Bad Taste, All in Fun

The ugly Christmas sweater; once an embarrassing piece of holiday-wear, and now a fashionable commodity.  But how did this occur? Guy Trebay, a culture and style reporter for the New York Times explains this strange epidemic.  With rhetorical questioning about the beginning of this style, Trebay explains that the true start of this holiday fashion epidemic has no real set beginning.  It might’ve started with the ugly sweater carols on Youtube, or the Ugly Sweater 5k runs, and goes on to an even longer list of possible causes.  It’s a trend that many online stores and brands are and have tapped into, an ironic host of all those old sweaters that an aunt or grandmother may have given and never worn.  All those ugly sweater parties with everyone trying to “one-up” each other with how ugly their sweaters were.  The article’s drawing from cultural memory, a memory of cheesy designs and horror, never giving a true answer to the question -when did this trend start?- but giving hints and reasons that may have all brought this epidemic over the tipping point into what is now a profitable tradition.  But I suppose the true purpose of this article is to show that all these cheesy designs and the remarkable tradition of wearing your ugly Christmas sweater is in fact, all for the fun of it.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/fashion/ugly-holiday-sweaters-are-all-the-rage-cultural-studies.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

Photographer Says Death Photo was Attempt to Alert Subway Driver

This is an article about a subway-picture incident where a man was pushed onto the tracks of a subway and was then run over, while everyone else stood by and watched, and one photographer took pictures.  It is about the ethics of the pictures, and about why the photographer took them.  It was written by Michael Pearson, who graduated Emory University Professional Learning Program and University of Missouri-Saint Louis and is a freelance writer for CNN.  Using and interview with the photographer himself, Pearson paints the picture of what was going on at the scene, using liberal ethos with quotes from the photographer, Abbasi, of how he would have done things differently, and recalling how others urged the soon-to-be-dead man to move, to try to escape the subway train.  Pearson lets Abbasi speak with his writing, why Abbasi took the pictures -to get the subway driver’s attention, to do something productive- as well as the reactions to Abbasi’s pictures.  Using quotes from different people, Pearson presents the arguments for and against the publishing of the picture, which provoked an outcry from readers.  He raises the ethical concerns of the picture and its use.  So the question he leaves for us is, was this ethical? Or was this simply too private and insensitive?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/05/us/new-york-subway-death/index.html

Wars of the Roses

The War of the Roses by Alison Weir, educated at the North Western Polytechnic as a history teacher.  She writes “popular” history, which is history aimed less to the scholar and more for the masses, using layman’s term and emphasizing narrative, personality, and detail rather than academic analysis.  After writing The Princes in the Tower, a popular history novel about last half of the Wars of the Roses between the Tudor and York families, Alison felt that she needed to write a prequel, about the first of the Wars of the Roses, between the Lancaster and York families.  Her main intention was to portray the human side of history - the people and their personalities, the main players in this feud (Weir xiii).  This is a story about not only the history of the Wars of the Roses; the causes, the facts, the analysis, but also the people; who they were, what they were like, why they did what they did.  With primary sources, Weir starts off with the events leading to and indirectly causing the Wars of the Roses.  The characters are portrayed, not as names, but as people, who had dreams, issues, personalities, hobbies, and lived in troubled and peaceful times.  Certainly, with her layman terms, she shares this rich history beautifully, making the characters seem more alive with choice events, such as the vivid death of the usurper King Henry IV.  

House of Parliament -Stormy Skies

This is a beautiful piece by Monet, a very famous Impressionist painter who was quite fascinated with water and light effects in nature, taking great care with the effects in his paintings to highlight them.  This piece is part of a series of paintings, the Houses of Parliament series, as they depict the Palace of Westminster, where the British Parliament met.  Each are painted at different times of day, in different conditions and seasons.  This particular painting depicts the Palace of Westminster with stormy skies in the background.  Monet uses gold to highlight the light of the sun peaking through storm clouds, falling in a single ray that is highlighted in water, making the churning waters sharper in contrast to the more shadow-like palace. The shadows of the palace stretch onto the water, the sky is a tumultuous mix of greys, golds, purples, pinks, greens, and russet brown.  Truly, it is a beautiful play of light and water, and unique in that it shows stormy skies with gold, not grey.  The contrasts in light and color provide for a more natural and unique view, rather than plain old grey.  Of chiaroscuro, which is the use of light and shadow, this truly is a wonderful piece of the House of Parliament on a day with stormy skies.  

