Tuesday, January 7, 2014

SLED's Shift in Focus from Student Safety to Busting Underage Drinkers

               The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, most recognizable to USC students when referred to as “SLED”, works alongside USC Campus Police and Columbia City Police to help keep Five Points and the surrounding areas of Columbia safe. Their objective is defined on their website, stating, “The primary mission of the State Law Enforcement Division is to provide quality manpower and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies and to conduct investigations on behalf of the state as directed by the Governor and Attorney General.” SLED is composed of a number of divisions, a few of which being Alcohol Enforcement, Homeland Security Office, Private Investigations, Sex Offender Registry and Counter Terrorism. The division also features an Amber Alert section, which explains how the South Carolina Amber Alert works, where it originated, and how it plays a role in the community to help prevent abductions and locate missing children. This section contains Amber Alert forms, where you can report a child who has gone missing in the state of South Carolina. It also offers abduction and kidnapping prevention tips for parents. Their website also includes a “news and press” section that features major news stories that SLED has played a role in, from undercover investigations to community service projects to numerous arrests.

             With all the good SLED is doing for the community, it was surprising to discover most USC students only associate the law enforcement division with one thing: busting underage drinkers. There is no doubting that underage drinking is a renowned past time for college students and prevalent among students at USC. On the busiest night of the week, Thirsty Thursday, the streets of Five Points are flooded with hundreds of students eager to take advantage of dollar beer and liquor specials at bars such as Village Idiot, Pour House, Dr. Rocco’s and Parrot Heads. It is common among these individuals to use fake-IDs to get into bars, and until recently, they had been getting away with it.
SLED officers have been cracking down on underage drinking and making their presence more prominent in Five Points. SLED has been known to utilize methods such as bar raids and undercover operations, where young officers dress as USC students and approach under-agers at bars. A sophomore student who prefers to remain anonymous considering the nature of her situation, recalled her experience with an undercover SLED officer at Parrot Heads in Five Points,
           “A normal-looking guy dressed like everyone else approached me while I was sitting at the bar and asked if I wanted a drink. As soon as I agreed, he asked me for identification. I thought he was joking, so I handed him my sister’s ID I had used to get into the bar. He then told me he was a police officer and that I had to come outside with him. The next thing I knew I was being cuffed and thrown in the back of a police car.”
She spent the night in Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and was charged with various misdemeanors for underage drinking and possessing a fake ID.
Although underage drinking is unlawful, students are beginning to question whether undercover task forces such as these are taking it too far, especially considering the recently escalated crime rate in Five Points. The general consensus among USC students is that they do not feel safe downtown despite the abundance of police officers on duty every night.
Haley Parler, a junior electronic journalism student at USC expresses her concerns about student safety in Five Points, and the precautions she has taken since her most recent personal experience downtown.
“I don’t feel safe there. The only time I went to Five Points this year was after the UGA game and someone got shot. I’ve noticed after a certain time Five Points seems to get ridden with more and more of these people in gangs, trying to corner you and talk to you as you are walking.”
She discussed the issue further, elaborating on SLED’s reputation around campus, saying,
“I think many students at USC see SLED as the enemy who is trying to bust them, hand out tickets and take away their IDs. If SLED were to relax on the underage drinking and focus more on keeping students safe we would probably have a more favorable representation of them.”
Peter Boland, a fourth-year economics major offers another perspective on the situation, because he deals with it nightly. Peter works as a bouncer four nights a week at Pour House, one of the most popular bars in Five Points. When asked if through his nightly observations of the crowd in Five Points he thought it was a safe place for students, he raised an eyebrow, laughed as if the question was intended to be sarcastic and knowingly replied, “No, not safe at all.”
He expressed his opinion on SLED, saying they don’t seem to care about students getting from bar to bar safely, only about giving people tickets for drinking. Although he does not feel personally threatened by the criminal activity in Five Points, he agrees with the student consensus stating,
“I could see why everyone feels unsafe here with all the gang activity and shootings that happen, especially on the weekends. The cops don’t seem to care. People sit around the fountain bother students by yelling obscene things as they walk by. The cops don’t say anything to them even though they could easily ticket them for loitering, at least to get them to leave people alone.”
Overall, the student perception of SLED seems to be unfavorable even with all the good they are doing among the community. When asked what students thought would change their perception of SLED, the general feeling was that they wanted to see undercover officers change out of their disguises and pursue the criminal activity that is jeopardizing students’ safety.
Boland commented on this point stating,
“They should focus more on what is going on outside the bars than inside them, and not just target the students, because they usually aren’t the ones causing all the trouble.”
Jennifer Marsh, a third grade teacher and graduate of Duquesne University in Pennsylvania, recalled her memories from college. She remembers 25 years ago when she would use a fake ID she made herself to get into bars in downtown Pittsburgh. She says police were not nearly as worried about underage drinking as they are now, stating,
“The most they would do is if you were falling down drunk, they would give you a ride home to make sure you got back safely. If you gave them a hard time they would call your parents and have them deal with it, then drop you off at your dorm and go out to deal with the real criminals out there. I don’t think it is a serious enough issue for kids to be getting thrown in over-populated city jails for. It’s like they have shifted their focus from making sure kids are safe when they are on their own and away at college, to how much money they can rack up in fines any given night.”
It is safe to say the popular past time of college students will remain despite SLED’s efforts. The students would prefer to see SLED concentrate on the crime that is already so prevalent in Five Points and punish those who are intentionally and directly threatening the safety of students, rather than distributing fines and misdemeanors to unsuspecting under-agers.

