1. The position that the author takes on the definition of a sport is that it doesn't really have one. You define the word yourself, and 'you know it when you see it', because no one can ever agree on what we should define the word as, and everyone wants their sport to be defined as a sport. There is as much or as little criteria as we would like.
2. It seems that it would only be important to have actual accepted criteria for what constitutes a sport for events such as the Olympics or the X games, where certain sports are honored in various ways and everyone can agree that that is their place. Professional football games and such would also be a good place, just so there are specific rules to be abided by in order to play fair.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
SWA #18: Topics
Topic 1: Facebook and other social networking sites versus the intelligence, attention, and potential of younger generations and how they perceive themselves.
It was quite easy on Google Scholar to find at least three good articles I could use. Most of them are opinionated articles, but they have scholarly evidence and explore different claims and ideas and opinions, such as narcissism and image of these younger generations, as well as how certain habits are impeding their social and intellectual growth.
Topic 2: What our children are eating, in America and other overdeveloped countries. How cafeteria food has changed for the worse and who has the right to change it for the better.
I already have at least one non-scholarly source for this, Jamie Olliver's show, which has some great demonstrations and points I could use to argue how awful children's food around the world is. This one would require a bit more research I think, but it would still be relatively interesting and easy to write on.
Topic 3: Climate change and global warming: Is it real? Is it a rick to our health and our children? Can we really help stop it?
I definitely think this would be an interesting topic to write on, but ti would require more scientific research, such as looking at weather and different conditions and trends around the world. There are a huge number of articles on this topic both on google scholar and the USC library database, and I'm sure most would be helpful, especially for exploring different viewpoints for the exploratory paper. Otherwise, I think it might be difficult for me to pick a side to argue for the policy/proposal paper.
It was quite easy on Google Scholar to find at least three good articles I could use. Most of them are opinionated articles, but they have scholarly evidence and explore different claims and ideas and opinions, such as narcissism and image of these younger generations, as well as how certain habits are impeding their social and intellectual growth.
Topic 2: What our children are eating, in America and other overdeveloped countries. How cafeteria food has changed for the worse and who has the right to change it for the better.
I already have at least one non-scholarly source for this, Jamie Olliver's show, which has some great demonstrations and points I could use to argue how awful children's food around the world is. This one would require a bit more research I think, but it would still be relatively interesting and easy to write on.
Topic 3: Climate change and global warming: Is it real? Is it a rick to our health and our children? Can we really help stop it?
I definitely think this would be an interesting topic to write on, but ti would require more scientific research, such as looking at weather and different conditions and trends around the world. There are a huge number of articles on this topic both on google scholar and the USC library database, and I'm sure most would be helpful, especially for exploring different viewpoints for the exploratory paper. Otherwise, I think it might be difficult for me to pick a side to argue for the policy/proposal paper.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Response to 'Factory food artificially cheap, bad for your health' article
This article was about contamination in our food in recent times, how it comes about, and how to fix it. The author's claim is that factory farms are not only bad for the environment, but bad for the people eating the food they produce because they breed disease and contamination. One reason he uses is that The Chicago Tribune cited a USDA statistic stating that Americans spend significantly less of their income on food nowadays compared to a decade or two ago, and compared to other countries, because the quality of food has driven the price down because of these factory farms producing high amounts of low-quality meat more effectively and faster. He also talks about he gruesome living environments in which the animals live before they are slaughtered. These places are a great place to spread filth and disease between animals. He uses such phrases such as 'toxic' and 'food safety' to convince his audience how bad factory farms are, and how we should eat more sustainably. His argument is well thought out and definitely convincing to me through all of these tactics.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Fear Factories Response
Scullly believes that cruelty to animals should be conservative, and most other people probably believe this as well. He makes his case by referencing plenty of other people, such as CS Lewis, Judge Glenn, PETA, and many others. This tactic definitely makes him appear more credible and resourceful in his case. He also talks about moral and ethical standards, appealing to the pathos in the reader and audience, and provides a logical argument as to why animal cruelty should be conservative, for even the sole reason that it 'has no tradition, no code of honor, no rules, and no decencies to spare for a fellow creature,' and 'conservatism is supposed to revere tradition.' He uses plenty of appeals and examples to build his argument, and plenty of credible sources to support it.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
RA #2 Analysis
Thesis: Advertisements can be very flexible, targeting many different audiences in order to sell the same product. The two ads I picked for Jose Cuervo are selling the exact same type of liquor, but due to the vast contrasting details and phrases depicted in the ads, they are both effective at targeting a different audience.
1. The first ad (with the older man) is targeted toward a more mature audience who've been drinking for many years. The designer of the ad's use of lighting, color, and strategic wording give it the effect of exclusivity and maturity, and high class.
-Navy, khaki, beige, brown: dark and ageless colors that suggest intelligence.
