VP Debate Post

The question asked of these vice presidents is will there be anything this campaign promised that they will not be able to keep because of the Wall Street bailout? My group is asked to discuss the implementations of ethos in Sarah Palin's response to the question. Governor Palin begins her response by stating, "The nice thing about running with John McCain is I can assure you is he doesn't tell one thing to one group and then turns around and tells something else to another group..." This immediately establishes some credibility for the McCain campaign. As the audience, we can go back through former speeches and debates to see if this is actually true. Obviously, Governor Palin is a convenient source for this statement but nevertheless can be checked out.

She then turns her attention towards the energy plan, and at the same time turns her body towards Joe Biden, indicating that she is focusing on an event his campaign was involved in. She states that Barack Obama previously voted for this energy bill that allowed oil companies to recieve large tax breaks. Again, we can check voting records to see if, in fact, Obama did vote for this. She then turns the tables on this subject by telling of how she had to fight these oil companies for the goodwill of the people to rise above the greed of the oil companies. This is an example of pathos as well as ethos because she is showing the audience a hardship she had to perservere through. However, she also tries to downgrade her opponent's reputation by showing a contradiction in Obama's voting history versus what she is trying to promote.

Governor Palin talks shortly later about how "The people are going to come first." By saying this, she is telling us, the audience, that she will make the people come first while her campaign is in office. She also says that the tax breaks will not be given to the oil companies when it "adversly effects the people who live in a state, and in this case a country," another example of ethos. She also gives off an authoratative vibe when she says, "You know what I had to do in the state of Alaska? I had to take on those oil companies."

Finally, when asked to confirm that there was nothing that might be taken off the "to-do list" if the McCain-Palin campaign reached the White House, she quickly states that "there hasn't been a whole lot that I've promised..." She previously said shes "How long have I been at this, like 5 weeks?" so we know there is not a whole lot of time to make a lot of promises. She also says this sort of jokingly so that we might shrug this factor off. This last joke gives the audience a sense of confidence from her and that she is backing what her running mate is standing for.

Third Presidential Debate

Link to video (wouldn't upload for some reason?): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tlAERYqPS0&feature=related

I chose this question on appointing Supreme Court Justices based on their beliefs on certain issues (in this case, abortion) because of the heavy influence this issue will have on the presidential election this year. John McCain would like to see the Roe v. Wade ruling overturned, while Barack Obama would like to see the ruling stay in effect. John McCain answers the question first, responding that he would never, and has never, (:18 sec) impose a litmus test on a justice nominee. He believes that justices should be appointed based on their qualifications, not based on their ideology (what someone believes in). He employs logos in his response by stating facts such as "I voted for justice Bryor," and "I would consider anyone in their qualifications..." stating that he would vote for a justice based on facts and results from prior judgements, not outside opinions on subjects that are debatable. McCain points out that a fair way to decide who to vote for would be to see how closely the judge in question has abided by the Constitution. Obama later agrees with McCain's stand on litmus tests. Obama also says that "The most important thing in any judge is their capacity to provide fairness and justice to the American people." This provides us with clear guidlines on what voters are looking for in a justice. McCain employs pathos in his response by saying the United States Senate was about to "blow up" about the way of going about nominating a judge. Obama uses pathos when he says that "Abortion is a very difficult issue, and it is a moral issue." Although he doesn't emphasize how difficult of an issue this is, the majority of voting Americans understand this issue entails two heavily debated sides that are being fought over time and time again. Obama also tells a story about a woman who had been getting paid less that a man to do the exactly the same job. The court said she took to long to bring up this suit and rejected her suit. Obama says that he tried to overturn the decision while McCain chose not too. Lastly, McCain and Obama both use ethos when they sparr at each other about their past voting records and appointments in the Senate. McCain points out that Obama chose not to join a committee on deciding the best way to appoint a justice. Obama later brings to our attention that in the equal pay for equal work case (the previously mentioned story) McCain chose to vote to confirm the ruling that did not give here equal pay, while Obama voted to overturn the ruling. I think the audience for this debate is paying especially close attention to this issue, as it involves the candidates position on abortion. It has been the most scrutinized issue on the debate trail in recent months, and will carry over into the election term, so many Americans want as much information on the topic as they can get before November.

Chpt 1 and 2 Questions

Chpt. 1-
1) If the reader cannot see the underlying assumptions, how does he/she fully understand the text?
2) How can a cartoonist tell if his/her cartoon has a persuasive meaning that the audience(assuming that the audience is a national one) can relate with and understand?
3) How can one determine whether or not a political cartoon has crossed the line? And if there isn't a boundary, should there be one?
Chpt. 2-
1) In Figure 2.4, there is visual evidence of the product working, but is this the actual proof? How do we know that?
2) Is exaggerated use of pathos appropriate in advertising? Why? Why not?
3) How can parody be used to differenciate ethos from what they really are?

McDonald's: The New Dining Room

Walking in the clear glass doors of the restaurant, I am greeted to a stunning scene. Before me, navy blue marble wallpaper coat all of the walls. The dark, Aztec–like wood carvings on the wall mesh perfectly with the brown, grainy tile on the floor. Sleek, silver lights flow on the ceiling from door to door. The tables are a dark red and are surrounded by black, glimmering metal chairs with deep purple cushions that swivel back and forth. Looking around, it feels like an elegant dining room that could be on the Home and Garden Channel. So would anyone think that this fits the description of a McDonald’s fast food restaurant? I certainly didn’t but today’s society has forced us out of the home and into the hectic world, so restaurant chain's main priorities are trying to create a “home-y” environment for people on-the-go.

