Good Services for bad times: Mortgage field services

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/good-business-for-bad-times-mortgage-field-services/2011/10/24/gIQA2FTlPM_story.html?hpid=z3


    Robert Klein grew up in Brooklyn and drove a taxi for five years.  He then went to a suburb near Cleveland, bought a produce company from his uncle, sold the produce company, and started Safeguard Properties in 1990 with a single employee.  The company grew tremendously due to the economic downturn and the rise in foreclosures.  The company does such things for foreclosed houses as mow grass, replace windows, clean vacant houses, and also prepare homes for resale.  It is very sad to think that so many families are having their homes foreclosed and going bankrupt, yet it is good to know that at least some people are living the American dream and in this article, that person is Robert Klein.
     The author does his best in this article to look at the bright side of things in such an economy as we have today.  In a way, it gives the average American hope that there will always be opportunities out there no matter what.  Although the article surrounds something bad, I liked it because it discussed the life of a regular guy who used what he knew to make opportunities for himself.  I think that the main point of the article is that there will always be a chance for success, especially in America.

12 Americans Die as Blast Hits Bus in Afghanistan

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/world/asia/deadly-attack-strikes-nato-bus-in-kabul.html?hp


     According to the article, military officials stated that "At least 12 Americans were killed when a Taliban suicide car bomber attacked an armored shuttle bus in Kabul on Saturday".  It is considered to be the deadliest attack on Americans in Kabul which makes the event even more disheartening.  It wasn't just Americans that were killed in the blast, but also a Canadian and some Afghan civilians.  The article also discussed US foreign affairs and some options for the war in the Middle East as the Obama Administration is facing budget problems and pressure to keep a timetable that originally predicted forces to be leaving around 2014.  Although the event itself is extremely sad, I believe that the article itself is significant as it provides evidence for opinions as to what decisions the government should make.
     The author discusses the article in a way that questions the decisions of the US government.  In a way he appears to be debating why US forces are still in the Middle East and what good they are doing there.  In doing so, the author does an excellent job of suggesting hints of his own opinion in order to convince the reader.  He does so by using the horrific event in order to prove a point and provide some evidence to his own beliefs.               

Oh my God, they're duct-taping our plane!

http://life.salon.com/2011/10/27/ryanair_duct_tape_controversy/

     This article talks about a Ryanair 737 plane that appeared to be duct-taped as shown in the picture above.  According to the author, "passengers watched with reported "horror" as a problem with the jet's windscreen was repaired using what they took to be duct or gaffer's tape."  Overall, I found the article extremely funny as the author explained in chronological order what circumstances occurred.  The plane was fixed with "duct-tyape", took off from Riga, Latvia, and returned to Stansted 20 minutes later.  Although the material looked a lot like duct-tape, the company claimed it was actually heavy-duty aluminum bonding tape known as "speed tape". Apparently, this type of tape is extremely expensive, strong, and is used to bond things temporarily until better materials are found.  According to the veterna airline mechanic, Charlie, "We never use, and don't even stock, duct tape".

     The author made the article appear extremely ironic and funny by first writing, "Ryanair maybe a "low-cost" airline, but trust me, it's not using duct tape to repair its planes, even temporarily".  Throughout the article he continually appeared to joke around about the incident making the article itself very enjoyable to read.  He did a great job in writing it in appealing to the ethos of rhetoric by humor.

Libya officials: Gadhafi killed

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/20/libya_officials_gadhafi_captured_possibly_killed/

     I thought that this article was informative and contradictive, in a good way.  The article explained how Moammar Gadhafi was captured and possibly killed in his hometown of Sirte.  During the fighting "a NATO airstrike blasted a fleeing convoy that fighters said was carrying Gadhafi."  Despite this, his death is not yet confirmed by the government.  Much of the information by witnesses suggests that he is dead, as many of them said they saw his body, yet there is still much controversy as "Libyan officials have said they believe he's hiding somewhere in the vast southwestern desert near the borders with Niger and Algeria.  I personally thought that it was a good idea to include both sides of the argument.

     By the way in which the author, Christopher Gillette, presents the article it appeared that he agrees that Gadhafi is dead.  He did so by stating the information from witnesses and such that claimed Gadhafi had been captured and killed.  Despite his viewpoint, Gillette included information in the article that suggests that Gadhafi could be alive.  This slightly confused me but I think that Gillete wanted the reader to realize that there will always be conspiracies about politicians, their deaths, and the influence of government and politics in the media.   

    

Obama’s crackdown on medical marijuana

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/15/obamas_crackdown_on_medical_marijuana/singleton/

     The article discusses the debate over allowing medical marijuana and focuses on the state of California, where it is legal.  According to the subtitle presented by the author "the Justice Department shifts course and goes after California's lucrative pot industry".  Much of the article included an interview between Justin Elliott, the author, and Bob Egelko, "a veteran reporter who covers courts for the San Francisco Chronicle and has been following the story".  I thought the article was somewhat brief yet well written and I think that the interview was necessary to provide enough information to the reader to be satisfied.
     It was difficult to see what side the author was taking- whether he thought a crackdown on marijuana was necessary or not.  If I had to take a guess though I would say that he supported the crackdown as he made no hints or suggestions as to his opinion of the story but rather wrote down the facts of the story and the opinions of Bob Egelko.  It appeared to be a more factual article than I thought as I was expecting an article based wholly upon opinion.  Nonetheless, Elliott asked Egelko simple questions in which Egelko expanded on greatly with his opinion.  In a way I think that Elliot presented our culture in a good light rather than demoralizing us for the illegal use of marijuana outside of its medical use.