A 'fiscal cliff,' a 'fiscal slope' or ... let the readers decide

In these times where Congress can’t seem to get it’s act together, and the people are thoroughly confused with each new metaphor and euphemism for political disasters, Jon Healey, an opinion writer and member of the editorial board at the Los Angeles Times, share’s his opinion on the term, ‘a fiscal cliff (or slope)’.  His view? Both metaphors are inadequate, as they only reflect a specific party’s ideas.  So he want’s the reader to coin a new phrase.  For all those people who actually like politics, I’m sure some will take the chance to coin a new phrase.  Healey makes a point for each existing version: cliff and slope, and provides logical reasons as to why they will not work, defining each term, and how they work in terms of politics and ideals.  He gives his opinion to the reader and supports them with evidence from the CBO and the ideals of the two political parties.  Healey extrapolates on the possible outcomes of the ‘fiscal cliff/slope’, and leaves the reader open to disagree and write back to refute it, writing “I look forward to the many comments from readers taking issue with me on this point”.  I believe he get’s his point across quite well, and even if readers do not agree with his views -that ‘fiscal cliff’ needs to be renamed- it still provides a lasting argument as to why it ought to be changed.  

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-fiscal-cliff-by-any-other-name-20121116,0,2814282.story

A Chocolate Tour of the Carribean

    In a journalistic article Baz Dreisinger, an english professor at John Jay College, details her experiences and revelations while touring the chocolate tourist attractions and factories in the Trinidad Caribbeans. Using beautiful metaphors, “sleeping in a cocoa pod”, and then both refuting and supporting her metaphors builds a wonderful description of the Hotel Chocolat, and is then continued throughout her tour of the Carribeans. Her usage of beautiful imagery makes the decadent chocolate she describes seem all the more real -a phantom taste, aroma, and feel, pleasing the reader’s senses with illusionary images. Dreisinger spins together the rich history of cocoa, starting with its origin with the Aztecs, into the businesses of today, providing a brief interlude in her description to weave together the past and present. Reading this, a person cannot help but feel that Hershey chocolate is not quite enough, that perhaps Trinidad cocoa of the Carribean is truly, as Dreisinger describes, “The Champagne of cocoa”. Certainly, I, as one reader, have fallen for this ‘essence of chocolate’ which Dreisinger describes, shaped in unique and decadent ways. To find the experts, and to share her experiences with them and their creations, has evoked a craving within myself and perhaps her other readers to try these creations for ourselves. 
http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/travel/a-chocolate-tour-of-the-caribbean.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

The Omnivore's Dilemma -the Finish

The goal of this book is to provide an answer to the question: “What should we have for dinner?” (Pollan pg 1). It proceeds to answer this question in-depth, starting “all the way back to fields of corn growing in places like Iowa” (Pollan pg. 5).  The author is Michael Pollan, educated at Bennington College, Oxford University, and Columbia University, and has a Master’s in English. In this time where most American’s are experiencing a health craze, this book has opened the eyes of many to the alternatives in eating, and what exactly they are eating.  Pollan mixes the appeals together, using the expertise of Billy and George as corn farmers, and Joel’s opinions as a grass farmer as ethos, taking statistics and then weaving them together into a single cohesive argument that is based in both ethos and logos.  He uses a sort of parallel thinking, comparing two different types of meals -the industrial, and the hand-picked, neither existing without the other.  Their virtues and detriments, arranging them using cause-and-effect arguments, as well as his logical appeals make this text very effective.  His diction is such that any educated person would be able to read it with no problem, and he explains concepts in depth using layman’s terms. Even the chapter titles are arranged artfully, some chapters with little sub-titles that give little hints of information, like “The Feedlot//Making Meat//(54,000 kernels)” (Pollan pg 65).  With each addition, from industrial, Big and Little Organic, Hunting and Gathering, Ethics of Meat Eating, all the way to the Perfect Meal, Pollan leaves it to the reader to discover their own perfect meal, using this book as a means of learning where their food comes from and what is in it.  

Berger: Sky

` This is an interesting and creative advertisement for Berger Paints by the ad agency JWT Mumbai for their paints.  The message sent by this image is quite clear; “Use Berger natural finish colors! They’re as natural as the sky!”  For all those home decorators who love natural colors, this ad just screams “Buy me!”.  With paint on a canvas that looks as if the painter is literally painting the sky upon it, it shows the reader how natural the paint is, that it mimics the sky.  The enthymeme used here is obvious, “Natural finish colors are perfect for designer painting”, “Berger natural finish colors are so natural that it can look like the sky itself”, “Buy Berger paint!”.  This ad just screams its message, and painters who see this might just go out and try this paint.  Usually such ads would have the setting in the house, for decorators, but this one depicts the sky.  To catch attention, usually there would be some sort of slogan, but the ingenuity of this piece requires no such slogan; it is eye-catching in and of itself.  Such a beautiful illusion is sure to get customers for the company’s product, with such an unusual ad.  

