Weblog Assignment 7: Using weblogs outside of English class

I think the list of future projects that could be posted on a weblog is limitless. Weblogs allow you the freedom to post whatever you want, on whatever topic you want, whenever you feel like posting it. Weblogs can be used to “publish” personally written articles that you want others to read and benefit from. Comments from peers and from others you don’t even personally know can help your writing as well as open your eyes to new angles on your specific topic. I personally don’t plan to use weblogs much in the future, but it is nice to know that the option is available!

Weblog Assignment 6: Change in Attitudes and Opinions throughout the quarter

I don’t really think my attitudes and opinions have changed very much throughout the quarter. I knew from the beginning the basic ideas I wanted to express on my topic (of tanning), and I found supporting evidence fairly easily. The complicating evidence I found was interesting, but it didn’t change my mind on the conclusion of my paper. It’s been interesting writing about my topic in three different “genres” – the analytical research paper, which took research and required formal writing; digital composition (the weblog), which basically provided freedom to talk about and express my opinions on my subject without constantly citing sources; and finally the op-ed which allowed me to organize my opinions on the topic.

Weblog Assignment 5: Rules and Conventions of op-ed genre

When it comes to writing an op-ed, I don’t think there really are very many rules and conventions. Since it is an opinion editorial, it basically reflects an individual’s personal opinion, and how can opinions have rules? I do think, in an op-ed, it is necessary to have a specific topic and not just babble about anything and everything. Op-eds should be focused on a certain subject, they should use wit and humor wherever possible in order to keep a reader’s attention, and they should make a point about the subject being focused on. In the recent op-ed I have mentioned before in my weblog, the author’s subject is consumer confidence. He uses wit throughout the op-ed as well as personal experiences to keep the reader’s attention.

Weblog Assignment 4: Identifying logos, pathos, or egos in a recent op-ed

I think that this op-ed is interesting because of the author’s tone and dry sense of humor. He begins by talking about a coffee maker at a Linens ‘n Things that was going out of business. He describes how, in the past, he probably would have bought it without a second thought. Now however, due to a lack in his “consumer confidence,” he thinks of all of the downsides to buying the coffeemaker -even the trivial things, like having to throw the box away, and reset the clock.
The method I think the author mostly uses in this op-ed is logos. He uses logic and reason to convince himself that he does not need the coffeemaker. He also uses logic to discuss the irony of any plans that have been created to save the economy (which he believes to be failing due to a lack of consumer confidence).
However, I don’t think the author really wraps up the editorial that well. He criticizes what he calls “the nearest thing to an actual plan” to save the economy, but he doesn’t offer or discuss what he finds to be a valid solution to the economic crisis.

“Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee” – New York Times Op-Ed

I found this op-ed online, and really enjoyed the author’s dry sense of humor in his discussion of “consumer confidence.”

Op-Ed “Playing with Fire”

“Playing with Fire”

                “When you play with fire, you’re likely to get burned.” Have you ever heard this expression? Ever thought about what it means exactly? Expressions such as this can be used in so many different situations – the one who gets emotionally burned after dating somebody with a bad reputation, the one who gets burned while playing with literal fire… you know the one who tries to light all the candles for their 86 year old grandmother’s birthday cake with just one match.  The expression applies to many life situations, but it also applies to tanning. Just as everyone knows it isn’t healthy to get burned, everybody knows that sunburns are bad for you. Sunburns hurt and can cause long-term skin damage. Most people know what the source of sunburns are – ultraviolet rays. However, some people don’t know that it is these same rays that cause tanning to take place, and tanning itself may be hazardous to good health.

             The incidence of skin cancer in the United States has risen significantly along with the rise of the indoor tanning industry. Tanning salons claim you can get a “safe tan.” After all, if you’re careful and  time your tanning sessions, ultraviolet rays really aren’t so bad! Just like it’s fun to play with matches, it’s fun to get tan. Being tan is stylish, and makes you look attractive. It’s “in” to be tan. After all, who wants pasty white legs, especially in the summer?  Having tan skin boosts self-confidence and body image, especially in women.

            While it’s good to have self-esteem and a postive body image, playing with ultraviolet rays is like playing with fire. For example, when playing with matches, you might accidentally give yourself a minor burn. It hurts, but it gets better. If, however, you drop a match on the floor or the tablecloth, you can find yourself in a burning room before you know it, and it takes only once… just one dropped match to destroy an entire house.  It won’t always happen, but sometimes it will. In the same way, you can “play” with ultraviolet rays. Sometimes you might get a “little” sunburn. It hurts, but it gets better. You play with UV rays too much though, and you can find yourself with a sick body. And it might even take just once to destroy your health, because even tanning once or twice can dramatically increase your risk of skin cancer. Not everyone will get skin cancer, but some will. The question is: who is willing to take that risk?  

           Even though I can understand the desire to be tan, it seems unwise to risk personal health by going to a tanning salon when there are safer options available. I have personally tried one “safe” method of tanning – spray tanning. For a wedding several years ago, I decided to go the healthy route and get a spray tan. It actually turned out really well. I was quite happy with my tan appearance (that, by the way, was not orange or streaky) and the only danger of spray tanning would possibly be inhaling some of the spray, which could probably be compared to getting too big a whiff of a whiteboard marker. Yes, that’s not exactly good for you, but it doesn’t seriously damage your body the way ultraviolet rays can. The dangers of tanning beds are, in fact, much more serious than the dangers of a white board marker. The rays of tanning beds actually penetrate the skin, and studies have shown, they can cause melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.

            With all of the programs and information out there today, it should be conventional wisdom by now that tanning, particularly tanning in an indoor tanning salon, is dangerous. If people would acknowledge this fact and choose to utilize the safer tanning methods that are offered, the general health of the population would be better. When people choose to stop playing with fire, and put their personal health first, society will have less skin-related health issues and diseases to deal with.

Weblog Assignment 2: a comment was posted on a classmate’s weblog. Weblog Assignment 3: The differences between writing for a popular audience and an academic audience.

There is quite a difference between writing for a popular audience and an academic audience. Writing for a popular audience is typically more enjoyable for most people, because you don’t have to worry about the formality and “correctness” of your writing. Instead, you are free to express your own creativity, thoughts, and ideas. You also have the chance, as in the case of a weblog, to receive direct input and comments from your readers and be able to have a conversation with them about what you’ve written. On the other hand, writing for an academic audience can be much more time-consuming and restrictive. You must be careful to document and accurately represent your sources and what they think as well as what you think… about what the sources think… so there are several different layers you are dealing with when writing for an academic audience. Some people may prefer the more structured way of writing that is necessary for an academic audience, but I think writing for a popular audience is much more enjoyable.

Weblog Assignment 1: Analytical Research Project

Recently I did an analytical research project on the subject of indoor tanning. It was interesting to find out solid medical reasons why tanning is dangerous, but what I found most interesting was my search for conflicting evidence. Before I started this project, I knew certain reasons why tanning is dangerous, and I was interested to see what reasons some people would give to say that tanning beds are actually safe. The website that I ended up using for complicating evidence claimed that tanning was safe, and it used a qualified doctor’s opinion to back up the claim. The doctor, Michael Holick basically claimed that the benefits of tanning (basically receiving Vitamin D from tanning light) outweigh the risks. The rest of my research, however, told me exactly the opposite. The overwhelming amount of evidence claiming tanning is dangerous only serves to support my opinion that the risks of tanning will never outweigh the benefits.