How Hot is Hot?

Who would have thought there was a Chile Pepper Institute? I sure never would have guessed. The Chile Pepper Institute "is a non-profit, science-based organization dedicated to everything chile pepper. It conducts research on disease resistance, higher yield and better flavor of the crop. It also fields hundreds of questions a week from growers, producers, researchers and home gardeners" (Joshi 1). Each year the Chile Pepper Institute declares a new worlds hottest pepper. In 2007, the Guiness Book of World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia as the hottest pepper. However, in February the Moruga Scorpion was declared the new hottest pepper. In order to determine the world's hottest pepper, a mathematical formula is used containing, Scoville heat units (SHU). The Moruga Scorpion received a score of 2 million SHU. The Moruga Scorpion has been used in everything from salsa to brownie mixes but it is recommended to eat in very small servings. 

I enjoyed reading this article because it was new and interesting to me. I had never heard of anything like a Chile Pepper Institute but it definitely sounds like a fun job to have. The author, Monika Joshi used mainly logos in her article. She described how SHU's work and kept straight to the facts. She included a little pathos when she interviewed people who had sampled the Moruga Scorpion, "the heat builds after the initial bite, resulting in an all-over-the-mouth-and-throat burn that lasts at least eight minutes" (John Hard, owner of Chile Pepper Institute).


Chile Pepper Institute Studies What's Hot by Monika Joshi
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/story/2012-03-11/Chile-Pepper-Institute-studies-whats-hot/53490214/1

The Pink Slime is Back

The pink slime is back. Although McDonalds and Taco Bell have banned it from their meats, the government is now using pink slime in lunch meat at public schools. The United States Department of Agriculture just bought "7 million pounds of beef containing ammonium hydroxide-treated ground connective tissue and meat scraps and serving it up to America's school kids" (Weir 1). Pink slimes official name is "Lean Beef Trimmings." It is not nutritious as it is filled with connective tissues instead of muscles, it is not the same thing as real ground meat. Aside from it not being nutritious, the ammonium hydroxide in it is a concern. Aside from being found in pink slime, ammonium hydroxide is used to kill pathogens such as E. coli, eww. It is estimated that it is found in about 70% of ground beef in the United States. Food advocates are beginning to ask for meat containing pink slime to be labeled so the buyers know what they are consuming. I think if you knew one pack of ground beef contained pink slime and another didn't, you would definitely opt for the one with out pink slime.

Sarah Weir, the author of this article, used many logos when writing. She included a lot of statistics about ammonium hydroxide, pink slime, and the meat safety in the U.S. However, I wish she gave a better definition to pink slime, she never formerly defined it, she assumed her readers knew what it was. After reading this, I am still a little confused as to what pink slime truly is. Whatever it is though, it seems disgusting and if I did eat meat I would definitely want to know what was in it, just to be on the safe side.

Seven Million Pounds of “Pink Slime” Beef Destined for National School Lunch Program by Sarah Weir
http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/seven-million-tons-8220-pink-slime-8221-beef-180500764.html

"School Shootings Are Gun Crimes"

Last week, a teen gunman entered his high school and open fired in the cafeteria. He killed three students and injured two more. If it wasn't for the heroic high school teacher and football coach who led the gunman away from the school where he was later arrested, the event would have been much more fatal. Chardon High School in Chardon, Ohio will be forever scarred of that day's events. They join Columbine and Virginia Tech in the group of deadly school shootings. This group can not get any larger than it is not, these events are much too tragic and extremely preventable. In an editorial, the Akron Beacon Journal said,"...What led a young man to gather a gun and fire at classmates will come later, if at all. First, there is the fate of the victims, hoping for recoveries, mourning the loss. Then, there is Chardon, looking to restore that precious feeling of security." Frank Ochberg of CNN believes that events such as school shootings are preventable. He said, "But the reason we have an American school shooting problem that exceeds other nations has to do with access to loaded weapons by kids who should not have that access." In an editorial, The Blade mentioned that they believe the problem with school shootings traces all the way back to bullying, "But doing all the right things won't get rid of all bullies. And as long as there are bullies and victims, tragedy can result." In the Huffington Post, Gabriel Lerner said, "The truth is there is more violence in our schools than we realize." She was the first person in the enter article to talk of reality, she knows there is a problem and it needs to be changed.

I felt this article to be very fitting with our recent class discussions, especially with the Patterns readings about hate crimes. The article used mainly pathos especially in the quotes included. All of the quotes were personal opinions on school shootings. However, there was ethos in it as well. Ethos was used when it came down to analyzing school shootings, how wrong are they? Ethos was very prominent at the beginning of the article when author Sharon Broussard spoke of the shooting, "It was a reminder that no place is sacrosanct in a society where guns are far too common and available to vengeful, emotionally unstable or just plain cruel people."

School Shootings Are Gun Crimes, various authors

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2012-03-01/ohio-school-shooting-chardon-gun/53323810/1

Thank You Global Warming

This winter certainly did not feel like a typical north east one. Many scientists believe that global warming has contributed the warm temperatures we had this winter. Only twice did snow accumulate, and it added up to barley two inches here in New England. We haven't had any snow days or delays, no snowmen or sledding fun. While the majority of north easterners feel deprived of the winter season this year, one thing that nobody has missed is flu season. Last year, the official flu season started in October. This year, it began in late February. Although many may not think it, the flu can be deadly. Last year, 122 children died from the flu, this year only three. Also, statistics show that for everyone who has been hospitalized this season, 22 were last year. Scientists who believe global warming is connected to flu season proved their thesis with studies that show the influenza virus thrives in low humidity and low temperatures. So this season, with the warm temperatures the flu has not been as strong as it has been in past years.