The Glory of Leaves

This is a beautiful piece by Rob Dunn, a biologist and writer at North Carolina State University in the Department of Biology, having written several books such as Every Living Thing and The Wild Life of Our Bodies.  The purpose is to explain the diversity in the forms of leaves.  Using beautiful relatable imagery and personification, such as “they hold out their green palms and catch light.” Dunn uses a mix of scientific and layman terms, defining the scientific terminology and in defining, uses simple words.  Dunn uses inventive metaphors to spread a feeling of wonder for leaves, writing, “If there is magic in the world, surely this is it: the descendants of tiny creatures in leaves, capable of ingesting the sun.” Written for the readers of National Geographic, Dunn draws upon a cultural memory, and the context of fall to draw in readers, with “We have all held leaves, driven miles to see their fall colors, eaten them, raked them, sought their shade.”  His words draw us in, dazzle us with their beauty while patiently explaining the whys of such diversity among leaves.  He writes, “So leaves resort to self-defense. Some plant leaves have become specialists in deadly tricks.” and “In many environments natural selection tends to favor a limited number of similar forms again and again, given the genes it has to work with.” Mixing science and art in the form of imagery to bring his point home.  

A link to this beautiful text:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/leaves/dunn-text

Architects' Zeal for Detail Matched Founder's

Inga Saffron, Harvard graduate and architecture critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer, writes about urban design issues, usually in a weekly column, “Changing Skyline”, and has done so for over a decade.  One of her latest pieces, Architects' Zeal for Detail Matched Founder's, is not quite a critique of architecture as it is the unveiling of the history of the new Barnes Foundation; more specifically the challenges faced by its designers and the controversy surrounding it, as well as a sprinkle of the history of the original.  Her work seems to support the move of the Barnes Foundation and its new look -Saffron speaks of the architects who designed the new foundation in a positive light, comparing them with the original designer, Albert Barnes.  Using a defining device, Saffron not only explains the concept of ‘slow architecture’, but also uses it to qualify the architects, describing what they and Barnes do as “close attention to the details, etching and scoring and hammering every surface of their buildings as if they were crafting fine leather bindings or handmade paper.” This gives an air of master craftsmanship to the architect pair, as well giving them the qualification to be the designers of the new Barnes Foundation.  Through imagery, comparison, and rhetorical questions, Saffron describes the design for the new building, as well as the challenges faced by the designers, such as “Where would you enter the building?” and detailing how the architects solved the problem.  Saffron ends the piece describing the controversy surrounding the building and the architects, but ends with a hopeful note with a quote from Williams, one the architects of the new building.  

A link to the article:
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/museums/20120503_When_the_letter_arrived_in_2007_inviting_Tod_Williams_and_NO_HEAD_SPECIFIED.html?page=2&c=y

Early Autumn

This is a beautiful Chinese water-painting of the bird-and-flower genre, though it depicts insects flying around a dying lotus.  This is a painting by Qian Xuan, a painter from the late Song dynasty and early Yuan dynasty, sometime in the 13th century.  The Yuan dynasty was a time when Mongols ruled China, and Xuan was a Chinese loyalist, his paintings reflecting a longing for native Chinese rule.  This painting reflects his views through the decaying lotus flower and stagnant waters.  Dragonflies that represent peace and harmony hover above the decaying lotus, a symbol of purity and beauty, but here is representing China under Mongolian rule.  This painting is for viewing pleasure, and not many would have seen it in the painter’s time.  This painting was most likely a lament for Xuan himself, and his close friends, then a public painting.  The symbology of the painting is something that would have been understood by the people of the time, in their culture.  I believe that the painter accomplished his goal to portray his views on Mongolian rule through a beautiful water-painting, using the decaying lotus, but I feel that in modern times, where not many understand the culture nor background of this painting, the message is missed.  

