Sunday, October 26, 2008
Bidden Pathos
Bidden starts off by saying we might have to slow down our commitment to double foreign aid. He mentions slowing it down twice. This plays on the logic that if we can't take care of our own country how are we supposed to help others. It also plays on the emotions that people have about "I" first. Bidden's little slip, "We also are going to make sure we do not go forward with the tax cut proposals of the administration...of John McCain." I think plays on a lot of people's feelings that McCain will be another 4 years of Bush. Whether slip was intentional or not I think a careful listener would pick it up. He goes on to talk about not supporting tax cuts to the wealthy or corporations, "we are not going to support the $300 billion tax cut that they have for corporate America and the very wealthy." Bidden goes on to talk about not letting up on breaks for creating new jobs, education, and affordable health care. This plays to both logos and pathos. The emotional aspect of this is that a lot of people are fearing job security right now with the economy gone to hell. The lack of adequate and reasonably priced health care scares people and also costs the country billions in money from ER visits. Now the logical part of it is that new jobs and better education for everyone would help the economy tremendously. He breaks up the seriousness and allows for a laugh by mentioning that the light telling him his turn is almost over is blinking. "The $100 billion tax dodge that in fact allows people to take their post office box off shore and avoid taxes. I call that unpatriotic. I call that unpatriotic." That statement stirs up the patriotic emotions (and anger) of citizens who don't exploit this gap. After Palin's "attack" on Obama's voting history Bidden starts off by clearing up why Obama voted the way he did. In this case it was because the bill provided for research into alternate fuels. He states that on separate votes Obama votes against giving tax breaks to oil companies. This makes Obama seem more stoic and gives people more faith in him (and restores what Palin may have taken away). Bidden goes on to say, "If John really wanted to eliminate them why is he adding to his budget an additional $4 billion dollars in tax cut for Exxon Mobiles of the world?" This goes on to question the logic and authority of McCain to deal with the economic problems. It also deals with emotions because people aren't really happy with oil companies right now, nor would they want to give them a tax break when they are posting record profits. Bidden uses a lot of hand gestures while he speaks to help emphasize the emotions he is trying to pass off. He also tends to restate topics multiple times in an attempt to drive home ideas. This could be a means to make sure certain words or phrases register and stir up something within the listeners.
PS - I believe this will be late. My mom had car troubles coming home from work so I had to run out and get her which killed about an hour and a half.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Presidential Debate
Right off the bat McCain uses pathos by saying, "By the way our beloved Nancy Reagan is in the hospital tonight." This really has nothing to do with the first question of "Why is your economic plan better than the other guy's?" but is clearly said to spark some emotion. He goes on to say "Americans are hurting right now and they're angry, they're hurting and angry. They are innocence victims of greed and excess on Wallstreet and as well as Washington D.C. and they're angry." It's true, the average American is a little upset that they aren't doing so well financial and yet you have CEO's and politicians living the high life still. He goes on to use logos by saying, "We have allocated 750 billion dollars, now lets take 300 of that billion and go in and buy those home loan mortages." It makes sense to help people out with there home loans since that is one of the major factors for our current economic crisis. He uses logic again when he says, "It doesn't help that person in their home if the next door neighbor's house is abandoned." Home value suffers depending on the neighborhood so if all the other houses are abandoned and in ruin then the value of the homes with people living in them will decline. Obama uses both pathos and logos when he talks about his core principles he wanted for the financial package. He says, "making sure CEO's don't enrich themselves through this process." This plays on the emotions of the average joe who sees rich people still living lavishly while they suffer and the logic that the rich getting richer is not advantageous to the economy. Obama is clearly trying to play towards the emotions of the middle class when he talks about economics. Which is a logical thing to do considering the majority of Americans aren't upper class. McCain trys to emphatize with people by bringing up the now famous Joe "The Plumber" after Obama's first turn of speaking. To understand the whole Joe "The Plumber" you have to be familiar with the incident where Joe met with Obama. Obama had said something along the lines of "spreading the wealth around" during that meeting. McCain and most conservatives have been trying to attack Obama by saying that this was a "socialist" statement. They both attack eachother (Obama's is more jokingly) as a way to discredit the other person.
The context of the event affects the viewers. While both candidates have a equal amount of time and the program was broadcasted on t.v. and put online there is one major problem. The event only had participants from two (albeit the major) political parties. There were no independents, greens, etc. as part of the debate. Since only republicans and democrats were part of the debate the audience doesn't get the chance to learn more about the ideals of the other canidates from other parties. Only certain questions are asked at the debate so not everything gets answered. Even the questions that are asked get skirted by the canidates at times. The audience has limited control over the event where two presidential canidates (who will have control) argue.
