Monday, May 3, 2010
Peer Response-Carrie Jo
I recently read Carrie Jo's blog regarding anti-smoking ads published in France. These two ads formed the basis of a much heated discussion not only in France, but around the world, in regards to young people smoking. I felt that Carrie Jo also did a swell job of noting the issue of smoking, but also the fact that the issue of child pornography was brought into the discussion as well. The reason this facet was brought into the scene was because of the way the media portrayed the ad. Unfortunately, something was made of nothing in regards to this issue; something that is not uncommon when it comes to the media. I feel that the media should keep their nose out of ads regarding the well-being of people. However, I understand this is their job. I would like to see, which I'm sure Carrie Jo would also, more regulation placed on media coverage. In conclusion, Carrie Jo did a very fine job in her blog and I felt that she covered all necessary material in order to give a complete report on the issue.
A Tail of Two Stories
Recently there has been much interest regarding the BP oil spill off the southwest coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. I found two articles, on two very different sites, that had their own facts and input about the story. The articles I found were on msnbc.com and foxnews.com, two highly publicized news media outlets that share different political views. For the most part both websites contained the same factual knowledge, with a surprisingly small number of instances where I found differences in opinion. I was satisfied to see that neither of these popular news sources decided to add their thoughts into the articles and that they left it at a matter of fact. I always become frustrated when one of these two websites feels inclined to let the public know what they feel is important, instead of what truly is. Since this is such a serious incident it is important that America and the world hears the truth about what happened and what is going on to hinder the situation.
The first article I read was on msnbc.com and was titled, Obama: Spill could be unprecedented disaster. The article started off by saying how the Obama administration was doing all it could to contain the spill and that it was acting quickly and promptly. Another facet of the article stated that the oil company BP would be covering all costs associated with the spill, including environmental and economical expenses. Furthermore, the article stated how BP was building domes to contain the spill.
The second article was found on foxnews.com and titled, Obama Administration presses BP to settle oil spill cleanup costs. In this article, foxnews did a tremendous job of saying how BP will be covering all costs and how they were completely responsible and also to blame for the spill. Moreover, it outlined how the National Guard had become involved in helping to direct the situation in the right direction.
Personally, I felt that the msnbc article was more convincing because it gave me more facts and first hand analysis in the form of interviews than did the foxnews article. Still further, it gave a broader scope of the incident, retrieving facts from scientists who were working on determining the overall severity of the incident. Overall, the articles were both suffice in giving the public the information that was needed to be said. We will see in the weeks to come what the overall outcome is from this fallout, and msnbc and foxnews will be there with coverage.
The first article I read was on msnbc.com and was titled, Obama: Spill could be unprecedented disaster. The article started off by saying how the Obama administration was doing all it could to contain the spill and that it was acting quickly and promptly. Another facet of the article stated that the oil company BP would be covering all costs associated with the spill, including environmental and economical expenses. Furthermore, the article stated how BP was building domes to contain the spill.
The second article was found on foxnews.com and titled, Obama Administration presses BP to settle oil spill cleanup costs. In this article, foxnews did a tremendous job of saying how BP will be covering all costs and how they were completely responsible and also to blame for the spill. Moreover, it outlined how the National Guard had become involved in helping to direct the situation in the right direction.
Personally, I felt that the msnbc article was more convincing because it gave me more facts and first hand analysis in the form of interviews than did the foxnews article. Still further, it gave a broader scope of the incident, retrieving facts from scientists who were working on determining the overall severity of the incident. Overall, the articles were both suffice in giving the public the information that was needed to be said. We will see in the weeks to come what the overall outcome is from this fallout, and msnbc and foxnews will be there with coverage.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Response to Andrew's Blog
Andrew Zwald recently posted his blog about Global Warming and how he believes it is a fallacy. Andrew stated that politicians have personal agendas when it comes to Global Warming, and how people have different ways of looking at the issue.
I agree with Andrew that everyone has their own opinion about this issue and that everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. But, I do disagree with him in his opinion that it is a fallacy. Global Warming is a real, tangible event happening on our earth right now. It may just be caused by the earth's natural cycles or CO2 emissions that he brought up in his blog. The fact is the earth is warming, so therefore Global Warming is real. Politicians may stretch the truth more than it should be, but we all know that is their job and that is how they get paid.
