Silly Positions class lab

Our group (Melissa, Charlotte and Myself) had a very silly position to argue about in this class lab. We chose to prove the point that the elderly should take on NASCAR Racing!

1. Our reinforcing points were:

-It would be a great hobby

-It would "spice up" their Sundays

-They may not have much time left to live, so why not live it up?

-Who doesn't love the movie Talladega Nights?

2. Our Audience was directed toward our fellow classmates, along with any elder person that may want to learn more about the benefits of NASCAR Racing!

3. Our points included the benefits of watching, learning, and experiencing the thrill of tons of race cars going around a track.

4. If you want to be a true, fun loving all-American, it is necessary to love this sport.

5. A common argument about NASCAR is that it's not a sport. But we have news for you! NASCAR is a captivating, thrilling activity that has many people's interests, thus considered (to us at least) a great sport.

6. After church on a Sunday morning, Jesus can take the wheel.

7. If none of these factors are convincing enough to become a NASCAR race car driver... well, bingo is pretty fun too.

reading sources critically lab

Reading sources critically:

What arguments does the author make?

He argued that no other race should say the N word at all and that if you are in any kind of group that has an offensive label then you are the only person that can say the offensive label, and if you are outside of the group then it is not your place to say it. 

2.    How persuasive do you find the argument?

There is historical evidence of the argument he expressed, like how the term was used back in the day and how degrading it was and how “white folk” shouldn’t call their friends the N-word loosely. There really isn’t any citations or links, it was just Tim Wise at what it seemed a conference. He was citing that there actually is history how the term was used and it was offensive and how he sees people throw the word around when it shouldn’t be. 

3.    What is the author’s stance?

He does use multiple examples of different types of people, “Black folk”, Redneck and also about him being Jewish, he didn’t only talk about the N word. He did have a particular bias about no one using terms that are derogatory or offensive even if they think it may not be offensive, people of that certain group like being a redneck can call themselves and others that but not people that are not redneck is what he says. He is using only one viewpoint saying that terms calling people a certain name isn’t okay. 

4.    Does the publisher bring a certain stance to the work?

He brought up Jeff Foxworthy and how really all he talks about when he is doing comedy is redneck jokes and it is okay for him to do that because he is from the South and he actually is a redneck and he calls himself one so it is okay, if a different comedian Jerry Seinfeld were to crack jokes publicly then it is not okay. 

 Yes white people cannot say the N word. It should be common sense not to use offensive words like that.

6.    Does this source support or challenge your own position -or does it do both?

This source would support our own positions, we do not say the N word, or any other derogatory words that we know would offend or make others feel bad. 

7.    What can you tell about the intended audience and purpose?

The intended audience would most likely be anyone actually because he does not only talk white people or black people the main purpose is to inform everybody of how to not be racist and to watch what you say, don’t use offensive terms and all people need to be aware that peopl

5.     Do you recognize ideas you’ve run across in other sources?e do get offended by what others say and not to say words about labeling people in an offensive way.

Developing your argument: position paper

1. What are you trying to change?
My position on this paper is the minimum wage, and how it should be raised.
2. To whom are you writing?
I am writing for an audience that is interested in political points in America, and for people who are interested in controversial topics such as this one.
3. How do you appeal to their beliefs?
I was able to write this paper in a non-offensive yet informative way for people of all backgrounds and religions. I made it appealing because I added in other viewpoints on the matter such as why it shouldn't be raised, etc.
4. Why should your audience believe you?
They should believe me becuse this is a topic that has to do with every american. Most likely everyone has worked a minimum wage job in their life, so they should see where I am coming from. Also, if they are at all interested in other people's lives and doing what they can to make them better, this would be a good read for them.
5. What are at least 2 reasons the change should be made?
-Raising the minimum wage would help families that dont have much money
-raising the minimum wage would help the overall economy to get going again
6. A good point that the other side makes about this argument is that raising the minimum wage makes it so jobless rate would increase, and no one wants that, especially in this economy.
7. I would answer that point by making it clear that joblessness wouldnt occur unless the minimum wage was changed drastically fast. If it is a slow process of increasing money, employers would be able to keep their employees as well as not worry about losing money.
8. Another good point for the opposing argument would be that the rich dont have to worry about anything
9. I would answer that point by saying; "if you're rich, good for you."
10. Society would benefit from this change. The economy. People in poverty and families with little money.

Polished paper #2:

Laura Combs

English 101

Begert

Nov. 5th, 2015

Ad Analysis

For this paper, I chose to do an analysis on the objectification of women in ads for alcohol. Alcohol has been popular for a long time and has been many people's go-to drink after a long day at work, at a party, or even along with a meal. Specifically, men are known to drink more alcohol than women. According to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse in 2013, a reported 16.6 million Americans 18 and older have an AUD, (alcohol use disorder.) and 10.8 of those million are Men. This is just a statistic of alcohol abuse, not counting the number of deaths from alcohol of that year. With these studies in mind, some companies selling alcohol have geared their audience toward men, and in the process...have objectified women.  

