Room Temperature

This is in response to Adam and Liza’s blogs about the temperatures in the rooms. Ithaca does have set temperatures for the dorms however they have changed these temperatures for this year in order to be more sustainable. They have lowered the heat in order to save money and energy. Although people think it is still hot in the dorms, Ithaca has been taking steps to drop the heat. It is unrealistic to fit the temperature needs of all students and if they let us set our own temperatures we would surly waste energy. Although I agree that opening and closing the windows gets annoying, I think Ithaca College is doing the best they can.

Sidewalk on Coddington

After reading Chris’s proposal, I totally agree that Coddingtion Road needs a sidewalk. There are so many nights where I have seen intoxicated students walking on the 2 foot wide shoulder trying to get back and forth to campus. It is very unsafe that such a popular road should not have a safe sidewalk for students and other pedestrians. If there were a sidewalk students who live off campus and on that road could walk to campus instead of driving, and it would cause much less of a threat to pedestrians. There are plans to create a larger shoulder but I do not think this will solve the problem at all. This will only encourage cars to be more reckless.

Key System

This weekend a friend of mine lost his keys, and then lost his lock out keys. He went to see what he should do and residential life had no solution for him. He had no way to get into the building or to his room since all doors lock on the weekends. He couldn’t even get into the residential life office because it is located in the east tower lobby which is locked. He had to pay 40 dollars to get his lock replaced and was stuck with no way to get into the building for almost a week. No doubt it was his fault for loosing his key, but it is definitely not an efficient system. Keys have shown to be a hassle and very ineffective way to get into the building. Waiting outside for someone to let you in and frequently getting locked out of your own building is not working.

Cavity fighting candy

A new candy has hit the market that reduces cavities. Children in Venesuala who ate the candy had 62% less cavities than those who brushed their teeth daily. The mint cadies have special enzymes that neutralize bad acids in the mouth the destroy enamel. The candy is designed to be chewed so it sticks in the back of the mouth. Researchers say that this could be the revolutionary break through that could change dental care forever. They are currently seeking approval from the food and drug administration, but are worried that it could take years to hit the market. Making dental care obsolete could have a negative effect on the economy, but they hope people realize how large of an improvement this could be to society. The article goes on to explain all of the advantages to their mints to convince people that it must hit the market as soon as possible. I believe that creating hype for their product will put pressure on the government to speed up the process.

Obesity in schools

Five Philadelphia Schools have banned candy and soda from their cafeterias and have begun to promote healthy eating habits. The study concluded that it helped cut weight gain in students by 50%. The number of kids who got fat during the two-year experiment was half the number of kids who got fat in schools that didn't make those efforts. Scientists at the Center for Obesity Research say this is a great step in the right direction; however the article proposes that this program must be instilled in every school across the country. After they explain how large the problem is they go on the give their answer on how to fix it. Now that it is guaranteed to work, the Center for Obesity Research has made a game plan for all schools to set into action. They explain in detail what is to be done and what the results will do.

iPhones

An article in the Wall Street Journal complained about the use of iPhones in the work place. The author has evaluated what the iPhone can and cannot do in the work place. Unlike other smart phone such a Blackberrys, the iPhone does not require password protection for things such as email. Companies are worried that important information will be easily leaked through iPhones if they continue to be used. The author argues that the phones are not compatible for many programs needed on business phone and the phone is not appropriate for work. He is also trying to use logos to stop the spread of the phone by using information about the phone. In the end I don’t think this argument is effective. In an earlier blog I wrote someone evaluated the iPhone, saying it was the best phone for college students on the market. IPhones are definitely taking over the market by storm and this article is not going to stop it.

Diet Soda

I have already done a blog post on diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, but I found another article on it that I found very interesting. Since this is a topic that has been questioned by many more and more tests come out each month. The news clip I first read was about tests going on at Purdue University, and this article is about researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. The articles pretty much said the same things but through different testing. The same website produced both articles within a month of each other. I found it interesting that they are so admit about convincing their readers not to drink diet soda. By bringing up their argument over and over they have a better chance of success.

Demand for the Wii

In an article I read, it explained why there is shortage of the gaming system the Nintendo Wii, and what is to blame.  At the beginning of the article the writer gains the trust of the reader by citing information from a game industry analyst.  The Wii gains more profits in Europe then it does in America, therefore there is a shortage here.  The shortage here is also creating a high demand for the product.  Now that the demand in Europe is dying they are being redirected to America.  The author quotes reliable sources and evaluates Nintendo’s marketing strategy.