Author Charles Finch seemed to be a someone who was not too upset about the lack of snow this year. While he did admit that sledding is a fun tradition, he seemed more relieved to be able to avoid the flu season and spend more time outside, without being dressed for snow. I was surprised at the amount of logos he used. Before I read the article, I figured it would be more of an opinion piece, being in the opinion section and all, but he included many facts. While his article was one sided, I do not think it was intended to be argumentative. He only included statistics from scientists who support global warming. He used logos when informing his audience of the facts that relate global warming and flu season. He also used some pathos at the end when he talked about how he was glad he made it through season without getting sick. I have to agree with Finch in that I did not miss the snow at all this year. I am looking forward to summer!

The Best Part About Global Warming by Charles Finch
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/the-best-part-about-global-warming.html?ref=opinion

Leave Black Actresses Alone for Good

It seems like no matter what they do, black actresses always receive some type of criticism for the roles they play in movies. Most recently, two of the lead actresses in The Help received harsh criticism for playing domestic roles. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were both questioned on their decision to play such matronly roles, ones that reflected the black lifestyle during segregation times. While on the "Travis Smiley Show", Smiley admitted that he felt the roles Davis and Spencer played in the helped diminished their place in society. He was disappointed in their decision to take on such a role, one that was similar to Hattie McDaniel in her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind. Since Gone With the Wind was released 73 years ago, blacks have overcome boundaries they never expected to conquer. Yet even though today we are a segregation free country, two extremely successful actresses are still being questioned about their roles. Mark Anthony Neal ended his article by sharing his opinion on how it would be if McDaniel, Davis, and Spencer all met at the Oscars today. Neal shared that he though McDaniel would praise Davis and Spencer for their roles as housemaids and their success in Hollywood. McDaniel would probably be shocked to see that the Oscars are no longer segregated, as with the rest of the world, and she would be surprised to hear about all of the segregation problems of the 1960's. Neal ended his article by saying, It’s all relative and it’s about time we trust black artists to make choices for the sake of their art and not tired ideals about how “negro-folk” are supposed to act."


Neal appeared to be offended by the grief that Davis and Spencer received for their acting roles. When he is not writing, Neal is a professor of African and African American studies at Duke University. He is obviously educated on the topic. Neal used logos in his article when talking about the successes of Davis, Spencer, and McDaniel. He also mentioned President Obama and and many civil rights leaders. I think that Neal strongly supports Davis and Spencer for their acting decisions and thinks the world of them. He used ethos when describing what a possible meeting between Davis, Spencer, and McDaniel would have been like. He made it a very personal interaction and was able to persuade the reader that racism is wrong and although everyone is entitled to have their own opinion, it is important to always respect others. 


Stop Policing Black Actresses by Mark Anthony Neal
http://entertainment.salon.com/2012/02/25/stop_policing_black_actresses/

"Taste the Lin-Sanity"

Jeremy Lin is not only a star on the basketball court but he is becoming a popular ice cream flavor as well. Ben and Jerry's is in the process of releasing a limited edition ice cream flavor, "Taste the Lin-Sanity." The original flavor was vanilla frozen yogurt with honey swirls and pieces of fortune cookies mixed in. But as you probably guessed, the fortune cookie ingredient was met with some grief. Apparently, many people complained to Ben and Jerry's saying that it was racist to include fortune cookies in the ice cream because of Lin's Chinese heritage. Even though Lin himself has not commented about the ice cream flavor, the Asian American Journalist Association felt that they could speak for Lin's personal opinion. They said, Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery? In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no." One of Ben and Jerry's general manager, Ryan Midden released a statement saying, "There seemed to be a bit of an initial backlash about it, but we obviously weren't looking to offend anybody and the majority of the feedback about it has been positive." Even though there was more praise than complaints, Ben and Jerry's was forced to change the fortune cookie ingredient, they are now using waffle bits instead. 

Author Chris Chase is definitely on Ben and Jerry's side of the controversy. He feels that it is ridiculous to be complaining about an ice cream flavor that is honoring an outstanding athlete. After describing the ice cream flavor and the change in ingredients, Chase included Ben and Jerry's reasoning for switching out the fortune cookies for waffle bits, The company says the main reason for removing the fortune cookies was because they got soggy inside the batch. If you believe that, I have a bridge made of Cherry Garcia to sell you." Chase used a lot of ethos in this article because he included his personal opinion multiple times. He ended his article by saying, There's a difference between being color/race blind and completely ignoring a person's heritage. The über-PC police got all worked up about the inclusion of fortune cookies but surely their anger was misplaced. Lin's family is of Chinese descent. Fortune cookies are associated with Chinese food. A liberal ice-cream company no one ever associates with racism, hate or unfairness decided to have some fun with the connection. That's all." I agree with Chase and Ben and Jerry's on this ridiculous case of ice cream controversy. I think that Ben and Jerry's truly did not mean any harm by making this ice cream flavor, they were just trying to have some fun.