-Phrase suggest timelessness of alcohol and the smoothness of taste and feel.
-Audience wants to feel classy and interesting (ie men with money)
-Kairos: It's an older ad, and it targets certain values that men of that age would want to have
2. The second ad, geared toward a younger, less realistic, more dream-oriented audience, utilizes a tactful color scheme and a dreamy phrase to persuade its audience that the Jose Cuervo will 'make their daydreams come true.'
-The black-and-white color scheme makes the ad look simple, and the flow of alcohol at the bottom makes it pop and look very smooth and inviting.
-The words used make the younger audience more inclined to want to drink and have fun with either friends or someone of the opposite sex.
-Everyone wants their dreams to come true: ad is more appealing and exciting.
-Kairos: Young, modern, exciting. Young people want to be the people in the ad
Conclusion: The way these two ads are portrayed tell a lot about the audience and the product being sold. The creators of the advertisements utilize tools such as wording, arrangement, coloring, and kairos to get their points across sufficiently and effectively, in order to make their target audiences want to purchase their products.
1. The first ad (with the older man) is targeted toward a more mature audience who've been drinking for many years. The designer of the ad's use of lighting, color, and strategic wording give it the effect of exclusivity and maturity, and high class.
-Navy, khaki, beige, brown: dark and ageless colors that suggest intelligence.
-Phrase suggest timelessness of alcohol and the smoothness of taste and feel.
-Audience wants to feel classy and interesting (ie men with money)
-Kairos: It's an older ad, and it targets certain values that men of that age would want to have
2. The second ad, geared toward a younger, less realistic, more dream-oriented audience, utilizes a tactful color scheme and a dreamy phrase to persuade its audience that the Jose Cuervo will 'make their daydreams come true.'
-The black-and-white color scheme makes the ad look simple, and the flow of alcohol at the bottom makes it pop and look very smooth and inviting.
-The words used make the younger audience more inclined to want to drink and have fun with either friends or someone of the opposite sex.
-Everyone wants their dreams to come true: ad is more appealing and exciting.
-Kairos: Young, modern, exciting. Young people want to be the people in the ad
Conclusion: The way these two ads are portrayed tell a lot about the audience and the product being sold. The creators of the advertisements utilize tools such as wording, arrangement, coloring, and kairos to get their points across sufficiently and effectively, in order to make their target audiences want to purchase their products.
Topic Proposal based on Guidelines
2. I’m analyzing alcohol ads for the same type of liquor, Jose Cuervo tequila.
3. One ad is from a blog written by a woman called ‘The French Exit’, and one is from a media education website designed for high school and college students. One audience is definitely older, and one is definitely a younger generation, both of which correspond to the two ads. The blog is definitely geared more towards a classier, older, more tasteful audience. The alcohol education website is more for teenagers and young people trying to learn about alcohol.
4. The first ad has a mature-looking man standing in front of a bar with a sort of smug look on his face. What he’s wearing is formal and dark: A navy blazer, khaki pants, a Ralph Lauren tie. You can tell he means business. He’s drinking his Jose Cuervo in a glass ‘on the rocks’, suggesting that he is older and more experienced. The caption says “I always drink Cuervo Gold. Now and then.” The ‘now and then’ also implies something about his age, proposing that this drink is timeless and that he’s been drinking for a long time.
The second ad features a young man holding a young woman. They appear to be on the beach, because they are wearing bathing suits. They are both smiling sort of foolishly, like they are extremely happy. The ad is black and white, without much detail. At the bottom, there is a string of gold, the color of the alcohol, and there is a picture of the bottle in color. There is a caption stating “Pursue your daydreams”, insinuating that when you drink Jose Cuervo, you can make your daydreams come true. This ad is definitely geared toward a younger audience with such ‘daydreams’.
