"Josh Hamilton to Keep Up Fan Interaction"

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/7405296/texas-rangers-josh-hamilton-plans-continue-tossing-balls-fans


     Many of you probably heard about the Rangers fan who unfortunately died after falling 20 feet at a Rangers game when Hamilton tossed him a foul ball.  According to the mother of Shannon Stone, the man who passed away, she hopes that Josh Hamilton will continue to throw balls to fans.  The article quoted Hamilton saying that he intends to continue tossing baseballs to fans and he will be mindful to do so at appropriate times.  SuZann Stone was quoted to have said, "I just didn't want him to stop, how sad that would be because that's what little boys and their daddies go for.  This was just an accident."  I think it was very brave of her to say such things because she is still coping with the loss of her son.
     The author of this article, Richard Durrett, uses pathos throughout the article to cause the reader to feel bad for the the Stone family.  he did a very good job  at this and he summarized the topic well by including the opinions of both SuZann Stone and Josh Hamilton.

Bless Me, Ultima Chapters 13-16

     Within these four chapters there were several instances presented that both supported and went against my original prediction that Antonio will grow up on the llano as his father would like.  The first example came in Chapter "Catorce" or 14 on page 167.  In this point in the book Antonio is on his way home after witnessing Narciso warn Andrew that Tenorio is going after Ultima.  At this time there is a great storm which lowers visibility tremendously and causes it to be very difficult for Antonio to get home.  Yet, when reaching the light posts of the bridge Antonio said, "They signaled the dividing lie between the turbulence of the town and its  sins and the quiet peace of the hills of the llano" and "Beyond was home and safety, the warm arms of my mother, the curing powers of Ultima, and the strength of my father" (Anaya 167).  Not only do these statements suggest that Antonio wishes to live in the llano in the future, but it once again identifies the three most important influences in Antonio's life: His father, his mother, and Ultima, each with their different interpretations of life and how to live.  The next example, also in Chapter 14 goes against my original prediction as it foreshadows that Antonio will become a priest as his mother desires.  At this point in the book, Antonio has just witnessed Tenorio shooting Narciso and Antonio is debating what he should do.  He realizes that Narciso will die but there is no time to get a priest to give Narciso confession.  At first Antonio says "I am not a priest" (Anaya 170), but then he goes on to give narciso confession in a very professional manner (as if he were a priest).  obviously, Anaya is hinting that Antonio will become a priest yet he previous example goes against this.  Despite this, the next major example once again goes against my original prediction by suggesting that Antonio will follow the wishes of his mother.  It occurs when Antonio is reciting his catechism to his mother.  At this time, she says, "I hope you will use your knowledge to carry out God's will.  You are a very bright boy, you understand so much, you can be a great leader, a priest-I do not want you to waste your life in dreams, like your father.  You must make something of yourself, you must serve the people.  The people need good leaders, and the greatest leader is a priest-"(Anaya 179).  As if this wasn't a strong enough foreshadowing, Antonio agrees with his mother by saying yes.  The reason for this may be that Antonio hopes to please his mother in that moment yet there appear to be more and more hints as to Antonio becoming a priest and therefore, I predict that he will do just that.  Nonetheless, I have not forgotten influence o both his father and Ultima and I would not be surprised if my prediction was not correct.

"For Illegal Immigrant, Line is Drawn at Transplant"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/nyregion/illegal-immigrants-transplant-cheaper-over-life-isnt-covered.html?hp


