TOW #30 Letter to Incoming APELC Students

First of all, congratulation on joining this class. You’re probably a little intimidated by what you’ve heard, but that’s also probably a good thing. It’ll make you work harder. There is no doubt that this class is a challenge, but if you make use of the resources you have available to you, and are prepared to work, I guarantee you will be happy at the end of this school year. You will have a much better understanding of the English language when you leave.

            The first thing you have to realize is that you probably aren’t up to the level of writing you need to be in order to get the grades you want in this class. But that’s okay, none of us were last year. But Mr. Yost isn’t going to let up on you because you’re new to writing at a higher level and in a strictly-timed setting. What he Ms. Pronko are going to do is make themselves available for you when you need help. That is the most crucial piece of advice I can give you. CONFERENCE WITH THEM. It’s scary to have the teacher who is going to grade your work look through your essay and critique it, but trust me, it is so much better having him do it in a meeting then on the rubric for Sapphire. There are also all kinds of online resources and examples if you need them, as well as dozens of students that took the course last year and can help. Don’t ignore the help available to you, it is hard to improve if you do.

To succeed in APELC, you need to go beyond the writing aspect of the class as well. You need to read. Take advantage of the TOWs and find things that will test your abilities to analyze. I tried reading the original paper describing the discovery of the Higgs Boson, authored by over 100 particle physicists. I understood maybe twelve words. But as I worked through it I could still recognize the rhetoric we learned in class. It’s everywhere, and the more you look for it, the easier it will be to find in the in-class and AP passages. Also, if Mr. Yost gives you an assignment to read, don’t just read it. You need to understand it. Very well. Because the tests aren’t easy unless you put in the time to slowly break apart, analyze, and digest the passages. It gets easier as the year goes on and you learn a lot more about rhetoric, but if you try and appreciate the quality of the texts and comprehend how and why they were written, you will be a far more capable English student when you end the year.

So you’ve probably heard that this course is tough. I won’t lie, it is. But it is so worth it in the end. If you’re worried about grades, the letter you receive at the end of the year will reflect the amount of work you put into the class. I’m excited for you, you’re going to learn a ton this year.

TOW #29 Ants Compared to Humans

     One of the major arguments of Ants: Nature's Secret Power is that ants are just as successful, if not moreso, a species than humans. While underestimated because of their dimunitive size, ants have a tremendous presence in world ecosystems and dramatically alter their landscape and the animals around them. While their direct impacts are not as clearly visible as the ravaging domination of people, ants are certainly as influential a force and as successful a species as we believe ourselves to be.
      Humans are an extremely new species in the world, as our species evolved only about 50,000 years ago. Ants have proven themselves over a much larger span of about 130 million years on the planet. Whereas most large animals experienced a massive extinction event about 65 million years ago, ants continued to survive and eventually thrive. The longevity of the ant, and its ability to spread to all seven continents in the form of 14,000 different species is a clear indicator of the success of the organism.
     One can also measure the "success" and "influence" of an animal based on its impact on the environment around it. Humans have enormous agricultural industries that have selected and bred plants and animals to feed and serve us. We have tapped environmental resources for our own use. But so have ants. As demonstrated in the documentary, ants farm, garden, and reap the rewards of their stocks. When in Honduras I saw an enormous colony of leaf cutter ants. Their colony was so massive that it had worn tracks in the dirt during its leaf-cutting process. In South American fields, these same ants can decimate fields that humans try so desperately to maintain and develop. Additionally, in Ants: Nature's Secret Power, ants were seen carrying tree resin to their homes in order to use it as a disinfectant. Ants can harness and control their environment in the same way humans do, but have been doing so for tens of millions of years more. Their organizations are so effective that plants have even evolved to house ants because their influence is such a positive attribute that it is selected for in the slow and painstaking process of adaptation.
     Humans also prize their ability for innovation. However, ants too have amassed significant biological and engineering feats. Ants have created systems of air conditioning, create vast structures in dirt, sand, and wood, are able to manipulate their bodies to store food for each other, create floating rafts or flowing liquids, and are massively strong (capable of clinging to glass at forces that would kill humans and able to carry 50 times their own body weight). Ants have developed their world and bodies to make themselves more successful, and represent natural ingenuity comparable to that of humans.

TOW #28 Ants: Nature's Secret Power

Driver ants live in colonies with a million individuals, and have reportedly killed people. Never mess with ants.

