Making Us Safer, One iPad at a Time

With the American society we live in today, crime is, unfortunately, an inevitable process we must prepare for and deal with later. However, because of the full agendas many judges face in their courts, those who are supposed to be 'justices' do our country injustice, letting these criminals off the hook with lighter punishments than should have been allowed. Steve Cohen of the New York Times proposes a solution to this issue, proposing that police cars begin to feature iPads in an effort to speed up the legal process for the prosecution, defense, and justice department. Cohen attempts to make the audience believe in this Apple technology and software, saying that the speed of these devices will bring a never-before-seen efficiency to the system of hearing and deciding on crimes. The problem stems from the boring and time-consuming process of filling out paperwork, one that slows down the delivery of cases to judges and results in unfair rulings for criminals because of the rush and pressure on the courts. If law enforcement had access to quicker and more advanced technology, Cohen argues, law enforcement will be able to do its job more effectively, judges feel more relaxed about the court process, and criminals can face the just punishment they deserve.

Suffer. Spend. Repeat.

Holiday shopping is defined drastically differently by the role one plays in the process: a joyous time of unity and togetherness for the receivers while absolute mayhem for those in charge of the price tags. And what would the American marketplace be to sit on the sidelines and hope for the best? Oliver Burkeman explores the manner through which stores advertise their holiday offers and create environments that induce mindless purchases. One way that the opinion piece captures its audience is by referencing case studies conducted by important figures, one being Penn State University. Penn State's experiment proved that music with fast tempo caused more impulsive purchasing, while a marketing professor at Western Kentucky University concluded that the same results can stem from slow tempo music as well. By using these examples as reasoning for his claim, Burkeman is able to control the audience and spread the opinion his piece is trying to convey: the holiday season is not solely responsible for ridiculous spending. Burkeman argues in his article that without the classic Christmas music, our holiday breaks seem lost and weak. However, too much of these things result in a slow loathing of the season, placing us in the zone businesses find optimal for sales. Getting caught up in the holiday season seems to be the Kryptonite for the super-spenders across the nation.

Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy (IRB 3)

The period of John F. Kennedy's presidency can be best described as "sweet and sour", having both great strengths and glaring weaknesses. However, after reading through the beginning of the book Ted Widmer created to put these events into context, I have found that this book doesn't put the situation into a context that seems relevant and interesting to me, ultimately resulting in my dropping of the book. My problem stems from Widmer's addressing his audience and establishing a viable message for readers to comprehend and latch onto. The American people reading the story on a popular president are looking to find what this favorable man imperfect and discover the stains in his time as the leader of the United States. Not only that, the book should show some value on an entertainment level, as the public can find information to share with others more easily when the author sparks interest and intrigue with their writing. Although the events Widmer displays in his work are historically accurate, I do not find the portrayal of this information engaging and, as a result, have started looking for another nonfiction book to read. Through this experience, I have actually grown rhetorically, since I now understand that my belief that Widmer did not achieve his purpose in his new book could be seen differently by the millions who enjoy this piece of his.