TOW #13- visual text

A problem that has been considered controversial is the one of climate change, especially during this election when some people (Donald Trump) have denied that it is real. This visual text aims to show people who do believe in global warming how ridiculous those who don't believe are, as a way to make fun of them.
In the image is a bird with its head stuck in the ground, which shows that the deniers are hiding from the problem. However, the bird is being cooked, which shows that while they are hiding, they are still affected by it and should be more concerned.
This image is low-key directed at those who do not believe as well. It is a way to show them how incredible unreasonable they are being by denying climate change. Perhaps the fact that the bird resembles a chicken means that they are scared- scared of the fact that our planet is changing for the worse and we need to do something about it.
The goal is to spread awareness of climate change, to prove that it's real and needs to be dealt with. The author is Nick Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning American syndicated editorial cartoonist whose cartoons typically present liberal viewpoints. While he does focus on portraying issues from a liberal perspective, this is an issue that affects liberals and conservatives and everyone in between.
I think that this is an effective visual text. The way it not so subtly singles out global warming deniers quickly proves what it is trying to get across to its audience right away. The message is clear, and the purpose is evident, which makes it all the more effective.

Vocab #6

Finagle
My guess: mess around
Definition: obtain (something) by devious or dishonest means
Context: on the board of my study hall room
History: 1925-30, Americanism; finaig- (variant of fainaigue)
Connotation: neutral

Ballyhoo
My guess: nonsense
Definition: extravagant publicity or fuss
Context: APUSH
History: 1830-40, Americanism; of uncertain origin
Own Sentence: During the election, the ballyhoo was beginning to get out of hand as riots began to break out.

Laud
My guess: praise
Definition: praise (a person or their achievements) highly, especially in a public context
Context: Church
History: 1300-50; (v.) Middle English lauden < Latin laudāre to praise, derivative of laus (stem laud-) praise; (noun) Middle English laude, back formation from laudes (plural) < Late Latin, special use of plural of Latin laus praise
Connotation: Neutral

Pragmatic
My guess: problematic
Definition: dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
Context: APELC
Mnemonic device: pragmatic sounds like practical
Connotation: Neutral

Pantheon
My guess: shrine
Definition: a temple dedicated to all the gods
Context: APUSH
Own Sentence: Should Andrew Jackson be included in the pantheon of the greatest presidents?
Connotation: Neutral

Equivocate
My guess: to make equal
Definition: use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
Context: Douglass
History: 1375-1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin aequivocātus, past participle of aequivocāre
Connotation: Neutral

Trans

My guess: change

Definition: across

Words: transatlantic, transgender, transform, transcribe, transfer

Inter

My guess: within

Definition: between

Words: Intertwine, interactive, internal, intercept, interject

Facio, Factum

My guess: to bring

Definition: make, do

Words: facsimile, facile, feasible, efficacious

Octo

My guess: eight

Definition: eight

Words: octopus, octagon, octosyllabic, octuplet, octane

TOW #12

She Said Yes, Misty Bernall

The Columbine shooting is one of the most famous school shootings in American history, claiming the lives of 14 students and one teacher, and injuring 21 others. Cassie Bernall was one of the unfortunate victims of the tragedy, shot as she was hiding under a table. Right before the shooters fired their guns, they asked Cassie if she believed in God. Her last words were, "yes," before she was killed. This book reflects upon her troubled life and how she turned her life around to become the person she was before she died.
She Said Yes was written by Cassie's mother, Misty Bernall. She writes for parents, hoping "that this book would be read by parents who recognized the need to be more actively involved in their children's lives." But young people from all over the country have been "the most vocal about the impact of Cassie's life."
Something important that Bernall does is utilize anecdotes to share who the real Cassie was, not the ideal version of her daughter. She writes about how Cassie hung out with a bad group of kids, worshipped Satan, and defied her parents and fought with her brother frequently. These stories are important because they show the significance of how Cassie managed to turn her life around. Had Bernall only shared the good parts of her daughter, the purpose of the book would not have been achieved, and none of the readers would have been as affected as they are with the chosen anecdotes in the book.
So far, I am really enjoying this story. I like to read about tragedies, and things like this really interest me. I also feel like I'm able to see a connection between Cassie and my sister, which makes the book much more important to me. My sister used to be in a bad place, but some events occurred where I realized how lucky I am to have her, and she is really different now for the better. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to lose my sister to realize this, and this book reminds me how lucky I am.

