This is in response to this video segment found here.
The Onion has long been a favorite of mine. I have always admired their ability to talk about real issues in a satirical way.
This particular piece is obviously a satire on the current ban against gay marriage. It brings into light a lot of good questions--there are many marriages currently in disarray, that doesn't necessary mean that they are valuing the 'sanctity of marriage', which is the argument that opposers against gay marriage are arguing for.
By painting a humorous concept, it goes to show that this can be applied to basically any relationship, whether it be a hetero or homosexual relationship. The sanctity of marriage is violated in many ways, even by falling out of love with the other person or bickering about what peanut butter to purchase in aisle 3 of the supermarket.
This video segment raises a lot of questions about rights as well--when it comes down to it, everyone will experience inequality in their lives, and when the time comes, those on the other side about gay marriage will want to gain those rights as well.
Overall, I thought it was an excellent piece that was able to bring up a lot of great points. Their effective use of irony was well executed; it especially brought a common ground to everyone in the battle for gay marriage or really for anyone who has been married for way too long.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Ad Council; Youth Reckless Driving
The correlation of driving recklessly immediately raises concerns of death and injury for the driver and his or her passenger.
For the Ad Council's newest campaign, "Youth Reckless Driving", the cause-and-effect relationships being portrayed in the commercial public safety announcements have a definite implied sense that death is highly possible. The actors take it over the top with their humor as they lightly make fun of death with cringe-worthy lines such as "do you have any final words to say to your mom?" or "what do you have to say in your last five minutes on earth?"
The ad does a sufficient cause by triggering an effect on the audience, it makes it uncomfortable to watch how lightly they are making the situation. However, I felt that the scenic background of the ads did not provide much of a reason to ask the driver to slow down--I believe that they were on a one-way street on a country road--or that is how it appeared to be. It wasn't quite believable, but I understand the humor that they were going for--especially by using older comedians to portray high school teens.
While I generally thought that their portrayal was sufficient and certainly necessary enough, I felt that it was lacking some real emotion. Perhaps by using real life-cases as examples, it would have cut right to the heart and cause more emotion to come out of it instead of just focusing on just plain humor as a tool.
The ad also shows the differences in maturity; the level of someone realizing that driving recklessly is wrong as well as their investment in their relationship with the driver and the other passengers...there doesn't have to be a shock value that's extremely gruesome, but I think they could have worked on it some more.
For the Ad Council's newest campaign, "Youth Reckless Driving", the cause-and-effect relationships being portrayed in the commercial public safety announcements have a definite implied sense that death is highly possible. The actors take it over the top with their humor as they lightly make fun of death with cringe-worthy lines such as "do you have any final words to say to your mom?" or "what do you have to say in your last five minutes on earth?"
The ad does a sufficient cause by triggering an effect on the audience, it makes it uncomfortable to watch how lightly they are making the situation. However, I felt that the scenic background of the ads did not provide much of a reason to ask the driver to slow down--I believe that they were on a one-way street on a country road--or that is how it appeared to be. It wasn't quite believable, but I understand the humor that they were going for--especially by using older comedians to portray high school teens.
While I generally thought that their portrayal was sufficient and certainly necessary enough, I felt that it was lacking some real emotion. Perhaps by using real life-cases as examples, it would have cut right to the heart and cause more emotion to come out of it instead of just focusing on just plain humor as a tool.
The ad also shows the differences in maturity; the level of someone realizing that driving recklessly is wrong as well as their investment in their relationship with the driver and the other passengers...there doesn't have to be a shock value that's extremely gruesome, but I think they could have worked on it some more.
Cause and Effects Letter
Writing to Explain Cause and Effects
Drawing correlations
Dear Mother,
I decided to do study abroad in India this summer because I feel that it will expose me to an entirely different culture that is so far from our own. I know you are concerned about my safety and how I will react upon arrival. I believe your first words when I said I decided to go to India was "Isn't there a war going on India right now?? I am NOT telling your father about this!"
I will begin by reminding you how I had high hopes of one day becoming a journalist--mind you, I was sprouting these idealistic notions during the 90s' when journalism was at its peak during the golden era.
However, now that journalism has changed so rapidly, the direction of where it is going has left me confused and questioning my major. I think by studying communication and mass media in India, it will help me out of this yuppie-quarter life crisis situation that I am currently in right now. Being exposed on an international level will remind me of the importance of good journalism; especially by reminding me of the intense poverty still going on in the world. I know for a fact that after I come home from India, I will feel like a foreigner in my own country and that will lead me to begin questioning things again and taking on a whole new approach when I return for my final year in college.
Safety is a big issue, but I know I will be safe with my professors and colleagues. You took your own chances when you left Vietnam for America and I hope that you will understand my decision to take a chance on India and placing a gamble that it will eventually leave me into the future career that I had always hoped I would achieve.
Fondly,
Your second child
Drawing correlations
Dear Mother,
I decided to do study abroad in India this summer because I feel that it will expose me to an entirely different culture that is so far from our own. I know you are concerned about my safety and how I will react upon arrival. I believe your first words when I said I decided to go to India was "Isn't there a war going on India right now?? I am NOT telling your father about this!"