"The Unconquered": Tracking isolated Indians in the Brazilian Jungle

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/15/the_unconquered_tracking_isolated_indians_in_the_brazilian_jungle/

     The article talks of Scott Wallace's book The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes.  It is an interesting article that captivates the reader's attention as it explains the book in a brief summary.  According to the article the book is about Sydney Possuelo's expedition into Brazil's Javari Valley which is off-limits to all people but the indigenous tribes that live there.  The book documents the expedition in what the author says is a "novelistic" style.  The second half of the article contains an interview between Emma Mustich, the author, and Steve Wallace.  Personally, I thought that this was the best part of the article because it allowed me to see into the thoughts of Wallace.
     Overall, Mustich attempted to glorify Scott Wallace and his book, which she obviously liked very much.  She appeared extremely enthusiastic which made the article itself more enjoyable and actually made me want to read the book.  Within Mustich's in-depth interview with Wallace she asked extremely inquisitive questions that intrigued the reader and made the reader want to know Wallace's answer.  In a way, the questions messed with the mind of Wallace by debating issues within the book, and asking him to explain certain events and such that were unclear to the reader.  I also noticed how Mustich asked several questions about how Wallace managed to write the book-(it appeared very difficult as they were trekking through the rain forest during their expedition and taking notes and such would not be such an easy task).  This demonstrated the interest that Mustich had in the book and hinted that she was encouraging anyone reading her article to try reading it also.

Jobs' Super Bowl ad Changed the Game

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Steve-Jobs-visionary-Apple-Super-Bowl-ad-changed-the-game-100611

     Just about everyone knows about the recent death of Apple's Steve Jobs and since I don't know much about him I decided to choose this article.  The article focused on how Steve Jobs changed sports and entertainment and it was an extremely interesting article that did good in glorifying Jobs and how he influenced American lives.  It made me think about how he has affected me directly; for example it made me think of the mac I have at home, the mac I am using right now at school, and the iPod in my pocket.  I also liked how the author of the article integrated key examples of Jobs' and Apples influence in sports.  For example he writes “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, among other teams, use iPads for their playbooks”.  This convinced the reader that the author was telling the truth and had facts to prove it.  Also, the article made it seem that Jobs was the hero of Apple and the backbone that held it together.  "It started with the Super Bowl in 1984, when Jobs went against the advice of Apple’s board and ran a 60-second movie-quality commercial, playing off George Orwell’s novel, "1984," to help introduce his new Macintosh home computer. They didn’t have commercials like that before."  Jobs, according to the author "changed the technological world".  He was, and forever will be, an American icon that influenced almost every aspect of our lives even areas that would not appear to need technology.

Shooting An Elephant Journal Entry

Do you think Orwell is a coward? Do you think he is a racist?  Explain your feelings.

     I think that George Orwell is somewhat of a coward as he decides to kill the mad elephant based solely upon avoiding to look like a fool in front of the 2,000 Burmese citizens.  You may argue that Orwell had reasoning to kill the elephant because it had killed a Coolie, yet he could have just waited for the mahout (the keeper and driver of the elephant) to come back and control the elephant.  Orwell actually explained that the elephant could "merely wander harmlessly about until the mahout came back and caught him".  Also, at the time when Orwell shot the elephant it was "peacefully  eating" and "looked no more dangerous than a cow".  I would have to admit though that it would be difficult not to shoot the elephant as the Burmese would picture you as a fool.
     I don't believe that Orwell is a racist even though he refers to the Burmese people as "yellow"  For example he wrote "I looked at the sea of yellow faces..."  Rather, even though the Burmese hate him and the British people as a whole, Orwell likes them more than the British because he is aware that the British are imperialistic and are oppressing the people of India.  Although, the civilians do not know this and constantly harass Orwell because, as a policeman, he is an easy target.

Kobe: Italy mover 'very possible'

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/09/28/kobe.bryant.italy.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a14&eref=sihp

     This article deals with Kobe Bryant and what he will do during the unresolved NBA lockout.  Bryant believes that he may play in the Italian league and that it would actually be a dream for him to do so.  This was interesting and it made me wonder:  Will Kobe get as much fan support over in Europe as he does in the US?  In a way you could say that he would bring more popularity to the league since he is so popular in the states yet you could argue this by suggesting that he won't be as popular because Italians do not know as much about him.  Personally, I believe that Kobe will be greeted by just as much attention in Italy as he gets in the US, possibly more, because it's interesting that he is playing for a team other than the Lakers. 

I think it is a very good move for Bryant so that he can keep himself in shape, stay ready for the NBA season, and live his childhood dream.

     The author of the article makes it appear that it would be a great decision for Kobe to join the Italian league.  He suggests that it would be great for publicity.  Also, before reading the article I thought that the author would undermine the Italian league making it seem that they were not as good as the NBA, but rather he treated the two leagues as equals which was surprising.  Lastly, the author glorified the fact that Kobe may be able to live up to his childhood dream of playing in the same league as his father.  This is interesting as I would have thought that his dream would be to play in the NBA, as Americans are generally better at basketball based on the Olympics.