Thus far in the podcast we are introduced to Mai Elliot, a middle aged woman who currently resides in Los Angeles. We also told of a second second person, another man who who was drafted into the Vietnam war. Their fates were intertwined through unusual circumstances. Their entire goal was to know the enemy’s way of thinking.

The podcast host also mentions that Vietnamese war was not fight over territory like usual wars. When America entered the war, very little was known about Vietnam. Enter the mysterious aforementioned man, Leon Grey, a Russian born man and linguist. He suggests finding out how the bombings are affecting the Vietnamese people. He puts in place a plan to capture Vietnamese guerrillas and involves Mai Elliot in his scheme.

Although Mai had a troubled past with the communists, she still set out to interview them. The interviews were gentle, and not intended to be intimidating. They would spend the greatest amount of time with willing interviewees, the interviews were often conducted under trees and the reporters would often share cigarettes with them. It was dubbed, “The Morale Project”.

“Wars require public justification.” the podcast host states. Leon Grey was key in placing the public’s favor towards the war. Enter Conrad Kellen, he came to Iran in 1964, he was a veteran. He encounters a random woman one day and she demands he transports her father’s artwork. At he first he refuses, then he eventually says yes. Turns out the art he was transporting was Marc Shagall’s.

Mai Elliot recalls a memorable interview she had with a communist, tall and intimidating overall, she was nervous. He too was, however as the interview went on, they both began to feel more at ease. She was taken aback by his demeanor. She had considered all communists to be thugs. Mai’s fear of the communists was however, far from alleviated.

Leon Grey was born in Russia, then had to flee to Germany, to France, and lastly, to America. He considers himself a professional refugee. In an interview, Conrad Kellen discusses Grey and says he considers all refugees opportunists, Kellen himself is also one. Kellen says it is his belief that they become opportunists out of necessity.

“One war was enough for me”, Kellin stated in his interview with Mai Elliot. Intelligence failures occur to human flaws and inability to make sense of things. Grey was recalled from Vietnam, his project and himself were discredited. Grey went on to become a professor in Florida. Mai eventually moved to America, and feels the war was wrong. Kellen also felt the war was wrong, and passed away in 2007. Although their work was honorable, it was mentally damaging and left them with mixed feelings.

1.) This powerful image of Teddy Roosevelt was originally snapped on September 9, 1902. Alas, due to the photograph being over a century old, the photographer is unknown. The former president had legendary energy, which is showcased by his dramatic hand gestures in this photo.

2.) The intended message of the photo is portray just how influential Teddy Roosevelt was while campaigning. His large personality shows.

3.) The image to my best guess, would be pathos. There is high energy and emotion portrayed in the photo.

4.) The intended audience is unfortunately not the most clear. History buffs would more than likely take the most interest in it.

5.) This image was snapped to capture the energy and excitement of Teddy Roosevelt’s campaign. As mentioned earlier, the photograph was taken over a century earlier.

Semiotic elements:

1.) Symbolic: Teddy Roosevelt is seen addressing a large crowd in an excited and expressive manner. He is dressed nicely, as he is a public symbol and leader in the nation. Politicians are rarely spotted without donning a suit. The photo is also in black and white, as colored film was not yet invented in 1902. He has clearly garnered some interest, as the crowd is packed tightly.

2.) Written: Alas, not too much detail is provided along with the image. The only information provided is the date it was taken and that it is snapped during his campaign.

https://www.cracked.com/blog/7-reasons-child-stars-go-crazy-an-insiders-perspective/

On this day, we shall explore why most child stars do not grow up to be stable adults and lose their minds. Children having a full on career should not be allowed for their sake without closer regulation.

This article is written by none other than child star Mara Wilson. She had a wildly successful movie career and quit early on in her teens. It is a long running, unfortunate joke that most child stars turn out to be quite troubled and dysfunctional as adults. She has several theories as to why that stereotype is in place.

Mara Wilson claims while her experience in the movie business was overall a wonderful experience, the same cannot be said for other child actors. The general public would tend to agree with her, child actors still exist, someone is providing them.

She states several reasons to back up her view on the matter, for example, the parents are running the show and view their offspring as a meal ticket. Another reason is that children become accustomed to fame and attention without being remotely aware of the weight it holds. And finally, they can later experience shame in pursuing a normal life and obtaining an every day job for fear or being mocked for no longer being famous.

Typically, most topic papers present an argument of some sort. The chapter provides many useful tools in presenting the a new academic’s or aspiring author argument in the best light possible. One of the recommendations it provides is focusing on merely three ways to respond. The chapter explains that sticking to three shall not oversimplify one’s response, but enhance it due to being transparent and direct.