Ben & Jerry’s replaces fortune cookies in ‘Lin-Sanity’ flavor after controversy by Chris Chase
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/ben-jerry-replaces-fortune-cookies-lin-sanity-flavor-162728739.html

Stars at Mass General

Over the past ten years, medical treatment had advanced in such a way that has never been expected. Although there are still many doctors are still searching for many cures, treatments have gone so far as to save someones voice. Dr. Zeitels of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has performed multiple Laryngeal surgeries. Most recently, Dr. Zeitels operated on Adele, helping to protect her from losing her vocal chords. It is very important to have this operation done, "“There is a saying that the show must go on... just because they have some sniffles, which might have a big impact on swelling in vocal chords, they will proceed with the performance" (Zeitel 1). Aside from Adele, Dr. Zeitels has also operated on Steven Tyler, Roger Daltry, Lionel Ritchie, and Cher. Zeitel also noted that the technology for Laryngeal surgeries has improved greatly over the past 15 years. They are now able to complete operations that have never been done before. For instance, Julie Andrews struggled with the same voice problems as Adele but ten years ago when Andrews needed her surgery, the technology wasn't there. However, Zeitel has been able to perform four operations on Andrews and they are working together to restore her singing voice. Zeitel stresses the importance of these surgeries especially for singers because they can save careers and lifestyles. 


KC Downey, the author of this article used very little rhetorical devices when writing it. It would be a stretch to say there was logos because the only facts included were about how many years this surgery has been going on for. There was also very little pathos as well because there weren't any important quotes or emotions about Dr. Zeitel or Adele. I guess the strongest rhetorical device used was ethos, Downey did stress how importnat this surgery has become and that it is being done for all the right reasons. Thanks to Dr. Zeitel many world famous stars have recovered their singing voices and hopefully he will be able to continue his success. 

Adele's MGH Doctor Describes 'State-Of-The-Art' Voice Surgery by KC Downey

http://beta.local.yahoo.com/news-adele-mgh-doctor-describes-state-art-voice-surgery

RIP Whitney

This past Saturday evening, Whitney Houston sadly passed away at the age of 48. While to some, this was no surprise but the majority of the world was shocked to hear such news. Everyone knew of Whitney's struggles with alcohol and drugs but she has been out of the spot light for so long that her problem almost seemed to disappear. Since Whitney first became popular, she build a fan base like no other. Similar to Michael Jackson, her followers stayed with her every step of the way and never betrayed her even when she was at her darkest times. Whitney had a voice like no other and she was not afraid to show it off, "She could have bludgeoned listeners over the head with just the sheer power of her voice — but instead, Houston approached her songs like an actress inhabiting a character, squeezing emotion from every lyric with sincerity, grace and elegance" (Zaleski 1). Although her autopsy results have not been released yet, it is suspected that she died of either an overdose or alcohol poisoning. It is sad that such an amazing icon had to die of such a horrendous cause. 


Annie Zaleski, the author of this article wrote about Whitney with such passion it was obvious she was a major fan. She did not let Whitney's personal struggles over come her success. When she spoke of Whitney's drug abuse, she never let them hold her back. For example, Zaleski included parts of an interview Whitney had where she talked about crack, We don’t do crack, we don’t do that. Crack is wack.” Zaleski followed up that quote by saying, "the latter catchphrase caused an uproar and did irreparable damage to her reputation. But Houston persevered — and eventually came clean about her private turmoil" (Zaleski 1). Zaleski did include logos in this article when talking about Whitney's successes as well as struggles but she relied mainly on pathos. She wrote about what a good person Whitney was and how much she had to offer to the world. Zaleski had a way of making Whitney's death seem more like a passing, rather than a permanent occurrence. 


A Voice That Touched Us All by Annie Zaleski
http://www.salon.com/2012/02/12/a_voice_that_touched_us_all/

Greg is Taking Matters into his Own Hands-Literally

Greg Damerow was just 18 years old when he was diagnosed with AS, or ankylosing spondylitis. The pain began in most of his large joints especially in the hip and shoulder bones. Because of AS, he was bed ridden for almost two whole years. Although he never played any sports, before he was diagnosed with AS, Greg had developed a love for bike riding. After he regained his ability to walk, he took up bike riding again however this time in in a new way. Because Greg could not feel his hips, he was only able to walk using his knees and legs displaying a very "awkward gait." So Greg took it upon himself to learn how to use a hand cycle, where he could get around faster. Greg remained very positive during his struggles with AS and he looked to God for help, "God has not promised us perfection in this life and he has not promised it will be easy. Rather than question why me, the question was: What is God trying to teach me? What am I supposed to do with the life that I have?" Because Greg had experience in the engineering field, he was able to design his own hand cycle. The typical ones sold for $2,000, something Greg could not afford. So, instead of giving up he designed his own bike, and built it. Since he built his own bike, he opened a company making hand cycles and hopes to compete in the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. 


John Johnston, the author of Disabled Cyclist Takes Matters into His Own Hands wrote the article very professionally with logos, ethos, and pathos. He used logos when describing AS and I think he gave the perfect amount of information about the disease because it was obvious from the beginning that he was writing about Greg's successes not setbacks. He used ethos when talking about Greg's strong intentions to start a company, he wanted to help others who were unable to help themselves. Greg felt very fortunate to be able to recover some of his losses from AS and felt he should give back. The whole article contained pathos especially when Greg was talking about his faith and everyday struggles with AS. It was amazing to read about how successful Greg has been when he had every reason in the book not to be. 