TOW #11

Thomas Paine

The American colonies were fed up with Britain's taxes and unfair treatment, and in an effort to convince the colonists to fight for independence, Thomas Paine wrote the Common Sense. Paine wanted to appeal to all Americans, and this is evident through his word choice. Paine writes in simple terms so that even the uneducated colonists could understand it. And it's called Common Sense, as if it must make sense to everyone, even the most common people.
Paine uses persuasive figurative language in order to convince the Americans that they should fight for independence from the British. He writes, “if being bound in that matter, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth” (Paine 108), comparing the colonists to slaves though a  metaphor. This puts into perspective how badly the Americans are being treated, and why they should revolt.
Payne also alters his diction so that it is simpler and less formal. He says, "It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil of the blessing will reach you all” (Paine 109) This appeals to everyone, and it does so in a way that even the most common man could understand it. This helps him gain a wider audience and maintain their understanding.
I think that Paine was able to achieve his goal. Mostly because looking back at history, his Common Sense was so influential and we are able to see what it did to the Americans. It helped give them the extra nudge they needed towards revolution.
Paine is a credible source; he was an English-American political activist, theorist, and philosopher. He was one of the few educated colonists around this time. This is part of why the Americans listen to him. This paired with the unfair treatment of the British shows why the Revolution happened.

Vocab #5

Consolation
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: meeting
Definition: the action or process of formally consulting or discussing
Own sentence: The consultation to discuss the 13th Amendment was coming up.
Mnemonic Device: Conversation, consultation

Calamities
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: deaths
Definition: an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster
Own sentence: The calamities around the world have begun to take its toll on the global population.
Connotation: neutral

Highwayman
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: a bad person
Definition: a man, typically on horseback, who held up travelers at gunpoint in order to rob them.
Own sentence: Before they could reach their destination, a highwayman stopped them and stole their money at gunpoint.
Mnemonic device: on the highway to hell.. and I was robbed

Ague
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: the flu
Definition: malaria or some other illness involving fever and shivering
Own sentence: He trembled like an ague at the idea of having to clean the dishes.
Mnemonic device: sounds like adieu, which is goodbye. Like death.

Garrison
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: defense
Definition: the troops stationed in a fortress or town to defend it
Own sentence: The garrison was supplied with guns and ammunition in case the enemies decided to return.
Connotation: Neutral

Folly
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: kindness
Definition: lack of good sense; foolishness
Own sentence: The children were full of folly as they get in trouble by the teacher.
Mnemonic device: Like in the penguin movie, the vacuums were full of folly

Fortitude
Context: Thomas Paine
My guess: protection
Definition: courage in pain or adversity
Own sentence: She endured her illness with great fortitude
Connotation: neutral

Aqua
My guess: blue
Definition: water
Words: Aquatic, aquamarine, aquarium, aqueduct, aqueous

Cumul
My guess: finished
Definition: together
Words: accumulate, cumulative, cumulus, cumulative

Duo
My guess: two
Definition: two
Words: duet, duplicate, duel, dubious, duplex

TOW # 10- visual text

Racism has been a problem in America since the first settlers landed in Jamestown. This visual text tackles this prominent problem. In most situations, white people are racist against blacks, Mexicans, Asians- basically anyone who isn't white too.
In this visual text, three hearts are laid out, labeled white, black, and yellow. They are the hearts of people who are different races: white, black, and Asian. They all look like normal hearts, and they all look pretty similar. This is a message that is being spread: that we all are the same on the inside, so what's on the outside shouldn't count.
The target audience for this specific visual text is white racists. It lays out a white heart first, establishing what white racists consider "normal." They it lays out a black person's heart. Blacks typically experience the most racial discrimination, but this proves that their hearts are the same as ours. We are not that different. The last is an Asian's heart, proving that all hearts are the same, so we should treat everyone the same way.
The artist uses compare and contrast to show how similar the three hearts are. Comparing them, there are few to no differences, which proves the artist's point.
I think that it will be hard for the artist to achieve their goal, to convince racist people that we are all the same. They used the right devices and share the correct message, but most racists are to close-minded to interpret this as a positive message that promotes equality.
Racism will be a problem for many more years, but we are taking a step in the right direction by sharing visual texts like these. Two hundred years ago slavery was legal, so where will we be two hundred years from now?