The chapter also discusses how to disagree in a paper. One thing that appeared to be quite useful, was pointing out small things one agrees with before stating the main paint one is opposed to. It gives off the impression of an open mind, and an open minded author does come across as seemingly more intelligent. There is also the “Duh” method where one can state parts of their argument as the obvious,

It also delves into how a writer can agree and disagree simultaneously. There are several specific templates that are recommended. The chapter also points out one of the benefits of this method is it makes the writer speculate. Speculation requires more attention and therefore, tends to make a larger impact.

The “And Yet” portion of chapter explains how one can expresses their own view and clearly explain another persons seamlessly.Using “voice markers” is one method of avoiding writing in the first person. A paragraph by Gregory Mantsios is used as an example, although he never uses the word “I”, his voice comes across effortlessly. Not using first person statements can be quite tricky and often takes much practice to not revert back to.

Although writing in the first person is frowned upon the “And Yet” chapter does clarify there is indeed a time and a place for it. One reason it is necessary, the chapter explains, is due to it assisting one point our their key opinion. Mixing first person methods in can add to a paper.

In the sixth part of the chapter, “Skeptics May Object”, a key point that is brought to one’s attention is that it is healthy to self admittance towards anticipated criticism. One of the reasons that is it can disarm those who oppose you. One trick that is mentioned is calling one’s potential critics by their social label.

The chapter also points out how vital it is to be just towards the opposing side. It is important to explore why and give a fair portion of your work to the other points. It also reflects well on the writer to answer the objections and beat the other side to it.

Well, the chapters were quite informative. It is not as though they are terribly difficult to comprehend, I just a poor writer, however I am optimistic that I may not be as terrible at the end of this semester. Reading these chapters made me realize that I need to work on mastering how my writing can flow in a better manner.

In an ideal world, one would be correct at all times. Alas, our knowledge is limited to what we know. The bright side is, we can always acquire more knowledge. Although there is a limitless amount of knowledge, it is open to faulty human interpretation.

One example of faulty evidence the short chapter post discusses is the Salem Witch Trials. Although entirely laughable by today’s modern society, it was believed by countless at the time as being irrevocably true. Some examples of the “evidence” brought forth was seeing if women sank or floated, birthmarks or were could be portals for Satan’s entry, and simply if one person claimed that they were without any sort of physical proof.

None of the aforementioned would ever count for proving in court or to 99% of people with common sense that it would mean a woman is a witch. Although considered ridiculous today, that was the pinnacle of evidence about three hundred years ago. That is one of many examples of how subjective evidence is.

Although members of religion do not conduct witch trials nowadays, it does not mean their version of evidence greatly differs from those who do not hold a religious viewpoint. Having grown up in a pastor’s household, it is quite interesting to see what they believe. Growing up, I was told that the world is 4,000-8,000 years old, evolution is false and an omnipotent deity called God created us and our planet. They are firm in their belief that evolution is entirely false and there is no evidence for it.

As for believing that the Earth is not millions years as taught to us in school and our world is at most 8,000 years old according them, they believe it goes against the Bible to believe in an older Earth. The good book is believed to be about 2,7000 years old. The tales recorded in it only date thousands of years back according to theologians. Therefore, the Bible tales would not be the beginning of of our world.

With religion not being anywhere near as popular and many more people putting their belief in science over an all knowing deity, my parents beliefs are on the unpopular end of things. However, their version of evidence has all their faith behind it, I personally do not agree. Although I would like to think my evidence is superior, who the hell knows? Just because I think I am right does not mean I am!

In our modern day society, unless one lives within an Amish community, not consuming some form of mass media is next to impossible. There are news channels, commercials, satirical entertainment shows. movies, oh, and do not forget almighty Facebook! That is only the tip of the media ice burg.

Growing up, I asked my mom why we did not watch the news like other people. She explained that she found all news channels to be quite negative and was not a fan of how they rarely reported positive events in our society. Once she made her point, I couldn’t help but notice how often they report on horrible events such as a child drowning in a river or how much they pick apart every single president in office to pieces.

As ludicrous as some of the stories that the mass media likes to spread, how much is society to blame? Media outlets report outrageous stories because shock value stories nearly always garner an immediate reaction. If no one cared for clickbait articles and did not blindly discuss topics they had little knowledge on, the mass media would necessitate ways to report on events.

