TOW 28: Cheating

"Coffee on a Tuesday and Vlog twenty-six!"

So starts another vlog (video blog), this time, with Evan Puschak, web producer for MSNBC, talking about cheating. Evan's main thesis for this vlog is simple and true: we are cheaters because of society's expectations of us and therefore the phrase, "cheaters never win" is utterly and absolutely incorrect. Evan conveys this sad truth with the use of credible sources, citing Rutgers University's 1997 study on cheating as well as providing a concise and easy to understand analysis of his evidence. His target audience, subscribers of his Youtube channel (Theenerdwriter1), is given a reality check and then urged to ponder this case. He does not ask us to change as he probably knows that no one will ever stop cheating, whether it be on a test, paper, or even significant other. Evan ends the video, just asking as rhetorical question to make us think about this even after the video is over.

TOW 27: White House Correspondents' Dinner

Recently. Washington, D.C. held its annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. President Obama last night joined Conan O'Brien onstage at the Washington Hilton for the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and gave his fifth address to the organization of journalists who cover the White House. During most of his address, President Obama had a light and humorous tone, making sarcastic and comical remarks against himself as well as others (CNN). A spoof promo was also shown to the audience, based on Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." This mode of satire was entertaining and its point easy to understand. Though the WHC Dinner was entertaining and light-hearted, President Obama did not forget to address one of his main purposes: reminding the audience of the important role the media plays in American society, especially during times of crisis such as the Boston Marathon bombing and the Texas Explosion. President Obama commends the media for being patient and making sure to relay correct and valid information to the public.

TOW 26: The Tipping Point - Intro

In the introduction of his book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell defines a tipping point as "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point." He then goes about introducing the main premise of the book, which is to explain the surprising phenomena of sociological changes that mark everyday life. Of how Hush Puppies went from being an almost out-of-business company to an overnight sensation, top-industry company that was in the ranks of Donna Karen and Calvin Klein; of how the crime rate in New York went from being at an all time high to an all time low. Gladwell uses straight up facts and statistics to create a credible foundation for his narrative. His tone is straightforward and candid yet inquisitive and curious, narrating as if he is discussing and speculating the topics at hand with the reader. Gladwell does this to inform the readers - to bring awareness to these mysterious tipping points, what they are and why they happen, and he does this effectively and in an interesting manner. 

TOW 25: When One Door Closes, Another Opens...

The saying, "when one door closes, another door opens," is often offered up in a gesture of condolences and comfort. However, in one of  US News' recent political cartoons, that saying had a different meaning in mind. In recent news, North Korea has been the source of much political tension. With constant (but harmless?) threats of starting war with its southern half of the country or blowing up the western part of the world, the United States has been forced to take part of this unwanted dispute. Walt Handelsman, author of the cartoon, is trying to show his audience, followers of the current political situation, that it never ends for America. Just when things were starting to look optimistic, what with the calming of Afghanistan and pulling out our troops, America is forced to get involved into yet another foreign dispute. The "when one door closes, another opens" saying is clearly not meant for optimism, the "one door closes" referring to Afghanistan and the "another" door referring to North Korea. Handelsman concisely and effectively got his point across, illustrating in an easy to understand manner.

TOW 24: Rachel Maddow on Sandy Hook and Sexist Politicians

Rachel Maddow, political commentator and talk show host on MSNBC, informed the audience, politically curious people, with new details of the Sandy Hook shooting that were uncovered by the Hartford Courant. She brought up an astounding statistic: the killer shot 152 bullets in less than five minutes. All it took was five minutes to kill 26 people. Maddow adds credibility to her news segment by listing shocking statistics that put things into perspective as well as citing credible people such as Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. On the topic of gun control, Maddow showed a tense exchange between Ted Cruz and senator Feinstein about guns. Maddow's ultimate purpose of this episode was to bring to light the condescending and sexist ways of some incompetent politicians. "Let the record show that you can be a United States Senator for 21 years, you can be 79-years-old, you can be the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and one of the most recognizable and widely respected veteran public servants in your nation, but if you are female while all of other those things, men who you defeat in arguments will still respond to you by calling you hysterical and telling you to calm down," Maddow stated.
Maddow did an excellent job keeping the audience's attention whilst presenting facts in a concise yet informative manner. She added her own thoughts and opinions to certain things but she did not let her bias rule the facts. She was unbiased and fair and made rather valid points.

TOW 23: Emancipating Lincoln

After finishing Emancipating Lincoln by Harold Holzer, author and Senior Vice President of External Affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was able to examine the impact of Lincoln’s momentous announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation during the pivotal moment in the American Civil War. Using original, primary sources, Holzer analyzes Lincoln’s modern manipulation of the media—the various ways in which he withheld, leaked, and promoted the Proclamation—in order to make his society-altering announcement applicable to America. Holzer's main purpose was to shed light about not just the factual aspect of the Emancipation Proclamation, but also the story behind it. What the political and social climate was at that time; the various responses from the American people; Lincoln's true motives. And Holzer accomplishes all of this by citing credible, original sources that establish a sense of ethos.

TOW 22: Expectant Parents Killed, Baby Survives

A midnight car crash in Brooklyn resulted in the death of Nathan and Raizy Glauber, both 21 years old. They were on their way to Long Island College Hospital for a wellness check when a BMW crashed into the side of the cab the couple was in. Although both victims were pronounced dead at two different hospitals, a Cesarian section was performed to save the baby. Erinn Cawthon, news assistant at CNN, used  fairly little "flowery" literary devices. She was concise and straightforward, presenting the facts in a easy-to-follow manner. Cawthon cited higher personnel, such as spokesmen for the New York City Police Department. These quotes made the article more credible and believable. Things weren't added just to make the article more shocking and interesting. Cawthon's main purpose of this article was to inform active news readers and CNN followers of a tragedy that occurred in New York. It seemed as though she tried to provoke a sense of pity and sadness from the readers, trying to make them realize that a child will now spend the rest of his life not knowing his parents. She conveys the joy of a birth and the loss of lives. This juxtaposition of life and death helped to establish Cawthon's purpose and make the article interesting.