The context of the event affects the viewers. While both candidates have a equal amount of time and the program was broadcasted on t.v. and put online there is one major problem. The event only had participants from two (albeit the major) political parties. There were no independents, greens, etc. as part of the debate. Since only republicans and democrats were part of the debate the audience doesn't get the chance to learn more about the ideals of the other canidates from other parties. Only certain questions are asked at the debate so not everything gets answered. Even the questions that are asked get skirted by the canidates at times. The audience has limited control over the event where two presidential canidates (who will have control) argue.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Rhetoric Questions
Envision Chapter One
1. How do you distinguish between aesthetic and rhetoric images? Do all images contain rhetoric and aesthetic values?
2. Depending on the audience how could someone read into a visual rhetoric too much? How do you keep from reading into rhetoric too much? Is that a danger to using visual rhetoric?
3. How do you convey a point in visual rhetoric without lacking substance?
Envision Chapter Two
1. Since a lot of advertisements use faulty logos why are they still successful?
2. How would you determine if scare/threat tactics would work?
3. Does cause/effect deal more with logos or ethos? Why?
1. How do you distinguish between aesthetic and rhetoric images? Do all images contain rhetoric and aesthetic values?
2. Depending on the audience how could someone read into a visual rhetoric too much? How do you keep from reading into rhetoric too much? Is that a danger to using visual rhetoric?
3. How do you convey a point in visual rhetoric without lacking substance?
Envision Chapter Two
1. Since a lot of advertisements use faulty logos why are they still successful?
2. How would you determine if scare/threat tactics would work?
3. Does cause/effect deal more with logos or ethos? Why?
Monday, October 6, 2008
Husker Football is Good for the Economy
It’s Friday night at the Valentino’s downtown location. A couple, probably in their late 50’s, enter the store and approach the counter where I am standing. The woman orders a salad while the man orders a small Val’s special pizza. After idle conversation while the couple waited for their food I learned that the man was a UNL alumni and was back in town for the game tomorrow. This is not such an unusual occurrence for a Friday night like tonight. Tomorrow is the Nebraska vs. Virginia Tech football game and it is a home game for the Huskers. Days like tomorrow, when the population of downtown Lincoln is probably tripled, is the perfect opportunity for businesses and independent entrepreneurs to make a few bucks at the expense of the fans like this couple who have traveled all the way back to Nebraska to watch the game.
The time on the radio in my mom’s little red Honda Civic reads 8:45 in the morning. The speedometer needle is rapidly falling from 60mph to 45mph to 25mph as the car enters downtown Lincoln on 9th street heading south on this slightly overcast but still fair weathered day. Three people are standing along both sides of the street in a triangular shape, two of which are holding identical white signs with red lettering and the other holding a handmade cardboard sign with scribbles made by a black Sharpie, all three of the signs read “I NEED TICKETS.” Scalpers.
Only two blocks south of the first three scalpers are there more people standing on the west side of 9th street. One is a man holding another handmade “I NEED TICKETS” sign and the other is a boy holding a sign almost bigger in size than he is. Right behind this pair is the closed little white shack used to sell Husker memorabilia like t-shirts and hats to the visiting population. The Honda turns east on P street and comes to a stop at the traffic light on the intersection with 10th street.
Four more guys are standing on the northwest corner of the intersection here. One of them is holding a neon green sign reading, “NEED TICKETS, TOP $ PAID.” Two of the guys are just standing there it seems locked in a discussion. The last guy is holding up two tickets spread apart in one hand. All four of them are decked out in Husker hats and jackets. The memorabilia suggests that they might be fans but the fact that at the same corner where one person is looking for tickets and another is selling them makes me wonder if for them it is less about the game and more about the money to be made off legit fans. A white mid-90’s Silverado smashes the tires against the curb and stops next to the four men. Meanwhile he is impeding traffic and blocking up two cars behind him. The scalper steps back from the truck with the tickets still clutched in his hand and a displeased look on his face. The Silverado rolls away and continues north on 10th street.
The last three blocks till my destination pass without much incidence and the Civic hangs a left at 13th street, passes the homeless guy who makes his residence out of the benches on the west side of the street, and comes to a stop against the curb in front of Valentino’s downtown location and my job as a delivery driver.