      Humans don't like to realize or admit it, but there are other creatures on this earth that rival our success and intelligence. Beyond simple communities, ants have been organizing super-organisms that are more prevalent and powerful than any human social construct. Ants: Nature's Secret Power tries to bring this unique and humbling viewpoint into vivid perspective. Incorporating Burt Hölldobler, colleague of world-renowned myrmecologist Edward Owens and one of the founders of Sociobiology, the film draws on the laboratory experiments and field observations of a world leading evolutionary biologist. In addition to the knowledge he provides, award-winning cameraman Wolfgang Thaler uses stunning macro cinematography to descend to the perspective of Earth's miniature world power. Recently, research on ants has become more popular, because understanding the hive mentality they use can help develop artificially intelligent software and understand animal eusociality. Ants, while comprising only 3% of Earth's diversity, make up 50% of all the biomass on the planet. They are fantastically successful and can live in tremendously large and organized colonies (the largest of which housed 306 million individuals, 1 million queens, and stretched over several hectares). They consume more meat than lions, tigers, and wolves combined, and have designed air conditioning, learned to garden, and tend farms of symbiotic insects. Created by the BBC, Ants: Nature's Secret Power is intended for all audiences with an interest in nature and without a broad biological knowledge. It has won critical acclaim and winner of "Best TV-Program and "Best Educational Value" at the International Wildlife Film Festival Missoula (USA).
     The film introduces an alien motif in order to show how foreign the lives of ants appear to be to us, and how different the world they rule is from our own. The purpose of the film is to show how complex and significant that unique world is, and to inform people about the ants societies that thrive unbeknownst to us. The first way that the documentary does this is with its narration style. The speaker is very slow and dramatic, which appeals to pathos and engenders feelings of awe and respect towards the ants busying themselves on the screen. Additionally, the music contributes heavily to the audio effects of the documentary. By using plucky, fast paced music, the documentary mimics the rapid movement and activity of the ants. Enhanced sound effects of scrabbling, cutting, and communicating ants enhances the tiny world far beyond what we can observe normally. The documentary makes the recurring point that ants live a scent and sound based existence.
     Additionally, the macro filming and pans down from our normal view of a forest into the massive world of ants further immerses us in the perspective of these insects. Unique views inside of dug up colonies and clear ant farms also engage and envelope the audience. The purpose of all of this is to give a dramatic view of the ants' world that is far different from the one we recognize. This creates respect and interest in the compelling information presented. Additionally, the contrast and colors in each scene are very attractive and make the scenes beautiful to watch. It is clear that it is filmed by an award-winning cameraman. Many of the scenes also take place in Hölldobler's laboratory and show various experiments. These are always shot with a clean, glowing white background to showcase the ants and give the impression of a sophisticated lab (perhaps like those envisioned on alien spacecraft to continue the motif).
     The information presented by the documentary is also selected and presented in order to intrigue and educate. Statistics such as the meat consumption figure stated above challenge our perspective of the animal kingdom and their superlative nature grabs the audience so that they listen to the ensuing explanation. They also force us to question what was said. I frequently thought to myself "Really? I don't believe that," and replaying sections to fully understand what the documentary had presented. Additionally, the documentary makes several comparisons and analogies comparing ants to a variety of human things. As they protect and eat food produced by aphids, the ants are described as farmers. When they forage for prey or attack bees, they become a vast war machine. Their burrows are described as metropolises. The documentary makes the point that ants are very intelligent and just as complex as people, and drives the point home by describing them with distinctly human terms.
     Overall, the documentary was phenomenal and very informative. I marveled the whole time at the vast world right under my nose, and will never again squash an ant for fear of a violent uprising.
   

TOW #27 Reflection

My TOWS at the beginning of the year were extremely formulaic. I wasn't sure exactly what was expected, and was anticipating being graded randomly. So I made sure to cover all of my bases. There was very little flow, however, and my writing came in the form of one dense paragraph without transitions. Content-wise, I accomplished what I needed with analysis and background information. As the year progressed I added more and more rhetorical devices and spent much more time with the analysis portions of my TOWs. Also, my TOWs became significantly more cohesive. I stopped relying on jargon and the rigid formula and wrote in a more relaxed style that flowed and established better analyses. The assessed TOW really helped initiate that.

I think I mastered the ability of establishing context. I did solid research before my TOWs to figure out who the authors were and where their point of view would be coming from. This helped a lot in my APUSH essays actually, where I would quickly establish context in my introductions. Also, I think I became good at identifying effective examples in the text that illustrated the analysis I made. Throughout the year I used direct quotes in my TOWs and I think they worked well.

My analysis cold definitely be improved. Sometimes it wasn't clear and other times I rambled about too many devices. Additionally, my organization could still improve. I don't think my TOWs are quite as unified as I would like them to be and still appear a bit formulaic. Writing as a simple, organic analysis would be more comfortable and possibly even take less time.

I think I definitely benefited from TOWs, though I think the assessment came too late in the year. My TOWs got much better after that and were easier to write because I tried to do it less formally and without looking directly at the requirements. But writing analysis essays throughout the year helped me to identify strategies in a variety of different articles and figure out how to analyze them. I think I should have used more prompts like those seen in the exam, but the process of developing two to three sentences of coherent analysis per each device was invaluable. That is the hardest part of an analysis essay and I spent all year preparing. Given that that is the purpose of the TOWs, I think they were successful assignments.