Vocab #4

Gregarious
My guess: outgoing
Definition: being sociable or fond of company
Context: team roles test
Mnemonic device: Greg is an social person
Own sentence: The gregarious boy went around to each of the booths, introducing himself and making new friends.

Fidelity
My guess: honesty
Definition: being faithful to a person, cause or belief
Context: health project
History: 1375-1425; late Middle English fidelite (< Middle French) < Latin fidēlitās, equivalent to fidēli- (stem of fidēlis loyal, equivalent to fidē(s) faith
Connotation: neutral

Melancholy
My guess: sad
Definition: a gloomy state of mind
Context: A Modest Proposal
Own Sentence: The church held a group of melancholy people, as the funeral went on.
Example: Meanwhile, the bandsmen of his captive army played a “melancholy” tune on drums and fifes. (Brendon)

Cultivate
My guess: create
Definition: to prepare and work on in order to raise crops
Context: A Modest Proposal
Mnemonic device: Like farmers, Shay's rebellion was kind of like a cult, cultivate
Connotation: neutral

Prolific
My guess: significant
Definition: producing offspring
Context: A Modest Proposal
Own sentence: The young, prolific women sat together discussing the struggles of being a mother.
History: 1640-50; < Medieval Latin prōlificus fertile

Banality
My guess: ridiculous
Definition: lacking freshness and originality
Context: vocab hand out
History: 1861, triteness, from French banalité "banality, commonplace," from banal
Own sentence: The singing group was a perfect example of banality, as they copied each of the bands before them and blended in to the background.

Amo
My guess: weapons
Definition: love
Words: amicable, amateur, amour, amorous, amity

Syn
My guess: at the same time
Definition: with, together
Words: sync, synonym, synthetic, syntax, syndicate

Sol
My guess: alone
Definition: sun
Words: solar, solstice, solveig, Sunday, sowilo rune

Digitus
My guess: fingers
Definition: finger
Words: digits, prestidigitation, digitalis, digital, digitigrade

IRB intro post #2

The book I have chosen to read is She Said Yes by Misty Bernall. My sister read it over the summer and said it was really good, so I've decided to give it a try.

TOW #9

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/us/because-i-was-a-girl-i-was-told.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Sexism has been an issue since the beginning of time. Women have always been seen as inferior to men. In the recent presidential election, there was a distinct possibility that a 227-year-old gender barrier would be hurdled: we could have a female president. While this didn't end up happening, the New York Times asked women around the country to share stories of things they were told they couldn't do because of their gender. The list ranged from "I wasn't strong enough" and "technology was for me," to "I wasn't allowed to play with boys."
The way ethos is established in this article is through all of the anecdotes from different women. They each tell their own stories of how people have tried to limit them because they were girls, and how they overcame this. And you know you can trust them, because they are women.
The goal audience is both men and women from America. They want to show women that they're capable of so much, no matter what anyone tells them. And they want to show men that women deal with gender discrimination all of the time, but we won't let it limit us.
The use of the anecdotes makes the article seem much more intimate. The women that tell their stories are of different races, cultures, and backgrounds, but they all share this struggle. It almost evokes a feeling of unity between girls. It acknowledges that we may be different on the outside, but we are all strong and able to overcome gender obstacles.
This article was written because of the presidential election, but it has the potential to relate to so much more. Congress this year has more women than before, women are stepping up politically to show that they can do what men can do, and even the olympics showed that girls can be strong and successful too.
While this is just one article, girls everywhere are growing more confident in themselves, supporting each other, and fighting to break down the gender barrier.

TOW #8

Picking Cotton- IRB

Ronald Cotton was put into jail after being accused of raping Jennifer Thompson. He was transferred from prison to prison, and even spent some of his tome in solidary confinement. While in prison, he met a man who was there for a similar crime, named Bobby Poole. He even looked like Cotton. Upon this realization, Cotton demanded to be taken back to court; they must have gotten the wrong guy. Once again, Jennifer identified him as her rapist and he was sentences to life in prison plus fifty years. After eleven years in jail, Cotton took a DNA test, and was let go after it was determined that Bobby Poole was, in fact, the actual rapist. Jennifer, guilty, requested to meet Ronald, and the two formed an unlikely friendship.
This book focuses on the idea of forgiveness. It's an important theme that the authors focus on throughout telling their stories. It also focuses on the importance of forgiveness. Ronald Cotton forgave Jennifer for her mistake, even after eleven years in jail. This is one of the main things they want to get across to their audience: that the most important thing is forgiveness. Because as we see in the book, forgiveness is what drives Ronald and Jennifer's relationship.
Jennifer and Ronald focus on writing to those who have conflict in their lives. Their main purpose is to show people that the best way to solve conflicts with with love and forgiveness, not anger and hate. They write, "And I'm glad you all have come together as one to stand up for Troy Davis, to put your foot down and keep going forward instead of fighting fire with fire." (pg 281) This quote shows how using love is better than 'fighting fire with fire,' or fighting hate and fear with more hate and fear.
I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to those who are going through any conflict in their lives. It teaches lessons about compassion and forgiveness that can be applied at any time. I hope my next book is as good as this one.

