Independent Viewing Post 2

In the film, the filmmaker claims that the involvement of scientific experimentation amongst the foods we consume is destroying ones cultural value of such food. The film focused on how the people of Mexico in the year 1998 banned the planting of GM crops to protect their cultural heritage. Along with that, they too banned importing crops from the States. Buying food from the States is much cheaper says a local mexican farmer who claims that consuming their own food is expensive and affecting them economically. However, this proves that civilians, such as those in Mexico would go to a great extent to subject themselves from GMF. The filmmaker ends this segment by filming a mexican celebration where local civilians celebrate their culture by dancing and consuming natural foods. From viewing this film, I agree with the filmmakers claim and hope that one day the US population will stand up against GMF to regain their title of being the nation of farming. 

Independent Viewing Post 1

In the documentary The Future of Food, money hungry corporations are destroying the future of natures gift. Taking over the food supply, companies are injecting pesticides, genes, and versus into the food human and animals consume daily. New engineered foods are destroying the need for farms. Some companies have gone to the extent of legal threats, bribery and other tactics to gain control over the global food supply. In this film, independent farmers are interviewed as they reveal their hardship feelings against the deterioration of their life's work.Todays Big Agriculture has sold out the future of human civilization for top dollar. Hearing the words of the these farmers opens the eyes of viewers and has them rethink the food that they bring home and serve on their family table. The food that that people think they are consuming are composed of manmade chemicals and thick coatings of pesticides. Todays children being tomorrows future are consuming this “fake food” that may one day result in harmful side affects. Parents claim that “are children are not lab rats.” 

The filmmaker of this piece incorporated a multitude of rhetorical devices to appeal to his audience. He opens the film with concerns of local United States farmers and their feelings of betrayal as they watch the future of the farm  crumble into the hands of the money hungry industry. Seeing the faces of these farmers appeals to pathos which causes the audience to immediately side with the famers. The filmmaker established his ethos by interviewing multiple scientist who based their life career around the study and effects of Genetically Engineered Food. Not only does the filmmaker discuss farming in the past 20th century, he dates back to the time of the early Mayans and discusses their ways of farming. Through past history, the filmmaker states that the United States, once being known as a nation of farming, farming currently takes up 2% of the population. To support his claims, periodically the farmer displays interesting facts that relate to the topic. 

Throughout the film, music is playing in the background continuously. However, the tone of the music changes. When displaying images of our beautiful homeland before it had been destroyed by harsh chemicals, the music is subtle and peaceful. When focusing on the corruption of business and their results, darker, more intense music is played. One last strategy the filmmaker uses is he opened with a young female farmer who protests GM Foods and strictly farms organic produce and closed with the same women as she described how it is up to the people to make a change.

AOW 27 Burger King Ad

This ad is advertising for Burger King fast food restaurant. What makes this ad comical is Ronald McDonald, leading icon of their business rival McDonalds, is seen dressed in disguise ordering food. This ad claims that the food at Burger King is better then that at McDonalds. The exigence of this piece is the strong rivalry amongst the two most common fast-food restaurants. The purpose of this piece is to make people want to choose Burger-King over McDonalds. 

A rhetorical element found in this ad is the appeal to pathos. There is an overall comical message that viewers sense. By appealing to the consumers emotion, consumers would consider Burger King as their first go to place for fast-food.

This ad reflects the views of everyone of all ages. Kids especially recognize Ronald through his blood red hair and baggy yellow overalls with his peppermint stripped socks. They seeing Ronald next to the Burger King logo would entice them to want Burger King. 

The creators of this piece successfully accomplished their purpose. By adding a humorous tone to the ad, it will catch the minds of viewers and prompt them to consumBurger King over the other leading fast-food businesses. 

AOW 28 Political Cartoon

With the price of gas growing at an exponential rate, US citizens are livid about the fact that one-gallon of gas is almost four dollars. In this political cartoon, the author focuses on the concern of the price of gas and incorporates a leprechaun symbolizing the celebration of this years past St. Patrick’s Day.           

The man in the cartoon was lucky enough to come across a leprechaun with an over sized pot of gold. Instead of wanting to take the pot and all of its riches, the man questions if he is able to receive a full tank of gas instead.

The author of this piece uses the appeal logos. Clearly he is aware of the current increase in gas prices and how it is affecting people. He also focuses on size of his key elements. The pot of gold is overly sized meaning that there is a large amount of gold coins.  What makes this cartoon so appealing is a man is willing to trade his pot of gold just for a full tank of gas.

The exigence of this piece is a reflection on the reactions of the people towards the increase in gas. There anger toward this situation able people to want to make a erratic decision and to trade in a giant pot of gold for a full tank of gas.