IRB #4 The Particle Odyssey (Christine Sutton, Michael Marten, and Frank Close)

This summer I was accepted into a program at UPenn for research in high energy particle physics. When they described what I will be doing, I understood almost none of the words and figure I need to properly educate myself. The program, called QuarkNet, will be sending me a textbook called The Particle Odyssey. The authors are four scientists deeply involved in physics research. Frank Close and Christine Sutton are particle physicists at Oxford and Michael Martin is the founder of the Science Photo Library. With the Photo Library backing, the textbook incorporates hundreds of images that can effectively display experimental results and the rather abstract subject matter. The textbook starts with the basics, describing the structure of the average atom and grounding the reader with some of the more common physics concepts, like the Big Bang. But then it goes into cosmic radiation and subatomic particles like muons (which I will be detecting), eventually ending with the modern discussion about the legitimacy of the standard model. From this textbook, I hope to gain a better fundamental understanding of the research I'll be conducting this summer and its application to modern advances in physics.

TOW #26 Science at Liberal Arts Colleges: A Better Education? (Thomas Cech)

Thomas Cech presents his take on liberal arts v. research university science education.

     Deep in the college search, I've come across a division in college education for degrees in science/engineering. Liberal arts colleges and major research universities both offer successful programs for students with totally different experiences. In this article, Thomas Cech, a Nobel Laureate and professor at the University of Colorado, compares the two options. His purpose is to support the liberal arts education (which he received) and to advocate that it (think Swarthmore, Williams, Pomona) is just as effective, if not more so, than more famous research institutions (think Harvard, Berkeley, MIT). He aims the article at prospective students like me who are weighing the value of different programs and probably enticed by the prestige of large universities.

     Cech begins the essay with an anecdote of his experience graduating from a tiny liberal arts school called Grinnel College and pursuing a PhD at one of the largest research schools in the world: UC Berkeley. This provides a personal touch to the essay; Cech is already extremely successful, so relating back to his formative years as a scientist captures the attention of his audience. As he assures the reader that we had received a high-quality education and was well-prepared for higher research, Cech effectively introduces his argument and establishes his ethos because he has clearly studied in both forms of science school.

     Cech's argument progresses with the introduction of a statistical analysis paired with logical conclusions (you can barely tell that he's a laboratory chemist). He begins by explaining the value of looking at the percentages of students who go on to earn PhDs in their respective fields as an accurate measure of the success for the college. He then provides data in tables that is readily understood and compared, which he further analyzes to show that liberal arts colleges produce as many PhD students as a percentage of their total enrollment, which indicates the success of such programs.

     Cech finally presents information in a strictly logical format which he uses to draw conclusions. He presents the assertion that research universities depend on their grants and research to hold their prestige. He then presents the argument that they would prefer graduate students to carry out this vital research, whereas liberal arts colleges only have their pool of undergraduates to give such experience to. By progressing logically, Cech offers up a sound argument.

     Cech clearly knows what he's talking about and does a great job establishing his credibility and logical arguments. The article was very rhetorically effective.

TOW #26 The Case Against Grades (Michael Thomson)

I would like to give a shorter introduction and spend more time analyzing the devices' impacts on readers.  

     My view of grades is rather negative, so in reading an article of favorite abolish-grades educational psychologists Alfie Kohn I discovered this article that he mentioned. Slate is an online publishing magazine that has great opinion pieces backed by current data, and this one, by Michael Thomson, is no exception. While not a sociologist himself, Thomson includes several statistics and expert opinions that augment his credibility. His purpose is to rethink the viability of grades evaluate the worth of keeping and abolishing them, with significant bias towards removing them. His article is not directed towards anyone in particular, I think it is a simple open opinion piece.
     Thomson uses a format of exemplification to make his points regarding grades. He makes a point of describing several schools and districts that have eliminated grading altogether, and then continues with analysis of how students' educational experiences have been changed as a result. For example, he describes the Summerhill model of education without grades, precisely how it looks to a student participant and teachers, and then offers a statistic about a similar school of the same design, the Sudbury Valley School, and its 80 percent college and 20 percent graduate school acceptance rates. By doing this, Thomson moves away from educational philosophy and provides real, applicable examples that can be analyzed and considered by his audience. By describing them with words that have positive connotations like "support" and "encourage," Thomson gives the impression that they are ideal learning institutions.
     Thomson begins the essay with an introduction to the problem of grading. He does this via statistics. "SAT reading scores are at a 40-year low, and one recent study ranked the U.S. 17th in education," he writes, and then concludes "It's becoming increasingly clear that the rigid and judgmental foundation of modern education is the origin point for many of our worst qualities." By coupling hard facts with analysis to introduce the problem, Thomson makes his subject of interest irrefutable and concrete, an issue that must be dealt with immediately and that directly concerns his audience.
     Overall, I think the essay did a solid job. There were one or two logical fallacies that connected studies that were significant independently but not when paired. The examples he found and compiled were really interesting, though.