TOW #7

On September 11th, 2001, two jets flew into the twin towers. This was the first time Americans had experienced an act of terrorism, and President George W. Bush addressed the country right after the incident.
While his general audience is American people, it is also evident that he is speaking to those behind the attack and to other countries, to prove that we are a strong nation. Not even thousands of deaths can bring us down. This is evident when he says, "These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong." This quote is sort of like a 'take that' to the attackers, and 'we are still here' to other nations.
Bush uses metaphors to appeal to pathos. He says, "These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining." This quote appeals to Americans' emotions, making them feel like they are a strong country and were only attacked because of that.
Bush also appeals to ethos, portraying himself as the responsible president whom we can trust to take care of the situation. He says, "Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans.... The search is underway for those who were behind these evil acts. I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice." These quotes show that Americans can trust Bush because he is qualified and knows what to do; he's already doing what he can.
Bush wants to prove to other countries that America can not be beaten, while at the same time assure American citizens that everything will be okay. He achieves this as he says at the end, "None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." This proves that there is time to mourn, but we will continue on and fight for what is right no matter what. Because we are America, land of the free and home of the brave.

Vocab #3

Alibi
Context: It's a Woman's World
My guess: friend
Definition: a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place
History: The noun alibi is the same word as its Latin root, alibi, which means "excuse"
Own sentence: I was making cookies with my friend when someone killed her cat, and she is my alibi since she knows I was with her when the crime was committed.

Hearth
Context: It's a Woman's World
My guess: love
Definition: the floor of a fireplace
Own sentence: With the hearth neatly swept, the family was ready for Santa's arrival.
Connotation: neutral

Soporific
Context: Vocab sheet
My guess: immature
Definition: Something that is soporific is sleep-inducing
History: In the 1680’s, soporific, which doubles as both adjective and noun, was formed from the French soporifique. That word, in turn, came from the Latin sopor “deep sleep”
Example: "Certain medicines, but also extreme coziness, can have a soporific effect."

Lament
Context: SAT study guide
My guess: to fix
Definition: a cry of sorrow and grief
Own Sentence: Their sad laments could be heard through the church windows.
Example: “We lamented the death of the child.”

Domestic
Context: SAT study guide
My guess: trained
Definition: relating to someone's home, family, or home country
Own sentence: The boy realized that their relationship was rather domestic as they happily washed their dishes together.
Connotation: neutral

Calamities
Context: APUSH prep book
My guess: deaths
Definition: an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
Remember: Sort of like casualties, an event with a lot of casualties would be a calamity
Connotation: Neutral

Curro
My guess: currency, money
Definition: run
Examples: current, precursor, courier, recur, incursion
Remember: Courir in French is to run

Facio
My guess: face
Definition: make, do
Examples: factory, benefactor, faction, manufacture, perfect
Remember: think of factory, a place that makes things

Jungo
My guess: jungle
Definition: join
Examples: join, joint, conjugation, junction, subjugate
Remember: reminds me of that scene in the Princess and the Frog, the two of them joined together

Photos
My guess: pictures
Definition: light
Examples: photograph, photometer, photogenic, photoelectric, photosynthesis
Remember: photosynthesis is when plants turn light into energy

TOW #6- visual text

Visual text:

As the presidential election draws nearer, candidates Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump are making last minute efforts to win over the citizens of the United States. One of the quicker ways to get their names out there is to put posters on the lawns of Americans everywhere. Above is one of Donald Trump's campaign posters.

Something that Trump does is he only has the words "Donald Trump" and "Make America Great Again!" on the poster, which proves that these are the only things that are important enough to be written out. His name lets people know who he is, and the "make America great again" shows what his goal is. Since these are the only things written out, they are what catches the eyes of his audience. It's a quick slogan that gets his message across: that by electing him we will be able to bring America back to the way it used to be.