Even if CO2 emissions are not the main reason behind Global Warming as some politicians may state, energy independence and environmentally friendly practices need to be implemented on a more dire basis in the US and the world. We should see this as a warning of larger problems that may lie ahead, and that if we do not stop our selfish practices now that the environment we are now taking for granted will be hurt beyond repair.
I agree with Andrew that everyone has their own opinion about this issue and that everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. But, I do disagree with him in his opinion that it is a fallacy. Global Warming is a real, tangible event happening on our earth right now. It may just be caused by the earth's natural cycles or CO2 emissions that he brought up in his blog. The fact is the earth is warming, so therefore Global Warming is real. Politicians may stretch the truth more than it should be, but we all know that is their job and that is how they get paid.
Even if CO2 emissions are not the main reason behind Global Warming as some politicians may state, energy independence and environmentally friendly practices need to be implemented on a more dire basis in the US and the world. We should see this as a warning of larger problems that may lie ahead, and that if we do not stop our selfish practices now that the environment we are now taking for granted will be hurt beyond repair.
Sandwich Preparation Blog
Along with all of the responsibilities that come along with becoming a college student, I have learned the importance of a healthy diet. In a college student's often busy, hectic life it is undoubtedly reasonable to see how one can lose track of his/her health values that said person had developed throughout their adolescence. I have especially learned the importance of eating a hearty breakfast, not eating too much junk food and also to not eat before going to bed for the evening. Keeping these things in mind, I am responsible to find food for myself when I miss a meal. I have become rather keen in the formation of the sandwich with cold cuts, and this has now become a staple in my diet.
Personally, the sandwich is a quick, healthy and economical way to get a meal in between classes or when I am on the run and don't have time to sit down for a larger meal. The sandwich offers a lot of variations in that there are numerous types of meats and condiments that can be added to suit one person's tastes. Some options for sandwich meats include: ham, turkey, roast beef and/or summer sausage, while some condiments include: mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles to name a few.
When making a sandwich I make sure that I have all of the right ingredients that I am going to want to have. Considering this I may have to go to a grocery store to get something that I am missing. When I have my ingredients I set them out on a table and first start by taking the bread and possibly toasting it. I butter the bread and then add my sandwich meat, usually two to three pieces. After I have added the turkey meat, I then add lettuce and a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top. Finally, I spread some Door County Mustard on the top piece of bread, place that on top and then cut my sandwich in two with a knife. This way the sandwich will be easier to consume.
I understand Pollan's point in how we, as Americans, have accepted low-fat processed foods too liberally. The sandwich would be a perfect place to add these types of foods, but I make sure to only use the freshest of ingredients. After eating my sandwich I feel content that I did my best, with my limited resources, to supply a nutritious meal for myself. I will admit that I am guilty for eating these foods on occasion, but who isn't? The way we have changed our lives only makes this a reality, not necessarily a choice anymore.
Personally, the sandwich is a quick, healthy and economical way to get a meal in between classes or when I am on the run and don't have time to sit down for a larger meal. The sandwich offers a lot of variations in that there are numerous types of meats and condiments that can be added to suit one person's tastes. Some options for sandwich meats include: ham, turkey, roast beef and/or summer sausage, while some condiments include: mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles to name a few.
When making a sandwich I make sure that I have all of the right ingredients that I am going to want to have. Considering this I may have to go to a grocery store to get something that I am missing. When I have my ingredients I set them out on a table and first start by taking the bread and possibly toasting it. I butter the bread and then add my sandwich meat, usually two to three pieces. After I have added the turkey meat, I then add lettuce and a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top. Finally, I spread some Door County Mustard on the top piece of bread, place that on top and then cut my sandwich in two with a knife. This way the sandwich will be easier to consume.