Article

TOW #25 GE Advertisement

General Electric appeals to the American Dream in this advertisement.

My goals are to write in a cohesive format without obviously listing the required information. I would also like to focus on and go in depth about one or two strategies, instead of listing many.
   
     The ad above is for houses produced by the Levitt & Sons company just after World War 2. At this point in time, several millions of soldiers were returning home to their wives and girlfriends, and all at once needed places to live and start a family. This combined with greater American wealth at the time, led Americans to sprawling suburban communities with thousands of well-organized and similar houses. William Levitt created four standard models of a house that could be ordered in a catalogue, and, in assembly line fashion, constructed four enormous communities very inexpensively in a very short amount of time. His advertisements were of the first generation of American family appeal, using the image of the "nuclear family" looking for a normal, conformist life. Levitt's purpose in the advertisement is to appeal to the vast number of veterans he can persuade to purchase his services and products, and to convince them that his houses fulfill their future needs and desires.
     The first thing that one notices in the ad are the caricatures of the veteran and his wife. The man is clearly in his uniform from the war, and his wife is smartly dressed and clearly adoring of him. Both are smiling, rosy cheeked, and intimate. This is clearly an appeal to pathos, as Levitt wants viewers to consider themselves in the same positions as the characters in the ad: planning a new life is happy. Sketched in the dirt is another appeal to pathos and the subject of the ad: an appealing, average house. People of the 1950s thrived on nondescript conformity, and a symmetrical house sketched in the dirt, while not an accurate representation of the actual houses Levitt built, still conjures up feelings of that ideal "American lifestyle."
     While difficult to read, I believe the paragraphs at the bottom of the ad describe a soldier's need to make smart future plans for his family, especially before he leaves to further serve his country. General Electric, a partner of Levitt, includes small depictions of appliances and a brief description of its services to give the appearance of working for the consumer. It provides many new technologies to make life easier in this time of stress and war.
     Because of its emotional appeals, this ad is a form of propaganda. However, because Americans were so gullible when it came to pursuing the American dream, the advertisement is still effective.

TOW #24 The End of Anonymity (Erik Sofge)

Facial recognition has become much more prevalent and powerful in recent years. But is it ethical?

My goals are to have a more cohesive introduction/background information and to provide specific examples from the text to show the rhetorical devices.

     We've all heard of PRISM, the NSA program that invaded the privacy of millions of people by secretly surveying emails and social media accounts. Erik Sofge, in this article for Popular Science Magazine, examines the other less-controversial surveillance method utilized by the FBI: facial recognition. The FBI has been collecting information on criminals since 1924, ranging from the first index card and ink fingerprint records to DNA tests and a database of millions of mugshots for recognition. Facial recognition is exceptionally difficult, especially with low resolution security camera footage. However, in recent years the many algorithms contracted to the FBI from worldwide proprietary software companies have greatly increased computers' ability to decipher a tilted head, expressive features, and low light. While not usable in court because of the techniques success rate (in good conditions in hovers around 80% confidence in a criminal/suspect match), facial-recognition is still widely used and, with the information stored in social media, could become the best way to generate leads in an investigation. WHile Sofge stays rather neutral in reporting, his purpose is clearly to raise awareness about this surveillance technology and bring to light some if its more controversial aspects.
     The most obvious rhetorical strategy employed by Sofge is his use of statistics. His goal is to show the effectiveness and broad scope of facial-recognition investigation. For this reason, he uses facts like a database containing 3.5 million mugshots, a program that costs $1.2 billion, and a current 1% drop in accuracy per year (so more older photos can be used with confidence). Instead of just saying that the programs are massive or effective, Sofge supplies strong supporting evidence to convince us, and possibly engender a thoughtful reaction about the size of his described programs.
     Throughout the article Sofge also calls upon reputable experts from a variety of origins. He begins with an anecdote containing detective Jim McClelland from Cheltenham, PA, who describes the ways that facial recognition advances have made his job significantly easier. Sofge also quotes a CEO of a firm that develops the software about modern advances, as well as a professor who controversially used Facebook images to make a more comprehensive database of people. Such varied opinions on all aspects of the technology inform the reader and provide perspectives that support and refute the implementation of facial recognition. These act as support and concessions and, when paired with his objective statistics, made Sofge's article effective in accomplishing its purpose.

TOW #23 Bioprocess development for niotinic acid hydroxamate synthesis by alcytransferase activity of Bacillus smithii strain IITR6b2 (Agarwal, Gupta, and Choudhury)

     

A harmless cousin of anthrax (pictured here) is used in the biotechnology industry.