Disabled Cyclist Takes Matters into His Own Hands by John Johnston

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-02-04/Disabled-cyclist-takes-matters-into-his-own-hands/52966416/1

The Fight Against Alzheimers

Alzheimers research is finally getting the attention it deserves. After a law was passed in 2010 by the Obama administration in support of Alzheimers research, scientists are finally getting closer to possible tests and treatments. If all goes as planned, the Obama administration has proposed a campaign that would help to prevent and treat Alzheimers by 2025. Alzheimers research is a priority in the medical field because so many people are affected by it and the numbers jump each year. As of right now, over 5 million Americans are currently affected by Alzheimers and scientists predict that number could triple by 2050. Substantial process in the research field could be made if the foundation is given more federal funds, which is extremely difficult to do in the harsh economic circumstances. Foundations for cancer, AIDS, and cardiovascular diseases all received much more financial funding than Alzheimers did, but it could be because they have strong support groups. The Alzheimers campaign groups are trying to change that and are hoping to receive more money because unfortunately the research can not be conducted without it. 

This article was featured in the editorial section of the New York Times. The author used only logos in the article as he/she stated many facts about the financial situation of the Alzheimers campaign. I think it was beneficial that the author included statistics about how many people in America were affected by Alzheimers because it proved to the audience that it truly is a problem. I think the article would have been stronger if the author included more facts about Alzheimers itself. I think in an article where the author is looking to gain more funds for their campaign, it is important to affect the author emotionally because it might sway opinions. The author could have included a paragraph about what it is like to have Alzheimers and maybe include some of the struggles people with the disease face everyday. 

The Campaign to Defeat Alzheimers 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/opinion/the-campaign-to-defeat-alzheimers.html?ref=opinion

Congrats Eli!

Eli Manning has done it again. He led the Giants to a Super Bowl win over the New Englad Patriots for the second time. Now that he has two Super Bowl rings under his belt, maybe everyone will stop harassing him about being Peyton's younger brother. There is not doubt in everyone's mind, including Eli's that Peyton has more experience and has established more of a fan base but after last night Eli is more confident than ever. The younger brother finally came out on top! After the game when interviewed, Eli remained humble and did not boast about his success or about his MVP award, “I’m excited to win a championship,’’ said Manning. “I’m excited for my teammates. There are a number of guys, this is their first one. There are some other ones who are getting their second and more, but I’m just excited for them. I’m excited for Coach Coughlin, all of the coaches and the Giants organization." Author Julian Benbow said that Eli typically didn't let his older brother's success bother him; he knew that he had big shoes to fill but did not stress over it. I think that by playing with that attitude, Eli was able to be successful and prove the the football world that he is not just Peyton's little brother.

I really liked how Benbow wrote his article. It was full of pathos especially because he included many quotes from Eli's teammates. Even his coach Tom Coughlin had kind words for Manning, “He deserves all the credit in the world because he really has put the team on his shoulders all year and performed very, very well,’’ I think that Benbow did a very professional job writing this article especially when talking about the audience. Benbow's article was featured in the Boston Globe on February 6, (today), the day after the Patriots lost the Super Bowl. However, I think that Benbow did not obsess over the the Giants win, I think secretly he was an Eli fan all along. Either that or he wrote the article from an un-biased opinion and really does not care about football. I admire Benbow for writing such an article about Eli and commending him about his success. Being a Giants fan I really enjoyed this article and completely agree with Benbow but if the article was about Tom Brady, I would have respected it and commended Benbow on his strong writing ability.

Among the Elite, Manning States Case by Juilan Benbow

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2012/02/06/among_the_elite_manning_states_case/?page=full

No More "Pink Slime" in McDonald's Burgers

Well good news for all the McDonald's lovers out there. McDonald's has confirmed that they have stopped using ammonium hydroxide in their burgers. Aside from being used to produce hamburgers at McDonalds, ammonium hydroxide is used in fertilizers, household cleaners, and even some homemade explosives. After using ammonium hydroxide for many years, McDonald's senior director of quality systems Todd Bacon said, ""At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers. This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world." By using ammonium hydroxide, McDonald's was able to use what would be considered inedible meat. Eric Pfeiffer listed many other questionable chemicals found in food today. I was sad to find out that some ice creams contain Propylene Gycol, which helps prevent the ice cream from becoming too solid (works similar as to how an anti-freeze would). Shellac, more commonly known for it's wood finishing work is sometimes found in hard candies. Lanolin is an oily product from sheeps' wool that is used in gum to make it chewy. I was shocked to read some of these facts but I was more disturbed to think that I could have eaten something that contains a product that is used on floors...

Author Eric Pfeiffer used all logos when writing this article. Although he included a quote from a McDonald's spokesperson, the quote was all about facts. I like how he expanded the article into more than McDonald's. He included more un-safe chemicals used in food that should not be and I love how he tied it all together under the one topic of McDonald's. He knew his audience was part of the fast-food generation so by making the focus of his article about McDonald's, he was able to draw people in. Although it was gross, one of the best features to the article was the picture included. When you first see it, you might think it is a pink powder base used for strawberry milkshakes, but as you look closer you will notice it is too slimy to be a milkshake. It is, in fact, a big chain of meat used at McDonald's that has ammonium hydroxide in it. If that doesn't turn you away from a Big Mac then I don't know what will!