Best and Worst Dressed

On People Magazine’s website they recently evaluated the kids choice awards best and worst dressed.  The article included pictures and evaluations of all the celebrities that attended.  While people who play it safe with plain outfits get praised, many who stepped outside of the box got criticized. They gave their opinions and then said what they thought would make the outfit better, this made me wonder who was to be the judge of their outfits.  Many that they deemed as ugly I thought were pretty cute.  I think People needs to work on their credentials before judging others outfits, as a reader I don’t really trust their opinions.

Privacy Act

Senator Obama’s passport information was recently looked at by three different contract workers. The government is currently evaluating the situation to decide if there were political motives or not. Although they believe no real harm may have been done, it is still a breach of privacy that could be potentially dangerous. The government is taking precautionary measures to reassure the public that that they are honest and hard working. If the senator’s files could be breached, that means that it could happen to anyone. This violation of the Privacy Act has everyone worried, and the government is using an evaluation to reassure people that they are handling the situation.

BMW 5 series

I recently read an evaluation of BMW’s new 5 series. The new diesel powered car gets more miles per gallon’s than Toyotas Prius. The 5 series gets about 42 miles to the gallon, beating the Prius by almost a mile. Although the difference is not huge it is still a huge step in the right direction and has raised many questions about new technologies. The new battery saving features, and six speed transmissions have increased the fuel economy by 10%. This new technology may be used in many car manufactures in the future. Having a sports car compare to one of the most fuel efficient cars ever made is certainly an achievement. This evaluation raises the awareness of new technology and BMW’s eco-friendly practices.

XBox

I read an article that evaluated gaming systems. In the article Squaretrade, a company that specializes in providing warranty support to purchasers of electronic goods stated that 16% of all XBox's had problems within 6 to 10 months of use. Most gaming consoles have only a 3% problem rate making XBox poor in comparison. They use statistics to compare the system to other like it and have information that is backed up by reliable sources, which is key when writing a good evaluation. The article gives you suggestions on what systems to buy and how to avoid problems. If I were a gamer i think this would be extremely important information and it definitely makes me think about the quality of XBox's.

Semi-Pro

I read an evaluation of the movie Semi-Pro starring Will Ferrell and I thought it was pretty interesting. Like many of the examples from the book, the evaluation compared the movie to his other films and to films in the same category based on box office sales and reviews. This relates to the discussion we had in class about what makes a movie funny. Who should be the judge to say what is funnier than something else. Although Semi-Pro was number one in the box office by over 3 million dollars it was still considered somewhat of a failure. They blame this on the movie being rated R, but also on the slowing economy. I saw the movie this weekend and I thought it was really funny, however the article didn’t really agree. I thought it was interesting that they were able to be the judge.

Dishonest Evaluation

Recently Maxim wrote an argument of evaluation about The Black Crows new album; however they wrote the review without listening to the full album. The Black Crows are now demanding they publicly apologize for the bad review. The magazine is complying not because of the band, but for its readers. Writing a dishonest review makes them deceitful, and untrustworthy. If the magazine does not give true information they are likely to loose their readers to other magazines and their business will fail. It is important when writing an argument that you are credible.

iPhones for College Freshman

I recently read an article about a Texas University giving all of its incoming freshman iPhones. They argue that they want to integrate more technology into the education system. Many colleges have begun to support Mac’s as their main computers, and some are even giving their students computers built into tuition. They back up this decision with studies they have done that show what the uses of iPhones will be. Mac is also coming up with over 10 new applications that can be added to further the learning experiences of the students. These applications include homework alerts, in-class surveys, directions to classrooms and offices, and meal balance information, just to name a few. I believe this argument is to convince people why Mac’s are the right choice for schools, and also its going to be a great benefit for the schools application process!

Stand by Your Ham

I recently read an article about how pig farmers have created a jingle to alert buyers about a problem in the pig market. With the rising prices in feed and fuel they are loosing around 40 dollars per pig which is slowly but surly running them out of business. Pig farmers in England made up a song entitled "Stand by Your Ham", a spin on the tune of "Stand by Your Man" that will be shown in commercials and the Internet. This use of marketing is common in many arguments because it draws attention to a serious problem in a lighthearted way. I think this is a very clever marketing strategy that could really help with their problem.