     The article discusses a waiter in his 30's who needs to replace his failing kidneys.  His younger brother volunteered to donate a kidney to Angel yet the government won't allow for this to happen.  The reasoning: Angel is an illegal immigrant.  Therefore, the government will pay for a lifetime of dialysis, costing $75,000 a year but will not pay for the $100,000 transplant.  For two years now him and his brother have been trying to find a way to get the transplant yet they continue to run into laws, private insurance conundrums, and ethical quandaries.  They have come to the national impasse between health care and immigration policies, a very interesting paradox.  Who knows what will happen next but personally I think we should ship Angel him back to Mexico.  I know that sounds heartless, and it may be, but if he had come into this country legally, there would be no problems whatsoever and this article wouldn't exist.
     The author mostly appealed to the rhetorical strategy of pathos.  He did so by causing the reader to feel bad for Angel, or at least that is what he intended.  In my case I was not persuaded but Bernstein, the author, made a few good points as to why we should care for  him.  First off, she pointed out the fact that it would be cheaper to give Angel a transplant rather than dialysis for the rest of his life.  Also, she especially appealed to emotion by saying that American "nurses and doctors and technicians are morally obligated, and legally obligated, to provide that life-saving care".  This really makes you feel bad for Angel, but it is kind of his own fault.

"Ohio State Receives One-Year Bowl Ban"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/sports/ncaa-hands-ohio-state-one-year-bowl-ban.html?hpw



     According to author Pete Thamel, "Ohio State's football team will not play in the postseason next year, and the program will lose nine scholarships over the next three years as a result of a scandal that cost Coach Jim Tressel his job in the spring".  The punishments were given because the NCAA found out that Ohio State did not monitor the football program and provided extra benefits for many of its players.  Although Ohio State administrators were surprised by the strict penalties, they decided not to appeal the findings.  Tressel received the worst of the penalties as he was given a five-year "show cause" penalty which will most likely prevent him from coaching in college during that time.  Apparently, Tressel "failed to bring forward information about his players at least four times".  I think Tressel and the Ohio State football team deserve such strict consequences.  In a way, they were cheating and cheating isn't allowed in any sport.  College scandals seem to happen all the time, yet Ohio State has a great football program so this event will most definitely hurt them.
     Thamel wrote about the event with no mercy for the team and Tressel.  He appeared happy with the turnout and provided a sense that there was almost no hope for the team.  Obviously Thamel is not a Ohio State fan, but his article was informative, well written, and insightful.  His lack of the use of pathos is effective in creating an article that resembles a textbook.

Bless me, Ultima Chapters 8-12

     Despite reading these 5 chapters, Ultima is just as mysterious as before.  She presents a different view of life to Antonio that confuses him, yet their relationship continues to grow stronger, especially when Antonio helps her cure Maria's younger brother.  I felt that this part and Antonio's dream in Chapter 9 were the most important parts of this portion of the book.  In chapter 9 Antonio dreams that his brothers want him to go into "the house of sinful women" but he resists.  Antonio says "I cannot enter, I cannot think those thoughts.  I am to be a priest" (Anaya 70).  This may appear as a simple statement yet it hints that Antonio wants to be a priest and it foreshadows that he will be.  His brothers protest by saying that Antonio will eventually enter because he is a Marez.  What this represents is Gabriel's side of the family, one that is not devoted to God.  The dream then shifts to the topic of innocence as Andrew says he will not enter until Antonio has lost his innocence.  In the dream, Antonio's mother claims that he has already lost his innocence because he is a Marez.  Then, Ultima appears in the dream saying "There where the lonely wind of the llano sang to the lover's feat of your birth, there in those hills is your innocence" (Anaya 71).  This foreshadows that Antonio will live in the llano and that is where he will be happiest.  This contrasts the occupation that his mother wants for him to be (a priest).
     The other part of this portion of the book that I felt most important was when Antonio helped Ultima cure the very sick younger brother of Maria  (Lucas Luna).  At this part of the book Antonio is very religious yet he is faced with many contrasting beliefs and ideas of both his parents and Ultima which continue to confuse him.  It causes him to question his faith.  This  confusion gets worse when Ultima is successful in curing Lucas.  It appears that she used the power of nature to help lucas since she is not devoted to God.  She is then accused of being a witch but she passes a test that suggests she is not.  Nonetheless, the accusation is still out there and the people, including Antonio, aren't exactly what or who she is.  Nobody (except maybe her owl) understands her and she doesn't give away many hints as to what she knows.