Is it even about the game anymore or is it just about the money? You have scalpers out in the constant cycle of buying and selling tickets for a profit. The Husker gear that all of them adorn is almost a camouflage when they are standing on a corner surrounded by fans. Then you have the companies like Valentino’s who not only sell pizza at their downtown location but also at the stadium less than 10 blocks away for $1 more. A distance of less than 10 blocks ups the price of a single slice of pizza. Every parking lot in the downtown area charges for parking during the game at rates that are double or triple the usual amount on a non-game day. The lot right next door charges $11 to park there for the event, and it usually ends up full. Driving anywhere around downtown and you will notice signs by every lot with amounts ranging from $5 to $15 depending on the distance to the stadium. Even the frats and sororities get involved by selling off the little parking they have. Fans are forced to either pay outrageous prices for parking or do what some fans do, park an outrageous distance away from downtown on the side streets. Game days are perfect examples of capitalism at it's finest.
Then of course you have the memorabilia. A little blond haired boy is hopping in an awkward circle around his father. The kid is wearing red nylon shorts, a Husker jersey, a little white sweatband bearing the Husker logo and he even has a little “N” painted on his cheek. The father isn’t quite as loaded down with merchandise with just his Nebraska hat and shirt. No doubt he spent quite a bit of money on the paraphernalia for him and his child. Then of course there is the gear celebrating the new coach of the Huskers, Bo Pelini. I wonder if he gets a cut of the profits for using his name?
It is 4 o’clock and only 3 hours till kickoff of the game. The number of people walking around has picked up and every once in awhile you notice a small huddle of orange clad people making their way down a sidewalk taking precaution to avoid the masses of red. As I venture forth on my delivery to the Post Office off of the 7th street my little red Honda ducks, dodges, and weaves like a running back through the endless sea of fans adorned in red. 
The cops are out in full force directing traffic and people to the best of their abilities. The officer standing in the intersection blowing the whistle hanging in his mouth and waving his hands has your typical blue police uniform and little black hat. One thing is out of place. He is wearing a pair of yellow sunglasses that look like they belong on a kindergarten child and not a member of law enforcement. Once through the red sea and into the Haymarket area of downtown the number of red shirts lessens to a lake instead of a sea. The smell of beer and sounds of drunks yelling can be heard from the many establishments littering the Haymarket. The Civic arrives at the Post Office building and pulls to a stop facing the wrong direction and blocking up two parking spots. Oddly there is only one other car in this particular parking lot besides me. The delivery is done and the Honda begins the journey back to the store. The doorway to downtown, 9th street, has now become a gridlock of anxious fans trying to enter downtown. Twenty minutes pass and the Civic barely manages to move a block. The smells of grilled meat and sounds of rabid drunks coming from the tailgaters in the Journal Star parking lot overwhelms you while you impatiently wait for traffic to move. A scalper weaves between the stopped cars to approach a vehicle. On the sidewalk two college girls, one blond and the other brunette, are clad in white Husker shirts. They are distributing CD's to people walking along the sidewalk. One girl runs up to my car and shoves a CD into my hands and rushes back to the bank of the 9th street river of cars.
So what is the cost of attending a Husker football game? First there is the price of the ticket which has no doubt increased after scalpers. To be a true fan you have to be adorned in the appropriate attire of course so spending money on shirts, hats, etc. is a must. Of course you have to travel to the game, get a hotel room if you are not a local, and then pay outlandish prices for parking if you don't feel like walking a couple of miles. Now if you're over 21 then you will probably end up spending money at one of the many bars downtown. You need food to go with the beer so there goes more money from the jacked up food prices. Husker football games have been sold out since 1962 and the businesses love it. Bars are packed with people celebrating before and after the game. All the tables at restaurants are full. All the rooms at the major hotels downtown are booked. And all the fans wondering about are drenched in red, black, or white Husker gear. Shirts, hats, sweatshirts, jackets, you name it and there is a Husker version of it. It’s no doubt that the businesses love the money that is brought in by Husker football games and maybe that is just what we need right now in the face of the current economic conditions. But maybe it’s just fueling the problem. All that money that is brought in from Husker football has to go someplace. While my wallet is usually kept full by the generous fans on game days most of the money goes other places. The owners of the businesses whether they are small or corporate owned are the ones that end up scoring big on game days. The real fans end up broke paying for tickets, parking, and food while everyone else exploits the fans’ passion for the game. Husker football is good for the economy, but who’s economy?
