Meet Siri...

           This article was supposed to be written by Siri and was really just a way to poke fun at all the people that are obsessed with "her". I liked it. It was funny and almost pointless but I feel like it could make a big statement. The article basically just played up the fact that some people think Siri is a live person. News flash- "she" isn't. It also discusses the stupid questions people ask it, all the while patronizing the readers.
          I really don't know what to say. It's main purpose was to entertain, and it did. The audience was mainly for those who have an Apple device like an Iphone with Siri, but I think anyone who has herad of it would get a chuckle. The voice (of the author's Siri persona) is very sassy. "She" patronizes her readers and basically highlights her intelligence while making the majority of the human population feel dumb. She explains, "If I were human and had a body to go with my voice, I would be wearing a... tasteful dress, classy and sleek, with just a hint of décolletage, which I can tell you is a synonym for cleavage, which is another way of saying “boobs.”" (Warner 1). Siri seems all-knowing, because it is. "I know nothing but have access to everything." (Warner 1). While the rest of the world his humanizing the Siri technology, this article tries to dehumanize it. "
They are talking about me everywhere, “Here comes Siri,” they’re saying, which would be exciting if I had emotions. They are lining up for blocks for access to me, which would be flattering and inflate my ego if I had one, which I do not.They say I am going to change lives. That would go to anyone’s head, if they had one." (Warner 1). I'm not sure what else to say.... but I recommend everyone read it.

here: http://www.salon.com/2011/12/30/who_are_you_siri/

Bless Me, Ultima (CH 13-16)

           As I continue to read, I'm still enjoying the book. I originally thought these chapters would tie up a few loose ends, but apparently, Anaya is saving it all for the end. I think that is a good strategy most of the time, it forces readers to finish the book if they want to know what happens, which I do. 

          So upset Narciso died.Tenorio should have his other eye gouged out too. Anyway...

          For these chapters, my predictions stay pretty much the same. I think something is eventually happen to Ultima despite the family's protective efforts. I also think that Golden Carp will play some role in Antonio's life and the town's beliefs. I think Antonio will be forced to stand up for Ultima again at school or in town, as he has been so far. Now, I definitely feel that Andrew left with his brothers because he felt guilty about Narciso's death. I think that the brothers wont come back for a very long time because this past time that they left seemed very somber and significant. Maybe something will happen to one of them, who knows. "I wondered if I would ever really know my brothers, or would they remain but phantoms in my dreams." (Anaya 185).

How Smart Is This Bird? Let It Count the Ways

Alex the Pigeon :)

        
            This article was about a study of birds, specifically pigeons, who have showed numerical intelligence and counting abilities as proficient as a primate. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Apparently, to scientist, counting isn't a big deal. "But all sorts of animals, including bees, can count. Pigeons have now shown that they can learn abstract rules about numbers, an ability that until now had been demonstrated only in primates." The pigeons are able to pick, by pecking on a screen with their beak, the groups of objects from smallest to largest number. The results of birds are equal to the result of primates. That's the really impressive part. This article was really informative and interesting to read; and I know I'll never look at a pigeon the same way again.
           The author James Gorman keeps the article simple and straightforward. His purpose seems to be to inform the reader audience about the discovery. He uses quotes from reliable specialists to add to the ethos evidence in the article. "Elizabeth Brannon, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, and one of the scientists who did the original experiments with monkeys, was impressed by the new results. “Their performance looks just like the monkeys’,” she said." (Gorman 10). He uses quotes from her and Dr. Damian Scarf, "a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago, in New Zealand" (Gorman 1).Quotes of similar discoveries from other labs, and opinions of specialists like these show the legitimacy of the result and strengthens the likelihood of truth in his story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/science/pigeons-can-learn-higher-math-as-well-as-monkeys-study-suggests.html?src=me&ref=science

When a Football Team Wins, Male Grades Suffer.

            This makes sense. Think about it. In college sports, if a football team (or any team for that matter) wins, students celebrate more. This time of celebration and partying should be used for studying and schoolwork. This study has found that the more a football team wins, the less time the team and friends spend on schoolwork, therefore their grades drop. Obviously I don't think college football and other sports should be banned for this reason. I think that students should take responsibility for their studies whether they are celebrating a big win, or not. It doesn't really come as a surprise to me, but I guess a lot of people (myself included) haven't thought about it before.
           The author of this article uses a lot of logos evidence. To get their point across about male versus female GPA's, they write, "On average, men were earning GPAs of 2.94, compared to 3.12 for women. But the more the team won, the more the gap widened; three extra wins amounted to an approximately 8 percent increase in the difference." (Fox 1). Another point of logos evidence is "A survey they conducted of Oregon students found 24 percent of men reported they "definitely" or "probably" decreased study time when the football team was doing well, compared to 9 percent of women. Nearly half of men reported increased partying, compared to 28 percent of women." and also "Especially concerning is the effect on men, who are struggling mightily on college campuses -- women ages 24 to 29 are already 29 percent more likely than men to have completed a baccalaureate degree." (Fox 1). This logos evidence appeals to the reader and makes the significance and amount of male grades that are plummeting very apparent to the reader. 