"As War Ends, Young Veterans Return to Scant Jobs"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/business/for-youngest-veterans-the-bleakest-of-job-prospects.html?hp




     This article discusses the problem of veterans having little opportunity to get jobs in the United States.  The author, Shaila Dewan, wrote about Cpl. Clayton Rhoden who earned "$2,500 a month jumping into helicopters to chase down improvised explosive devices or check out suspected bomb factories".  Despite the fact that he is risked his life, Rhoden is now living with his parents, sells his blood plasma for $80 a week, and works whatever extra duties he can get for his Marine Corps Unit.  Although, Rhoden is just one of so many veterans that can't find a steady job and the future looks bleak.  The joblessness is concentrated among the young and those that are still serving in the National Guard or the reserve.  According to the article "The unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 has averaged 30 percent this year, more than double that of others the same age, though the rate for older veterans closely matches that of civilians.  Personally, I feel that veterans should have priority over regular citizens f the US since they have directly served the country, sacrificing their time, and risking their lives.
    Dewan appeals to ethos by suggesting that, as Americans, we should be more respectful to veterans and provide them with more benefits than they have as of right now.  She hopes to persuade her readers that veterans have given a lot more to their country than the normal citizen.  She appeals to pathos by making the reader feel bad for the 30 percent of veterans who are not employed.  She hopes that we will act on her emotional appeals.  I am sure this article would be even more emotional for those that know or are related to an unemployed veteran.  I know we won't completely solve this problem, but I hope that we will lower the percentage of veterans that are jobless.

    

"High Schoolers Banned for Tebowing"

The article and video are on from this website: http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7357978/high-school-athletes-suspended-tebowing




     According to the article, written by Christopher Hunt, a group of high school students were suspended because they replicated Tim Tebow's popular pose in the hallways of their school.  The four boys-Jordan Fulcoly, Wayne Drexel, and brothers Tyler and Connor Carrol- were given a one day suspension from school "after three days of taking a knee with their foreheads resting on their fists, the same way Tebow does in the end zone and on the sidelines".  The superintendent of the school system said that the students were not suspended for bringing religion into school but for blocking the hallways.  The students claimed that they did it only as a joke, paying homage to one of the NFL's best role models.  District officials told the student that Tebowing was making it unsafe for students walking in the halls in between classes.  I found this very funny because I don't understand how anyone could get hurt from kids kneeling down in the hallway.  This article was very funny and based on the information that Hunt presented, the superintendent didn't really have a reason for suspending the students other than the fact that they had been told to stop not once, but twice.  If this was true, than the worst justifiable punishment would be a detention.
     I found this article hilarious.  Hunt appeared very sarcastic throughout the article and appeared to be against the suspension.  He seemed to be on the high schoolers side, and, in a way, he questioned the reasoning for the superintendent's decision.  It was exactly the way I felt about the incident.  Hunt's sarcastic tone made the article enjoyable  and i like how he wrote the article as if the incident was a really big deal...cause it really isn't.

Bless Me, Ultima Chapters 1-7

 