In these advertisements, you’ll see that they all have a female in them. Two of them, you can’t even see their eyes, but their bodies are what is targeted for these ads. Not only are their bodies being shown off with minimal clothing, but they don’t look happy. These women have little to no expression, being another aspect to seeing these people as objects, not people.

In relation to alcohol, One of these ads shows an overjoyed man wrapped around two ladies’ legs with a drink in each hand. The setting seems to be a crazy party-scene, filled with drunk people and some bright lights. This aspect may be appealing to those that love to party and have a good time. And with partying sometimes comes alcohol. The ladies’ faces aren’t even shown, suggesting that they don’t matter. This ad is trying to showcase that with this product, you can get any girl you want. And in this case, girls plural.

With this happy expression on the man’s face, this will suppesedly get men to buy their product, not even thinking twice about the misogynistic, inappropriate aspect in the first place.

In the second ad, there are two women on either side of a vodka bottle, only focusing on their open mouths. Again, there are not one but two women in this advertisement, possibly suggesting that they come a dime a dozen to men. These women are expressionless and look like mannequins, possibly suggesting that with this bottle of vodka, you will receive the “perfect” woman you deserve. With the infamous cherry red lips and flawless complexion, this product is bringing more attention to the ironic statement at the bottom to “Go Natural.”

In the third ad, there are not one, not two, but three women posing for a budweiser advertisement. They are all laying down on a towel appearing to be living perfect and relaxed lives. Although somewhat dated, this picture still speaks a thousand words. These women are the same size, same skin color, and nearly same hair color and texture. This Budweiser ad from the 80’s was released in the summertime, appealing to the satisfaction of an ice cold beer on a hot summer day. And in this satisfaction comes every man’s dream; the perfect woman! With no question, this picture has been photoshopped, showing no flaws. These women have been sexualized to be more appealing to the buyers of this product, including the idea that if women get this product, they may look the same as the women in this picture!

All of these advertisements relate in the visual and verbal content of objectifying women for alcohol. With the fact of alcoholic beverages being loved around the world, companies have used this to their advantage to get men, specifically to buy their products.

Paper #3 Final

Laura Combs

English 101

Begert

19 November 15

Paper #3: Should the U.S. minimum wage be raised?

In this day and age in America, the economy is changing with a blink of an eye. Does it cause a disadvantage because it raises firms’ costs or would some businesses experience higher sales because their customers’ income is higher? Certain companies and people have power over others, drastically impacting where and who money goes to. This creates a huge difference in economic status within Americans. With certain people having an advantage over others, people working that earn a minimum wage salary shouldn’t have to be living a check-to-check life. As cliche as it sounds, there are bills to pay and mouths to feed, and some families in poverty are doing whatever they can to get by. With this in mind, the minimum wage in this country should be raised.

“It has been six long years since the minimum wage was changed.” In 2009 it was raised about two dollars to $7.25 nationally but this is still not enough to support a family. Hopeful-Presidential, democrat Bernie Sanders is determined to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. His valid point is to “protect the least powerful members of our society from predation.” (dailycaller.com). President Barack Obama has looked at a reasonable $10.10 an hour, but labor unions are wanting more, hoping for $15 an hour for America’s minimum wage. The increase of the minimum wage have had a great deal of success and outweigh the cost of low-wage workers, “But in the highly volatile low-wage job market, many people regularly move between having a job and looking for one.” (U.S. News).

There is a constant argue of whether or not minimum wage should be raised. Some think it’s pointless or won’t do much, but those people are typically the ones that don't have to worry about money. And with women making up two-thirds of the minimum wage workers, the increase of minimum wage would benefit them greatly, giving them a chance against today’s economic challenges.  The increase would of course raise the whole family income, as well as… “employers facing a higher minimum wage might demand less labor, leading to more joblessness and lost income in families with low-wage workers.” (U.S. News).

The Congressional Budget office has found that a hike of about three dollars minimum wage would result in reduction of poverty across America. To be specific, roughly 900,000 people would no longer be living in poverty. President Obama is in favor of it, as well as other democrats. Obama has in fact looked at a reasonable $10.10 an hour, but labor unions are wanting more, hoping for $15 an hour for America’s minimum wage. It is up to lawmakers to enact it. With this is mind though, the CBO had come to realize that there would be some downsides to raising the national minimum wage. With employers covering a higher labor cost, they may have to let some workers go, due to a possible loss of income for their business and purchasing power. Job loss is a recurring worry for Americans, but you have to remember that states won’t drastically raise their minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour. That would be too drastic of a change. Like everything, it will take time, and with a slow and steady pace, people won’t have to worry about losing their jobs. However, a rough downside to raising minimum wage was between 2007 and 2009. This was when the minimum wage was raised 41%. Sure, from the sound of it, it seemed like a good plan, but not to those 16-19 year olds that were unable to find a job. The jobless rate for people those ages rose 10%, from about 16% to 26% between those two years. But looking closely, does this even compare with the middle- aged workers doing whatever they can to support a family? The percentage doesn’t even compare from the number of parents 16-19 to the number of parents 20-retirement age working a minimum wage job. People at that young age still have hope and more employment opportunities than people older that are being relied on by their families to bring food to the table.