I will begin by reminding you how I had high hopes of one day becoming a journalist--mind you, I was sprouting these idealistic notions during the 90s' when journalism was at its peak during the golden era.
However, now that journalism has changed so rapidly, the direction of where it is going has left me confused and questioning my major. I think by studying communication and mass media in India, it will help me out of this yuppie-quarter life crisis situation that I am currently in right now. Being exposed on an international level will remind me of the importance of good journalism; especially by reminding me of the intense poverty still going on in the world. I know for a fact that after I come home from India, I will feel like a foreigner in my own country and that will lead me to begin questioning things again and taking on a whole new approach when I return for my final year in college.
Safety is a big issue, but I know I will be safe with my professors and colleagues. You took your own chances when you left Vietnam for America and I hope that you will understand my decision to take a chance on India and placing a gamble that it will eventually leave me into the future career that I had always hoped I would achieve.
Fondly,
Your second child
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Weekly Writing Assignment #7
Part I:
For my issue that I have chosen for my Major Analysis Project--I am concerned with the debate surrounding lowering the drinking age to 18. I have done enough research to assume that this is not an easy process; this would take many years for such a grand-scale hypothetical plan such as this to even work. I will begin by demonstrating how my project will demonstrate Good Sense, Good Character and Good Will.
By implementing an after-school education program geared to students K-8; we can catch them at an early age and right before they enter high school. I think this has a lot of credible backing to it. Education is a tool that has never failed in the past. We can incorporate into their education like what we do for sex education. D.A.R.E. is a good program, but it doesn't begin to even touch the surface. The alcohol education program won't be against drinking, we understand that kids will drink no matter what (whether it is by being curious or peer pressure, they will drink no matter how hard we tell them not to), instead, we will study Europe's culture surrounding alcohol as well as other countries and study past cases to see what makes them get to the point of being drunk. These are characteristics of Good Sense and Good Will--I will be approaching this proposal from a rational point with the intention of not being an enemy of alcohol but instead, more of an activity to be taken cautiously. If sex education means passing out condoms for kids to be safe, my program would teach them the negative impacts of making bad decisions but allowing them to grow and come up with their own decisions (this demonstrates Good Character).
Part II:
The forum that I am reviewing on lowering the drinking age or not can be found here.
The online forum that I found was on CollegeNet.com. So far, most of the people debating are educators and those that have first-hand experience. One commentor wrote, "Teenagers need a slow introduction into big responsibilities. Drinking and driving are two of those responsibilities. A provisional drinking license could control the time, place, and amounts of alcohol a teenager can drink." He suggests that we find ways to control the amount that teenagers drink--by getting rid of underground drinking parties and allowing it to be in public with more control and supervision. While I personally thought that this was a great idea, there were those that weren't so much in favor. An educator whose original opinion was to lower the drinking age has changed her mind as she grows older and she becomes more experience as a teacher. She is grateful for the 21 age minimum--and that in the past drinking and driving was the number one killer among teens.
What makes these two posts effective was that it was articulate in their arguments--but it also did not contain any brashness. It was very logical and appealed to readers, especially parents, lawmakers and college students. There were many good posts on this forum which lead to a great discussion. I even found myself agreeing with those that were for keeping the drinking age the same, only because they were very rational and persuasive about it. This makes the arguments effective for those that are on the fence about this debate.
For my issue that I have chosen for my Major Analysis Project--I am concerned with the debate surrounding lowering the drinking age to 18. I have done enough research to assume that this is not an easy process; this would take many years for such a grand-scale hypothetical plan such as this to even work. I will begin by demonstrating how my project will demonstrate Good Sense, Good Character and Good Will.
By implementing an after-school education program geared to students K-8; we can catch them at an early age and right before they enter high school. I think this has a lot of credible backing to it. Education is a tool that has never failed in the past. We can incorporate into their education like what we do for sex education. D.A.R.E. is a good program, but it doesn't begin to even touch the surface. The alcohol education program won't be against drinking, we understand that kids will drink no matter what (whether it is by being curious or peer pressure, they will drink no matter how hard we tell them not to), instead, we will study Europe's culture surrounding alcohol as well as other countries and study past cases to see what makes them get to the point of being drunk. These are characteristics of Good Sense and Good Will--I will be approaching this proposal from a rational point with the intention of not being an enemy of alcohol but instead, more of an activity to be taken cautiously. If sex education means passing out condoms for kids to be safe, my program would teach them the negative impacts of making bad decisions but allowing them to grow and come up with their own decisions (this demonstrates Good Character).
Part II:
The forum that I am reviewing on lowering the drinking age or not can be found here.