     Published in the Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, this article is very professional and almost overwhelmingly technical. Conducted by three researchers in the Indian Institute of Technology's Department of Biotechnology, this experiment attempted a new method for synthesizing nicotinic acid hydroxamate (NAH), a chemical that serves a wide variety of purposes as a "bioligand, urease inhibitor, anityrosinase," etc. This study comes as a part of the biotechnological revolution, utilizing living organisms to produce and regulate chemicals necessary for medicine and research. This particular article's purpose is to prove that the method the three researchers developed and implemented is better than previous ones, and to explain, in meticulous detail, how they carried out the experiment and its results.
     The most obvious rhetorical device is the abundant scientific jargon. The three authors assume that their audience is educated and well-versed in scientific literature, particularly concerning biotechnology. They spend very little time giving background information on their subject of study, and offer no explanation of the processes the bacteria use to synthesize NAH. Knowledge of the chemicals involved and how they interact is assumed. This serves as a very efficient mode of transporting knowledge. The jargon does not serve to muddle the meaning of the experiment, in fact, it does just the opposite. All of the information is presented and packaged into two pages. If a reader does not understand a word or process, it is not the purpose of the article to explain it.
     The organization of the essay aids somewhat in guiding readers. There is a very clear format to technical writing, beginning with the abstract, an introduction that shows the meaning and purpose of the experiment, followed by the procedures carried out, results obtained, and analysis/conclusion. Each topic sentence serves to give an overview to guide the understanding of the technical paragraph. These reliefs are very brief, however. For example, they write "Development of a single-step biotransformation process for NAH synthesis will provide a simple, convenient, and environmentally friendly economic route. In the recent past, acyltransferase activity of amidases has been utilized for hydroxamic acids and acid hydrazides syntheses."
     From what I could understand, the article was actually concise. It spends no time in flowery or attractive prose; the authors want to succinctly deliver their knowledge using as little paper as possible. The amount of detail is phenomenal, and effectively accomplishes their purpose.

TOW #22 The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)

     

     One of the most popular religious artworks of all time, "The Creation of Adam" was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1511 as part of Michelangelo's series of works there. It is presumably based off of Genesis 1:27 in the Bible, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him." The painting features both God and Adam, as well as many angels, and is meant to show this relationship between God and humans. Commissioned by Pope Julius II during the Renaissance Period of artistic expression, the painting was intended for the congregation of the Chapel and to attract visitors from around the world.
     The primary subjects of the painting are Adam on the left and God on the right. Michelangelo has positioned them in identical poses, showing how we are the supposedly reflection of God himself. However, Adam, in his fabled ignorance, is naked, whereas God is clothed and wise. God hovers in the sky, whereas Adam is grounded on a rocky cliff. Both clearly inhabit separate realms, and, though Adam is certainly aware of God's presence, cannot quite reach him. This is a metaphor for Christianity and faith itself, how we believe we have a relationship with the divine but at the same time can never directly interact.
     The light colors in the painting are an appeal to pathos. They engender positive feelings, as opposed to if it was stormy and dark. Adam sits in a green field and God is garbed in a pink robe and surrounded by a cloud of red. Nothing clashes and the background is even and smooth, suggesting feelings of peace. In Michelangelo's perception of creation, the world is simple and new, not yet tainted with the darkness of sin.
     Michelangelo created a work of beauty meant to inspire faith with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Through his depictions of Adam's creation, he provides a representation that exceeds simply reading words in a Bible, and effectively achieves his purpose.

TOW #21 Influencers (Cora Frazier)

Cora Frazier refutes GQ's claim that President Barack Obama is not an influential person.

   
     Cora Frazier, a frequent contributor to the Shouts & Murmurs column of the New Yorker, challenges GQ's recent list of the "25 Least Influential People of 2013." In particular, she focuses on the ranking of Barack Obama, listed as #17. In this sarcastic work, Frazier debates that ranking sarcastically, making the point that if the President is one of the least influential people in the world, he would have had to have had less of an impact than her. Using fictional scenarios, Frazier presents a series of examples comparing his actions to hers so that her audience sees fault in GQ's list. She believes Obama is extremely influential and should be respected as such.
     The most obvious rhetorical device employed by Frazier is her structure of comparing and contrasting the actions of Obama and her. This often employs humor as she builds with an example of Obama's influence and then uses an anecdote of her own experience in comparison. For example, she writes "Obama saw the implementation of his historic health-care legislation, which Administrations have been trying to pass for years, while I wrote the wrong Social Security number on my gynecologist form." Each example compares similar categories of actions (in this case health care), but the influence of Obama could not appear greater. The humor of the difference is an appeal to pathos, pulling the reader in and nudging them onwards to each great achievement of our President. It also diffuses any of the partisan tension usually seen in an argument about the effectiveness of a president.
     Despite the humor, the article is a really clever appeal to logos. She presents the claim she intends to refute first (that Obama is one of the least influential people in the world), further defines it (if the list hypothetically incorporates everyone in the world, she must have been considered), and then presents evidence in the form of anecdotes (like the one seen above). She provides a little back-handed analysis, though it is not really necessary given her examples. For example, she talks about how she writes checks out of order "as a kind of quiet rebellion against Chase Bank...I don't see how this could possibly put me higher, influence-wise, than a man with the power to launch a nuclear weapon." She makes it quite clear that her influences are personal and small-scale, whereas Barack Obama leads an entire nation.
    Overall, this is probably the funniest satire I have read in a while. I think it was very effective at completing Frazier's purpose, if not a little cheeky at times. I appreciated how it diffused partisanship, even though she is clearly in support of the Democratic Party.