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/20/study-when-football-team-wins-male-grades-drop/#ixzz1hBJaSGoV

Bless Me, Ultima (CH 8-12)

          Alright, I'm enjoying the book, especially now that the plot has become more exciting. I can't help but feel bad for Antonio because he seems to have so many looming future decisions to make and he seems to be caught in the middle of different members of his family/friends.This brings up the point that children are most definitely influenced by their family. Now, back to Ultima. She's called upon to save Uncle Lucas' life and she takes Antonio with her. I was confused on why this powerful healer would want a young boy to come along, until they mentioned his name being "Juan". So, even though I'm not exactly sure, the name must have something to do with it and will probably come up again in future chapters. Another thing about the Lucas life-saving excursion. Why did Antonio feel his sickness while he was in the room. They seemed connected. "he was across the room from me, but our bodies did not seem separated by the distance. We dissolved into each other, and we shared a common struggle against the evil within, which fought to repulse Ultima's magic." (Anaya 100).
       Ultima's magic is good magic, but magic nonetheless. I believe she killed the Tenorio's daughter with the little clay dolls, but she killed evil. Does this make her a witch? Well I feel this is another answer the book is hiding from the reader. When Tenorio comes with his drunken mob to accuse Ultima of witchcraft, Ultima passes the test of walking through the door with a cross above it. However, at the end of the chapter, Antonio finds the needles used to make the cross on the ground. Was it on the ground when Ultima walked through? Had someone knocked it down on purpose? or had it simply fallen after the ordeal was over?
       Ultima gave Antonio her little scapular, and told him not to tell anyone about it. But then he did tell to disprove the fact that it was not found under the bed of Tenorio's dead daughter. I wonder if it has any other significance.
       Narcisco is the coolest character. He is just a friendly gentle giant and seems willing to do anything to help out his friends. He wanted to reason with Lupito when they murdered him on the bridge, but no one in the crowd would listen to him. I think he will continue to help the Marez family and play a role in the whole "Golden Carp" legend.
      The Golden Carp has made Antonio question his beliefs. I think that it will continue to fascinate Antonio and play a part in the novel. My prediction is that the river will flood the town and Antonio may try to warn everyone but nobody will believe him. Ultima may already know about the flood because she talkas about the presence of the river. Maybe Ultima will die and Antonio will have to take her place as ultimate curer. Why else does she take him to gather herbs and to go help a sick patient? Sounds like an apprenticeship to me.

Duggers 20th Baby- Stillborn and Photographed

          I felt this article was sort of a follow-up on an article I posted a while ago about the famous Dugger family expecting their 20th child. Well, as I'm sure you've heard,  the baby was pronounced dead inside the womb. Now, honestly, anyone in their right mind would not have another child knowing they had health issues and after popping out 19 already. Many professionals thought this high risk pregnancy would end badly and surprise surprise, it did. I personally don't care how many kids Michelle Duggar already has, I don't think they're "polluting the planet" as some people do, I simply believe that she shouldn't have taken that risk. The article wasn't really about that though, it was about all the hate the family was receiving for taking pictures of their dead child. One photograph of the tiny feet and another of  the baby's hand holding Michelle's. I really don't care, taking photos of your ead child should be completely up to the family.
           The article definitely revealed our society's squeamishness about death. As the author mentions, " In some rural cultures, the death of a young child is cause for singing and dancing — even passing around the body. In another era, you might wear the delicately woven hair of your dead relative in a ring on your finger. You might hang a coffin plate on the wall of your home. And you wouldn’t think that was creepy or weird at all. Your beloved dead would be there, not just shunted off to the cemetery, but an acknowledged part of your life."  (Williams). I agree, I mean, it was their child so it should be up to them. And, a photograph of the feet and hands of a child that is dead are not much different then a photograph of one that is alive. Relax people.The author throws in some sappy pathos evidence in at the end of the article. She writes, "We live in an age in which we can chronicle every moment of our lives via our omnipresent cameras, yet we shudder at the idea of taking – and sharing – the image of a lost baby. For families who’ve endured the pain of pregnancy loss, though, that image will forever be all they have.... And who’s to say that what is to some just a “sick” photo of a dead fetus isn’t, to her parents, simply their child?...A picture. Something that proves that the child they desired was real. And that, just for a moment, they could hold her hand." (Williams). I thought the article was well written, persuasive, and revealed a huge truth about our society today.