The online forum that I found was on CollegeNet.com. So far, most of the people debating are educators and those that have first-hand experience. One commentor wrote, "Teenagers need a slow introduction into big responsibilities. Drinking and driving are two of those responsibilities. A provisional drinking license could control the time, place, and amounts of alcohol a teenager can drink." He suggests that we find ways to control the amount that teenagers drink--by getting rid of underground drinking parties and allowing it to be in public with more control and supervision. While I personally thought that this was a great idea, there were those that weren't so much in favor. An educator whose original opinion was to lower the drinking age has changed her mind as she grows older and she becomes more experience as a teacher. She is grateful for the 21 age minimum--and that in the past drinking and driving was the number one killer among teens.
What makes these two posts effective was that it was articulate in their arguments--but it also did not contain any brashness. It was very logical and appealed to readers, especially parents, lawmakers and college students. There were many good posts on this forum which lead to a great discussion. I even found myself agreeing with those that were for keeping the drinking age the same, only because they were very rational and persuasive about it. This makes the arguments effective for those that are on the fence about this debate.
Letter of Inquiry
February 25, 2010
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Rebecca W. Rimel
C.E.O. and Pres.
1 Commerce Sq.
2005 Market St., Ste. 1700
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077
Dear Ms. Rimel,My foundation requests $150,000 to create alcohol education programs for youth.
Our mission is to decrease the number of deaths on college campuses that come as a result of binge-drinking. We advocate education and trust in students to choose responsibly. Our foundation understands that it firsts begins in the home and early on at school. We would like to provide the opportunity for those that cannot get a free education at home about alcohol safety for them to acquire it at school. Our target audience are students about to enter high school that come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. We have a staff of 20 and would like to begin our programs around Seattle public K-8 schools. Our current annual budget has been mostly funded by individual donors and local businesses-- it currently stands around $30,000 a year. We are a beginning foundation that was recently started last year in 2009.
Our intent is to begin the slow campaign of lowering the drinking age to 18. We would like to begin the battle on binge-drinking with alcohol education after-school programs. Our project is entitled "Battle Binging". We understand that kids will drink no matter what, our primary concern is educating them on safety and responsibility for others. Our programs would include utilizing documentaries, real stories from families who were affected by their children binge-drinking and local immersion in community activities and social growth to make them budding leaders in their communities.
"Battle Binging" has a desperate need for fiscal backing; we would like to continue to expand as a foundation helping students understand the importance of the dangers of alcohol. We would like to put an end to preventable deaths and end a mistrust in students when it comes to drinking. Our long term goal is to lower the drinking age, but our current goal as of right now is to start with education and turning students into leaders. The need for this money would begin with some local and national research: what in the past has worked and what hasn't? We would like to begin by thinking of potential ways to make the after-school program fit with modern students today.
Our expenses would mostly be geared towards purchasing rights to documentaries, travel budgets for speakers and useful supplies and tools to help with after-school activities. All of the grant money that would potentially be awarded to us would be used throughout the seven K-8 Seattle public schools to begin the program as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing your response,
Carolyn Huynh
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Key Arguments for Women Ski Jumpers
The key arguments against women ski jumpers not being allowed in the Vancouver Olympics was that it barely met the requirements to even be an official event--however, that was mostly a matter of timing and when it was officially given a World Championship title, it had barely missed the mark when the Vancouver Winter Olympics event lineups were announced.
Other arguments against allowing them into the Olympics mostly dealt with medical (which they don't even give any reasons as to why it is a medical problem) and economical reasons. Despite women ski jumpers petition since 98' to enter the Olympics, to this day, only men are allowed to compete.
This not only calls out Canada's gender discrimination, but it also calls into question an international gender bias when it comes to this event. For a grand sporting event like the Olympics, that promote world unity, they are being hypocritical by not recognizing women ski jumpers as capable of being able to compete. According to Time magazine, ski jumping is the only sport that is men-only.
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) are arguing for the economic reasons--there is no money to allow another group to enter the competition. This calls into question as to why other events aren't being cut, or why the men's team are not being affected to allow women competitors in.
Other arguments against allowing them into the Olympics mostly dealt with medical (which they don't even give any reasons as to why it is a medical problem) and economical reasons. Despite women ski jumpers petition since 98' to enter the Olympics, to this day, only men are allowed to compete.
This not only calls out Canada's gender discrimination, but it also calls into question an international gender bias when it comes to this event. For a grand sporting event like the Olympics, that promote world unity, they are being hypocritical by not recognizing women ski jumpers as capable of being able to compete. According to Time magazine, ski jumping is the only sport that is men-only.
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) are arguing for the economic reasons--there is no money to allow another group to enter the competition. This calls into question as to why other events aren't being cut, or why the men's team are not being affected to allow women competitors in.
Debate Team Status Quo vs. Government
I am a bit torn on this issue, I am a big believer in public education, however, I found Nick's argument for private education convincing overall. I can see why America's public education system is the worst in the world, and I would want to make better strides towards improving our current model--so I also in part, would agree with the opponent's side. I agree that there are many terms when it comes to 'private' education--it doesn't just deal with paying for an education. Having private education forms competition among students to stride better--it creates more opportunities. However, I am very much in agreement with a socialist approach when it comes to education: everyone should have the same footing and on the same level. Education is a human right, and it should be approached that way.
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