I understand Pollan's point in how we, as Americans, have accepted low-fat processed foods too liberally. The sandwich would be a perfect place to add these types of foods, but I make sure to only use the freshest of ingredients. After eating my sandwich I feel content that I did my best, with my limited resources, to supply a nutritious meal for myself. I will admit that I am guilty for eating these foods on occasion, but who isn't? The way we have changed our lives only makes this a reality, not necessarily a choice anymore.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Golf Swing Speech Evaluation
I recently gave my demonstration speech to the Life Science Communications 100 class about how to properly swing various golf clubs. In my speech I outlined the history of the game of golf and how it has grown in popularity since its conception over 100 years ago. This game has come a long way since its start when shepherds used sticks to hit stones into rabbit holes. Today technology has transformed the game into a combination of strength and finesse, with fit athletes necessary to win on the professional level. I did my best to convey to my audience the importance each club plays in a round of golf and how each club can be utilized to your advantage.
Throughout my speech I feel I did a good job of teaching my audience about every club in a typical bag. Furthermore, I feel I had strong visual aids that enhanced my presentation. My main visual aid that I utilized throughout my speech was the golf bag with the 14 standard golf clubs. I showed the class how to swing the different types of clubs which included driver/woods, long and short irons, the wedge and putter. My next visual aid was the one minute clip of Tiger Woods in slow motion swinging his driver. I feel this gave my speech credibility as Tiger Woods has been the number one golfer in the world for over a decade and he arguably has the best golf swing in history. This clip gave my audience a visual of a swing since I was unable to do it in the classroom with limited space.
Upon watching my speech the main area that I feel I could have improved upon was my fluidity throughout. Unfortunately there were some dead spaces between transitions in my speech. I also went longer than the allotted time given, but I felt it was necessary because of the extent of information necessary to convey my demonstration. Although my speech was long I don't feel that my audience lost interest and that they appreciated the detail I put into my speech. Overall, I enjoyed teaching my fellow classmates about one of my hobbies in the game of golf. Hopefully each individual took a different part of the speech home with them to improve upon their golfing abilities which would ultimately make my demonstration speech a success.
Throughout my speech I feel I did a good job of teaching my audience about every club in a typical bag. Furthermore, I feel I had strong visual aids that enhanced my presentation. My main visual aid that I utilized throughout my speech was the golf bag with the 14 standard golf clubs. I showed the class how to swing the different types of clubs which included driver/woods, long and short irons, the wedge and putter. My next visual aid was the one minute clip of Tiger Woods in slow motion swinging his driver. I feel this gave my speech credibility as Tiger Woods has been the number one golfer in the world for over a decade and he arguably has the best golf swing in history. This clip gave my audience a visual of a swing since I was unable to do it in the classroom with limited space.
Upon watching my speech the main area that I feel I could have improved upon was my fluidity throughout. Unfortunately there were some dead spaces between transitions in my speech. I also went longer than the allotted time given, but I felt it was necessary because of the extent of information necessary to convey my demonstration. Although my speech was long I don't feel that my audience lost interest and that they appreciated the detail I put into my speech. Overall, I enjoyed teaching my fellow classmates about one of my hobbies in the game of golf. Hopefully each individual took a different part of the speech home with them to improve upon their golfing abilities which would ultimately make my demonstration speech a success.
Peer Response: Chang's Blog
I recently read Chang's blog about prepping and eating a hearty breakfast. I strongly agree with Chang that eating a good breakfast may be the single most important part of living a healthy lifestyle and keeping a strong diet. Eating a good breakfast starts your metabolism off on the right foot for the day and gives you much needed energy before lunch.
Chang stated that his breakfast normally includes some sausage links, toast, eggs and orange juice. I will agree this is one of the most often stereotyped breakfast meals in American culture. Personally, I love french toast with powdered sugar and raspberries on top; not to mention Chang's previously stated sausage and freshly squeezed orange juice. I also enjoy pancakes, omelets, quiche and fried potatoes. These meals along with french toast are normally not consumed on a daily basis unless sufficient time is set aside every day for breakfast. Unfortunately, with people's fast paced lives these days more simple breakfast meals are consumed on a day to day basis. More common meals associated with American's diets include Chang's idea of breakfast along with others such as cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, bagels or simply coffee.