McDonald's Confirms That it's no Longer Using "Pink Slime" in Chemical in Hamburgers by Eric Pfeiffer

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mcdonald-confirms-no-longer-using-pink-slime-chemicals-171209662.html

Memoir #2: Angela's Ashes

For my second memoir reading assignment I will be reading Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. I am looking forward to starting it especially because it has a simliar story line to my last memoir, The Glass Castle. Both of the memoirs are about the authors deprived childhood due to their parents decisions. One of  The Glass Castle's reviews compared Jeannette Walls to Frank McCourt so I'm hoping that is a sign the books will be equally good.

Thomas Boycotts the White House?

While the rest of his teammates enjoyed a ceremony at the White House dedicated to the team, Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas chose to sit out. Because of his strong feelings towards politics he felt he did not have to attend the ceremony. It was a personal decision he made but the majority of the Bruins fan base disagreed with him. In the statement Thomas released on his Facebook page he said, "I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People...This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government. Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country..." He stressed that it was an independent decision he made and did not have any outside influence. Thomas ended his statement by saying that the above statement was the only comment he would make on his decision. The Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli said that he can require a player to attend an event such as the White House ceremony and that he has the authority to suspend the player if they fail to show up but in this situation he chose not to suspend Tim Thomas because it was an independent decisions made by an individual player. 

Author Tom Weir used logos and pathos in his article. He included both statements from Thomas and Chiarelli about the White House Ceremony. However, the article was very short and dry. I wish he included some type of fan reaction or the opinion of one of Thomas's fellow Bruins. Personally, I think it was disrespectful of Thomas to not attend the ceremony because he chose what he wanted over his team. To me, that shows a lack of team work and dedication. I do not doubt that Thomas is a true Bruin but this recent decision by Thomas is not helping him on the fan favorite scale. Hopefully he will prove us all wrong by finishing off the season strong and taking the Bruins to another Stanley Cup. 

Bruins' Tim Thomas Boycotts White House Celebration by Tom Weir

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/bruins-tim-thomas-boycotts-white-house-celebration/1

Bruins, Meet the President

It has become a tradition in the White House for the President to invite the most recent sports champion to a ceremony. This past weekend, President Obama hosted the Boston Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions. In his speech, Obama was sure to mention a few of the noteworthy players. When speaking to Brad Marchand, Obama asked about his unusual but perhaps fitting nickname, "Little Ball of Hate...What's up with that nickname, man?" He also pointed out that when Captain Zdeno Chara had his day with the Cup, he pushed it around in a baby carriage. After the joking had subsided, Obama congratulated the Bruins on being more than just a hockey team. He said, "these Bruins understand that winning a Stanley Cup is more than just men on ice...It's about the people that stand behind them." While congratulating the Bruins on their off-ice success, he applauded them on raising more than $7 million for Boston charities. However, with all of the happiness and celebration in the White House, one very important member of the team was missing. Goalie and MVP Tim Thomas decided not to attend the ceremony because of "political reasons." I think that Thomas missed out on an opportunity of a lifetime and will later regret this rash decision.

Author Stephanie Kuzydym used pathos and ethos in her article about the Bruins. She opened it with all of Boston's championship teams from within the past ten years, which includes the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots. She included many quotes from Obama's speech which added to her article. She included very positive quotes from Obama which made the Boston Bruins very likable. She wrote the article very light-heartedly as she only mentioned the positive events of the day. She briefly mentioned Tim Thomas's absent but then went on to talk about Obama's jokes. Go Bruins!

Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins Visit White House by Stephanie Kuzydym

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/bruins/story/2012-01-23/bruins-white-house-visit/52758150/1

Frozen Fenway

As you may have heard, the city of Boston has created their own tradition of the Winter Classic. Frozen Fenway has become a New Years tradition that continues into the first few weeks of the year. A hockey rink is set up in the middle of Fenway Park that hosts local youth, high school, and college hockey teams. Skating on Fenway is an opportunity of a lifetime and many local players were able to participate in it. Norwood High School and Revere High Schools were two of the few public high schools who were lucky enough to play on the ice. Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo was offered an hour of ice time and instead of taking it for himself he decided to donate it back to a town he was closely associated with. He offered the ice to Revere High School in their game against Norwood High School. When asked about his decision to give up the ice time he said, "It’s terrific to be able to give a public school this kind of opportunity...The kids were so excited when they found out they would be playing there." DeLeo also said he loved high school sports and thinks it is so important for students to stay involved with sports and other extra curricular activities through out high school. Not only did Revere High School and Norwood High School benefit from the enjoyment of playing on Fenway but a family in Norwood was helped out as well. In January 2010, Matt Brown of Norwood High School was seriously injured in one of his high school hockey games. He fractured two vertebrate in his neck and also suffered a bruised spinal cord, which has left him paralyzed from the chest down. After hearing Brown's story, DeLeo decided to make a personal donation to the Brown family to help pay for all of Matt's medical treatments and necessities. My family is lucky enough to know Matt as his dad and my dad were close friends in high school. Matt has not lost hope since his accident and events like Frozen Fenway inspire him to stay strong and positive.

Because this article was featured in the Boston Herald, it was written very appropriately to the Boston audience. There was no author listed on the article but they used logos and pathos. They stated all the facts about Frozen Fenway and the details about the event. They used pathos when describing DeLeo's decision to offer up his ice time and his personal donation to the Brown Family. I wish they had included a few quotes from the Brown family about the event because I know how grateful they must be for the donation. However, I liked how the author ended the article with the link to Matt's website (mattbrownnumber3.org) where you can read more on his story or make a donation to his fund. Events like Frozen Fenway truly do boost Matt's spirit and it would have been nice to hear what he has to say about it.