Something else that Trump does is include an image of him standing, with arms crossed, in front of the American flag. This implies that he will defend America and represent the country well. Since they're the only pictures, the audience also immediately associates Trump with the American flag, which makes him seem like the better candidate.

Trump's audience is all of the Americans who will be voting this year. His goal is to get them to vote for him, which I believe he has succeeded in doing. Though many Americans think Trump is ridiculous, his slogan and intense opinions have won the hearts of many republicans. And while some don't support him, a great number of republicans will be voting for him anyways in order to keep another democrat from getting into the office.

We will be seeing many more posters like this everywhere up until the election occurs. Trump and Clinton will be using posters like this one to quickly catch the eye of Americans and gain their vote. May the best candidate win!

TOW #5

Article: Little Mix’s Perrie Seemingly Slams Sex With Zayn on New Single, ‘Shout Out to My Ex’

On October 16th, 2016, the girl band Little Mix released their new single, Shout Out to my Ex, setting the tone for the rest of their new album. This female-empowering tune calls out all of the ex boyfriends who have left you heartbroken. However, member Perrie Edwards has been accused of attacking her ex-fiance Zayn Malik in this new song.
Erica Russell from PopCrush Magazine breaks down the lyrics to find out why people think that Perrie is singling out her ex. She connects events to specific lyrics and utilizes shocked diction to convey that Perrie did, in fact, write her new hit about Zayn.
Russell writes, "There also appears to be a reference to the former One Direction member’s famed tattoos, with another line that goes, 'Guess I should say thank you / For the ‘hate yous’ and the tattoos / Oh baby I’m cool by the way / Ain’t sure I loved you anyway.' Ouch." While dating, Zayn had gotten Perrie's face tattooed onto his bicep, something that most people disapproved of. It's not much of a stretch to connect this to the angry lyric about tattoos.
Following each debrief of the lyrics and how they relate to real life, Russell writes simply, "ouch," or "oof," or even, "yikes." This repetition of these words with shocked connotations shows that if this was an attempt to attack Zayn, then it definitely worked.
Russell is writing to all of those who are bitter about Zayn dumping Perrie. It is her way of showing that Perrie definitely got her revenge.
This purpose was definitely achieved as Russell sets Zayn up to be the bad guy who deserves whatever he gets. "The tabloid also reports that Edwards refused to warn Malik about the savage pop tune in advance, with band-mate Jesy Nelson explaining, “We don’t think he deserves a warning! He’ll just have to wait and see.”" This quote sort of justifies what was done and portrays Perrie as a heartbroken girl who was just doing what she thought was right.
Either way, the song is such a bop and I recommend you go listen to it!

Vocab #2

Portentous
Context: APUSH reading
My guess: precious
Definition: an indication or omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous
History: 1555-65; < Latin portentum sign, token, noun use of neuter of portentus, past participle of portendere to portend
Own sentence: The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a portentous occasion.

Antipathy

Context: APUSH reading

My guess: having no feelings

Definition: an object of natural aversion or habitual dislike

Mnemonic Device: pathos, feeling, anti is negative

Other example: The antipathy toward America in the Middle East continues even after the architects of the Iraq war have exited the stage.

Contempt

Context: APUSH assignment

My guess: to be happy
Definition: the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn
Connotation: Neutral
Own Sentence: A feeling of contempt washed over the audience as the magician kicked the puppy.

Expediency
Context: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
My guess: following the rules
Definition: a regard for what is politic or advantageous rather than for what is right or just; a sense of self-interest
History: 1605-15; < Late Latin expediential
Example: On one hand, it seems oddly principled of Romney, a candidate who has always been guided by expediency when it comes to abortion

Procession
Context: SAT study guide
My guess: movement
Definition: the act of moving along or proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc.
Mnemonic device: Proceed, move along
Own sentence: The funeral procession passed by slowly but in an organized manner.

Pulpit
Context: Three Guineas, Virginia Woolf
My guess: a hole
Definition: a platform or raised structure in a church, from which the sermon is delivered or the service is conducted
History: 1300-50; Middle English < Late Latin pulpitum pulpit, Latin: platform, stage
Own sentence: The priest stood upon the pulpit as he delivered the sermon, and as he broke the bread.

