop but also human life, through the article he gives several examples and quotes of specialized men in their fiels to talk about their thoughts on this problem, using a serious tone he can achieve the pathos of concerns about this stressing issue,

36. Viewpoint: Plan B Is Very Misunderstood

In this article, Cecile Richards writes about emergency contraception, also known as Plan B. She first clears up the misunderstandings about the contraceptive by explaining that it is not an abortion pill but a contraceptive that prevents fertilization to happen in the first place. She then goes on to comment on the need to increase availability of the contraceptive. The contraceptive is only effective within a small window of time, meaning that women should be able attain it quickly. With that in mind, she argues that Plan B should be a over-the-counter drug. She also mentions the importance on making it available to women of all ages.

The author's purpose is to clear up a few misconceptions about Plan B and to convince her audience that the contraceptive should be made available to women of all ages.

37.Viewpoint: Make Kids Referee Their Own Sports Games

In this article Erika Christakis writes about how it is becoming increasingly common for referees to be attacked during high school games. To illustrate this, she mentions an instance when a soccer referee died because he was punched by one of the players. Christakis says that one way to solve this problem is to have sports follow the same rules as Ultimate Frisbee: there are no referees and players have to police themselves. She writes how successful this approach was in the Middle East in a program called "Ultimate Peace" where children of several ethnicities learned to play ultimate Frisbee.

The author's purpose is to convince her audience that the current system employed in high school sports is not working and that schools would be better off if they adopted the Ultimate Frisbee approach.

37. Turkey Says Evidence Links Syria to Car Bombings

      In this article Kareem Fahim writes about the detainees that were found, in twin car bombings in Southern Turkey. According to the investigations, the detainees were all Turkish citizens to the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. These people are linked with pro-regime groups in Syria, for this reason, after the explosion many Turkish youths attacked Syrian refugees in Turkey. However, Syrian government denied and claimed that Syria would never do such thing. During this incident, there were 39 victims including 35 Turikish citizens and 3 Syrians. Fatima and Mehmet Aldag are victims, and Mehmet testified that he was hit by the explosion all of sudden. According to him, this incident was aimed to create problems between Turkey and Syria. Now the Turkish government is afraid that the civil wars in Syria will spill over the borders and affect the ethnically mixed Turkish areas. 

     The purpose of the writer in writing this article is to inform the readers about the terrible incident that took place in Turkey and also about the results of the investigations that were made. In order to do that effectively, he quotes people that were present such as Mehmet Aldag, one of the victims. This adds credibility to the article, appealing to ethos. Besides that, he uses metonymy throughout the article. For example, when he wants to say "Syrian government", he just says "Syria" instead. Even though Syria is not a name of a person, he says "Syria didn't and will never undertake...". This helps the readers understand easily what's happening in a simpler way. Also by mentioning number of people that suffered from this incident and other incidents in the past caused by Syria, he is able to appeal to the readers' pathos, since the number of victims were not small. 

36. Forget Plan B: To Fight Teen Pregnancy, Focus on Economic Opportunity

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/forget-plan-b-to-fight-teen-pregnancy-focus-on-economic-opportunity/275623/

On May 8th, Phillip Levine and Melissa Kearney wrote an article addressing the issue of teenage girls getting pregnant at an early age. The authors provide an alternative solution for the problem in the place of contraceptive pills, which has been a highly debated topic these last weeks. They start out by saying how the numbers of unwanted pregnancies have been increasing and that the methods to try and keep the amount from growing are not effective. Following this, they present data which demonstrate that the real reason for these pregnancies is not being affected, since the previous methods addressed other sources for the problem. They suggest their own solution to the problem and show some examples to support their ideas.

The purpose of this article was to inform the readers that the debate on whether contraceptives should be allowed at a certain age takes the focus away from the real problem. They want to persuade their readers that there is a better and more effective way to decrease teen birth rates. In order to do so, they address all the methods that attempted to do this. They started by saying what these were and how they failed to accomplish the appointed objectives and they also pointed out the positive sides in order to keep  the opposition more open and less ignorant. Besides creating common ground, the authors also use statistics and charts as well as examples to support the success of their proposed solution.

35. Religion Beyond the Right

In this article, Frank Bruni talks about how the Boy Scouts decision to ban gay members and leaders is being questioned by other religious groups. Bruni first clears up the common misconception by pointing out how religious does not necessarily mean conservative. He does by mentioning several Christian institutions and and churches who are opposed to the ban not in spite of but because of their religious views. As an example, Bruni mentions Scott Ward, a 48 who is an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Ward says that gays shouldn't be banned from the Boy Scouts exactly because of what Christianity teaches about humanity. He argues that all men, regardless of their shortcomings are equal in the eyes of God, and that the leaders of the Boy Scouts have no right to judge others.