TOW #20 The American River Ganges (Thomas Nast)

     The late 19th century featured tremendous social, economic, and educational change. Religious and ethnic groups struggled, presidents of the Gilded Age sat idly in the Oval Office ignorant to government corruption, and the lithograph gave rise to the mass production of newspapers. Thomas Nast, one of the most influential political cartoonists in American history (responsible for the modern depiction of Santa Claus and the Republican/Democratic party symbols), frequently offered his social commentary in the form of artfully created political cartoons, such as in The American River Ganges. Nast was a firm supporter of the Republican party and anti-Catholicism. Therefore, when parochial schools began to gain prevalence and local governments were deciding whether to incorporate religious morality in public schools, Nast attempted to dissuade voters (most likely "the common man": middle class wage earners) from allowing the invasion of Catholic principles.
     Nast makes his negative opinion clear with his striking imagery and metaphors. The cartoon takes place on the "American River Ganges," an allusion to the massive river in India that harbors large numbers of crocodiles and gharials. The cartoon clearly depicts a river, and the image is completed with scaled creatures emerging from the depths. At first glance they appear to be crocodiles, but with help from the caption it is revealed that the monsters are, in fact, Catholic priests. The beasts are descending on children moored on the beach, presumably representative of the entire nation's youth. Immediately, this elicits appeals to pathos; first one of compassion, as no adult wants a child to come to harm, and then of anger or fear in response to the religious predators.
     Nast also incorporates the Capitol and a depiction of Boss Tweed (the man with the beard and hat leaning over the edge of the cliff) to engender an appeal to logos. Many voters in America owed allegiances to corrupt politicians like Tweed and blindly voted for him in hopes of earning his positive influence. Because Nast's audience supports the actions of Washington and/or politicians like Tweed, who in turn back the destruction of the apparent American education system, Nast's audience assumes indirect responsibility. These emotions may illicit change in behavior at the polls, fulfilling Nast's purpose.
     The cartoon is largely hyperbole and propaganda. However, because it presents an obvious correlation between voters and Nast's Catholic invasion as well as forcing a powerful emotional response, I think the cartoon does accomplish its purpose.

TOW #19 The Intelligent Plant (Michael Pollan)

     

Mimosa pudica, or the Sensitive Plant, has been shown to "learn" from its environment and change its behavior accordingly.

     Mimosa pudica, the plant famous for its leaves that curl rapidly when disturbed (see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o18UUSJgQA), shakes violently and clenches its leaves. However, after 15 repeated shakes, the plants leaves begin to open. It has sustained no damage from the rhythmic jerking, and and begins to open its leaves again. In its own, botanical way, the plant has learned from its environment. The jerking stops, and resumes an hour later. The plant's leaves stay open. The jerking ends once more, and does not begin again until an entire month has passed. But Mimosa pudica does not react.

     This kind of "conditioning" in plants constitutes one of the most fascinating and controversial disciplines in life science: Plant Neurobiology. Often branded as anthropomorphising, Plant Neurobiology seeks to explain the intricate ways plants actively interact with their environment. Michael Pollan, in his article The Intelligent Plant, masterfully combined opinions and research on both side of the heated debate, while including enough anecdotal research and testimonies (such as the study above, by Monica Gagliano) compiled after an apparently long time.

     He begins at the extreme beginning of the plant neurobiology, a book titled The Secret Life of Plants. Contained within The New Yorker, a magazine with a wide variety of articles per issue, Pollan begins with these radical ideas to pique a peruser's interest. In the mentioned book, Cleve Backster describes plants that are able to pick out people who have killed other plants, respond to a distressed human, and exhibit sympathy. By beginning with this radical stance and fascinating examples, even though Pollan shows how they were all discredited, he effectively entertains his audience and draws them in.

    Pollan's goal in the article is not to provide credibility to plant neurobiology, it is simply to show the different sizes and simplify the mounting research in this amazing and applicable field. He himself describes lectures on the subject "highly technical" and a "kind of incremental science," something not likely to be popularized. To add intrigue, he employs imagery and anecdotes, such as the one I began by reciting, to interest his audience with radical research that can elicit contention or wonder.

   Overall, the article was very impressive. Pollan, though not an expert on the subject, clearly did a significant amount of research and applied his sources very well. He showed little bias, though he did include more stories of plants acting like animals than the professors who scoffed at the notion; I assume this is because they are simply more interesting.

