Hundreds of people gathered around a Chinese newspaper company after a government censorship scandal. The strike was cause by the fact that local chinese propaganda officials began interfering with the company's right of free speech. The majority of the country is for the protesters and so are many celebrities such as Yao Chen who quoted the revered Russian dissident, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, "One word of truth outweighs the whole world." According to the author, such disputes between press and government are common but rarely emerge into public view, which is what makes this case unique. Much criticism has been aimed at Tuo Zhen, the top propaganda official. Protesters have been going around with signs that advocate Mr. Tuo's resignation. In response to the the event, different parties met and discussed the issue, although, according to one Chinese journalist, nothing was achieved in those talks.
The author's purpose was to inform about the issue at hand and explain the reasons of each side although he himself does not take one specific side.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
22. Why Hagel?
http://theweek.com/article/index/238422/why-hagel
Marc Ambinder, the author of the article "Why Hagel?," writes in his article about why President of the United States Obama has chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. According to the article, Obama's decision was a rather interesting and astonishing choice. Obama is a very well known Democrat and it would be more than logical for him to appoint a Democrat as Secretary of Defense. When Obama was first elected president, he had nominated and appointed a strong Democrat as the Secretary of Defense: Leon Panetta. He wanted to establish a precedent of a strong sense of national security, an essential national matter. Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska was appointed Secretary of Defense. The author states that Obama now understood the massive institutional and political obligation of the role; he had to wisely choose someone to give him counsel and advice. The reason Obama chose Hagel was simple: Obama trusted Hagel and wanted his advices.
The author of this short article uses rhetorical devices to achieve his purpose. The author wants to explain to the reader why Obama had chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Since the Secretary of Defense holds a very strong political force and position, people were shocked when Democrat Obama had chosen a Republican to be his personal counselor. The author answers his own question by stating that Obama trusted former Republican senator of Nebraska Chuck Hagel to hold such a strong and important position. Hagel has the power to give the president advices and counsel. Obama had trusted Hagel with issues in Afghanistan and China as well as other national security matters in which Hagel had proven himself to be truly competent to do a good job. People were shocked and the author explains that although it is a very shocking and unusual decision made by the president, Hagel can be trusted to be the United States' Secretary of Defense.
Marc Ambinder, the author of the article "Why Hagel?," writes in his article about why President of the United States Obama has chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. According to the article, Obama's decision was a rather interesting and astonishing choice. Obama is a very well known Democrat and it would be more than logical for him to appoint a Democrat as Secretary of Defense. When Obama was first elected president, he had nominated and appointed a strong Democrat as the Secretary of Defense: Leon Panetta. He wanted to establish a precedent of a strong sense of national security, an essential national matter. Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska was appointed Secretary of Defense. The author states that Obama now understood the massive institutional and political obligation of the role; he had to wisely choose someone to give him counsel and advice. The reason Obama chose Hagel was simple: Obama trusted Hagel and wanted his advices.
The author of this short article uses rhetorical devices to achieve his purpose. The author wants to explain to the reader why Obama had chosen Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Since the Secretary of Defense holds a very strong political force and position, people were shocked when Democrat Obama had chosen a Republican to be his personal counselor. The author answers his own question by stating that Obama trusted former Republican senator of Nebraska Chuck Hagel to hold such a strong and important position. Hagel has the power to give the president advices and counsel. Obama had trusted Hagel with issues in Afghanistan and China as well as other national security matters in which Hagel had proven himself to be truly competent to do a good job. People were shocked and the author explains that although it is a very shocking and unusual decision made by the president, Hagel can be trusted to be the United States' Secretary of Defense.
21. College Textbooks Are Too Expensive
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/why-are-college-textbooks-so-absurdly-expensive/266801/
Jordan Weissmann, the author of the article "Why Are College Textbooks So Absurdly Expensive?," starts out his writing with a funny comparison. College tuition is not the only thing which is increasing. College textbooks prices are equally getting pricier and pricier. The American Enterprise Institution has shown that the cost of course materials has increased incredibly; the cost of calculus books, for example, have shot up higher than basic health care, home prices, and inflation. The author also tries to explain why the cost of educational books has grown so much. Some experts claim that the procedure to produce a single college textbook requires a lot of time, effort, and of course money. However, the author explains that college professors many times take little into consideration the actual content of the textbook and take student requirements for granted. Big publishers have started suing small publisher companies and they have also started to include software downloads which require for more enrollment and more money to be paid all in order to increase profits.