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/16/why_did_the_duggars_photograph_a_stillborn_baby/

Can Facebook Save Your Life?

           This article was about Facebook being used as a suicide note outlet in the recent years. As sad as that is, there seems to be some good coming out of it. A status set as a suicide note allows the people who view it on the newsfeed to get help for their friend- or at least try. In fact, you can now flag a comment/status as a "suicidal content" which will immediately connect the person who wrote the message to an anonymous chat room with a private crisis counselor. Some, if not most people, prefer this method to picking up a phone. I think that this is a good thing and could save lives.
        The author uses a lot of evidence to prove her point and maintains a serious tone appropriate for this serious topic. She opens the article with startling, but concise, stories about people who wrote about their suicide hours or days before they followed through with it. "In September 2010, Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi posted on his Facebook page that he was “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry” – and then did. Last Christmas, Simone Back wrote that she “Took all my pills be dead soon so bye bye every one.” Several Facebook “friends” added disparaging comments, but no one stepped forward to check on her. Black’s body was found the next day." (Williams 1). This proves that this stuff actually happens and viewers should step in and try to get them help. She explains that comments can be flagged as "suicidal content" and the person will receive help. She also explains that google makes sure that when you search for the word "suicide" the first thing that comes up is the red phone image with "need help?" and the telephone number for a suicide hotline. She ends her article with a very true statement, "But if Google and Facebook can figure out how to help, surely the rest of us can come up with a few ideas as well. We can start by remembering that a voice on the phone, a supportive shoulder, or the offer to drive someone to a crisis center can be powerful as well. Sometimes, saving a human life still requires a human touch." (Williams). I think that this was her main message to her audience. 

Bless Me, Ultima (CH 1-7)

          Bless Me, Ultima is about a Mexican family living with two daughters, three sons at war, and youngest son  Antonio. This Marez/Luna family presents two contrasting sides of the story. The Luna side, the mother, is highly religious and proper. They are avid farmers of the fertile land. The Marez, the father's side, is wild and loud. They seem to have little respect for religion (although the father sometimes plays along to please everyone) and are vaqueros of the llano. These two sides are constantly contrasted in the novel and the destiny of Antonio is pulled between the two. His mother wants him to go to school and be scholarly, then become a priest for the Luna family. His father would prefer him to live like he did as a child; wild ponies and the open llano land living like a "true man". I feel this conflict will be the major/overall drive of the events in the book and won't be sorted out until the very end. With the edition of Ultima to the family was an important one. Antonio definitely has a special relationship with Ultima and I think she will come to play a large role in Antonio's "destiny".
          With Anthony going to school and feeling like an outcast, may contribute to his destiny as well. I assume the remainder of the book will add some focus on Antonio's adventures at school and I bet not all of them will be positive ones.
          Antonio's brothers may also play a role in his future because you can tell he loves and looks up to them. They were his father's sons I think; they went off to the war much to their mother's dismay. Although, the book doesn't specify if they went by choice or they were drafted so I suppose it doesn't really matter. I do think that they will influence Antonio throughout the rest of the novel now that they are home.
          Now, this whole Spanish thing, is killing me. I have no prior knowledge of Spanish so I don't know how the words (even simple ones) are pronounced or what they mean. I find myself constantly asking Google Translate. I think it interrupts the flow of the story if I keep having to stop to see what they're saying, or try extra hard to to understand through the surrounding lines. I think a little bit of Spanish would be okay; it does show the difference between the educated and uneducated individuals. However, its starting to get annoying.
        

Teachable Moments in Unlikely places

           Recently a semi-reliable study was conducted about young girls who watch "reality Tv" regularly and those who do not. Surprisingly enough, some benefit seems to come from watching seemingly ridiculous programs. For example,  "reality watchers exceed their peers’ confidence levels regarding “almost every personal characteristic” — including maturity, intelligence, and humor. They’re also more likely to aspire to lead and more aware of social issues. Two-thirds said that the shows have sparked important conversations with parents and friends." (Williams).  I thought this was surprising at first but then realized that it makes some sense. "reality TV" includes a range of shows, from Jersey Shore to the Amazing Race, Project Runway and American Idol. I think that you can learn something new from just about any TV show that you watch and (if interpreted correctly), can benefit watchers. 
            The author appeals to a large range of audiences, from young girls to parents. She appeals to teenage girls by inserting some  specific content poking fun at reality TV star like "Could Snooki teach our little girls something beyond how to rock a pouf? On that latter question, I’m going to guess probably not a whole lot."  (Williams). She appeals to parents by provding some ways TV can be a positive influence from her own experience as a mother; she refers to daughters in general as "ours". She says "I say that because I’ve seen it in action. It was Mondo’s admission that he was HIV-positive on “Project Runway” that turned out to be the first time either of my daughters heard the term, and it wound up sparking a family conversation about HIV and AID....From “American Idol” this year they gained a deeper insight into the neighborhood  kids they know who are on the Asperger’s scale." (Willaims). She ties together a bigger meaning to the article at the end where she preaches "... the results do suggest that certain kinds of reality shows can teach our daughters more than just how to throw drinks in each other’s faces –  and that if you’re paying attention, there are teachable moments to be found in the unlikeliest places." (Willaims). 