TOW #18 Three Theories That Might Blow Up The Big Bang (Adam Frank)

Adam Frank presents 3 theories that challenge the popular Big Bang Theory.

Today's TOW comes from Adam Frank, a frequent writer on the subjects of space and time for Discover Magazine, and author of several books on the same subjects. Though not a researcher himself, Frank interviews leading scientists in these fields and frequently utilizes information directly quoted from them. This particular article was written in March 2008, the same year as the completion of the CERN Supercollider, a multi-billion dollar facility constructed to run experiments that simulate the beginning of the Universe as we know it, namely: the Big Bang. This model hypothesizes the Universe beginning more than 13 billion years ago as an inconceivably dense mass that rapidly expanded and condensed locally into the galaxies, stars, and planets we see today. This explains observed mysteries like cosmic background radiation and the expansion of the universe. Adam Frank showcases three theories that counter the Big Bang and propose very different ways our universe began (or didn't begin at all). His purpose is to give a simple explanation of each, effectively showing that there are several theories that exist beyond what we are taught in school. His audience are readers of the science-oriented Discover Magazine, so are expected to have knowledge of general physics. The organization is logical, with an introduction, three sub-headed theory explanations, and a conclusion. Each theory begins with a quick biography of its creator, establishing the credibility of the idea in question. A description of each idea follows, and then Smith explores their implications: the differences from the Big Bang Theory, and what it may mean to us. For example, the third presented theory is that of an infinite series of "Nows," that every possible arrangement of atoms exists simultaneously, an idea that claims time does not exist. This is, clearly, very difficult to imagine. So Frank uses the creator's own words, citing direct quotes and many analogies to help the reader better visualize what the theory means. For example, Frank quotes, "'Every integer exists simul­taneously. But some of the integers are linked in structure, like the set of all primes or the numbers you get from the Fibonacci series.'” He then adds his own elaboration on the idea, "Yet the number 3 does not occur in the past of the number 5 any more than the Big Bang exists in the past of the year 2008." By giving brief, tangible explanations, Frank saves us from the rigorous scientific articles of the scientists he cites. Overall, the article maintained my attention and delivered effective, credible explanations. The only thing I didn't like was his abrupt and ineffective conclusion,

IRB #3 The Prince (Niccolò Machiavelli)

For this marking period, I am going to read the book Joseph Stalin reportedly kept in the drawer of his bedside table: The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli was a historian, political scientist, philosopher, comedian, and author in 16th century Italy. He was Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512, when the Medici family was temporarily out of power. When the Medici reclaimed Florence, they exiled Machiavelli, who wrote The Prince and dedicated it to Lorenzo de'Medici. Whether the book was intended as satire or as a serious guide to rule is still unknown. Regardless, it is still his most famous work, mostly because it seemed to encourage actions that were generally frowned upon. For example, Machiavelli thinks that moral virtues are always detrimental to a state, and his proposed "Prince" is ruthless, understanding that the "ends always justify the means." The book earns Machiavelli credit as the founder of modern political science and political ethics. It is unique among political works of the time, as it was written in Italian vernacular. This makes my English translation very easy to understand. I am really fascinated by distopias (I love books like 1984 and Brave New World), and Machiavelli justifies what many would consider a tyrannical Prince. I hope to see how complex philosophical and political ideas can be expressed in common language. I want to use the book as a model for simplifying my own writing, as I often have trouble converting abstract ideas into understandable writing.

TOW #17 Who Will Win Super Bowl XLVIII? (Chris Burke & Doug Farrar)

Awww yeaaaa

There is no better time than now to write about the Superbowl. So this week, I have selected NFL.com's comparison of the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. I read another article from a Denver newspaper, but I think that as the universal representation of every team, this article would be the least biased. The authors are Chris Burke and Doug Farrar, two writers that have teamed up in the past for game-day analyses and reviews of team performances in the NFL. The article is for an audience anticipating the game of all games, looking for facts over personal beliefs. It is structured with two major sections, one explaining why the Seahawks will win, and another explaining why the Broncos may come home with the trophy. It is divided into five subsections for each team, explaining weaknesses in the opponent or strengths in the chosen team. These include an analysis of the Broncos run-stopping defense and how it can be overpowered, previous pressure-performance by the Seahawks, and the variety of the Broncos' offensive weapons. To avoid the bias of the authors, the article relies primarily on outside sources, citing statistics and expert opinions. For example, "the Broncos have limited five of their past six opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing" and "wide receiver Eric Decker said, 'He trusts the guys around him and that’s all you can ask for in a quarterback that will lead you Sunday on the field'" are used as evidence supporting the Broncos. These add to the credibility of the authors, because they are clearly making use of the vast resources of NFL.com, press conferences, and rosters to provide the aspects of play contributing to the game day performances. Additionally, the structure of the article is an appeal to logos, separating the two teams and dividing each winning outcome into five key components with a detailed explanation underneath. If someone wants to find information to support their team or a fact regarding a specific matchup, information is easily located under the headings. The article also utilizes theoretical situations to illustrate the author's point. For example, when describing the Bronco's offensive assault, Burke and Farrar write "Let’s say Sherman finds himself on Demaryius Thomas and the line generates a little pressure on Manning," and goes on to describe the variety of options the Broncos still have for success." Overall, I found the article suitably unbiased and informative, even though the Broncos are totally going to crush the Seahawks.