“A higher minimum wage can spur businesses to operate more efficiently and employees to work harder. Employers may look for ways to increase productivity, such as setting higher performance standards for employees or investing more to train them. A higher wage may motivate employees to work harder because when they're paid decently, they have more to lose by getting fired.”

The argue against minimum wage also has a great deal to do with political standpoint. For example, a pew research center surveyed people in 2014 about their opinions on the matter. 73% of people voted an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, a solely Democratic-backed proposal. While they and 71% of independents were in favor of the raise, 53% of republicans were in favor and 43% were opposed. With a great deal of this argument having to do with political viewpoints, as well as religious or communal opinions that affect one’s view on the matter. As frustrating as it may be, we cannot change someone's opinion on such controversial issues such as this one, but it is up to the state and national lawmakers to decide the minimum wage. With an increase within even the past few years, there is hope for more of an increase within the upcoming years. Certain cities already have enacted a minimum that will be set in the next few years. For example, Seattle will be $15 an hour by 2021. San Francisco will be $18 an hour by 2018, and Chicago will be $13 an hour by 2019. In seattle specifically, Robert Reich believes that the current economic state of America is “anemic” because people don’t really have the money or power to get the economy going again. His guess is that “Seattle's businesses will adapt through the years of change in minimum wage without any net loss of employment.” He goes on in a positive, reinforcing tone about how Seattle's employers will also have a wider availability of choices – as the $15 an hour brings in the labor force, some people who otherwise weren’t interested. This means that the workers they have will be reliable and stay longer.“The gains from a higher minimum wage extend beyond those who receive it. More money in the pockets of low-wage workers means more sales, especially in the locales they live in — which, in turn, creates faster growth and more jobs.”

“You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your boss was trying to say? ‘Hey if I could pay you less, I would, but it’s against the law.’” -Chris Rock

Wolf, Connor. “It’s Been Six Years Since Feds Raised The Minimum Wage. What Were The Economic Results?” The Daily Caller News Foundation.  The Daily Caller News Foundation, 25, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/25/its-been-six-years-since-feds-raised-the-minimum-wage-what-were-the-economic-results/

Harvey, John. “The real argument for raising minimum wage.” Forbes Leadership. Forbes Leadership, 31, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johntharvey/2015/07/31/real-argument-for-raising-minimum-wage/

Delsiver, Drew. “5 Facts about the minimum wage.” Fact Tank. Fact Tank, 23, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/23/5-facts-about-the-minimum-wage/

Stone, Chad. “Raising the minimum wage brings many benefits” U.S. News, 21, Feb. 2014. Web. 3, December. 2015.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2014/02/21/raising-the-minimum-wage-has-many-benefits

In-Class Lab: Analyzing an Argument 2

Morgan Carlson

1. What is the claim?
The claim is that having a cow is good for anyone with enough space, time, and money. The author says that it's beneficial for a family with patience and capacity for a cow.
2. What support does the writer offer for the claim?
Reasons such as production of milk and meat are apparently good for a family, however they are not necessary. But for a family that would appreciate having those around the house, as well as a manure for your lawn, it is beneficial to add a cow to a home. The author adds facts regarding health and beneficial ingredients in food produced by the cow's milk. With factoids from the food & drug administration and other well-educated sources, the author is able to support his claim that having a cow is good.
3. How evenhandedly does the writer present the issue?
The author doesn't really bring in counterarguments to the paper, however with important information that has to do with the manure, enzymes and pesticides in the cow's milk, the author is able to cover enough ground without the extra counterarguments involved. His arguments are appropriately qualified, with no cliche's, no insulting or crude remarks, and a well-thought out opinion regarding the ownership of a cow. 
4. What authorities or sources of outside information does the writer use?
The author uses sources from credible authors and professionals on the subject such as Carl Rosen and Chris Kresser. Rosen has credible information from the University of Minnesota to back him up on the information, and Kresser wrote an article discussing the dangers of raw milk, and the appropriate way of consuming it.
5. How does the writer address you as the reader?
The writer is able to discuss the benefits of having a cow in your life as well as the dietary needs and restrictions involving what is in the cow's milk and meat. Although I think the overall paper is well-written and uses important information and credible sources, I myself am a vegetarian agree with the idea of using a cow for its milk and meat. Many people do, and many believe its necessary in a diet, so this paper will prove beneficial to their liking, but I don't and I have opinions quite opposite to these, however I was respectful and supportive of this author and their viewpoints. Just because I don't exactly agree with the writer doesn't mean it wasn't informative.

