Citations:

Area. "Christmas tree". cartoon. Arya Net. 24 Dec. 2008. 18 Dec. 2009. < http://image.aryanet.com/blog/christmas_tree.gif>.

"Christmas Present". Picture. Palatine Village. Dec. 2009. 18 Dec. 2009. <
http://www.palatine.il.us/assets/1/police/christmas-presents.jpg>.

Kurtzman, Daniel. "Spirit of the Season". cartoon. About.com. 2008. 18 Dec. 2009. <
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Christmas-Cartoons/Spirit-of-the-Season.htm>.

"Manger Scene". Painting. catholicexchange.com. 25 Dec. 2007. 18 Dec. 2009. <
http://www.operationlettertosanta.com/Christmas%20images/Wallpapers/creche.jpg>.

"Santa Claus". cartoon. santa-claus-clipart.com. 2009. 18 Dec. 2009. <http://www.santa-claus-clipart.com/santa_claus_clip_art_02.jpg>.

Research Paper

Since I am rather interested in politics and what's going on in our government I decided to do my research paper on National Health Care in America. (I didn't know we were going to have an assignment to research it when I picked it, but it worked out well) :) Some of the terms I will need to define are: health insurance mandate, public option, healthcare reform, entitlement plan, co-pay, experience rating, and the list goes on.

Logos

The advertisement shown here is promoting Energizer lithium technology batteries. It may be a bit hard to read (sorry), but on the left it says, "Lasts up to seven times longer in high-tech devices than the leading ordinary alkaline battery". This statistic is meant to convince the reader that this particular brand is far superior to all others and that any logical person should buy this brand. I mean, if this one is seven times better than all the others, why bother getting anything else? :)

Ethos

I picked this advertisement for my example of ethos because I like Roger Federer and the US Open is on right now. :D

This ad shows a picture of Roger Federer, the number one tennis player in the world, wearing a Rolex watch. The basic message meant to be conveyed by this advertisement is "Roger Federer considers our watch brand good enough to wear. If the best tennis player in the world likes our watches they must be good!" It uses the popularity and good reputation of Roger Federer to endorse the product.

Pathos

I know this is really early to be posting this week's homework, but better early than late right? :)

This advertisement is an excellent example of an appeal to pathos. It shows a picture of a child who is so malnourished he is curled up in the fetal position waiting to die. The vulture in the background adds emphasis to the imminent doom ahead. The sad situation of this child is intended to invoke sympathy in the reader and convince them to donate money to the cause promoted below.

The Speech

I knew about Obama's speech to school children only because it generated controversy when parents were worried about their children being forced to watch it.

To my surprise I actually thought Obama's speech was a good one. The message portrayed had nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats and simply focused on the importance of staying in school and working hard to reach your goals.

Obama obviously largely appealed to pathos when he told his life story. By showing what hardships he had to overcome in order to get where he is now, he showed that no matter what the situation, getting an education is vitally important. He also gave some other equally compelling examples of people going through hard times who persevered and are now succeeding in life. (or at least they're on their way)

Though the whole speech was good, two of his points stood out to me. The first was his assertation that, in order to get a good job, it is vital that you get a good education. The second was that YOU are ultimately responsible for your education. The government does their best to provide good teachers and good opportunities, but it's up to you to take advantage of those opportunities.

Though I don't agree with most of his policies, Obama gave a good speech, and I hope the kids listening took it to heart.

First Assignment

This comic strip shows three children sent to the principal's office for what was deemed inappropriate language. The first two children were justly punished, as cursing is entirely inappropriate, especially in a classroom. The third child, however, was punished for saying "Christmas", a national holiday (as of June 26, 1870) that happens to be associated with Christianity. This comic mocks the obsession our culture has with political correctness by comparing the mention of a religious holiday to a curse word. I strongly agree with the notion that political corectness is overrated. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and they have the freedom to express it as per the first amendment to the Constitution. When we begin to prohibit people from expressing their perspective it is in fact infringing on our Constitutional rights. Maybe the people concerned about political correctness should think about that.