http://www.salon.com/2011/12/07/is_reality_tv_good_for_girls/singleton/

The Insane Wealth of Walmart's Founding Family

         
           This article is about the simply fact that the six people that are heirs to Walmart's fortune has a net worth equal to 30% of Americans. Think about that for a minute. Six people, have the same amount of money as the poorest thirty percent of Americans entire population. Wow, okay then. I suppose it makes sense when you consider the amount of money Walmart pours in each day; there's practically a superstore at every corner!
         The author uses mostly logos evidence. Using percentages and dollar amounts to force the reader to realize just how wealthy these people actually are. There is also some ethos evidence involved when the author writes "by Sylvia Allegretto, a labor economist at the University of California at Berkeley’s Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics." (Elliot). This shows the reliability of the source and encourages readers to believe the information presented.  The articles ending seemed abrupt at first but then a link was provided to read further on the Walmart fortune heirs on a different website.



http://www.salon.com/2011/12/08/the_insane_wealth_of_walmarts_founding_family/

Viral Video Turns a Bullied Teen into a Star

            This article was about a gay teen, Jonah Mowry, who has been bullied since first grade and made a video this past August sharing all of his scars, emotional and physical. The video has since gains over five millions hits on youtube and spread around the internet through facebook, twitter, tumblr, youtube, etc. His story is a sad one, but he explains that he is stronger than the bullies that torment him. Since the recent popularity of the video, and the encouraging comments from celebrities and the sharing of similar stories for other teens, Mowry seems hopeful. He posted another video where he thanked all those for being nice and shouted out against his haters wearing a smile. It proves that the internet is a way for someone to get their point across, and in Jonah's case, create a viral sensation and bullying controversy.  For those you who haven't seen it, the video is heartbreaking. I felt this article was even more appropriate because this week is inclusion week in school. Nobody should be bullied, especially for simply being who they are.
           The author uses a lot of pathos evidence in the article. She plays up the solemn emotions of the poor teenage boy and portrays him as a victim (which he is).  She recognizes the seriousness of bullying and also discusses the big picture of things. In addition she also leaves the reader with a message, "Mowry’s story — the outrage he’s provoked, but more significantly, in the poignant chords of compassion he’s inspired — proves how powerful one kid with a webcam can be. These days, you can make a difference by showing your wounds and shedding tears. But most of all, if you really want to piss off the enemy, the best thing you can do is go on living." (Williams).   I think thats a very powerful message to go along with a powerful story. The article is very straight forward and also includes many comments form other people that provide a connection to the public audiences thoughts on Mowry's video. 


http://www.salon.com/2011/12/06/a_viral_video_turns_a_bullied_teen_into_a_star/

New Coca-Cola Can Infuriates Internet

        

            This article was about the new can design for Coke. It features some Polar Bears to remind customers of the partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and it white for some seasonal flare. I see absolutely nothing with it. i, until reading this article, really didn't know that Coca-Cola had a partnership with the WWF and that's the meaning of its classic Polar Bear. Coke drinkers keep complaining that they mistake the new white can for diet. Now, if you took 3 seconds to actually read the cans you're buying, and passed first grade reading, you would notice that, in fact, the word "diet" is not written on them. Please use your brain. Yes, the red cans are classic, but change isn't always bad. I think the cans are cute and just as "attention grabbing" as the plain old red ones. Calm down.
           William is sarcastic and funny as usual and that element keeps the readers attention throughout the article. She says things like, " So let’s just get a few things straight so we never have to go through anything like this again: You don’t win friends with salad. Stop trying to make “fetch” happen" (Williams). I appreciated the Mean Girls reference. At the end of the article she voices her opinion again, and gives the reader what she seems to be the real issue for the outcry. She writes, " It’s about the potent ideal Coke itself perpetuates – solid, dependable, and goddammit, red" (Williams). Personally, the color of the can shouldn't matter as long as the stuff inside it stays the same. She also uses some personification. She writes, "the cola titan recently rolled out a festive new can design..." and later "... that diet and regular Coke are two very different beasts." (Williams). I thought that was interesting. Overall, I thought the article was informative and enjoyable to read.

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/02/why_cokes_new_can_infuriated_the_internet/singleton/