In class Lab- Analyzing an Argument

1. What is the claim?
The claim is to abolish the death penalty. The author goes into great detail with thought-provoking reasons behind it that it should be abolished, and she adds facts, quotes and references to help her argument.
2. What support does the writer offer for the claim?
The author supports her paper by adding interesting facts such as people being wrongfully accused after execution, and even references to the bible. Reasons such as being impractical because it is costly to taxpayers and the government, and it is humane and unjust.
3. How evenhandedly does the writer present the issues?
The author mentions counterarguments, thus helping contrast her argument, making for a better paper. The author goes into detail with this by mentioning how some people believe keeping the death penalty is beneficial, and how that is put to the contrary with the fact that 140 countries have already abolished the death penalty. With the contrasting beliefs put in her essay, she respectively and appropriately mentions them, without being offensive.
4. What authorities or sources of outside information does the writer use?
The Author uses an article from huffington post, time magazine, and even the bible. With these pieces of information, she is able to further prove her point in her argument; the death penalty should be abolished. The audience isn't aware of the date that these were published, however we are all aware the time the bible was published, and that time isn't a valuable factor for that source.
5. How does the writer address you as the reader?
The author writes in a tone that is well-understood by many, yet the piece is from a subject that the author researched thoroughly and is well-educated on, coming across as professional and worth your time. I feel as a reader I was included in this essay, and my opinions and beliefs are similar to hers.

position paper rough draft

Laura Combs

English 101

Begert

11/19/15

Paper #3: Should the U.S. minimum wage be raised?

In this day and age in America, the economy is changing with a blink of an eye. Certain companies and people have power over others, drastically impacting where and who money goes to. This creates a huge difference in economic status within Americans. With certain people having an advantage over others, “people working at minimum wage jobs, especially that are supporting a family, shouldn’t have to be living a check-to-check life.” With this in mind, the minimum wage in this country should be raised.

“It has been six long years since the minimum wage was changed.” In 2009 it was raised about two dollars to $7.25 nationally but this is still not enough to support a family. Candidate Bernie Sanders is hopeful in aiming to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. His valid point is to “protect the least powerful members of our society from predation.” (dailycaller.com)

Wolf, Connor. “It’s Been Six Years Since Feds Raised The Minimum Wage. What Were The Economic Results?” The Daily Caller News Foundation.  The Daily Caller News Foundation, 25, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/25/its-been-six-years-since-feds-raised-the-minimum-wage-what-were-the-economic-results/

Harvey, John. “The real argument for raising minimum wage.” Forbes Leadership. Forbes Leadership, 31, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johntharvey/2015/07/31/real-argument-for-raising-minimum-wage/

Delsiver, Drew. “5 Facts about the minimum wage.” Fact Tank. Fact Tank, 23, Jul. 2015. Web. 19, Nov. 2015.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/23/5-facts-about-the-minimum-wage/

Comparing articles with Spriggs

When we compared our articles with Spriggs’ essay we all noticed that they all relate in a clear and explicit position that they stood by the whole time. They all had responses to what other people had said about the subject. Some of the differences were that an essay by Sophia A. McClennon was that she made general assumptions of information and didn’t have much specific evidence to support her statements in attempting to argue her position. There was a “straw man” appeal in one part of her text. In an article by Sean McElwee, he took a position on abolishing the death penalty. He had good examples of both sides but had a strong opinion on abolishing the sentence because he feels it is unjust. He used statistics and facts to help him have a strong position and to help us see how he feels. He used a lot of compares/contrasts to other Countries and how there have been a number of people in prison being proven to be killed by the death sentence but they turn out to be innocent. We noticed that the essays that were most compelling were the ones that effectively utilized other sources of information other than their own opinions, and the ethos of these articles were better established by those who did “their homework”.

In class lab

Reading sources critically:

What arguments does the author make?

He argued that no other race should say the N word at all and that if you are in any kind of group that has an offensive label then you are the only person that can say the offensive label, and if you are outside of the group then it is not your place to say it. 

2.    How persuasive do you find the argument?

There is historical evidence of the argument he expressed, like how the term was used back in the day and how degrading it was and how “white folk” shouldn’t call their friends the N-word loosely. There really isn’t any citations or links, it was just Tim Wise at what it seemed a conference. He was citing that there actually is history how the term was used and it was offensive and how he sees people throw the word around when it shouldn’t be. 

3.    What is the author’s stance?

He does use multiple examples of different types of people, “Black folk”, Redneck and also about him being Jewish, he didn’t only talk about the N word. He did have a particular bias about no one using terms that are derogatory or offensive even if they think it may not be offensive, people of that certain group like being a redneck can call themselves and others that but not people that are not redneck is what he says. He is using only one viewpoint saying that terms calling people a certain name isn’t okay. 

4.    Does the publisher bring a certain stance to the work?

He brought up Jeff Foxworthy and how really all he talks about when he is doing comedy is redneck jokes and it is okay for him to do that because he is from the South and he actually is a redneck and he calls himself one so it is okay, if a different comedian Jerry Seinfeld were to crack jokes publicly then it is not okay. 

5.     Do you recognize ideas you’ve run across in other sources?

 Yes white people cannot say the N word. It should be common sense not to use offensive words like that.

