"As Its Global Warming Narrative Unravels, The IPCC Is In Damage Control Mode" by James Taylor (TOW #3)

For years, global warming has been a controversial topic that has received a significant amount of media attention, despite what some, like James Taylor, say is a myth based on denial and overreaction. Taylor, a senior figure from the Heartland Institute, discusses his view on the subject by bringing attention the chair of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Raj Pachauri. Taylor highlights a statement Pachairi publicly said, which plainly denied the plateau that global temperatures have experienced during the past decade. This contradicts not only with other sources, including headlines of NPR, BBC, and The New York Times, but also with scientists who are a part of IPCC. Taylor utilized this situation to compose what appears to be a persuasion essay. His purpose, therefore, is to convince his readers that global warming alarmists have often skewed or imagined scenarios and facts to create a greater public fear of the matter, which Taylor describes as a “myth”. Taylor, whose editorial is published on Forbes, is not a staff writer and instead writes for Environmental & Climate News. Though his occupation and experience on environmental issues do appeal to ethos, he is simply a contributor, and has no affiliation to the magazine. It seems that Taylor put this in Forbes to speak to a specific audience. Readers of the magazine are most likely those interested in business, so there is a greater chance Taylor’s readers are educated and informed, and therefore might listen to Taylor’s argument, which is accompanied by statistics and quotes from experts. In this way, Taylor also seems to be appealing to logos. The tone is for the most part focused and formal, but Taylor does effectively use a hyperbole towards the end of his essay to create a lasting impression: “One cannot watch this propaganda train wreck unfold without expectations that Pachauri will soon offer a mini-pony with every copy of the IPCC’s newest report.” A mini-pony is such a foreign object in the context of the subject that is stands out and provides some humor to Taylor’s otherwise serious editorial. Using a variety of rhetorical strategies, Taylor did achieve his purpose.

Article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/09/26/as-its-global-warming-narrative-unravels-the-ipcc-is-in-damage-control-mode/

New Yorker Cartoon on Polticians' Honesty by Bernard Schoenbaum (TOW # 2)

Throughout the years of government in both the United States and internationally, politicians have had a reputation for being corrupt and greedy, acting more in the interest of themselves than that of the people. Though this is a generalization and not true of all public servants, there are certainly those that have skewed public addresses and falsified their values in order to gain support from the people. Bernard Schoenbaum satirizes this in a political cartoon in the New Yorker. 

Schoenbaum, who has drawn over four hundred cartoons for the magazine, illustrates this statement by depicting a politician sitting at his desk. An American flag stands in one corner of the room, and a man is standing before his desk, with an apologetic look on his face. The politician, who might be a fictional representation of the president, is holding a bunch of papers that seem to have come from the man in front of him. The words below the cartoon, which are meant for the politician, read “Say, who the hell’s been writing this stuff? It comes perilously close to the truth.” 

One of Schoenbaum’s purposes is to make the assertion that some politicians’ speeches are not very truthful and are often composed to mislead the public. His second purpose is to be humorous and entertain his audience. This is achieved through the politician’s statement, which is exaggerated. This text’s immediate audience would be readers of the New Yorker, who have most likely been exposed to many political cartoons, and his extended audience would be politicians, who might take this a different way.  Due to the context of the New Yorker, however, which has an abundance of cartoons, the audience would likely be able to recognize the lighthearted tone of this text. This political cartoon was effective in its purpose, deriving humor from Schoenbaum’s statement about politicians’ morality.

"It's Not 'Mess.' It's Creativity." by Kathleen D. Vohs (TOW #1)

Many believe that cleanliness is the correct choice over messiness, and this is undeniably true for some aspects of life. Basic hygiene, for example, has become widely accepted as a way to ensure wellness and the ability to function in modern society. Being around messiness, however, is another story, and tests conducted by Kathleen D. Vohs and her associates confirmed that a messy environment fosters creativity as opposed to a neat one.

            The purpose of this article seems to be in part a report of her lab’s findings. Vohs, who is an associate professor at the Carson school of Management at the University of Minnesota, mainly studies the psychological effects of making choices, thinking of money, and self-regulation. In her article, she gives the experiment credibility by referencing a similar study performed at Northwestern University, and asserts, “Our findings have practical implications.” The majority of the article is a description of the individual tests, and therefore, Vohs’ use of style and rhetorical devices was not very evident, with the only notable ones being the rhetorical questions as an introduction. However, I feel Vohs effectively conveys the significance of her results, and does manage to achieve her intended purpose. Though I can’t speak for every reader of this article, I can speak for myself, and I found it to be interesting and informative.

Her audience, many of whom are probably regular readers of the New York Times, are sure to derive some sort of knowledge from this article. In today’s world, innovation and creativity is the key to overcoming many obstacles. In addition, readers of the Op-Ed section of the New York Times might be searching for some form of inspiration for work, art, etc., so this article is especially suited for them.

Above all, this article gave me an excuse for having a messy room.                                                                                                                 Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/opinion/sunday/its-not-mess-its-creativity.html

IRB Intro Post: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

“The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.” Seeing these words on the cover of blink, my anticipation to read this book heightened. There’s nothing too captivating or revolutionary about this phrase, but it certainly caught my attention. I have always had an idea of who Malcolm Gladwell was; aware of his unique ability to view the world from a different angle than the rest of us, but I never reached the point of actually reading one of his books. Therefore, blink will be an introduction to his writing.

            The book sleeve revealed the plot of blink, which is essentially the analysis of Warren Harding’s election, New Coke, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Gladwell uses these events to look at the mechanics of decision-making; why some people are able to find success by following their instincts, while others consistently fall short of their aspirations.

            I hope mainly to learn something about myself from reading this. I feel like Gladwell’s purpose in analyses like blink, The Tipping Point, and Outliers is to teach the world what we are doing right and what were are doing wrong, and to offer some guidance to improve our society. I’m not sure if the moral is included at the end of the story, but I think I will still learn something of importance.

"You Owe Me" by Miah Arnold

Miah Arnold provides a unique look into the world of children’s cancer in this essay. Arnold has received awards for her work, including a Barthelme award, and a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance. She has also had experience as an editor, and has a Ph. D. in writing and literature.

Working as a teacher of poetry and prose at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Arnold has created many strong bonds with children victim to deadly diseases. In “You Owe Me”, she recounts her experiences with her students, whose fragile lives have changed her in many ways. In particular, she writes about Khalil, a boy from Saudi Arabia who had been at the hospital for longer than of her other students. The bond she creates with Khalil is so strong, she writes that she once thought she would quit if he passed away.

Being that there are few who have the opportunity to be a part of these children’s lives, there are likely many people who are curious about this subject, and consequently make up her audience. Arnold’s purpose, after all, seems to be to inform the outside world of the creativity and imagination her students have even whilst battling cancer. I believe that Arnold is successful in achieving this; her ability to illustrate each student as an individual makes for an essay that is captivating and informative.

Most importantly, “You Owe Me” teaches lessons in perseverance and faith. The ending is very effective in delivering these messages with a lasting effect. As a way to show how attached she is to this job and these children, Arnold tells an anecdote involving one of her students. Arnold walks in to see her face covered in scabs, and immediately retreats, heartbroken. Only when she is told the cause of this injury was a fall is her faith restored.

A child cancer patient, much like Arnold's students at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Source: http://danisfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Pediatric-Cancer.jpg