No Place Like Home...My Home, That Is.

David Guterson describes a large suburban neighborhood that is restricted by certain limitations placed on it by a corporate enitity in his essay "No Place Like Home." His description is completely different from my experiences with my neighborhood. I live in a sub-division called Highland Heights located in Clinton, which is considered by some as a suburb of Knoxville. We still have businesses and grocery stores and we are a pretty tight knit little town. Yet at the same time we are still this satellite of metro Knoxville. There are no restrictions concerning the appearance of your home unlike those of Green Valley, Nevada. "The color of its homes are muted in the Southwest manner; beiges, tans, dun browns, burnt reds, olive grays, rusts, and cinnamons." There are no gates protecting the world from our inhabitants and there are no prude security guards to prod in our business. Yet Guterson alludes to the prestige of such a community when he descibes the instance where weather seems to challenge a brisk workout. "The club's lavish swimming pools and air-conditioned tennis courts are, I was told, especially popular in the summer, when Green Valley temperatures can reach 115 degrees and when whole caravans of Porsches and BMWs make their way toward its shimmering parking lot." Living in such a commuty is just another way for people to assert their socioe-conomic status. But when asked why someone would live there, residents stammer and struggle to find a somewhat truthful answer without revealing their true motive for residing in such a place.

My Home

I can recall several destinct memories when I think of my home. I can remember the blizzard of 1993 when we received the most amount of snow in my lifetime so far- 13 inches. The snow made navigating the yard a bit difficult for my 2 1/2 foot frame. And my father who shoveled our driveway, only to watch the snowplow pile up the street's accumulated snow directly behind our vehicles. Or when we used to play sandlot football with my friends or some of the neighbors. Trying to retrieve a kicked ball high atop the 40 foot tall cedar tree in our front yard.

What is "Hot" and who's hot?

Being hot means that the intended subject is aesthetically pleasing. Their facial features and their bodies are the main contributing factors and must meet a particular standard in the observer's mind. Years ago, hot meant that you were ready for sexual activity. Some female examples include: Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendez, Eva Longoria, Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson, Maria Sharapova.

Palin & Clinton SNL Opener

In order to fully comprehend and enjoy the SNL tribute to Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, you must be aware of several factors. You must actually know whom the actresses are portraying. Hillary Clinton was attempting to run as the Democratic Presidential nominee. You have to know where Palin came from. (Alaska) You have to have heard of some controversy surrounding both ladies and popular culture.

If I were a Woman...

If I were a woman for just one day, I would probably complain more and not feel bad about it. I would drive horribly and get away with it. I would intentionally cut people in line and get away with it. I would dress like crap and get away with it. I would ask my parents for more in aspirations of getting more from them. I would be able to physically harm my sister if need be. I would give people I don't like dirty looks and be mad at my significant other for really no apparent reason. I would make up all kinds of excuses for being late to class and work such as: "I'm hormonal!", "Its that time of the month.", or just cry extremely loud in public to embarrass whoever I was with. Ah, the joys of womanhood.

Rhetoric Scavenger Hunt

In this image, we find a vanity license plate with the words, "YHWH IS," inscribed on the surface. This inscription, lacking vowels in order to convey the entire message, means Yahweh is or "God is." I actually had the opportunity to interview the driver of the vehicle and he granted me permission to snap the photograph. He said this message is his personal response to individuals who say or believe that God is dead. His sarcastic rebuttal is that Yahweh is dead, meaning the Old Testament traditions and cultures have faded away, as the gospel and what some Christians refer to as the "Grace Period," is what we're living in today. This statement is attempting to inform people that God isn't necessarily dead, but just doesn't require sacrificial or seemingly unorthodox tasks with a degree of humor. This image uses pathos by utilizing humor to inform us about religious history. Religion and spirituality is often reduced by some as a simple emotional experience. The text, in my opinion, is not rhetorically effective simply because the intended audience may not necessarily acknowledge the question required to understand his answer.

Scrambled Brains...Eggs

Observations:
Egg Commercial:
1.) Frying Pan
2.) Grease
3.) Egg
4.) No actors, all inanimate objects.
5.) Sunny-side up...=)
6.) "This is your brain on Drugs
7.) Mainly health concerns

Girl + Egg in Kitchen Commercial:
1.) Refers specifically to heroin
2.) Smashes up other objects in order to convey a larger point and give a much broader scenario.
3.) Refers to family, friends, money, occupation, self-respect, and future as aspects that could receive possible damage through poor actions and decisions.

Inferences:
Egg Commercial:
1.) Pan is hot because the grease is sizzling and the egg fries.
2.) Adds drama and exaggerates by just including inanimate objects and an ominous voice.
3.) Egg symbolizes fragility and is similar to a skull and its contents.
4.) Mainly concern with the directly affected area, your health, as a means of persuading the audience to not participate in drug use.

Girl + Egg in Kitchen Commercial:
1.) Heroin was probably the most widely used and fatal drug at the time the commercial was aired.
2.) The other objects are the other aspects of life that are dircectly and indirectly affected by drug use.
3.) Adds drama and overly expresses the damage done.
4.) Physical damage in the commercial correlates with emotional and psychological damage internally with the individuals involved and thier peers.

The egg commercial appeals to a younger audience and utilizes a visual example to which they can better relate to. The lack of actors dramatizes the situation and the voice is soft spoken, allowing the message to be conveyed in an understanding way, and simple. The term "frying your brain" is being applied literally in this instance. This commercial is a pathos/ethos appeal because it is related to your health. The girl in the kitchen begins to destroy the kitchen much like drugs destroy bodies, homes, relationships, and peoples' futures. It refers specifically to heroin, a drug that came to the states around the veitnam conflict. But the overwhelming use of the drug did not become well apparent until the 70's and 80's. This commercial presents pathos because the drug subject is seen as an emotional vampire, sucking anything and everything it can get out of you. Using a female host also entices the audience to listen and apply what they learn. The audience for this commercial is a little more mature than those of the other commercial.