Shoving the Blame Away

Tom Toles, a cartoonist for the New York Times, has, yet again, poked fun at the constant, seemingly endless disagreement that exists between the dominant political parties today. The work of Toles is not unfamiliar to many of my peers and I, as we have explored various works from the artist in our English course. From this experience, we can better define Toles's purpose, audience, and, most importantly, message from the visual text. Clearly, the audience for this political cartoon is the American people, most likely those who lack the radical viewpoints that some hardcore Democrats and Republicans possess. If these biases were present, then the true intention of the piece would be lost behind what could be seen as offensive for some people. Toles, as previously mentioned, attempts to make a comparison between the awkward conflict in the political landscape in the government and an uncomfortable solution to a dinner bill. This simile of sorts is able to make a serious political disruption seem, for lack of a better term, silly in the eyes of both American and international observers. Through humorous depictions of President Obama and the figurative Republican elephant, Toles achieves his purpose and conveys a funny take on what is a gripping issue in our nation.

Michael Jordan at 50

One of the most decorated players in history turned fifty yesterday, bringing reminiscent memories back to long time basketball fans as they remember Jordan's era of dominance. Phil Taylor, author for Sports Illustrated, tried to capture this influx of past instances of Jordan's excellence in his article for the magazine. What a tall task Taylor was faced with! Michael Jordan, arguably the best player of all time, is known for hundreds of unbelievable moments that can barely be put into words. For example, as Taylor highlights, Jordan is remembered for one moment in the playoffs of one of his six championship seasons when he played despite experiencing flu-like symptoms prior to the game. Not only that, but Michael Jordan lead his Bulls team to the victory with his 38 points and 44 minutes played. For most of us, getting out of bed is a stretch when we have the flu, let alone participate in any physical activity. Jordan competed in an NBA game with some of the best athletes in the world and played like a true champion. Taylor also fills the piece with quotes and references true to Jordan's personality, ones that make your remember his competitiveness and drive. One such quote comes in the first paragraph, where Jordan says, "One day you may look up and see me playing a game at 50. Don't laugh. Never say never." Fifty years of age seems to be the boundary for athletes in terms of the limit to which they will play. For Jordan to come out and say this while he was winding down his career shows a true love for the game and a determination like no other. These mementos of the life of Michael Jordan were all present in the article because of Taylor's craftiness and ability to highlight the characteristics that made MJ special.

The Book of Basketball (IRB 5)

The game of basketball has quite an expansive history, spanning from the domination of Wilt Chamberlain to the magical Michael Jordan era and even to today's time headlined by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant. The timeline of the National Basketball Association is dotted with high points, low points, and unbelievable points. Bill Simmons, in his The Book of Basketball, takes a stab at explaining the history of this incredible basketball league. The introduction is unique to that of many books, since it talks solely about Simmons and his experience with the Boston Celtics since when he was five years old. Not only does this method help to detail the impact of one of the greatest NBA players ever, Larry Bird, but it also establishes Simmons as a credible source of information on the game of basketball, making him someone the reader can trust going forward into the book. The purpose Simmons has in mind, both in his introduction and his entire book, is to inform his audience, predominately composed of avid basketball fans, of the history of the best basketball league in the world. So far, Simmons has been able to attract an audience and set readers up to be amazed and entertained as the book continues.

The Boys at the Back

The canvas that represents the young people of America is quite diverse and colorful, ultimately becoming a blend that surpasses that of what the United States has seen in its history. As an average high school student and an explorer of the upcoming college experience, I find this to be especially true, with racial, religious, and ethical boundaries being destroyed left and right as the nation progresses. These fast-paced advancements have showed no signs of stopping, which has become a problem today because of the female gender's slow gaining ground on the American males. Author Christina Hoff Sommers called for policy to alter this trend and hopefully bringing about a new sense of balance between men and women in the coming years with her article in the New York Times. The proposals Sommers makes in regard to evening out the imbalance in current educational settings reminded me of a  previous push for enhancement of school systems. George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind policy was one that instantly entered my mind, as it addressed a dormant but potentially dangerous issue in the growth of America's youth academically. The use of cause and effect and reasoning by Sommers allows the American taxpayers reading the article to be reaffirmed of the promise within the government fees they pay each year and to even feel the need to contribute more to a dire cause. Sommers, through persuasive rhetoric and passionate belief, is able to convey the importance of balancing the educational confusion that currently surrounds our country to the US people and bring about a push for a revision of the current school structure for the bettering of the sometimes unpredictable male gender.