TOW #16 The Universe in a Single Atom (Dalai Llama)

The unification of religion and science. Well played, Your Holiness.

In The Universe in a Single Atom, His Holiness the Dalai Llama attempts to draw parallels between scientific and religious inquiry, a matter often regarded as taboo. As the spiritual and political leader of Tibet since the age of sixteen, the Dalai Llama has significant experience with spirituality. As a world leader fascinated by technology his nation lacks, His Holiness has met with leading scientists throughout the twentieth century in order to comprehend the nature of modern scientific discovery. His purpose in this novel is not to argue which approach is correct, instead the Dalai Llama writes to convey the merits of science and spirituality. In recent years, quantum and particle physics has made huge leaps in understanding the machinations of the Universe, while atheist populations are rapidly growing. He writes for an audience that has trouble with this split in the modern world, with a potential focus on those with a basic knowledge of Buddhism and an interest in physics, as these are the Dalai Llama's passions. To break up the tedium of a largely philosophical book, the Dalai Llama inserts many anecdotes and historical stories to create a storyline for the reader to effectively follow through the book. These follow a particular structure that subtly weaves in the philosophy. For example, when describing the Big Bang and creationism, the Dalai Llama explained a presentation at a Mind and Life conference in Dharamsala, where a noted astrophysicist presented a simulation of the development of the Universe after the Big Bang, according to modern quantum mechanics. The Dalai Llama concedes that "It was a fascinating sight, a real spectacle" (74). This conference then transitions into the Dalai Llama's own interpretation of the scientific Big Bang, and finally transitions into the Buddhist ideas regarding creation. Instead of personal anecdotes, he recounts the myth of creation and then presents the 14 "unanswered questions," such as "Are the self and the universe eternal?" Finally, he proposes a compromise of sorts, stating that "In the Buddhist world, there is an acknowledgement of the practical impossibility of gaining total knowledge of the origin of the universe," effectively meshing two theories that approach the unapproachable. Throughout the novel this same organization is approached with things like evolution (even though the Dalai Llama does present a slight modification of evolution, looking for "hidden complexities" that hint to intelligent design). Although I have not gotten through all of this book, it has really impressed me so far. I was really skeptical about how two seemingly different fundamental understandings can link is really cool. The Dalai Llama does a great job explaining jargon and history, a great example of argument that attempts to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion instead of disprove and disparage.

TOW #15 For That Zeus Bug in Your Life (Natalie Angier)

Zeus bug female giving her mate a lovely piggyback ride.

"For That Zeus Bug in Your Life" was published in the New York Times by Natalie Angier, a science journalist who has worked for Discover Magazine and TIME Magazine as a science writer. She has even won a Pulitzer Prize for her journalism. In this article she presents the idea of gifts exchanged between animals, appropriate for the winter holiday season where it is common practice to give gifts, as for Christmas or Hanukkah. Here she presents the idea tat "the drive to exchange presents is ancient, transcultural and by no means limited to Homo sapiens." The exchange of goods is most commonly seen for nuptial purposes, says Angier, but they may serve a wide variety of purposes and come in all shapes in sizes. Her purpose is to convince us that gifts are universal throughout the animal kingdom, and, I think, to show that some of our sophisticated practices are not always so human. The article is for those interested in science, but they do not need any experience in biology to understand her writing. Several pictures are included with the article to help visualize the gifts and animals that exchange them. The article begins with two examples of animal gifts: the female Zeus bug's waxy secretions meant to nourish her mate and the bonobo's food-sharing practices. Angier employs the second person, to engender a connection between her audience and these animals. She writes "For the bonobo you've just met: half your food, at least. Just shovel it over. Sharing is fun!" The "sharing is fun" comment is reminiscent of our kindergarten lessons in behavior, and Angier clearly connects it to wild animals. Angier continues with her examples for the rest of the article, and chooses organisms from throughout the spectrum of life. Beetles, snails, birds, primates, and spiders are all proven to display gift-giving behavior. When presenting her examples, Angier follows a particular pattern. She will present the behavior with narrative to garner interest, and then provide an explanation as to why this behavior is present and what benefits/costs it may have. She then transitions into present research on the subject, utilizing quotes from experts and researchers in this field. Overall, her varied examples and credibility from research certainly prove that animal gift-giving are present in many different animals, and that the procedure is not unique to humans around Christmas.