This piece reflects the views of everyone in some way. People who own and are able to operate a car must fill their gas tank in order for their car to take them from place to place.  Having to go to the gas station biweekly becomes very costly and accumulates over time. As for those who are not able to drive, in the future when they are ready to, the price of gas may be double what it is now. Essentially, this current concern does affect a majority of people.

The author of this piece I think successfully accomplished his purpose. By incorporating the luck of St. Patrick’s Day theme into a controversial topic right now, people are able to connect and relate to what the author is portraying. Although the subject in the piece may be making a drastic decision to trade something so valuable for gas, I believe that many people would agree with him considering the circumstances. 

AOW 26 IRB POST

The main character Amir remembers an event that occurred 26 years ago when he was just a boy living in Afghanistan. Amir claims that his life their made him the person he is. Living with his father Baba, Amir spends much of his time with their servants son, Hassan. In winter, there is a kite fighting tournament. The boys cover their kite strings with glass and fight to see whose kite can slice the opposing players. When the kite is cut, the boys must run and retrieve the kite. Amir won the tournament while Hassan went running for his broken kite. After a while, Amir goes to look for Hassan when he finds him trapped at the end of an alley pinned with his pants down. Two boys older then him held him while the other rapes Hassan. Amir quickly runs away and waits for Hassan to return. When Hassan returned with the kite, Amir pretends that he does not know what happened. Not wanting to associate with Hassan, Amir hides money and a watch under Hassan’s pillow and tells his father that Hassan had stolen them. When Baba addresses Hassan, he told Baba that he did try to steal them and shortly after him and his father when forced to leave.

This story takes place in Afghanistan and focuses on the lives of Amir, Baba, Hassan, and Ali. From the reading so far, I think one theme is the search for redemption. Amir aims to redeem himself in the eyes of his father Baba. Amir’s mother died while she was giving birth to him and Amir now feels responsible. Amir feels that he has to win the kite tournament to redeem himself to his father. Also, Amir feels guilty as to what he did to Hassan. The guilt he experiences leads to many other events in the story. Baba reminds him that “a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” 

AOW 24 Coca-Cola Ad

This ad is by Coca-Cola which is can be classified as one of the most popular soft drink companies in the US. The ad contains a green scenery symbolizing a greener future. By drinking bottles of Coke, not only does the consumer enjoy the beverage, they too can give back to their environment by recycling their empty bottles. If the millions of people who drink Coca-Cola recycle their bottle properly, together they can help make a change. The purpose of this piece to spread more awareness about the environment and ways people can help protect it. The exigence of this piece is global warming on the rise and humans must play their role by protecting the environment in every way possible. 

The two most prominent colors are green to symbolize recycling as well as the environment and Coca-Cola’s trademark colors red and white. The ad uses the appeal logos as seen by the caption below the words recycle as well as the awareness of the severity of environmental protection. The ad uses a good range of placement. There are recycle symbols in the shape of a coke bottle to help make the ad more effective and creative. 

This ad reflects the views of everyone. Recycling plastic bottles is something so small and basic that a child could help protect the environment. This ad was distributed by Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is a credible and well known company that can effectively inform its consumers about this simple yet essential task. The creators of this ad successfully accomplished their purpose. 

AOW 24 Risk and Riches for Facebook

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/27/technology/for-facebook-risk-and-riches-in-user-data.html?pagewanted=2&ref=technology

Having over 845 million users, there is talk of turning Facebook into a profitable source. Being the worlds largest social network, consumers and regulators argue how Facebook manages users data. The White House and regulators in Europe believe that users should have complete control over how their personal data used. With all the data provided by the users of Facebook, it is currently starting to be used as the latest advertising platform. Rebecca Lieb, an analyst who studies online advertising for the Altimeter Group, a research firm described Facebook as “one of the biggest platforms in the history of advertising.” In 2011 year alone, Facebook had a $3.7 billion in revenue, an 88% increase from the previous year.

The exigence of this piece is to explain how the Facebook started as a site for college students that soon escalated to a wold wide phenomenon. With so many users posting their lives on a site is starting to arouse controversial topics related to security and profit. The purpose of this piece is to explain personal issues related to Facebook security and ways to make Facebook a money making source.

This topic mainly concerns the users of Facebook. They are the ones who post their personal information and monitor what information is shared to the public. However, young kids are starting to join Facebook and therefore this concerns parents, for they should closely monitor the information their children post on this site.

The piece uses the appeal logos. It includes a multitude of facts and statistics that relate to the topic well. The count of how many people who use Facebook is shocking. This piece was taken from the New York Times. The NYT is a credible news source that daily provides the world with its current happenings. The author of this piece successfully accomplished his piece.