     To be honest, the beginning of this book has not been bad to read.  The only disadvantage of the text is the use of the Spanish language for many statements and conversations.  The plot is interesting and there seems to be several conflicts at once, both inside Antonio's mind and within his family.  His mother, Maria, hopes for Antonio to grow up and become a priest while his father hopes that he will grow up on the llano working off the land.  The religious tension within the family is caused by Maria's complete devotion to religion while Gabriel appears to be "sort of" religious.  The parents have even more differences, including the families that they are from.  This is identified when Antonio asks Ultima "Why are they [the Lunas] so strange and quiet? And why are my father's people so loud and wild?" (Anaya 41).  Ultima can only answer this question by saying it is part of their heritage, it is in their blood.  Another interesting aspect of Bless Me, Ultima is Ultima herself.  She appears mysterious and won't exactly say what Antonio's destiny is, yet she and Antonio appear similar in many ways and they form a strong friendship.
     I think that Antonio will end up living in the llano for the rest of his life as his father wishes.  I made this prediction based on the evidence in the beginning of Chapter 4.  At this part of the novel, Ultima and Antonio are in the hills of the llano gathering herbs and plant.  They are enjoying themselves  and they don't appear to have a care in the world.  Within this part, Anaya wrote "In the hills Ultima was happy" (Anaya 40).  Not only is Ultima happy in the llano but it is clear that Antonio enjoys it greatly also.  He likes gathering the herbs and learning there uses.  I think that this is a sign that he will remain in the llano.  In argument to this, someone could point out the fact that Antonio is religious, loves the Virgin Mary, and therefore will become a priest.  Despite this, Antonio and Ultima are similar enough that I think Antonio will live a life similar to Ultima's, one that avoids civilization and a full devotion to God.

"A New Worry for Soccer Parents: Heading the Ball"

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/a-new-worry-for-soccer-parents-heading-the-ball/


     Many people, including myself, have wondered if it is bad to head a soccer ball, and what the effects are, if there are any at all.  This article discusses a study that was performed by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.  They recruited 34 adults, men and women, who "had played soccer since childhood and now competed year-round in adult soccer leagues".  They filled out a questionnaire, participated in computerized memory tests, tested their cognitive skills, and had their brains scanned.  In the data that the researchers presented, the players "who had headed the ball more than about 1,100 times in the previous 12 months showed significant loss of white matter in parts of their brains involved with memory, attention, and the processing of visual information, compared with players who had headed the ball fewer times".  According to the author, this pattern of white matter loss is similar to those seen in the brains of people who have had a traumatic brain injury.  The researchers who performed the experiment also stated that the players who had headed the ball about 1,100 times or more in the past year were a lot worse at recalling lists of words read to them or forgetting/fumbling the words compared to the soccer players that had headed the ball less.  Personally, this article was very interesting since I play soccer.  Also,  I wonder how the effects of heading the ball get worse due to old age, after the players have stopped playing soccer.
     The article was presented in a factual manner which was useful in displaying the information in an easy-to-understand way.  The author explained the problem, the experiment, and the conclusion.  he did not display much bias as to what his opinion on the subject is, but rather gave all the information he had gathered in a carefully written essay.  The author wanted to make sure this article was read by many people.  By the way he wrote, it was apparent that he believed that the subject was very important to those playing soccer.

"Japan Split on Hope for Vast Radiation Cleanup"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/world/asia/japans-huge-nuclear-cleanup-makes-returning-home-a-goal.html?_r=1&hp


     According to the article, written by Martin Fackler, the town of Futaba, Japan is completely deserted.  The traditional wooden homes that remain have "begun to sag and collapse since they were abandoned in March by residents fleeing the nuclear plant on the edge of town that began spiraling toward disaster".  The villagers that left Futaba are among 90,000 people that evacuated the 12 mile area around the Fukushima Daiichi plant, along with another Northwestern area, that were contaminated due to scattered radioactive cesium and iodine from the plant.  As of right now the Japanese are working on cleaning up the area, hoping that those who once lived there can move back.  Despite this, there is much debate as to whether or not the area should be repopulated.  Unlike the Chernobyl accident which the Soviet Union faced, the japanese must clean up the contaminated area because their country is more densely populated and needs the land.  The article itself is very depressing because so many families were forced to leave their homes.  The article also spoke of some residents who had lived in Futaba or other surrounding areas for many generations.  It must have been very difficult for them to leave.
     The author of the article appealed to the emotions of the reading, causing them to feel very bad for those that were effected by such a disaster.  Also, when reading the article, i looked for signs of bias as to whether the author supported repopulation or not.  Apparently, he did a good job in displaying both sides of the debate as I could not find which side he supported more since there were no hints or suggestions as to his opinion.