6.    Does this source support or challenge your own position -or does it do both?

This source would support our own positions, we do not say the N word, or any other derogatory words that we know would offend or make others feel bad. 

7.    What can you tell about the intended audience and purpose?

The intended audience would most likely be anyone actually because he does not only talk white people or black people the main purpose is to inform everybody of how to not be racist and to watch what you say, don’t use offensive terms and all people need to be aware that people do get offended by what others say and not to say words about labeling people in an offensive way. 

how things mean

Reading sources critically:

What arguments does the author make?

He argued that no other race should say the N word at all and that if you are in any kind of group that has an offensive label then you are the only person that can say the offensive label, and if you are outside of the group then it is not your place to say it. 

2.    How persuasive do you find the argument?

There is historical evidence of the argument he expressed, like how the term was used back in the day and how degrading it was and how “white folk” shouldn’t call their friends the N-word loosely. There really isn’t any citations or links, it was just Tim Wise at what it seemed a conference. He was citing that there actually is history how the term was used and it was offensive and how he sees people throw the word around when it shouldn’t be. 

3.    What is the author’s stance?

He does use multiple examples of different types of people, “Black folk”, Redneck and also about him being Jewish, he didn’t only talk about the N word. He did have a particular bias about no one using terms that are derogatory or offensive even if they think it may not be offensive, people of that certain group like being a redneck can call themselves and others that but not people that are not redneck is what he says. He is using only one viewpoint saying that terms calling people a certain name isn’t okay. 

4.    Does the publisher bring a certain stance to the work?

He brought up Jeff Foxworthy and how really all he talks about when he is doing comedy is redneck jokes and it is okay for him to do that because he is from the South and he actually is a redneck and he calls himself one so it is okay, if a different comedian Jerry Seinfeld were to crack jokes publicly then it is not okay. 

5.     Do you recognize ideas you’ve run across in other sources?

 Yes white people cannot say the N word. It should be common sense not to use offensive words like that.

6.    Does this source support or challenge your own position -or does it do both?

This source would support our own positions, we do not say the N word, or any other derogatory words that we know would offend or make others feel bad. 

7.    What can you tell about the intended audience and purpose?

The intended audience would most likely be anyone actually because he does not only talk white people or black people the main purpose is to inform everybody of how to not be racist and to watch what you say, don’t use offensive terms and all people need to be aware that people do get offended by what others say and not to say words about labeling people in an offensive way. 

possible topics

• vegetarianism 

• alternative energy

• political viewpoints

• world hunger

• homelessness

• social status

Texting & Driving: It Can Wait

In this public service video, stories about three teenagers' tragedies were brought to attention. This Video was made by AT&T to bring awareness to the harmful and sometimes deadly effects of texting while driving. In this day and age, cell phones are used by almost every one. There have been far too many deaths caused by a simple text message while driving, and AT&T has brought this to attention to the public that this cannot go on. The company AT&T uses emotional, ethical and logical appeals in this video to help raise awareness of this easily harmful action. With immense uses of emotional appeal, this video has tugged on the heartstrings of viewers. The fact that this video in itself is about cases of death brings many to an extremely emotional state. Ethical appeals are brought in by the interviews that they had with friends and family of the lost loved ones. Credibility and important information was given about these young people who died, creating an even more effective appeal to the audience. There are logical appeals in this public service video that were able to create a powerful message to the views; Don't text and drive. With these factual cases of paralyzation and even death, the target to get people to stop texting while driving has skyrocketed. Ads with just a message on a screen can be informative and meaningful, but not nearly as would true horror stories of this dangerous act be. There is absolutely no logic to texting and driving, and that is brought to realization with the outcomes in this video. Thanks to AT&T, this message should tell everyone to put away their phones, and focus on staying safe.

Analyzing Arguments summary

This passage explains that not only are there arguments in everyday life when you may least suspect, but it goes into depth about the meaning behind these arguments. It is explained that the decisions we make daily happen to just as well be arguments, such as choosing an outfit to wear or changing an email to sound more professional. In page 279, it goes on to say "as an author, you should always think hard about where you are coming from in the arguments you make". Just this sentence is very important in the passage and explains the importance of explaining your reasoning behind the statements you make.

Ad Analysis

Laura Combs

English 101

Begert

Nov. 5th, 2015

Ad Analysis

For this paper, I chose to do an analysis on the objectification of women in ads for alcohol. Alcohol has been popular for a long time and has been many people's go-to drink after a long day at work, at a party, or even along with a meal. Specifically, men are known to drink more alcohol than women. According to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse in 2013, a reported 16.6 million Americans 18 and older have an AUD, (alcohol use disorder.) and 10.8 of those million are Men. This is just a statistic of alcohol abuse, not counting the number of deaths from alcohol of that year. With these studies in mind, some companies selling alcohol have geared their audience toward men, and in the process...have objectified women.  

In these advertisements, you’ll see that they all have a female in them. Two of them, you can’t even see their eyes, but their bodies are what is targeted for these ads. Not only are their bodies being shown off with minimal clothing, but they don’t look happy. These women have little to no expression, being another aspect to seeing these people as objects, not people.