The purpose of the author was to clarify the misconception that Christianity is the same as conservatism and that there are several religious groups who are opposed to the banning of gays in the Boy Scouts. Though it is clear that he opposes the banning of gays, he has, for the most part, an unbiased and reflective tone. 

37. When a 5-Year-Old Shoots a 2-Year-Old, Should Their Parents Be Prosecuted for Negligence?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/05/06/crickett_keystone_sporting_arms_when_a_5_year_old_shoots_a_2_year_old_should.html

On Monday May 6, Slate Magazine's crime correspondent Justin Peters writes an article about the consequences of gun control. The first paragraph is a brief attention calling story about another article Peters had written previously. Within the story, the author expands its details, questioning whether or not the five-year-old Kentucky child's parents are responsible for his sister's, also their daughter's death. When describing the parent's attitude in the second paragraph, as of being "lackadaisical," it is clear that the author does not really look up to them, but rather, makes a slight criticism of their ignorance for storing the rifle "in a corner" and not a "gun safe, or a locked closet." In addition, the author alludes to another story about the state's law (where the incident took place), and according to the New York Times, he reveals that the parents will not be held liable for the death. In the third paragraph, the author makes a statement that jailing the parents would be considerably meaningless; next, however, Peters considers the negative side of not holding a criminal prosecution, and says it "indicates a threadbare state of the various laws that are supposed to help prevend child gun violence in this country." In the following paragraph, Peters compares and contrasts the laws in different states, and later, gives his view of each state having their own laws.

The author's purpose for this article is to inform and also lament about the strength of Kentucky's laws regarding the punishments that result from failure in gun control. The first person narration contributes to the article in that the author presents his views on the issue, and does not clearly write in an unbiased stand. The strong diction, especially the adjectives such as "baffling," and "lackadaisical," reveals his tone of being somewhat critical, yet opinionated. The allusions to authorities and well respected sources contribute to his article in making it credible and researched. The last paragraph reveals the author's true feelings of the states having their separate laws. Despite the fact that that is what makes the US unique, Peters considers unfortunate that specific laws are not reinforced. Finally, he concludes saying that emphasizing specific factors are a "small but effective step toward reducing the number of accidental gun deaths in this country."

36. Plan B Restrictions Loosen, but Not Enough

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/05/01/plan_b_emergency_contraception_rules_soften_for_adults_but_not_for_teens.html

Amanda Marcotte's article "Plan B Restrictions Loosen, but Not Enough" talked about how the new law regarding the access to the medicine Plan B has become more leniet, yet not enough. In the introductory paragraph, the author introduced a brief summary of what was happening regarding the situation - that the once behind the counter drug was now going to be accessible for teens as young as 15 as long as they had an identification card to prove their age. This set up a stage for the reader to know what the following paragraphs would focus on. The second paragraph explained how the FDA's decision to require ID's when purchasing the drug was unusual, due to the fact that the Obama administration was still in the process of reviewing a court ruling which demanded the suspension of all ages. Hence, Marcotte noted that if the Department of justice appealed, it would make them look like "fools who don't know how to pick their battlefields." The third paragraph presented the pros of having Plan B on the pharmacy shelves, and in the last, the author presented the cons of requiring individuals to show their ID's.

Marcotte's purpose for this article was to inform her audience, most likely individuals who were looking forward to being able to buy the Plan B about the slight changes in the new law. Her appeal to authorities such as the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Department of Justice, Teva support her arguments with credible sources. In addition, the facts used throughout the article contribute in showing her understanding of the issue discussed. Throughout the article, it was evident that Marcotte agreed with the changes as she put herself in one of the buyers' shoes, but still thought that they were not enough because she further presented the drawbacks in the fourth paragraph of the article. In addition, her pattern of development seemed to be one of persuasion, as she presented a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, that teenage girls should all have some dose of Plan B nearby. The inclusion of this showed that Marcotte indeed did agree with the fact that all teenage girls should be able to purchase the Plan B and have them handy anytime.

36. As Mali Wars With Islamists, a Mormon Runs for President

http://world.time.com/2013/05/02/a-mormon-president-in-mali-an-unusual-candidate-steps-up-in-bamako/