Speaker of House Robert A. DeLeo on tonight's Revere-Norwood Hockey Scrimmage

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/high_school/index.php/2012/01/09/speaker-of-the-house-robert-a-deleo-on-tonights-revere-norwood-hockey-scrimmage/

Memoir: The Glass Castle

For my memoir reading in January, I chose the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is the story of Walls' childhood where she had to care for herself and her siblings. Her mother was crazy and her father was an alcoholic. She tells the story of how her siblings escaped their horrible childhood to grow up and be successful on their own. However, both of Jeannette's parents are still living and in contact with their children. Jeanette lives in New York City with her husband, where her mother is homeless, by choice. Her mom is a free spirit and although Jeanette tries to take her in, she refuses to accept help. After reading 15 pages, I am captivated by Wall's story and I can not wait to read more.

What the Fudge?

Modern Family has crossed a line, or at least gone too far in their most recent episode. In the episode set to air tonight, "Little Bo Bleep", Mitchell and Cameron's daughter Lily is set to be a flower girl in a wedding. During the scene in which Lily is preparing to be a flower girl, she says the F-word. However, when filming, Lily actually says the word "fudge" which was bleeped out so it appears as if she actually said the F-word. Even though the episode hasn't even aired yet, there is already much controversy about Lily's line. McKay Hatch, the founder of the No Cussing Club is horrified by ABC's decision to air the episode. He said, "Our main goal is to stop this from happening...If we don't, at least ABC knows that people all over the world don't want to have a 2-year-old saying the `F-bomb' on TV." Hatch, along with his 35,000 members in his club hope to end t.v profanity. However, Steve Levitan, one of the creators of Modern Family disagrees with Hatch. He said he's proud to air such an episode and thinks it will win the audience over. He also commented saying, "we thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we've all been through this." Personally, I think that Hatch is over reacting because although the F-word is used for humor, it can also be seen as a lesson.

Author Lynn Elber appears to be in the middle of this argument. She included quotes from both Hatch and Levitan that support their individual arguments. In the middle of her article, she included information on Modern Family's success and what the episode's plot is. She began her article with quotes from Hatch supporting his opinion, and then she went into the explanation of what the episode will be like. After she explained the episode, she included Levitan's side of the argument, leading me to believe she does not have an opinion either way. Because the episode has not even aired yet, I think it is too early to jump to accusations and conclusions.

Toddler Cuss Word on "Modern Family" Draws Ire by Lynn Elber

http://www.boston.com/community/moms/articles/2012/01/18/toddlers_cuss_word_on_modern_family_draws_ire/?p1=Upbox_links

Happy Birthday FLOTUS

How would you feel if millions of your husband's biggest fans all signed a virtual birthday card wishing you happy birthday? On January 17, 2012, Michelle Obama will be turning 48 and her husband, President Barack Obama has asked millions of his supporters to sign a birthday card for her. Her nickname in the White House and across America is FLOTUS, First Lady of the United States. Obama knows that he is going to have a tough ten months dedicated to the next presidential election so he is making an extra effort to show Michelle how much he appreciates her. In his message to his supporters the President wrote, ""This fall, Michelle and I will have been married 20 years...The next 10 months will be harder than any we've experienced together, and I couldn't do it without her. I know she'd love to hear from you today." Barack knows how touched his wife will be by her birthday card. Aside from this virtual card, I'm sure Barack has a few more sweet, but personal, surprises for Michelle.

David Jackson was the author of Obama Asks Backers to Wish Wife a Happy Birthday. I was surprised at how he approached it though. He wrote it as more of a breaking news story than anything. If I were Jackson, I would have made the article a bit more cheerful and light hearted because of the topic. Although he did include a segment from the letter Barack emailed to his supporters, the article was very dry and plain. I think if Jackson had approached this article in a more positive and up beat way, I would have liked it better. But on another thought, happy early birthday Michelle!

Obama Asks Backers to Wish Wife a Happy Birthday by David Jackson 

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/01/obama-asks-backers-to-wish-wife-a-happy-birthday/1

Stayin'Alive

The second I saw this article, the first thing that came into my mind was Ms. Comeau singing "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees while her wellness class practiced chest compressions. Thinking back to our CPR training, I am so grateful that Ms. Comeau offered her skills and training to us. Thank you Ms. Comeau! Because cardiac arrest is so serious and can end in a fatality, everyone is stepping up in an effort to become educated and certified in CPR. This year, for the first time ever, the Boston Marathon is offering CPR classes for runners and family members. Dr. Aaron Baggish is the associate director of the cardiovascular performance program at Mass. General. He said, "teaching basic chest compressions to marathon participants and race observers -- a form of CPR than doesn’t involve mouth-to-mouth resuscitation -- might lead to fewer deaths in the future" (Kotz 1). He also added that “The number one predictor of survival of cardiac arrest during a race was whether a runner had access to bystander CPR" (Kotz 1). The training session is going to be offered for free by the Boston Athletic Association (BAA). Although there are 28 medical tents throughout the race course, including two at the finish line, the BAA is hoping to be able to extend help through this program. Executive Director Tom Grillk said they are hoping to “bridge the gap between racers and various trained medical professionals" (Kotz 1). The American Red Cross and American Heart Association are teaming up to teach the CPR course. I think this is a great idea because as Dr. Erika Feller of the University of Maryland Medical Center said, “In these situations, minutes really count" (Kotz 1).