In relation to alcohol, One of these ads shows an overjoyed man wrapped around two ladies’ legs with a drink in each hand. The ladies’ faces aren't even shown, suggesting that they don’t matter. This ad is trying to showcase that with this product, you can get any girl you want. And in this case, girls plural.

With this happy expression on the man’s face, this will apparently get men to buy their product, not even thinking twice about the misogynistic, inappropriate aspect in the first place.

In the second ad, there are two women on either side of a vodka bottle, only focusing on their mouths. Again, there are not one but two women in this advertisement, suggesting that they come a dime a dozen to men. These women are expressionless and look like mannequins, possibly suggesting that with this bottle of vodka, you will receive the “perfect” woman you deserve. With the infamous cherry red lips and flawless complexion, this product is bringing more attention to the ironic statement at the bottom to “Go Natural.”

In the third ad, there are not one, not two, but three women posing for a budweiser advertisement. They are all laying down on a towel appearing to be living perfect and relaxed lives. Although somewhat dated, this picture still speaks a thousand words. These women are the same size, same skin color, and nearly same hair color and texture. This Budweiser ad from the 80’s was released in the summertime, appealing to the satisfaction of an ice cold beer on a hot summer day. And in this satisfaction comes every man’s dream; the perfect woman! With no question, this picture has been photoshopped, showing no flaws. These women have been sexualized to be more appealing to the buyers of this product, including the idea that if women get this product, they may look the same as the women in this picture!

All of these advertisements relate in the visual and verbal content of objectifying women for alcohol. With the fact of alcoholic beverages being loved around the world, companies have used this to their advantage to get men, specifically to buy their products.

Think about your writing

Recently, I have done a lot of writing. One piece that I am proud of is my Essay on "The objectification of women in Alcohol ads", which was about the analyzing three ads and publishing your own thoughts. 

In the generation we are in, people are taking a stand to subjects that haven't been talked about before. Gun control, LGBTQ+, environmental changes. These and more have been brought up in the past decade and really gotten people's attention. With these in mind, I decided to write about the social issue of objectification of women, specifically in alcohol advertisements. I believe I took a stand in this essay, I put my point across, and I made an impact on whoever may read this. The first step to solving a problem is realization of the problem, and with this subject matter, hopefully in years to come, it will be a thing of the past to objectify women, men, or anything of that matter. In this essay I believe I brought to attention that we are not objects, but human beings.  

Yes We Can

In this video, "Yes We Can", it consists of artists, actors, singers, and the president of the United States showing the power of us as a nation. The message in this video is to reinforce positivity and the ability to do anything you set your mind to. With the help of visual aspects such as words on the screen and people of different race and gender, it brings the whole message together that We Can. The argument focused on this video is Barack Obamas running for president, and that with him as the leader of our nation, we can do anything as long as we do it together. As a nation, as a group, and as human beings; Yes We Can.

Positio Papers

Things I've taken a position on in the past few days

• Whether to eat a healthy breakfast or a yummy breakfast
• Going early to class or sleeping in
• Whether to curl or straighten my hair
• Presidential election
• Environmentally concious decisions 

Rubin's Essay Summary

In Advertisement R Us, Melissa Rubin goes into depth about advertisements and the meanings behind them. Advertisements are a way of companies to sell a product, and their purpose is to appear to their audience in a positive and riveting way, so they can make money off of it. Advertisements, like everything, change over time. Rubin explains that this specific Coca-Cola ad was shaped into directing to a consumer-based, post war era. Americans at the time were relieved to be done with war, they celebrated with their "community" with a nice refreshing glass of Coke- or at least that is what this ad is getting at. Rubin goes into detail that this specific advertisement shows the racist and sexist aspects apparent, but it wasn't clear to people at this time, because it is what people were used to. Melissa explains that American society at this time doesn't focus on the non- diversity, but rather the floating coke machine along with the Coca-Cola Sprite boy, appearing angelic-like, appealing to audiences of this mid-twentieth century. With these simple parts added in, it adds even more dimension to just how cheesy and gullible some people were in this time. But, obviously, this advertisement, along with many since, have worked in getting people to purchase Coca-Cola.