Ice Cream and Bees

I recently watched a news clip that argued that there is a problem going on with bee pollination and it is beginning to have an effect on the ice cream market. Bees are responsible for 40% of Haagen Das’s ice cream flavors and 1/3 of the US food supply. Haagen Das is donating 250 million dollars to universities across the country to help solve the bee colony problem that is going on in California. This argument made by Haagen Das is trying to make people aware of the impact that the bee crisis is going to have, and to make consumers aware that they are personally making contributions to fix it. This not only raises awareness of the severity of the problem, but it will increase good will and sales for Haagen Das. It is an argument to fix a problem and to buy ice cream.

Video Games

According to a study seen on CNN men are three times more likely to become addicted to video games as compared to women. They created a video game to study the visual processing and motor skills and men and women. They put the participants in an MRI scanner and found out what was happening in their brain. Not only were men better at the game, but more activity went on in the brain while they were playing. In men it was found that the part of the brain that controls rewards was more active while playing games. This study can also help argue why men can become more addicted to things than women.

Diet Sodas

I watched an online news clip about a study preformed at Purdue University about the effects of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners. The study showed that even just one diet soda a day increased health problems such as weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and pre heart disease by 30%. Diet foods tend to change the metabolism to react to sugar in a different way. Sweet things make your body prepare for a calorie load and when it finds that the artificial sweetener does not have any calories in it the body and brain gets confused. On average Americans drink 163 diet drinks a year. This was an argument to convince people to stop drinking diet soda and eating artificial sweeteners. Although diet sodas are said to help people loose weight it is shown to have the opposite effect.

Dreaming after 9/11

In this article the author is arguing that the attacks of 9/11 have changed the way people dream. They use a logical appeal, using facts and reliable sources to show the changes in people dreams, they showed studies of peoples dreams and how there were more intense images after the attacks. This argument can get people thinking about how their dreams change after they undergo trauma and distress. I found this article to be very unbelievable and I do not think the writer gave enough information to back up their argument. I find it hard to believe that you can track dreaming especially when disasters are unexpected. I definitely believe that people experienced change after 9/11 but whether peoples dreams changed or not, I am not too sure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20080202/hl_hsn/911attackschangedwayamericansdream;_ylt=Av4m01JzkmyI1vH4yGQXd9jq188F

Double Dipping

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080202/ap_on_he_me/double_dipping;_ylt=AnuvZMcI4Dj5OJDuLXQdvWLq188F


In this argument the author is writing about why people should not double dip their chips. She uses a logical appeal by using facts and reliable sources to make people understand how gross it is to double dip. This is also an argument used to convince. With all the super bowl parties going on the writer encourages everyone to watch their salsa. She uses information gathered by scientists at respected universities and the numbers show that over 10,000 bacteria can be transferred between dippers. I thought it was clever to use a line from Seinfeld to get the reader engaged and then hit us with the real facts. I don’t know how many people really need to be convinced that double dipping your chip is nasty, but seeing the numbers makes it ever grosser!

Disappearing Salmon

In this article the author is augmenting the drop in the number of salmon that has returned to California and why it is so important. I think that he uses both a logical and emotional appeal. He uses facts to show the severity of the situation and ties in to how it will affect our lives. From just the numbers and statistics he used it is clear that there is a problem, and then he explains that this problem will put fisherman out of business and ruin stock prices. I also believe that this could be considered an argument to explore and an argument about the future. The writer gives us the facts to explore a serious problem in society and then tells us what must be done to fix this problem in the future. This is just one of the many effects global warming has had on our planet and there will be many more to come if we do not start changing for a cleaner environment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/ap_on_re_us/disappearing_salmon;_ylt=Aj7.K8sW4ugwaywf7jnPBfTq188F

Post 1 - Lung Cancer

In this article the writer is arguing that smoking marijuana will increase your risk of lung cancer. This argument is used to influence. The writer is not trying to conquer any opponents, but to convince the readers that what he wrote is true and deserves the attention of people. This article is used to persuade readers that smoking a joint is very hazardless to their health and he does this by using facts and statistics. This makes the article an appeal to logic. They use reliable sources and examples to create sound reasons of support. Quotes from scientists and medical researches make that article believable. I am not really knowledgeable on the topic of lung cancer, however reading this article gives me reason to believe that smoking cannabis can be very harmful to the lungs, and from the fact that they give it is worse than tobacco.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080129/hl_nm/cancer_cannabis_dc;_ylt=As5nEEBWhdMhRPtB2cEu2bDq188F