When I walk up to the counter to place my order, I am treated to a bistro-style appearance. The natural colors are pleasing on the eyes. The light wood panels are on the front of the counter, and there is orangeish-yellow wall with prairie grasses and plants on it behind the counter separating the kitchen from the rest of the building. The young lady that takes my order is short and is wearing a red polo shirt covered with a solid black apron. The outfit is handsome and not catchy, which reminded me of a waitress from a sit-down restaurant. To the left of the counter, where the morning coffee is made, is a bright little nook surrounded by stainless steel bars. As I take my order back to my seat (two hot double cheeseburgers and a cup of water), I am further impressed by the dark, grainy floor tiles that compliment the art on the walls. I notice that this particular McDonald’s has a PlayPlace, too. Perhaps this is intended for the children to use when they are waiting for their food to be prepared. That way parents can have conversation that is age appropriate before everyone sits down and eats together. The structure is over two stories high, and slides are brightly colored, from green to purple and blue to yellow. There are viewpoints at every corner of it, and a rope ladder for the more daring children to make an attempt to cross. The large picture frame window that separates the PlayPlace from the rest of the restaurant is covered with little hand print smudges, perhaps of little boys and girls who wished their parents would let them go in and have some fun. When I sit down, I see a mother with her two children, a baby girl and her approximately 2 year old sister. The older girl stole glances at me every now and then, wait until I looked up, and quickly look away, giggling. The mom was visibly stressed out, as she constantly told the two young girls to “Keep eating” and, “Sit still. Now eat your nuggets.” Later, when she was waiting for her order of food, she said multiple times, “Just put it in a bag or just hand it all to me, I just need my food!”
When I start eating my food, I realize just how good fast food can taste. The hot, juicy hamburgers taste like they were grilled perfectly, with all the juices flowing from them. The two patties are complimented by a spread of ketchup, bright yellow mustard, and minced onions. The pungent odor released by the onions overpowered every other possible whiff that could have traveled to my nose. When I unwrapped the second double cheeseburger, I noticed that the grease from the hamburger patties had soaked into the thin paper wrapping. I wondered at this juncture whether or not this was healthy for someone to eat all of this fatty juice. Surely if mom was cooking at home she would make sure it was healthy!
After these thoughts, as the mother was at the counter again, complaining about how long her order was taking, the little girl somehow slipped and fell off her chair, her radiant pink shoes kicked up in the air. She screamed and started to breathe heavily. The mom came rushing over and picked her up and began to comfort her as any good mother would. To my surprise, as well as the mother’s too I am sure, the little girl never cried. Obviously impressed, the mom said, “Were you scared? You are such a big girl, you didn’t even cry!” It was nice to see the mother finally look relieved and have a smile on her face.
Looking around at all of the people in McDonald’s at this particular time, I noticed that none of them were with their entire family. The woman sitting by herself texting, the old man drinking coffee by the window, and the mother and her two young girls all were missing someone from their lives. I wonder what life would be like if all of these fast food stops like McDonald’s were obsolete. Would there be more family time? Families would be forced to sit down and eat their meal while enjoying each other’s company and not rush in and out at mealtime at their own discrection. I think that there is more stress associated with today’s society. There is a constant need to get from point A to point B as fast as possible. We are not giving ourselves enough time to breathe, much less communicate with one another. I know that when I was younger, my family would sit down for at least one meal every day. My parents would try and teach us that family is important. With so much going on in this day and age (like sports, hanging out with friends, shopping, band, homework; the list goes on and on) the “family” is becoming non existence. With all that being said, I think that venues like McDonald’s are helping to eliminate “fast” food and bring it down to a relaxed pace. They are creating an inviting envrironment for all customers with a modern, "home-y" approach, and emphasizing family values by creating this type of space.

Cubing Exercise

Generalizing-
I have learned that the food from most fast-food restaurants is very unhealthy for a person. To reflect that upon society, look around and notice the number of overweight people you see. Also, the advertising schemes present today are more dynamic than ever. The need for buyers is a lot greater than it was in the past. Family life is also a big concern with more and more events that can take over a person's life.
Giving Examples-
Not one "family" showed up the entire time I was in McDonald's. That doesn't necessarily mean they don't have one, but there is a good chance that alot of them had a spouse or children that weren't with them. Also, there were 2 overweight people that came in during my time there, suggesting that they don't have a healthy lifestyle and that McDonald's was contributing to that.
Comparing and Contrasting-
I could compare my subject with Yoga Class. Yoga is a way of slimming down, as well as doing something you like. Eating is something I happen to like, so I go to places like McDonald's often. The difference would be that McDonald's more than likely helps you gain weight while Yoga would help you lose it. Both have advertising schemes as well; for members or for purchasers.
Extending-
I think this subject leads to concerns about people's diets. Looking at nutritional facts from foods offered by McDonald's, it is obvious that a regular intake of these foods could be dangerous. With "SuperSize Me" being a great example, this type of food could even cause death.
Analyzing-
There are 3 main parts of my subject: Advertising, Family Life, and Health. In this case, the advertising is related to the yearning of a person to by McDonald's food. This is the health part; eating food that isn't good for you. The family life aspect is a sort of break in this but still is a focal point because this relates to today's society.
Applying-
There are two ways I can use this work. I think the first way I can use this is making this paper available for people to access. By blogging in our Eng001 class, this is accomplished, as anyone can look at and read this essay. Secondly, in our peer-to-peer review sessions, my classmates will have a chance to read this as well.