Author Deborah Kotz appears to be in agreement with the BAA about the CPR training. She wrote very positively about the training sessions to prove she thinks it is a great idea. Kotz used logos to persuade her audience to agree with the BAA. She included many numbers and statistics about deaths related to cardiac arrest at the Boston Marathon and when referring to the amount of people who need CPR or medical attention at the race. She also used pathos when she interviewed runners who went into cardiac arrest at the Boston Marathon and were able to recover, thanks to someone who was CPR certified. CPR is such a great skill to have; it is easy to learn and hard to forget. Hopefully this new step will be very helpful at the Marathon this April!

Boston Marathon to Offer CPR Training After Study Finds It Could Have Been Prevented in Past Races by Deborah Kotz

http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2012/01/boston-marathon-offer-cpr-training-after-study-finds-could-have-prevented-deaths-past-races/jgcaVGPqqBAEiqxVzW1DZK/index.html

Savannah Smiles

Well, it's that time of year again. Put your New Year's resolutions of healthy eating aside and make room for Girl Scout Cookies! Every year Girl Scouts go door to door nation wide selling their delicious treats to raise money for their groups. Savannah Smiles is the newest brand of cookies to join the line-up this year. Savannah Smiles will be available for sale along with the classic Samoas, Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs, Thank You Berry Much, Lemonades, Dulce la Leche, Thanks-A-Lot, Trefoils, Shout Outs!, and of course the most popular, Thin Mints. Savannah Smiles are named after the hometown of Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low. They were introduced this year in honor of Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary. Juliette started Girl Scouts in 1912 in her hometown, Savannah, Georgia. The Girl Scouts describe their new tasty treat as "bite-sized, lemon-wedge cookies dusted in powdered sugar and bursting with zesty lemon flavor." They first offered Savannah Smiles in Savannah, Georgia. A local group of Girl Scouts set up a stand in front of Juliette's childhood home to sell the cookies. However, when neighbors called the police to complain about the stand, the city's zoning administrator was forced to rule that girls were violating a city ordinance by setting up a table on the public sidewalk" (Stanglin 1). Personally, I think it is ridiculous that the girls were forced to move their sale from their founders home. They were innocent!

Author Douglas Stanglin appears to be a huge fan of the cookies. However, he used very little of ethos, logos, and pathos. He started the article with a mouthwatering description about the cookies but then went on to write about the cookie selling incident without any sympathy. I think he could have done a lot more with this article considering he was writing about cookies. I was expecting an article full of fun and attracting adjectives describing the treat. He included one description of the cookies, but it was from the Girl Scout website. Maybe he thought writing about Girl Scout Cookies was childish but who doesn't like Girl Scout Cookies?

Girl Scouts Add New Lemony "Smiles" Cookie to the List by Douglas Stantin

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/01/girl-scout-adds-new-lemony-smiles-cookie-to-the-list/1

Super Bowl Ad Times Are Sold Out!

The games just about a month away and the advertisers are more prepared than the actual players. Although the regular season for football just ended this past Sunday, the major advertising companies have already secured commercial spots during the big game. All of the 30-60 second slots sold by Thanksgiving according to Seth Winter, the senior vice president of sales and marketing at NBC sports. Winter reported that, All of the 30-second slots...sold for a record $3.5 million" (Winter 1). He let readers into a little secret about some of the new as well as returning ads. Commericials from Volkswagen, Dannon Yogurt, Go Daddy, and Doritos are expected to make an appearance. He also predicted that many ads will be full of celebrities as Bridgetone tire already had a former football star lined up. The author of the article, Bruce Horovitz, informed readers that, This year for the first time, USA TODAY and Facebook are partnering on the USA TODAY Facebook Super Bowl AdMeter" (Horovitz 1). For the first time ever, Super Bowl Viewers will be able to "view, rate, and share Super Bowl ads" through USA Today and Facebook.

Horovitz used used logos in her article. He included many statistics from Winter regarding the length and price of commericals. He also listed the number of commercials each company had purchased. His article began with a few opening paragraphs but then fell into a bulleted list format where she bulleted the company and included a few sentences about the ad they plan to show during the Super Bowl. I think that with the information he was given, Horovitz took the correct approach to writing this article. He had very limited information to work with and included as much as possible. Also, because he was writing about ads for the Super Bowl, it was important that he did not give away too much information. Hopefully, Horovitz gave away just enough information to keep readers on the edge of their seat during the commercials but not being able to predict each upcoming ad.