This painting is currently displayed at the Detroit Institute of Arts

The Omnivore's Dilemma

The goal is this book is to provide an answer to the question: “What should we have for dinner?” (Pollan pg 1).  In fact, it is the very first line of the text, and it proceeds to answer this question in-depth, starting “all the way back to fields of corn growing in places like Iowa” (Pollan pg. 5).  The author is Michael Pollan, educated at Bennington College, Oxford University, and Columbia University, and has a Master’s in English.  He has written about the places where nature and culture have intersected for over twenty-five years, most notably in his novel, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. This book is written in a modern time, where modern-day American’s are in a health craze, trying to eat healthy, looking up the latest diets, looking up the best health foods.  This is a book written for the American, people who are interested in diet, people who are “buffeted by one food fad after another” (Pollan, back cover).  People who are interested in or are experiencing the dilemma of “What should we have for dinner?”.  It’s interesting how Pollan mixes the appeals together, using the expertise of Billy and George as corn farmers as ethos, taking statistics and then weaving them together into a single cohesive argument that is based in both ethos and logos.  When speaking about the meat industry, Pollan adds a bit of pathos as he speaks of the treatment of livestock and the effects of their treatment.  His cause-and-effect arguments, as well as his logical appeals make this text very effective.  His diction is such that any educated person would be able to read it with no problem, and he explains concepts in depth using layman’s terms.  As long as you’ve had a basic course in either biology or chemistry, there really is no problem in understanding the text.  The first quarter of this book gets its point across very well, using personal experience, such as his own cow, steer number 534, quotes from the experts, and real-life statistics and laws from the government, such as Earl Butz’s administration.  Each chapter gets its own little purpose across, whether it be that we are eating petroleum through corn, that corn is in literally everything, that our current-day feedlots are unhealthy, or that the current system is promoting unhealthy consumption.  

A Robot With a Reassuring Touch

This interesting article is about a new robot named Baxter programmed to assist human workers without accidental harm; using sensors to sense obstacles and then move accordingly.  The author of this text is John Markoff, known for his book and articles about a hacker named Kevin Mitnick, and is also known for his work at the New York Times.  Robots and new technology are rapidly flooding the industry at the moment -the issue is getting humans and machines to work together and make the machines safe for humans.  Automation and AI are programs still in research now in order to produce maximum safety for workers.  This piece is intended to detail a new technology, and also assure readers that robots will not cause the laying off of workers.  It is mostly factual, detailing the some of the nuances of the robot: how it works, how much it may cost once it gets on the market, how its safety mechanisms work, and also how it works with live humans.  Markoff explains this and gets his point across using a few different devices.  He uses clear-cut examples from real sources and qualified people, such as the director of the plastics company that tested Baxter.  His diction is made for the layman; using few words that could be considered technical jargon, perhaps also from an awareness that not many of his audience would be familiar with technical terms.  As for whether or not he got his point across, well, while his conclusion leaves much to be desired, it leaves a sense that the possibilities of this technology are boundless, with the words, “it will be able to adapt the system with more complex and capable hands”.  Using quotes from Mr. Budnick, the president of Vanguard Plastics, Markoff accomplishes his goal of how well Baxter works with humans, as Mr. Budnick’s people worked with it.  All in all, I say he accomplished his goal.  

Here's a link to the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/science/a-robot-with-a-delicate-touch.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www

TOW #1 A First: Organs Tailor-Made With Body’s Own Cells

A First: Organs Tailor-Made With Body’s Own Cells

This is an interesting article from the New York Times about synthetic organs created out of a patient’s own cells. It is written by Henry Fountain, a writer for the science section of the New York Times for 17 years, usually covering engineering.   This article is about new technique is being researched and experimented with, using a synthetic scaffold of an organ and lacing them with a patient’s stem cells to ensure the body does not reject it and to grow and work like a natural organ.  The author uses the treatment of a cancer patient to both open and close his article, a sort of full-circle technique that utilises pathos for an audience that understands and knows the effects of cancer.  He uses quotes from several scientists for his article, perhaps to give the article more credibility.  The readers are most likely layman’s readers, those interested in scientific discoveries, but mostly those looking for alternatives to organ transplants and cancer treatments.  His diction is meant for the layman reader, explaining the science and terms for those not of the scientific field.  He most likely wishes to detail this new technique to the populace and inform them of this new development that may save the lives of many patients.  As for my opinion of whether he accomplished this purpose, I believe so.  His article is divided into five sections.  The first introduces the new technique using the recovering cancer patient and quite a bit of pathos.  The second explains the science and terms with a smattering of logos and ethos.  The third explains more about the actual technique used and the current research.  The fourth once again uses the original cancer patient, as well as a nice dose of both pathos and logos - “If it bleeds, it lives”, using repetition to enforce the idea that this new technique is unique, introducing a living organ.  And the fifth closes with a full-circle ending and where this research may take us.  

Here's a link for those interesting in the article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/health/research/scientists-make-progress-in-tailor-made-organs.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&ref=science