Advertisements R Us Qs 1-4

1.  Melissa Rubin offers a great deal of insight about this Coca-Cola ad and ads in this era in general. She digs to the truth behind this ad. At first glance, we all see a joyful group of people on a beautiful day drinking America's favorite drink. Looking further into this advertisement, Rubin points out that the crowd is mostly white men in uniforms, and only in the background are the women. This shows the sexist/racist aspects of this 1950's Coca-Cola ad.  She uses the evidence from the ad itself and aspects from the picture to support her analysis of this non-equal era of time in America.
2. Rubin incorporates historical context by talking about WWII and the impact it had on America. She talks about the industrialization and urbanization as a cause of the war, and how it is shown in this ad by the factories and buildings in the background. This information contributes to her analysis that this era has used advertisement as a way to show that America's journey should result in a refreshing drink of Coca-Cola.
3. We can learn so much about a culture from analyzing their advertisements. We can learn what their society is focusing on at the time, and what they enjoy and dislike about their culture. We can depict their moral and even religious values in one image. Questions that have to do with war and love can be answered by analyzing something. "A picture can speak a thousand words."
4. An example of an ad that I see everywhere now a days, on billboards-and in real life- is an iPhone. Every person you pass has some sort of smart phone in this era, and the generation growing up is so used to the idea of having a portable computer with all the questions to the world in your fingertips. The company Apple has used this to get consumers to purchase their new and upcoming products, in hopes that the success will live on. Ads like iPhone ads reflect that people now a days are so used to these devices that it is almost impossible to live without, and that our value is decreased without our iPhone. This compares greatly with the ad from the 50's, partly because back then, you wouldn't even imagine the form of technology we have today. Life isn't as simplistic as it was in 1950 in America. We have grown as a country and that is reflected through our form of advertisement.

group lab 10.20.15

1. We all agreed that Heather's main point was that Mad Men was a ideal representation of American Society, using the revered 60's as the setting to further represent the ideal. We think that Mad Men is a stark contrast to the stillbirth that is the American dream currently. We reached consensus that this point was defined early and later elaborated on throughout the body paragraphs.

2. We can now see after reading chapter nine that she tailored her thesis to better relate to the American audience by giving brief anecdotes of an American dream that is no longer apparent. She carefully defined her main point and then analyzed the components of Mad Men that supported her agenda. During an analysis considering the audience is important and since the main readers are an American audience her narrative was polished to better relate to its readers and evoke an emotional reaction from them. Analyzing the larger context is also vital, she did this by noting the various characters that represent forms of femininity in the world and connecting their overall success in life back to this in an effort to articulate that independence is an important trait to women in the modern world.

4. This essay fits the criteria for an analysis paper because it considers the audience, articulates its purpose, considers the larger context, and considers design. Being. that a narrative about the treatment of women throughout the years by the media will be mostly read by feminists, the author quite clearly adjusted his writing to strike upon many feminist talking points. Some of these include objectification of women, increasing independence and education of women, and the gender role of being required to be youthful. His point is articulated rather clearly at both the beginning and end, with some implication of it in the middle. The author also points at trends in the larger context, noting on how ads began to use more stats and science based persuasion techniques as time went on and women became further educated. Finally, the author goes into great analysis on the various design elements used within the respective ads.

Mad Men: Stillbirth of the American Dream. Q#1-4

1. Heather Havrilesky's insight about Mad Men is a look into America's fortunate and not-so-fortunate history, focusing on the American Dream that started in the 50's. Havrilesky reflects on the show's realistic sense of this era for Americans, focusing on the idea of cold hard cash rather than important aspects of life like family and friends. Americans have been taught to be materialistic and in constant need of improvement, resulting in"... two wars, a stubborn recession, and a string of calamities..." Heather's insight is a true reflection on what has happened to America with this postmodern movement.
2. Havrileski establishes her authority by proof in this passage that she has done her research, and cites her sources appropriately. She includes detailed aspects of the show, and establishes it clearly and thoroughly. She has learned a lot from this show, being that she wasn't around in that era, and this is a widely popular show- her information was well perceived and brought to her audience' attention in a very informative way.
3. Havrileski appeals to her reader's emotions by adding her personal view on the subject matter. Mad Men had enough significance for her to write about, and with that she was able to give the audience a good description on the negative aspects of life of the American Dream. In line 14, Heather states that the show itself is a "marketable uber-brand", and how it has shown that we as humans focus on the pitch-perfect aspects of that era rather in a glossy form than remembering "our hazy memories of that era completely." The author also appropriately adds a telling from the creator of the show, Matthew Weiner, giving detail that he himself believes that the 50's birth of advertising gave our nation a fake feel, and that at that point, we lost our souls.
4. Havrileski's depiction of Mad Men is accurate. From what I have personally seen of the show, she was able to give great detail about in an interesting and informative way. I can imagine that those who have not seen this show now have a great understanding of its premise; the truth about the American Dream.

Narrative Story

Laura Combs

English 101

Begert

October 14, 2015

Narrative Story




This is a story of a pretty dramatic event that happened in the middle of my junior year in highschool. To an adult, this may not be a huge deal, to a 16 year old, though, this was basically hell.

It all started with a project assigned in my Creative Writing class; a thirty page minimum fictional story. I remember when it was first assigned, and I thought this would be quite easy. Thirty pages of something completely made up? Piece of cake. Not to mention, we had about a month to complete it. But...it started to get more difficult. It wasn’t easy for me to think of a story. Days went by, and I still didn’t have a clue on what to write about. Finally, I had an idea for a story. It was going to be about a woman who worked at a big corporation in New York City. She had a boyfriend who lived in Detroit, who loved her very much, but had a history of drug problems. I wanted the characters to have a special history together, so I made it so they had been dating for 5+ years. So, it sounds like I have this story pretty much set, right? Well… not exactly.