Agitate
Context: Three Guineas, Virginia Woolf
My guess: to bother
Definition: to move or force into violent, irregular action
Mnemonic device: if you were being shoved that would irritate you, which kind of sounds like agitate
Own Sentence: The winds of the storm agitated the ocean.

Ad
My guess: to add to, increase
Definition: to, toward
Words: advance, advice, adapt, advent, adhere
Remember: think of advance, moving in towards someone

Ignis
My guess: A rock
Definition: fire
Words: ignite, igneous, ignition. ignitable, ignis fatuus
Remember: ignite, like Lavagirl

Biblos
My guess: reading
Definition: book
Words: bible, bibliography, bibiology, bibliophile, bibliolatry
Remember: Biblioteque is library in French

TOW #4- IRB

Book: Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton

Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape, and later identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. While Ronald insisted that she was mistaken, Jennifer's positive identification was enough to put him in jail. Ten years later Ronald was able to take a DNA test that proved his innocence. Picking Cotton is about the two of them, who later met and discussed their sides of the story. Overall, their goal is to challenge our ideas of memory and judgement while demonstrating the power of forgiveness. The book begins with Jennifer's point of view, as she recounts the story of her rape and the trial that put Ronald behind bars. Something important she does in order to achieve her purpose is utilize cause and effect to show what irrational thinking and judgement can do. She writes, "I knew it. If I didn't get him, he was going to come after me. The terror simply took my breath away. He was standing right in front of me, and if the police didn't lock him up, surely he would walk out of there, find me, and finish the job. The next time, I was certain, I would not get way. He would kill me." (37) Jennifer's fears of not immediately locking up her attacker caused her to make a mistake and incorrectly identify Ronald Cotton. This shows how we cannot just rely on our memories in certain situations, because sometimes we are wrong, and it also helps prove their point. As I continue to read this book, I will find out what happens when Ronald Cotton is released from prison, and learn more about injustice and redemption.

Vocab #1

Indolent
Context: On Laziness, read in class
My guess: lazy
Definition: having or showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful
Own Sentence: The indolent child slept all day, rather than completing their homework or cleaning their room
Mnemonic Device: sounds kind of like "idle," which is to not move

Quibble
Context: On Laziness, read in class
My guess: nonsense
Definition: an instance of the use of ambiguous prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue
Example: You can quibble about beginnings, middles and ends, but what we're talking about is over a year ago. (Shrum)
Connotation: Neutral

Braggadocious
Context: Political debate, via Donald Trump
My guess: cocky
Definition: empty boasting, bragging, a boasting person
History: Comes from Braggadocio, who was a boastful character in Spenser's Faerie Queen in 1590
Own Sentence: It sounds braggadocious, but I don't think I ever dropped a pass in a game.

Promenade
Context: The Myth of the Latin Woman
My guess: a walk
Definition: take a leisurely walk, ride, or drive in public
Mnemonic Device: Promenade in French translates to literally "walk yourself"
Connotation: Neutral

Perpetuated
Context: The Myth of the Latin Woman
My guess: to create
Definition: to make (something typically an undesirable situation or unfounded belief) continue
Own Sentence: He perpetuated the idea that their house was haunted.
History: Latin perpetuatus, first known use was in 1530

Scintillating
Context: Comic at the end of assignment sheet
My guess: ridiculous
Definition: very clever, amusing, and interesting
Own Sentence: The show was very scintillating, making my laugh several times.
Example: The cognoscenti would never find my progenitors mildly scintillating (Wilkinson)

Phobos
Guess: afraid
Dictionary: fear
Words: Homophobia, claustrophobic, pedophobia, arachnophobia, phobia
Remember: The dogs are afraid of the phone ringing, think "pho"

Demos
Guess: example
Dictionary: the common people of an ancient Greek state
Words: Demonstration, demarch, demagogue, democracy, demography
Remember: Democracy is a government run by the people

Dormio
Guess: Tired
Definition: sleep
Words: Dormant, dormitory, dormouse, dormitive, dormition
Remember: Dormir in French means "to sleep"

Annus
Guess: planet
Definition: year
Words: Annual, anniversary, millennial, annals, annuity
Remember: That scene in Wall-E when they celebrate the seventh centennial thing in a cup for being in space for 700 years

