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