Niankoro Yeah Samake is trying to become a candidate in Mali’s presidential election. The interesting aspect about Samake is that nearly ten years ago, he became a Mormon. Samake and his family are said to be Mali’s only Mormons. He has two difficult challenges in Mali, running for president in a country that is 95% Muslim and a nation weakened by corruption. Some wonder why Samake would even try to become Mali’s president. He is a social entrepreneur, he is close to getting an American citizenship, and he has led a successful charity in Utah for 13 years. Mali is a corrupt nation with terrorist, drug trafficking, and all sorts of crime. Referring to the Islamist militias in Mali Samake says, ““The government failed the people, so the people turned to the religious groups that filled the gaps… Any nation that fails its people opens itself up to that kind of vulnerability, and we need to change that in Mali.” Samake seems to have an alright chance. He comes from a well known family, but time in the U.S. alienates him from voters. However, Samake says that he left his life in the U.S. to help rebuild Mali as his charity has been doing. He is uncomfortable when compared to Mitt Romney. Samake “does not want his campaign to be reduced to his religion.” He actually found it surprising and petty that Americans focused more on Romney’s religion rather than his policies. Samake hopes that Malians “…won’t vote for me because of my religion, but because I have a burning desire to transform my country into one of the most productive in the world.” It is not clear when the elections will take place. The nation has been in turmoil yet citizens still hope to get a hold of things. Many believe that it is now or never. Mali may never get to the point where there can be ideal voting conditions. “It is more important to have these elections in July than answering the question of whether or not every Malian will be able to vote. It does not have to be the most perfect election to serve the purpose of forming a government that is legitimate,” Samake says. Many in Mali are ready for a fresh start.

Author Aryn Baker informs readers on the happenings in Mali. Baker creates an interesting title when simply putting “Islamist” and “Mormon” in the title. The two religions seem a bit odd together which grabs the reader’s interest. The article starts with describing Samake going home from the U.S. to a predominantly Muslim nation. Baker gives the reader a look on Samake’s investment in charity and some of his personal life. Past incidents are brought up and so are current political worries. There are also quotes from Samake scattered throughout the article. Baker includes the parallels between Mormon presidential candidate Romney and Mali’s Mormon candidate.

36. North Korea Says Jailed American Won’t Be Used as ‘Bargaining Chip’

In this article Choe Sang Hun writes about a Korean American man who was jailed in North Korea, because according to the Korean government, he was committing hostile acts against them. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, and this is the sixth time North Americans arrest an American. In previous cases, the arrested men were released when the President of the United States visited North Korea. However, this time the North Korean government has no plan on releasing the prisoner nor invite the American President. This incident adds tension in the relationship between the United States and North Korea as Washigton tries to be tough with Korea regarding nuclear programs. According to North Koreans, in previous cases they showef humanitarian gestures, because the President of the United States had apologized for their mistakes,but the government states that this time there will be no humanitarian gestures towards the 'criminal'. Little is known about this criminal, but the Korean government claims that he committed various crimes 'aimed at the state subversion'. It seems that the North Koreans are growing in concern in the 'psychological warfare'. On Sunday, North Koreans prohibited South Koreans from sending antigovernment leafleats and said that if they do, the North would 'consider reopening the industrial complex operated with the South'.

In this article, the writer describes what has happened to a Korean American who went to North Korea with business intentions and intentions of helping the orphans. Hun also describes the North Korean attitudes towards this incident. He has a purpose of informing the readers, and in order to do so, he uses different rhetorical elements and also quotes people related to this case which adds credibility, ethos. For example, he quotes the North Korean spokesman many times throughout the article, who describes their attitudes towards this American Korean man. One of the rhetorical elements that the writer uses the most is the metonomy. He uses "North Korea" and "the United States" to describe the governments in these countries. This makes the reader understand better, especially the ones that have never been introduced to this issue yet.

36. Pandora Faces Rivals

             http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/business/songza-and-spotify-challenge-pandora-for-ears-and-ads.html?_r=0
   

              Ben Sisario, the author of the article "Pandora Faces Rivals for Ears and Ads," is really talking about how the music streaming monopoly Pandora Media was now facing rivals in the same sector as new digital music services are becoming available worldwide such as the new playlist app Songza and the music service Spotify. Since the launch of Songza, it has been downloaded millions of times and reached the top in the Apple App Store. Although Pandora has been able to keep a high position and dominance in the digital music service, it is clear that other free services are threatening to stop the pattern. The problem Pandora faces is not solely by the fact that there will be less number of users but that the ad competition will also grow. The stocks for Pandora have fallen and although the CEO of the company believes that other services will not be a problem for their growth, Songza's incredible growth has made such an assumption questionable.
             The author has used several rhetorical devices in his writing. The author's purpose is informative and the mode of discourse is exposition. The author's tone is skeptical yet critical but sometimes is neutral. The author chooses to use words that exaggerate the critical competition problems Pandora is facing and he quotes the CEO creating a sense of irony as the founder believes that Pandora will not be affected by Songza. The author also uses a compare and contrast structure. While Pandora is more of a user preference service, Songza is more of a complete, preloaded playlist service. The author also uses the cause and effect: new digital music services are available free and the effect is that the dominance of Pandora is falling because competition grows and its stocks fall and ad provision too.
         