The time on the radio in my mom’s little red Honda Civic reads 8:45 in the morning. The speedometer needle is rapidly falling from 60mph to 45mph to 25mph as the car enters downtown Lincoln on 9th street heading south on this slightly overcast but still fair weathered day. Three people are standing along both sides of the street in a triangular shape, two of which are holding identical white signs with red lettering and the other holding a handmade cardboard sign with scribbles made by a black Sharpie, all three of the signs read “I NEED TICKETS.” Scalpers.
Only two blocks south of the first three scalpers are there more people standing on the west side of 9th street. One is a man holding another handmade “I NEED TICKETS” sign and the other is a boy holding a sign almost bigger in size than he is. Right behind this pair is the closed little white shack used to sell Husker memorabilia like t-shirts and hats to the visiting population. The Honda turns east on P street and comes to a stop at the traffic light on the intersection with 10th street.
Four more guys are standing on the northwest corner of the intersection here. One of them is holding a neon green sign reading, “NEED TICKETS, TOP $ PAID.” Two of the guys are just standing there it seems locked in a discussion. The last guy is holding up two tickets spread apart in one hand. All four of them are decked out in Husker hats and jackets. The memorabilia suggests that they might be fans but the fact that at the same corner where one person is looking for tickets and another is selling them makes me wonder if for them it is less about the game and more about the money to be made off legit fans. A white mid-90’s Silverado smashes the tires against the curb and stops next to the four men. Meanwhile he is impeding traffic and blocking up two cars behind him. The scalper steps back from the truck with the tickets still clutched in his hand and a displeased look on his face. The Silverado rolls away and continues north on 10th street.
The last three blocks till my destination pass without much incidence and the Civic hangs a left at 13th street, passes the homeless guy who makes his residence out of the benches on the west side of the street, and comes to a stop against the curb in front of Valentino’s downtown location and my job as a delivery driver.
Is it even about the game anymore or is it just about the money? You have scalpers out in the constant cycle of buying and selling tickets for a profit. The Husker gear that all of them adorn is almost a camouflage when they are standing on a corner surrounded by fans. Then you have the companies like Valentino’s who not only sell pizza at their downtown location but also at the stadium less than 10 blocks away for $1 more. A distance of less than 10 blocks ups the price of a single slice of pizza. Every parking lot in the downtown area charges for parking during the game at rates that are double or triple the usual amount on a non-game day. The lot right next door charges $11 to park there for the event, and it usually ends up full. Driving anywhere around downtown and you will notice signs by every lot with amounts ranging from $5 to $15 depending on the distance to the stadium. Even the frats and sororities get involved by selling off the little parking they have. Fans are forced to either pay outrageous prices for parking or do what some fans do, park an outrageous distance away from downtown on the side streets. Game days are perfect examples of capitalism at it's finest.
Then of course you have the memorabilia. A little blond haired boy is hopping in an awkward circle around his father. The kid is wearing red nylon shorts, a Husker jersey, a little white sweatband bearing the Husker logo and he even has a little “N” painted on his cheek. The father isn’t quite as loaded down with merchandise with just his Nebraska hat and shirt. No doubt he spent quite a bit of money on the paraphernalia for him and his child. Then of course there is the gear celebrating the new coach of the Huskers, Bo Pelini. I wonder if he gets a cut of the profits for using his name?It is 4 o’clock and only 3 hours till kickoff of the game. The number of people walking around has picked up and every once in awhile you notice a small huddle of orange clad people making their way down a sidewalk taking precaution to avoid the masses of red. As I venture forth on my delivery to the Post Office off of the 7th street my little red Honda ducks, dodges, and weaves like a running back through the endless sea of fans adorned in red. The cops are out in full force directing traffic and people to the best of their abilities. The officer standing in the intersection blowing the whistle hanging in his mouth and waving his hands has your typical blue police uniform and little black hat. One thing is out of place. He is wearing a pair of yellow sunglasses that look like they belong on a kindergarten child and not a member of law enforcement. Once through the red sea and into the Haymarket area of downtown the number of red shirts lessens to a lake instead of a sea. The smell of beer and sounds of drunks yelling can be heard from the many establishments littering the Haymarket. The Civic arrives at the Post Office building and pulls to a stop facing the wrong direction and blocking up two parking spots. Oddly there is only one other car in this particular parking lot besides me. The delivery is done and the Honda begins the journey back to the store. The doorway to downtown, 9th street, has now become a gridlock of anxious fans trying to enter downtown. Twenty minutes pass and the Civic barely manages to move a block. The smells of grilled meat and sounds of rabid drunks coming from the tailgaters in the Journal Star parking lot overwhelms you while you impatiently wait for traffic to move. A scalper weaves between the stopped cars to approach a vehicle. On the sidewalk two