I am glad to see that Chang has realized the importance that breakfast plays in one's life. Besides the nutritional value, it gives one time in the often quiet hours of the morning to sit down and plan out their upcoming day, reflect on their thoughts or simply to catch up on the latest news in the newspaper. I hope I can continue to make this meal a part of my daily schedule and I hope others do as well.
Chang stated that his breakfast normally includes some sausage links, toast, eggs and orange juice. I will agree this is one of the most often stereotyped breakfast meals in American culture. Personally, I love french toast with powdered sugar and raspberries on top; not to mention Chang's previously stated sausage and freshly squeezed orange juice. I also enjoy pancakes, omelets, quiche and fried potatoes. These meals along with french toast are normally not consumed on a daily basis unless sufficient time is set aside every day for breakfast. Unfortunately, with people's fast paced lives these days more simple breakfast meals are consumed on a day to day basis. More common meals associated with American's diets include Chang's idea of breakfast along with others such as cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, bagels or simply coffee.
I am glad to see that Chang has realized the importance that breakfast plays in one's life. Besides the nutritional value, it gives one time in the often quiet hours of the morning to sit down and plan out their upcoming day, reflect on their thoughts or simply to catch up on the latest news in the newspaper. I hope I can continue to make this meal a part of my daily schedule and I hope others do as well.
Concentrate on OJ
A major point made in Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food, is that we as Americans should go back to our traditional eating habits and abort the idea of the Western diet and its control on our lifestyle. Pollan uses stats and figures showing us how to improve our diet by simply choosing "real foods" or non-processed foods that have less than five ingredients. He strongly believes that if a food contains more than five ingredients that it is indeed not in its natural state and therefore less healthy.
One food that I grew up on and loved every chance I got to enjoy it was orange juice. At home our family regularly would squeeze our own oranges and prepare pints of freshly made orange juice. If oranges weren't in excess, the only other form our family would drink would be 100% natural orange juice that had some pulp in it and was not made from Concentrate. Although this orange juice was bottled, it still had the same fresh taste and wholesome goodness one would expect from oranges.
However, since my college career has started I have not had freshly squeezed orange juice and every time I drink the processed juice I think of how good I used to have it at home. Now, our orange juice comes in a can and is mixed with a gallon of water to dilute the contents. This "fake" juice often settles to the bottom and after a few short days becomes stale. Personally, there is no comparison between the two when it comes to quality.
I am sure the reason our fraternity purchases the "fake" juice from Concentrate is because of economical reasons. We can buy it in bulk purchases and it is convenient for storage purposes and doesn't expire like the natural orange juice does. However, I can guarantee that when my college days are over I will be willing to spend the extra few bucks to purchase the higher quality product and I will gladly drink it before it expires. Here is a link to Florida's Natural Orange Juice, the product we often buy at home when fresh oranges are not available. I am sure this would be a prime example of Michael Pollan's idealistic way of choosing real food over "fake" food. I will always concentrate on what type of orange juice I drink in the future.
One food that I grew up on and loved every chance I got to enjoy it was orange juice. At home our family regularly would squeeze our own oranges and prepare pints of freshly made orange juice. If oranges weren't in excess, the only other form our family would drink would be 100% natural orange juice that had some pulp in it and was not made from Concentrate. Although this orange juice was bottled, it still had the same fresh taste and wholesome goodness one would expect from oranges.
However, since my college career has started I have not had freshly squeezed orange juice and every time I drink the processed juice I think of how good I used to have it at home. Now, our orange juice comes in a can and is mixed with a gallon of water to dilute the contents. This "fake" juice often settles to the bottom and after a few short days becomes stale. Personally, there is no comparison between the two when it comes to quality.
I am sure the reason our fraternity purchases the "fake" juice from Concentrate is because of economical reasons. We can buy it in bulk purchases and it is convenient for storage purposes and doesn't expire like the natural orange juice does. However, I can guarantee that when my college days are over I will be willing to spend the extra few bucks to purchase the higher quality product and I will gladly drink it before it expires. Here is a link to Florida's Natural Orange Juice, the product we often buy at home when fresh oranges are not available. I am sure this would be a prime example of Michael Pollan's idealistic way of choosing real food over "fake" food. I will always concentrate on what type of orange juice I drink in the future.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Sears Peer Response
I recently read the blog posted by Mitch Kappelman on Brett Favre and Sears commercials. Mitch gave a general background story about Brett Favre's recent commercials with the company; with the emphasis being on the commercial that was aired during the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl.