36. A Nation In Need of A Pick-Me-Up: Our Need for Caffeine

http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/01/the-emergence-of-caffeinated-products/?iid=hl-main-lead


     Lack of rest and great work loads have made Americans sleepy.  Because of their sleepiness, they have grown dangerously dependent on caffeine.  Their dependence is not what puts them ind danger, necessarily, but the lack of knowledge they have about the caffeinated products they are consuming.  Many products have released caffeinated versions of chips, jellybeans, and gum to please consumers.  Products, such as the Monster Energy Drink, contain faulty information about the amount of caffeine it contains.  This has led to serious medical issues leading to hospitalization and even death.  Many people have come together to take a look at America's potentially dangerous need for caffeine.

     In her long article, Alexandra Sifferlin does her best to inform her readers about the high risks of consuming a ton of caffeine.  Her purpose is to warn them of the faulty information around and the risks of caffeine dependence.  Because her article is heavily informative, Sifferlin is very defendant on outside sources for information.  She has many excerpts from interviews with about five different people on her topic.  Her appeal to authority gives her article substance and credibility.  Overall, the article is convincing and very persuasive.

36. Cannibalism in Jamestown: Colonists Ate a 14-Year-Old Girl's Brain

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/cannibalism-in-jamestown-colonists-ate-a-14-year-old-girls-brain/275490/

      In James Hablin's article, "Cannibalism in Jamestown: Colonists Ate a 14-Year-Old Girl's Brain," he proves the existence of cannibalism at the 17th century. He starts out the article by quoting a passage from Captain John Smith, a person present during this time. Hablin reveals that Jane, the name of the 14 year old girl who was eaten, is the first physical evidence other than written articles from the past. The early 17th century was a period of extreme droughts and starvation. People turned to all sorts of food, eventually getting to cannibalism. Hablin also reveals a full forensics of the skull and the discoveries made from it. He ends his article by quoting an archaeologist which stated that Jane was not the only victim. 

     The author's purpose in writing this article is to inform people about the discovery of Jane. Throughout his article, Hablin used many reliable sources and quotes. He quotes the colonists, professors, and archaeologists. He also refers to museums and organizations which study about these historical events. Hablin adds more credibility with his photos of the skull. His audience was mostly people interested in history, and the events which happened in the early America. The author does a good job in presenting his evidences and reveal his purpose to the audience, which is to inform them about the new discovery which verifies the existence of cannibalism. 

35. High schooler arrested for making “terrorist threat” on Facebook

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/03/high_schooler_arrested_for_making_terrorist_threat_on_youtube_rap_partner/

On May the 3rd, Kevin Collier writes to the Salon over a supposed terrorist threat made by a high school student on Facebook. Collier begins the article by saying Camerom Dambrosio, 18, has been arrested for stating he'd be famous by making the Boston bombing seem minor and insignificant. The author then quotes the police chief of the small then, who says that since he's making so many allegations, he'll have "to prove himself" and, therefore, kill somebody. Solomon, the cop, also shares a few more words said by the student. Towards the end of the aticle, Collier talks about a previous online crime commited by Dambrosio, found in his youtube account.

Collier's intention with the article is mainly to expose the new occurrence and to discreetly show how pathetic and despicable the student is. In order to do that, he explictily states the fact and directly quotes the authorities in charge who dealt with the problem. Towards the end, he minimizes the student by commenting on his rap video and saying "Methuen, Mass. isn’t precisely “the hood,” according to recent crime statistics," which contains a certain tone of mockery.

34. Don't forget Sandy Hook

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/21/study_depression_and_anxiety_may_be_more_seasonal_than_we_think_partner/

BILL MOYERS AND MICHAEL WINSHIP

Bill Moyers and Michael Winship write to the Salon on May to remind the people of the horrible tragedy of Sandy Hook and how the war for gun control is still being fought - this time with a larger army and with "less weapons." Moyers and Winship begin the article by declaring they had spent some time with one of the massacre's victim's family. Then, they explain what steps the family took in order to survive this terrible situation - they began fighting for the amendment that would improve and expand gun control. The authors go on to explain the efforts made and the support and opposition the movement has received, such as the awful statement the Minnesota radio host made, telling the families to "go to hell" for interfering with his rights to own a gun.  More specifics are mentioned, such as the NRA and their annual meetings. Moyers and Winship  end the article by narrating sad, heartbreaking stories that occurred because of lack of control over guns, and state once more the family's motto: "this time there will be change."

The purpose of Moyers and Winship is not only to expose the efforts made for gun control, but also to persuade the reader to fight for the cause and support those who already do. In order to fulfill their goal, they use an extreme appeal to pathos, retelling the outcomes of what happened inside the Sandy Hook Elementary school that friday, specifically stating the number of dead victims and their ages. They appeal to pathos once more when they, at the end of the article, tell a couple tales of incidents and tragedies that occured because of unsupervisionised gun ownership.