I’m in the classroom, working on a laptop. Around me are students focusing with their eyes glued to their papers, and a few odd ones throwing erasers at each other. I can hear people whispering but I try to focus on my paper. The small amount of focus I had for this project was distracted by the fact that Mona Lisa's eyes were reading over my shoulder from the wall behind me. I hear students clicking their pens, tapping on keyboards, and scooting their chairs. I hear the girl next to me breathing, she had recently gotten over a cold and was quite sniffly. Two weeks had gone by, two left to go, and I have about 5 pages done on my paper. I have a pretty good backstory, however I was having trouble creating conflict and a good climax. How is it that I only had 5 pages out of 30 when other students were almost done? I’m usually creative and thoughtful about my projects, but this is too vague for me. The stress starts to consume me, but not enough to brainstorm any good ideas. (This was when I was 16, so I didn’t have a good work ethic, nor an idea to jot down ideas before typing it straight onto the computer.) I’m still in my seat, staring at a computer screen, and I don’t know where to go from here with my story. I start to notice scents. I smell a musty carpet and the crackers next to me. I smell the mint from my gum. And thankfully, the person that threw up was in the room over from mine, where I couldn't smell but heard about later. Phew!

Week three:

Here I am, back in the classroom. I have about 15 pages done. I have a pretty good story so far, I just need to thicken the plot. Some of these students are already done! I may only have a week left to do this, but I’m more than halfway finished now. I got this...right? The only problem is… I have major writer's block. But... I'm staying calm. I take a break from doing-well...nothing, and start to notice the other students. I’ve been focusing so much on this project that I haven’t even seen my peers. They look like me, but different. The girl that sits beside me has long, straight brown hair, and the girl next to her has a blue streak in hers along with a nose ring. I like the diversity, however I do notice that there isn’t a single person in the class without brown hair. The dialogue going around is very minimal, if you ignored the small whispers and little snorts. Most of what I heard was in my head. The other students are acting a lot like me. I could tell we were all nervous for only having a week left to do this project, but relieved that we had class time to do it. That resulted in fidgety students, getting up often to go to the bathroom, crouching next to my teacher's desk to ask a question, or just chatting with a friend. There were a few oddballs doing things like taking pictures of a gummy bear on the ceiling though…

The last day to finish this project has come. (more like the last few hours I have to finish this project.) I have to turn this in first thing in the morning. The battery on the computer is low, but I’m only a few pages away from having this done, I just have no idea how to end it. I need there to be a dramatic ending but I can’t think of anything except pizza right now. I bring myself together and whip up a way to keep my audience involved in this paper I’ve been working on for a month. I’m sitting at home on my laptop, it’s about 2 A.M. I’m exhausted and just want this to be over. I get up to take a bathroom break and come back to see a blank screen. No. No. No. I run over to the keyboard and hit as many buttons as I can. I grab the charger to plug it in… I’m actually freaking out. When was the last time I saved it? Why didn’t I plug this in earlier. Stress fills my mind just thinking of all of the unfortunate possibilities. I open up the document and thank the lord, it’s fine. So many emotions have overcome me in these past 30 something seconds! All that matters is that this is almost over. I bring myself together and I finally come up with an ending, and as soon as I enter the last word, I jump up and literally scream out of joy.

The fact that this paper that has been giving me anxiety for weeks is finally over gave me such a good feeling. Knowing that it was just pages of exhaustion, confusion, and boredom gave me such relief. At the end of the day, this wasn’t just a project. This was a story, this was a life lesson, and this was a pretty... interesting memory. Life does funny things to you, and when you least expect it, something that you may think was terrible can turn out to be such a pleasant thing. Looking back, this project taught me to be a better writer. It taught me how to manage my time better. It gave me a story to tell in college! And in all honesty...it made me value the little things. Projects like this are something that everyone goes through, and just being able to share my story is kind of a gift. My mother used to tell me that every day is a gift, and the chance to learn from yourself is one of the biggest gifts of all. This story matters to me because it is a reflection of myself, something that I can share with others. It also taught me that hard work really does pay off. If this hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have as much respect for the writers that do this every day, and I wouldn’t have known that I could do it too.

Analysis- P.141

Website	Appearance	Format	Detail	Information
kayak.com	The appearance of the front screen isn’t very interesting until you scroll down and see pictures of cities around the world.	Easy checking In & Out area, and it shows prices right there for you to see, which is very useful for fast booking.	It’s nice that it shows other options for travel like cars and packages.	Reading reviews, it seems like this site is good, however it is overly-commercialized and somewhat overrated. I may have had less commercials just to make it less cheesy and more realistic.
airbnb.com	Right away, the home page on this website gives you a warm welcome. Videos of real people come up, creating a relatable effect.	Format is easy and accessible, but very limited amount of buttons.	Not many details, but for this new age, it may be better accessible. After all, who wants a ton of things to click on, overwhelming you with information?	Reading reviews on airbnb.com, it seems like many people would recommend this site. It's easily accessible, feels homey, and have good stories from using this site.