TOW #3

Reagan's Challenger Address

On January 28th, 1986, the Challenger exploded in flight. President Ronald Reagan was given the responsibility of telling the nation what had happened instead of giving his State of the Union address. He begins the speech by saying, "Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss." It is important that he does because the use of 'we,' 'our,' and 'national loss' groups the entire country together, uniting everyone. This emphasizes the fact all of America is experiencing this tragedy together, and unifies the country as one.
Something else that Reagan does is appeal to pathos. He addresses "the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's take-off," and says, "the future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." He uses this opportunity to try to empower the young children who were watching the as Challenger exploded. It shows that even in times of despair, our country is always advancing and we are a nation full of brave citizens. This helps to relieve some of the sadness that the Americans were feeling as they focus on the bright side of what had happened.
Reagan gives this speech because he wants to assure the country that we can get over obstacles such as these in the name of scientific advancement. He wants to prove to not only Americans, but to countries around the world that casualties like these will never stop us from improving and bettering ourselves. He does this well because of the way he unifies the country and appeals to pathos through his addressing the children of America.

TOW #2- visual text

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezVtodzCCMM

It's common knowledge that cleaning is no fun. But with SlickX3, at least it will be easier! With NASA technology, the SlickX3 fills and seals your surfaces to prevent liquids, dirt, and even germs from getting in your countertops, sinks, and tables! This infomercial uses many techniques to successfully advertise their product. The goal is to get mothers to buy this, which is evident because the actor used is a middle aged woman, and moms are typically the ones to do the house cleaning.
This infomercial uses several techniques that make their advertisement successful. One thing that is done is the advertisers sprayed half of a surface with SlickX3 and spilled something on it. Then they filmed what it's like to wipe clean a surface with SlickX3 versus without. This visually displays how using this product makes cleaning much easier, and proves that it is worth buying the SlickX3!
Something else that this infomercial does is something that other infomercials are infamous for, which is utilizing dramatic reactions. In the SlickX3 commercial, the actress happily sweeps the other cleaning products off the counter. This emphasizes that you will be saving hundreds of dollars by buying this product, and all other cleaning products will be a waste.
The last fifteen seconds of the two minute commercial are dedicated to showcasing the product in all its glory while displaying the price. They make sure to show that by buying now, you can receive a free gift! They also make sure to show that all of this is a sixty dollar retail value, but you get it for only $19.99! This makes it seem like you are getting a great deal by buying the SlickX3.
All of these put together results in an extremely successful advertisement for what is most likely an average cleaning product. The overdramatic acting, comparisons, and vibrant prices make buying the SlickX3 almost irresistible!

TOW #1

Article: 'Blair Witch': Shaky Cams That Left Audiences Shaking
(http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/11/movies/blair-witch-shaky-cams-that-left-audiences-shaking.html?)

On September 16, the new Blair Witch film is to be released to theaters, hoping to draw in a new audience and put a modern twist on the classic "The Blair Witch Project." Marc Spitz uses this opportunity to reflect on the original film and the reasons for its success.
Spitz wants to show the world why "The Blair Witch Project" gained such popularity, gaining almost a quarter of a billion dollars since its release. Spitz writes, "The gothic nature of “The Blair Witch Project” seemed a bracing counterpoint to the modernity that marked much of American culture at the turn of the millennium. In an increasingly digital world, the feeling of something authentically creepy proved irresistible." He argues that the simplicity of the film (due to the directors' lack of money and connections) set it aside from previous horror movies. Most of the others had resorted to gore and violence to scare their audiences, while The Blair Witch used shaky cameras and realism to invoke fear.
Spitz writes to those who are planning on seeing the new "Blair Witch." He says, "What the new one cannot possibly do is replicate the shock of the original’s success or the collective goose bumps it seemed to produce that pivotal summer when it became a pop-cultural phenomenon and changed the way horror films were made." This is his way of preparing the audience for what surely cannot top the original. He then goes on to explain why the new film will never be able to compete with the success of the old one.
Something important that Spitz does it utilize quotes from the directors of "The Blair Witch Project." This allows his audience to truly understand what made them unique. One example is, "Mr. Sánchez said: 'It was a total experiment, a 24-hour-a-day shoot. There were a lot of times where we were literally eating somewhere, and the actors were still in the woods shooting.'" The inclusion of this quote shows how casual the filming atmosphere was, something that wasn't usual for horror films. It also shows that most of the film was up to the actors, with little to no direction from the directors. One can credit the success of the movie to this natural unfolding.
While no one expects "Blair Witch" to be nearly as good as is predecessor, it's nice to reflect on the impact "The Blair Witch Project" has made on the horror film genre, and what has been made because of it.