Another problem we face is that many opt in to see biased reports on current events that align with their current beliefs. While there is not an issue with having set morals and strong beliefs, a habit of the intelligent is to observe opposing opinions regarding a subject and then drawing a conclusion.

Another trick of advertising is their use of subliminal messages. When one sits down in nearly every single movie theatre, the gargantuan screen will play sounds of Coco-Cola being poured and showcase popcorn being popped. The advertising companies are hoping that your brain will replay other pleasant times where you sipped on Cocoa-Cola and munched on popcorn, and you shall be so overcome with desire for theatre treats that you will happily trot to the snack counter to pay quadruple what those snacks sell for at other vendors.

While there are certainly upsides to living with the mass media, such as immediate information to potential outbreaks in diseases, warnings on mass shootings and much more, there are certainly some downsides. While our world is certainly not chock full of sunshine and rainbows, the media loves to emphasize the troubles our world faces and prey on our fears.

Another handy little trick of theirs, is taking small sound bites or video footage of seemingly offensive or vulgar words that a celebrity or position said and blowing it way out of proportion. Personally, I’ve learned to read the entire interview instead of the key words that are being tossed around and rarely find it is anywhere close to being as shocking as the the few key words are portrayed to be. Media is a double edged sword to be sure, some suggestions to aid consuming it is to research subjects important to one’s self, avoid personal bias and not become paranoid and fearful.

Growing up, I was homeschooled by my mother. I vaguely remember her teaching me how to form letters in my father’s office at five years old, and with more clarity later on life, how to write tales of fiction and analyses papers. She was my sole teacher until I reached nearly the end of middle school and still remains to be the largest influence towards my writing. One thing I particularly appreciate about her is her lack of assigning book reports and instead encouraging me to write my own tales. Although homeschooled, my mom was just as tough towards me as any teacher. She was however, lavish in her praise towards my writing and kindly informed me she thought I was wonderful at it.

As kind as my mother is, and as much as I would like to believe her, I am afraid I have lost a great deal of confidence towards my writing abilities. I’d like to believe it is due to lack of use. I do actually enjoy writing quite a bit, however laziness has been a ever present and self inflicted crutch of mine. Habitual writing has not been apart of my life for over eight years now. I do miss it at times, and am rather grateful to be in an English class this semester. I hope this class rejuvenates my fondness for writing, and I have a sneaky suspicion it shall!

Although there are not any pressing projects of mine that involve the need to write in the present other than this class, I am rather certain an occasion shall arise where I shall find it necessary to utilize my writing skills. It is worth noting that having a strong enough writing ability to be able to write a book if I ever had the fancy, would be mega cool!

The only writing I currently do is my daily journaling which I recently started up and assignments for this class. I struggle with explaining things to people and my speech becomes all too cluttered at times. I find that to be an ineffective way to communicate and hope that since writing forces one to slow down and really ponder upon their words, that it may be of some use in that other aspect of life.

One task myself and countless others have is writing out business emails. Although much briefer than a full blown essay, how one presents themselves with their words alone is crucial. Incorrect grammar, lack of an imaginative vocabulary and not possessing the ability to communicate as simply as possible can make one come across as unintelligent and incapable. Although we are not taught to write a business email in an English class per se, I strongly believe whatever writing done in class shall only increase our skills in conversing professionally in our work environments.

One thing I was so pleasantly shocked to hear regarding this class, is that our assignments are only graded as complete or incomplete. Although it is isn’t unfair to receive to a letter grade in the slightest, it really sucked quite a lot of joy out of writing in previous classes and was a cause of worry. Anyhow, having the opportunity to just focus on completing the assignment, focusing on simply forcing myself to do it and hopefully becoming half way decent again is quite the relief! Phew!

One thing I haven’t nipped in the bud since I was in high school and had an adult hovering over me to ensure that I completed my papers, is my intense procrastination with writing. I have that horrible habit of waiting until the last moment, which unfortunately is quite common among students, haha. Even now for example, I am writing this the night prior and having a rather difficult time conjuring up seven hundred and fifty words for this assignment. Had I spent a mere fifteen minutesnper day on this assignment, I have a sneaky suspicion this task would have been much simpler.

The biggest vice that needs to be cured while I take this class is procrastination, it has prevented me from passing this exact course several times. In the past, I have delayed getting to work on my writing assignments, missed the deadline and and dropped the class due to the unfortunate realization that I did not have a prayer of passing. My resolve this semester is to break that unfortunate habit. I haven’t enjoyed writing in years and it is due to that. By simply setting aside a small portion of my day towards it, I believe it shall become not only easier, but enjoyable.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.