The author uses several rhetorical devices in order to achieve his purpose. The author starts out his article with a rhetorical question; he tries to lead the reader into thinking that college tuitions aren't the only things which have become even pricier. Every year, college textbooks are becoming more expensive. The author includes a chart showing the increase in prices for educational books compared to other financial expenses. The author also includes some statistical facts (students waste about 600 to 700 dollars in college textbooks). Weissmann proposes the idea that although American publishers may state that making a textbook requires a lot of money, the truth is that these huge publishing companies have tried their best to increase their profits; big publishers have started to sue small companies for small copyright issues and others have included softwares that require extra payment. In other words, the reason textbooks are so expensive is because publishers are greedy and want more profits.
Jordan Weissmann, the author of the article "Why Are College Textbooks So Absurdly Expensive?," starts out his writing with a funny comparison. College tuition is not the only thing which is increasing. College textbooks prices are equally getting pricier and pricier. The American Enterprise Institution has shown that the cost of course materials has increased incredibly; the cost of calculus books, for example, have shot up higher than basic health care, home prices, and inflation. The author also tries to explain why the cost of educational books has grown so much. Some experts claim that the procedure to produce a single college textbook requires a lot of time, effort, and of course money. However, the author explains that college professors many times take little into consideration the actual content of the textbook and take student requirements for granted. Big publishers have started suing small publisher companies and they have also started to include software downloads which require for more enrollment and more money to be paid all in order to increase profits.
The author uses several rhetorical devices in order to achieve his purpose. The author starts out his article with a rhetorical question; he tries to lead the reader into thinking that college tuitions aren't the only things which have become even pricier. Every year, college textbooks are becoming more expensive. The author includes a chart showing the increase in prices for educational books compared to other financial expenses. The author also includes some statistical facts (students waste about 600 to 700 dollars in college textbooks). Weissmann proposes the idea that although American publishers may state that making a textbook requires a lot of money, the truth is that these huge publishing companies have tried their best to increase their profits; big publishers have started to sue small companies for small copyright issues and others have included softwares that require extra payment. In other words, the reason textbooks are so expensive is because publishers are greedy and want more profits.
20. China Loves Drugs
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/01/chinas-growing-appetite-for-new-kinds-of-luxury-goods-illegal-drugs/266815/
Charles Zhu, the author of the article "China's Growing Appetite for New Kinds of Luxury Goods: Illegal Drugs," is directing the article to a rather interesting observation. The author starts out by including a economic background of China; the country has been experiencing exponential growth with regards to manufactured goods. The country exports and imports hundreds of goods and the nation's economy has been booming. The author then explains that the country has not only been booming with cars, luxury goods, and handbags, but the nation has been experiencing a growth in illegal drug consumption. According to the author, 25 years ago, narcotics and drugs were unheard of, but interestingly, the nation has been experiencing such a growth in drug usage. The author tries to explain the causes of such a phenomenon: the nation has had more relaxed borders, an increase in wealth, and a more liberal concept of individual freedom.
The author uses several rhetorical devices to increase and strengthen his point of view and purpose. The first of them is the title which at first seems to be addressing a formal fact but ends with an interesting and humorous statement. The fact that the author uses "luxury goods" to describe illegal drugs is very satirical. The author then proceeds to follow a fixed cause and effect pattern. The author states the reasons, the causes for increased drug usage in China and then explains some of the effects such as the change in the population in general, the government provisions, etc.
Charles Zhu, the author of the article "China's Growing Appetite for New Kinds of Luxury Goods: Illegal Drugs," is directing the article to a rather interesting observation. The author starts out by including a economic background of China; the country has been experiencing exponential growth with regards to manufactured goods. The country exports and imports hundreds of goods and the nation's economy has been booming. The author then explains that the country has not only been booming with cars, luxury goods, and handbags, but the nation has been experiencing a growth in illegal drug consumption. According to the author, 25 years ago, narcotics and drugs were unheard of, but interestingly, the nation has been experiencing such a growth in drug usage. The author tries to explain the causes of such a phenomenon: the nation has had more relaxed borders, an increase in wealth, and a more liberal concept of individual freedom.