5. I chose these two because they are both advertising the same type of alcohol, which I thought would be interesting to analyze, because of its versatility. They both seemed exciting to me. The first one grounds a stereotype about older people (men, especially) who feel are classy and mature, while the second one shows the stereotype of young people just wanting to have fun and ‘daydream’ all day.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Ad 3
Source: GOOD Magazine
Target Audience: Most people (probably geared more towards younger people, as Toms have become more of a trendy fashion statement as of late)
Product: Toms shoes
Target Audience A has assumptions that wearing toms makes them a better person, because voting and giving blood are associated in the same category of 'civil duties' and 'being a good person' all around. (ie if you vote and give blood, you automatically should wear Toms because doing good should come naturally to you.) The consumer should want to do good, since Toms donates a pair of shoes to someone in need every time you buy them. (Guilts people into buying)
Buying these shoes can make you feel fulfilled and like you have made a difference in someone's life who may be in need or who doesn't have shoes.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=shoes+magazine+ads&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=578&tbm=isch&tbnid=1lvHJxutTjVF5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/good&docid=MBl2u-18Pi2U8M&w=2628&h=3378&ei=ubWJTvnHOeff0QGyj5XaDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=244&vpy=169&dur=868&hovh=255&hovw=198&tx=122&ty=102&page=2&tbnh=172&tbnw=134&start=20&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:20
Target Audience: Most people (probably geared more towards younger people, as Toms have become more of a trendy fashion statement as of late)
Product: Toms shoes
Target Audience A has assumptions that wearing toms makes them a better person, because voting and giving blood are associated in the same category of 'civil duties' and 'being a good person' all around. (ie if you vote and give blood, you automatically should wear Toms because doing good should come naturally to you.) The consumer should want to do good, since Toms donates a pair of shoes to someone in need every time you buy them. (Guilts people into buying)
Buying these shoes can make you feel fulfilled and like you have made a difference in someone's life who may be in need or who doesn't have shoes.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=shoes+magazine+ads&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=578&tbm=isch&tbnid=1lvHJxutTjVF5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/good&docid=MBl2u-18Pi2U8M&w=2628&h=3378&ei=ubWJTvnHOeff0QGyj5XaDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=244&vpy=169&dur=868&hovh=255&hovw=198&tx=122&ty=102&page=2&tbnh=172&tbnw=134&start=20&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:20
Ad 2
Journal/Source: Glamour Magazine
Target Audience: Young women/people that want to be fit and healthy
Product: Streamliner-Delicious, protein-filled yogurt
Audience A has a need to be healthier and better nourished, to look and feel her best, and apparently isn't currently feeling that way until she tries Streamliner. ('Be fit, feel good').
This consumer should buy this product because it will make he or she feel great, look fantastic, and be able to do the things shown in the ad (ie lying on the beach or catching air while skiing). It is also high in calcium!
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=glamour+magazine+ads&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=578&tbm=isch&tbnid=fKt0aliDjGXdJM:&imgrefurl=http://www.leivadesigns.com/htmdocs/portfolio.html&docid=YJiKQlq9vUUMIM&w=738&h=540&ei=ELSJTpShFqHh0QH1v_zwDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=261&vpy=271&dur=2540&hovh=192&hovw=263&tx=193&ty=85&page=1&tbnh=117&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0
Target Audience: Young women/people that want to be fit and healthy
Product: Streamliner-Delicious, protein-filled yogurt
Audience A has a need to be healthier and better nourished, to look and feel her best, and apparently isn't currently feeling that way until she tries Streamliner. ('Be fit, feel good').
This consumer should buy this product because it will make he or she feel great, look fantastic, and be able to do the things shown in the ad (ie lying on the beach or catching air while skiing). It is also high in calcium!
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=glamour+magazine+ads&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=578&tbm=isch&tbnid=fKt0aliDjGXdJM:&imgrefurl=http://www.leivadesigns.com/htmdocs/portfolio.html&docid=YJiKQlq9vUUMIM&w=738&h=540&ei=ELSJTpShFqHh0QH1v_zwDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=261&vpy=271&dur=2540&hovh=192&hovw=263&tx=193&ty=85&page=1&tbnh=117&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0
Ad 1
Magazine ad
Target Audience A: Adults/businesspeople with busy day-to-day lives
Product B: The Palm Centro personal organizer/cell phone
This target consumer's life is busy, hectic, and chaotic, and he or she needs a way to fit everything and be at peace.
This consumer should obviously buy the palm centro because it is small and easy to carry around, and can fit all of your needs into one place. It will make you feel more organized, and therefore more calm and confident about your life. It can provide happiness and peace.
http://koreansensation.deviantart.com/art/Palm-Centro-Magazine-Ad-70375854
Target Audience A: Adults/businesspeople with busy day-to-day lives
Product B: The Palm Centro personal organizer/cell phone
This target consumer's life is busy, hectic, and chaotic, and he or she needs a way to fit everything and be at peace.
This consumer should obviously buy the palm centro because it is small and easy to carry around, and can fit all of your needs into one place. It will make you feel more organized, and therefore more calm and confident about your life. It can provide happiness and peace.
http://koreansensation.deviantart.com/art/Palm-Centro-Magazine-Ad-70375854
My Postsecret
The 'secret' in my postcard was that some famous, beautiful celebrity secretly hates herself. I displayed this information pretty explicitly, instead of providing a clue or implicit way of stating it for an audience to deduce. I chose to include two different 'girly' colors, pink and purple, as well as a full heart and a broken heart drawing. I also write in cursive, the effect of all these manipulations being that the card seemed sweet at first glance, and sort of sickly sweet after you read it, especially with the broken heart. I wanted to portray this persona as vulnerable and down-to-earth, so that the average audience member could maybe feel some satisfaction from reading it, knowing how big of a celebrity this person is.
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