college girls, one blond and the other brunette, are clad in white Husker shirts. They are distributing CD's to people walking along the sidewalk. One girl runs up to my car and shoves a CD into my hands and rushes back to the bank of the 9th street river of cars.So what is the cost of attending a Husker football game? First there is the price of the ticket which has no doubt increased after scalpers. To be a true fan you have to be adorned in the appropriate attire of course so spending money on shirts, hats, etc. is a must. Of course you have to travel to the game, get a hotel room if you are not a local, and then pay outlandish prices for parking if you don't feel like walking a couple of miles. Now if you're over 21 then you will probably end up spending money at one of the many bars downtown. You need food to go with the beer so there goes more money from the jacked up food prices. Husker football games have been sold out since 1962 and the businesses love it. Bars are packed with people celebrating before and after the game. All the tables at restaurants are full. All the rooms at the major hotels downtown are booked. And all the fans wondering about are drenched in red, black, or white Husker gear. Shirts, hats, sweatshirts, jackets, you name it and there is a Husker version of it. It’s no doubt that the businesses love the money that is brought in by Husker football games and maybe that is just what we need right now in the face of the current economic conditions. But maybe it’s just fueling the problem. All that money that is brought in from Husker football has to go someplace. While my wallet is usually kept full by the generous fans on game days most of the money goes other places. The owners of the businesses whether they are small or corporate owned are the ones that end up scoring big on game days. The real fans end up broke paying for tickets, parking, and food while everyone else exploits the fans’ passion for the game. Husker football is good for the economy, but who’s economy?
Rubik's
1. What have I learned?
Husker football games bring in loads of money at the expense of the fans.
2. Examples.
The existence of scalpers just goes to show how far capitalism has taken hold in this country. That even something as small as a football ticket can be bought and resold at a higher price to a legit fan.
Valentino's selling at the stadium and downtown. Packed parking lots charging outrageous prices.
3. Downtown during a football game can be compared to a warzone. The winning forces are the businesses raking in the profits while the losers are the fans who get taken advantage of. The police are kind of like the UN making sure no one gets too out of line and directing where people can go.
4. Even something like a college football game is viewed as a means to acquire money. It doesn't matter to businesses whether the fan gets taken advantage of. For some reason however the fans don't object to paying $15 for parking and scalpers must be making money otherwise they would stop. I just think it shows how greedy this society is and that if college football is only about the money it brings in, what's next? Highschool football, YMCA soccer games?
5. Game days are really about one team vs. another team. Without the teams there would be no fans. Without the fans the businesses would fail to make the money they do. And without the fans the police would have a lot less interesting Saturdays. Football binds everyone together, whether they are in it for the game or the money.
6. As frustrated as I get on game days with all the traffic and people roaming around it is good money. We get a lot of big orders which usually means good tips for me. Especially if the people have been drinking and enjoying themselves a little too much. Without it, I would have less money to spend on things I don't really need. Businesses that thrive on the popularity of football might suffer and their employees might share the pain.
Husker football games bring in loads of money at the expense of the fans.
2. Examples.
The existence of scalpers just goes to show how far capitalism has taken hold in this country. That even something as small as a football ticket can be bought and resold at a higher price to a legit fan.
Valentino's selling at the stadium and downtown. Packed parking lots charging outrageous prices.
3. Downtown during a football game can be compared to a warzone. The winning forces are the businesses raking in the profits while the losers are the fans who get taken advantage of. The police are kind of like the UN making sure no one gets too out of line and directing where people can go.
4. Even something like a college football game is viewed as a means to acquire money. It doesn't matter to businesses whether the fan gets taken advantage of. For some reason however the fans don't object to paying $15 for parking and scalpers must be making money otherwise they would stop. I just think it shows how greedy this society is and that if college football is only about the money it brings in, what's next? Highschool football, YMCA soccer games?
5. Game days are really about one team vs. another team. Without the teams there would be no fans. Without the fans the businesses would fail to make the money they do. And without the fans the police would have a lot less interesting Saturdays. Football binds everyone together, whether they are in it for the game or the money.
6. As frustrated as I get on game days with all the traffic and people roaming around it is good money. We get a lot of big orders which usually means good tips for me. Especially if the people have been drinking and enjoying themselves a little too much. Without it, I would have less money to spend on things I don't really need. Businesses that thrive on the popularity of football might suffer and their employees might share the pain.
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