Personally, my feelings for Favre have quite diminished over the past years with his soap opera technicalities and with his signing for the Minnesota Vikings; one of the Packer's biggest rivals. However, putting football to the side for conversations sake I felt Brett did a good job at poking fun at himself and his own weakness of decision making. Sears did a perfect job of picking the right guy to make their commercials a success.
I agree with Mitch in that I can see this relationship between the two parties being successful. Sears is known as a strong company with high quality products, and Brett Favre has a track record of doing memorable advertisements. Mitch's blog can be found here.
Personally, my feelings for Favre have quite diminished over the past years with his soap opera technicalities and with his signing for the Minnesota Vikings; one of the Packer's biggest rivals. However, putting football to the side for conversations sake I felt Brett did a good job at poking fun at himself and his own weakness of decision making. Sears did a perfect job of picking the right guy to make their commercials a success.
I agree with Mitch in that I can see this relationship between the two parties being successful. Sears is known as a strong company with high quality products, and Brett Favre has a track record of doing memorable advertisements. Mitch's blog can be found here.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Post 2: Peyton Manning Commercials
Peyton Manning will go down as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League. He has a super bowl ring and countless pro bowl appearances, not to mention his 4 MVP Awards. Along with this mantra of football, Manning has done his fair share of acting in various tv commercials, expressing his rather dry, yet comical humor.
Recently, Peyton and his brother, Eli, who quarterbacks for the New York Giants and also has a Super Bowl ring, have been strutting their style for DirecTV. Here, you can find one of Peyton's first commercials that was aired nearly three years ago. In this commercial it is obvious to see that he was a little rough around the edges in his witty acting abilities. However, his savvy has developed quite a bit to its level today, as seen here.
The move for Peyton to endorse DirecTV has been a great move for both parties. Not only does Peyton put a good face to DirecTV, but the company has utilized him for the NFL Sunday Ticket package; which airs every NFL game of the week on various channels. For Peyton this is a great way to get more fans watching his team as well.
Furthermore, he has continued to stay focused on the field, having career numbers and leading the league in numerous statistical categories every year.
Many viewers on Youtube have noticed Peyton's acting abilities. Besides DirecTV he has also endorsed for MasterCard, Oreo, Gatorade and Sprint, just to name a few. Totalling nearly 100,000 commercials, Peyton has become one of the most decorated endorsers, trailing only Tiger Woods. These numbers are surely to change placing Peyton in the number one spot with Tiger's recent debacle. Here is a shot of Peyton's top 5 commercials as voted on by YouTube viewers. As you can see they have a twist on them that makes him unlike any other; I hope you look forward to upcoming Manning commercials as much as I am!
Recently, Peyton and his brother, Eli, who quarterbacks for the New York Giants and also has a Super Bowl ring, have been strutting their style for DirecTV. Here, you can find one of Peyton's first commercials that was aired nearly three years ago. In this commercial it is obvious to see that he was a little rough around the edges in his witty acting abilities. However, his savvy has developed quite a bit to its level today, as seen here.
The move for Peyton to endorse DirecTV has been a great move for both parties. Not only does Peyton put a good face to DirecTV, but the company has utilized him for the NFL Sunday Ticket package; which airs every NFL game of the week on various channels. For Peyton this is a great way to get more fans watching his team as well.
Furthermore, he has continued to stay focused on the field, having career numbers and leading the league in numerous statistical categories every year.
Many viewers on Youtube have noticed Peyton's acting abilities. Besides DirecTV he has also endorsed for MasterCard, Oreo, Gatorade and Sprint, just to name a few. Totalling nearly 100,000 commercials, Peyton has become one of the most decorated endorsers, trailing only Tiger Woods. These numbers are surely to change placing Peyton in the number one spot with Tiger's recent debacle. Here is a shot of Peyton's top 5 commercials as voted on by YouTube viewers. As you can see they have a twist on them that makes him unlike any other; I hope you look forward to upcoming Manning commercials as much as I am!
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