IRB Intro

The book that I have chosen to read is Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton.  My mom is the one who recommended it to me, she said that it is very good. I trust my mother. So I shall read it.

The Lives of a Cell

Essay: The Lives of a Cell, by Lewis Thomas

This essay dives into the similarities between man and earth. Humans like to distance themselves from nature and focus on making technological advances, but in reality we are very similar. Both earth and man have tiny organisms living within them, doing their jobs and going about what they're supposed to do. The author is trying to prove that while humans think they are above nature and one of the most powerful forces, they are really just small parts to a larger ecosystem, "[Earth] is too big, too complex, with too many working parts lacking visible connections... it is most like a single cell." (Thomas, 360) This essay is directed towards all people, because we all overestimate our own power and importance. It was written in the early seventies, a time when technological advancements were becoming more common. This essay acts as a wake up call. It urges people to remember that they are just tiny inhabitants with little to no control over the planet they're living on. They shouldn't fight it, but embrace it. Lewis Thomas was an American physician, poet, etymologist, essayist, administrator, educator, policy advisor, and researcher who attended Princeton University and Harvard Medical School. With his education on biology and the world around us, Thomas is clearly qualified to write this essay. Something interesting that he does is repeat the word "item." This repetition helps emphasize his main idea: that we are just minor parts to a larger whole. He is able to clearly and successfully get his point across to the audience with his scientific analogies and biological terms.

Nature is within us.

Source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bd/30/02/bd3002b3e2bf652a04a1f84a0346d677.jpg 

Bop

Essay: Bop, by Langston Hughes

This essay tells the story of two men who explore their racial differences. The one, Simple, is black, and narrator is white. They sit on the porch stoop and talk about the music that's playing. The narrator doesn't enjoy it because he can't understand it, while Simple explains that it's music made by black people for black people. The point of this essay is to prove that black people face difficulties that white people don't- which is obvious, but this essay provides a specific example that is relevant to today: police brutality. This was written in the year 1949, when racial discrimination was legal and segregation existed. It was written for white people to help them comprehend the struggles of being black, "White folks do not get their heads beat just for being white. But me- a cop is liable to grap be almost any time and beat my head- just for being colored." (Hughes,191) Today, the racial issue that has arisen is the idea of "Black lives matter" vs "All lives matter." What white people fail to understand, and what this essay helps to explain is that the Black lives matter movement doesn't put down white lives, but shines a light on what black people have to put up with because of their race. An important element that the author utilizes is the use of telling the story as a narrative. The characters put into perspective the differences between white and black people, particularly through the quote, "'Your explanation depresses me,' I said. 'Your nonsense depresses me,' said Simple." (Hughes 192) A white person finding out about what black people bo through is disgusted, while a black person is disgusted by white people's ignorance. The author is a black man who has experienced first hand the difficulties of being colored. He is able to successfully get his point across because he is able to put himself into his writing and convey emotions that can only come from experience.

The effects of police brutlity seen today.

Source: http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2016-07-15-1468604858-4887989-march6.jpg 

Coatesville

Essay: Coatesville, by John Jay Chapman

A year after the murder of a black man in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, John Jay Chapman visits the town to deliver a speech about hatred and racism. Chapman is an American author who attended Harvard University, and believes in the equality of all people. This speech was given during 1912, a time when discrimination against blacks was almost mundane. A black man had just been burned alive and the entire country stood and watched. This is why Chapman gives his speech. He wants to address the lack of response to this murder and try to prevent this from happening again. When this occured, if they weren't cheering it on, Americans were watching silently. Chapman is writing to all of America, which is revealed when he writes,"All of us are tinctured by it. No special place, no special persons, are to blame. A nation cannot practice a course of inhuman crimw for three hundred years and then suddenly throw off the effects of it." (Chapman, 73) He wants the entire country to make an effort to prevent this from happening again. Something important that Chapman does is use the word "us." This inclusion of himself makes it seem less like he is pointing the finger at everyone else, and more like a group effort is required to make progress. This makes his argument more appealing, and makes him more successful in accomplishing his purpose. He is able to accurately get his point accross while maintaining a positive tone and minimal blaming. It could be argued that this essay has impacted America's views on racism and helped promote the end to racial discrimination.

Lynching of Zach Taylor, 1911

source: https://stumblingintheshadowsofgiants.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/zack-walker-coatsville-lynching.jpg