The author uses several rhetorical devices to increase and strengthen his point of view and purpose. The first of them is the title which at first seems to be addressing a formal fact but ends with an interesting and humorous statement. The fact that the author uses "luxury goods" to describe illegal drugs is very satirical. The author then proceeds to follow a fixed cause and effect pattern. The author states the reasons, the causes for increased drug usage in China and then explains some of the effects such as the change in the population in general, the government provisions, etc.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
21. More Food for Hungry Students: USDA Tweaks School Meals
With a big issue throughout the United
States being obesity, it makes sense that schools are offering regulations
enforcing healthier meals for their students.
This, sounding like good news, is a good kickoff for an article on
Alexandra Sifferlin’s part. Many people
want to hear about kids becoming healthier and, as it would seem,
stronger. This, though, is not the case
with the lessened calories allowed at a school lunch. While skim milk and whole grain products are
increasing, students find that they have notably less energy throughout the
day. This can be a real problem, especially
for students who participate in scholastic sports. When working out and keeping fit for a team,
people need to take in more food. With
restrictions, this is not possible.
Sifferlin uses good sources and
tactics to hold her readers attention, even if it is not what they would like
to hear. She brings up sources, one
which is both entertaining as well as good at proving its point, a parody going
against the regulations and showing how sporty highschoolers and young children
feel. Because so many people know that
Americans are suffering from weight related problems, it brings in a big crowd
to read what Sifferlin has to say.
20. School Security: Why It’s So Hard to Keep Kids Safe
In opening this article, writer
Bonnie Rochman immediately appeals to parents who worry about their children’s
security in school. She states that she
also worries about her son and daughter who are in, sadly, rather unsafe
learning environments. After stories of
shootings and violence throughout schools with young attendees, this article is
sure to perk acknowledgement as well as interest. Using this, Rochman is quick to state her
main idea, we need to work together to make schools safer. Her idea of community is soothing for people
in fear of their children’s safety; it makes them feel stronger and not alone
in a bad situation.
Sadly, the only ideas of protection
either put the students in a imprisoned environment, which would undoubtedly
make everyone hate school even more, or put them in a military inspired
learning facility where they would need to learn how to protect
themselves. In a time where humans want
to encourage anyone to visit a school for
the love of learning, will we risk the safety of innocent children?
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
21. Also, My Wife's Morning Breath Smells Like Cinnamon Buns
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/01/02/natural_beauty_more_oppressive_than_makeup.html
Amanda Marcotte writes and article on January 2nd, explaining that is makeup has become a public realm, does it damage the woman's self-esteem? She begins her article explaining that the New York Times had a debate. She continues her article to say that the contributors didn't make they debate interesting because no one asked the real question that was "Why men don't get to have any makeup fun." She uses an example of Thomas Matlack, who is from the Grood Men Project, when he talks about his wife's grooming habits, he says that he doesn't mind his wife to wear makeup as long as she knows that he loves her when she has nothing on. She continues to say that the Tumblr boys beat him to it, by using handwritten signs that "natural" beauty is better then any other. Marcotte ends her article by saying that even though she doesn't use makeup all the time, she refuses to believe that women roll out of bed looking "perfectly natural."
In Marcotte article she expresses her thoughts of the "natural" beauty that the media portrays. In this article Marcotte starts with a very natural and straight forward tone of voice, when giving examples of med who have said that their wife's best features are before she puts on everything else. She explains that the boys on Tumblr beat Matlack by writing signs, expressing how girls don't need makeup or nice clothes to be beautiful because they are all beautiful. She uses a picture of a boy from Tumblr, the lighting on the picture gives emphasize on the boy with the sign and has a very serial image. It also has a bit of irony to the picture, because even though the boy is saying that girls are all beautiful without makeup, he, himself is wearing makeup of some kind. Marcotte ends her article with a very stung point and showing her point of view by saying "I refuse to embrace the fantasy that women just roll out of bed looking this way."
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