Super Bowl Ad Time Sells Out by Bruce Horovitz

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/story/2012-01-02/super-bowl-ads-sell-out/52342052/1

"Bless Me, Ultima" January 3, 2011

Well, it seems to be a general consensus that the ending of Bless Me, Ultima was not well liked by our class. For me personally, the ending did nothing to sum up the amazing story of Antonio. It was much too abrupt and gave us absolutely no insight onto Antonio's future. While my most favorite books all end happily, all of the books I seem to love the most have an actual ending or a specific insight into what the characters future will be. Anaya seemed to be unable to come to terms with the ending of the book as the only way we found out what a characters future would be if they died. Unfortunately, Lupito, Narciso, Florence, and Ultima all passed away in the novel. It was so sad to see those characters die because they were all good who had done no harm. I did not expect Florence's death at all. I predicted that he would develop a strong relationship with the golden carp but I never expected him to die in the process. Anaya's use of pathos when describing Florence's death was very descriptive and effective. He was just a young boy who let his curiosity win. Although it was predicted and I could see it coming, Ultima's death was upsetting. One of the worst parts of her death was the struggles Antonio went through to try to save her. He was so young and innocent and had already witnessed more deaths than one should in a lifetime. When Antonio saw Ultima's owl being waved around by Terenio, his hopes were crushed. He lost all faith in himself and God. I think that Ultima was Antonio's last hope in understanding the work of God as his confession and communion did not teach him anything. One of my favorite lines in the book was "I bless you in the name of all that is good and strong and beautiful, Antonio. Always have the strength to live. Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind is gentle and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you--" (Anaya 261). Ultima had come to terms with her death and knew that the only thing she could do to help was to comfort Antonio. 

I wish that Anaya had given her readers a clearer view of Antonio's future. She left us at a bit of a cliff hanger, almost the type of ending that a book would have a sequel to. Anaya had many loose ends to tie up, especially with Antonio, his family and friends, Terenio, and his religious beliefs. If there was a sequel or a second part to the book that was about Antonio's future, this would have been the perfect ending. But, Anaya ended at Ultima's death to let us write our own endings. Overall, I enjoyed reading Bless Me, Ultima. I wish the ending had been a little more clear and specific as to how Antonio ended up but other than that I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read!

Living in the Present

With the new year underway, people all over the world are setting new goals and making resolutions. There are the usual resolutions such as living a healthier lifestyle, saving  more money, or quitting a bad habit but Bill and Giuliana Rancic have set a goal much different than that, Our goal is to really live in the present – to enjoy life"  (Bill Rancic 1). After being diagnosed with breast cancer about a year ago, Giuliana has stopped taking things for granted and is appreciating what she has in life to be thankful for. About three weeks ago, Giuliana underwent a double mastecomy, in hopes of getting rid of the cancer. Her husband Bill has been by her side every step of the way. Together, they hope to get stronger everyday and that the cancer will never return. 

Author Alison Schwartz used pathos to write this article. It was featured on People.com so the audience base was mainly those in the entertainment/lifestyle department. However, it was not written to be taken as celebrity gossip. Schwartz truthfully wrote the article and included many quotes from Bill and Giuliana. Because it was written for a "fun read" rather than for information, the article had little substance to it. It was short but sweet. The quotes included helped persuade her readers with pathos because of the emotions Bill and Giuliana had. I think that pathos was enough to persuade her readers in this instance. I liked how she kept the topic very positive and upbeat because that is how Giuliana and Bill want it to be, "Every day, I'm able to do something new that I wasn't able to do before" (Giuliana Rancic). Best of luck to Giuliana and everyone out there who has had to face cancer!


Giuliana Rancic: How I'm Ringing in the New Year by Alison Schwartz
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20557840,00.html

Kidney Donations through Facebook

Social networking sites have proven to be more than just a place for socializing with friends and family, they connect others for positive reasons that would not have met otherwise. Damon Brown, a husband and father of two had just received the saddening news that he needed a kidney transplant when he decided with his wife to create a Facebook account looking for a kidney. Damon created a page on Facebook under the name "Damon Kidney". The page eventually developed over 1,400 friends. Jacqueline Ryell, one of the 1,400, stepped up and volunteered to donate her kidney. Originally, Damon was embarrassed to have asked for help so publicly, "I'm a strong guy, but I would have to say, it's been rough this year" (Brown 1). Although many doubted Ryell's decision to donate her kidney to Brown as they were only acquaintances, she would not back down, "The real reason I'm doing this is he's got kids and he's a good guy, My life is in a good place. I've been given lots and I have a responsibility to give back" (Ryell 1). Originally, Brown was placed on the nation wide kidney waiting list, the wait was three years long. Thanks to the generosity and courage of Ryell, he will receive a kidney much sooner than expected and be able to be with his family.

The author of this article, Elaine Thompson, used mainly pathos to write her article. She mentioned Brown's family, especially his children, many times in an effort to show how important family life is and forever will be to Brown. One emotional quote that very upsetting was, "...he was constantly tired and achy. He couldn't sit on the bed to tell bedtime stories to 5-year-old Julian and 3-year-old Theo because he had to stay close to his dialysis machine" (Thompson 1). However, she also included many positive and uplifting quotes about the situation such as, "A few weeks ago, after the transplant was approved and scheduled, Brown posted the good news to his Facebook friends. More than 300 people responded: "Whoo hoo….what a great Christmas present," wrote Kelly L. Hallissey. "This is awesome!! Praying for you and your family for positive news and a great way to begin 2012!" wrote Brenda Tomtan" (Thompson 1). She used some logos as she mentioned other instances on Facebook and even Craigslist of successful organ transplants. However, she went on a bit of a tangent at the end of the article when she introduced another instance of a kidney transplant through Facebook. Personally, I thought it took away from Damon Brown's story. Hopefully by publishing this article Thompson was able to raise awareness about the extreme need for organ transplants.

For Some in Need, Facebook is Route to New Kidney by Elaine Thompson
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-01/facebook-kidney/52319734/1