USC Students Learn to Balance Academics and Extracurriculars

           Chelsea Corriveau, a junior, business management major at the University of South Carolina, has learned to utilize her time management skills in order to succeed both in and outside of the classroom. In addition to a 15-credit course load, Corriveau is involved in a laundry list of extracurricular activities. She is a member of the executive board for University Ambassadors, on social committee for Phi Mu Sorority, along with being involved in intramural sports and volunteering as a Special Olympics coach. Of all her extra curriculars, however, her most time consuming is being an active member, social chair and concert chair for the Cocktails, the university’s first and only all female a cappella group.
During a regularly scheduled week, Chelsea practices with the Cocktails for two hours, two nights a week and performs weekly concerts. “It’s a really big time commitment,” said Corriveau, “I feel like I work on it as much as I do my school work.” In addition to the weekly responsibilities associated with the Cocktails, Chelsea’s schedule has the potential to get even busier. Recently, for example, the Cocktails were 1 of 6 schools chosen out of fifty to compete in the Soja A Capella Festival, the biggest a capella festival in the Southeast. Preparation for the festival required the girls to attend rigorous daily 2-hour rehearsals.
With the amount of time these extracurriculars require, Corriveau finds herself having to make sacrifices in order to fit it all in. She admits it is sometimes unavoidable for these activities to cut into study time, causing her to cram for tests last minute, and not score as highly as she knows she would have if she gave her full attention to the material. In addition, Corriveau finds her busy schedule cuts into her social life as well. “I don’t get to spend as much time with my friends or roommates as I want to, because if I have free time it’s usually spent working on my Cocktails music or catching up on schoolwork.” Although Chelsea is faced with the challenge of juggling multiple activities, she is certainly not the only student at USC who must make these sacrifices.
With a diverse and abundant array of student organizations offered at the University of South Carolina, it is quite common for USC students to be involved in activities outside of the classroom. There are over 300 registered student organizations offered to student life. The Student Organizations website states, “Students on Carolina’s campus have created groups with interests in everything from the appreciation of techno music to playing winter sports, from politics to dance, and from foreign language to community service.” Considering the large number of students involved in these organizations, each program offers tools to help students like Chelsea manage their time in order to get the most out of the programs offered while still succeeding academically.
Each student organization is required to have an advisor through the Department of Student Life who is selected from full-time faculty or administrative staff members. Each advisor’s goal is to encourage positive interaction between teaching/administrative staff and students involved in student organizations.Advisors are instructed to engage in periodic discussions with student leaders about their expectations of the advisory relationship. Both the advisors and leaders/officers are asked to set expectations ahead of time about the level of advisor-involvement in the student organization as well as their preferred methods of communication between students and staff. It is the advisors’ hope that by encouraging communication between students and staff they will not only prevent miscommunication, but also keep members of the organization engaged.
           Through her personal experience, Chelsea Corriveau has utilized tools such as these, along with the guidance of older Cocktails members, to learn how to juggle her responsibilities. She admits the reason she is willing to take on the responsibility of so many activities is because she actually enjoys the rush of her demanding schedule. “I’m the type of person who needs to be busy in order to feel balanced. I get different satisfactions from all the different things I do. I play intramural sports to satisfy my competitive side. I volunteer at the visitor’s center because I love to interact with people and to come home at the end of the day knowing I helped someone.”
             Corriveau did not choose to participate in Cocktails solely to occupy spare time, however. Like many of her peers in student organizations, she chose the program to pursue a passion of hers she has been interested in her entire life. Growing up, she was involved with music-oriented activities, and planned to pursue it at a collegiate level. “I love to sing and I wanted to major in something having to do with musical theatre but they didn’t have a program for that here. I was in chamber choir and musical theatre my whole life-it is my favorite happy thing to do.Through Cocktails I am able to pursue my passion everyday and I know I wouldn’t be as happy without it.”
             Though her schedule is hectic, Chelsea Corriveau is one of many students at USC who has successfully achieved a balance between academic responsibilities and extracurricular and social activities. Through student organizations such as Cocktails, she is able to continue pursuing passions in college she could not have otherwise and is confident she will be able to act as a role model for future students who aspire to do the same.

If He's Not Asking You to Cup...

For my own personal spin on the classic, "Hes Just Not That Into You" theory, I present you with the idea: "If hes not asking you to Cup......." Maybe hes just not that into youA discouraging thought, but a valid one, indeed.


For those of you who don't know...Carolina Cup is a highly-anticipated staple in most USC students' spring semesters, with over 60 thousand people expected to attend this year alone. It is a day where rage-advocates travel to Camden, SC to support the steeplechase horse racing event.... by never actually seeing the race itself, but by instead tailgating on the surrounding grassy knoll.
Fratstars, head-to-toe in preppy pastels, and sundress-sporting sorostitutes adorned with pearl necklaces and big, floppy hats show up at the crack of dawn to begin their annihilation by ripping shots of the cheapest bourbon you can find at Greene's (or the grog shop if you're super sketchy). The rage lasts for the remainder of the day until students stumble back onto their buses, most missing at least one item they came with (camera, phone, shoes, shirt, etc.).
So, to those of you who consider dressing up to go party with thousands of your closest friends a good time, I'm with you. What I don't understand, however, is why people are choosing to forego the occasion just because they are dateless. I was in attendance last year, and I don't believe I stumbled upon an awkward "singles" table where those who did not arrive arm-in-arm with a frat-tastic counterpart were shunned to.
I'm not referring just to single gals, either. I know plenty of girls who aren't going because their current fling fed them a line as to why he wouldn't be able to take them this year--leaving them dateless...to name just a few: "I didn't think about it until now, and the bus is already full"...."No ones really going with dates this year"..."I thought you were going with somebody else"....and my ultimate favorite: "I can't afford my ticket PLUS yours."
While there are always exceptions, most likely if you were fed one of these lines the sad truth is.... he's probably just not that into you.

My reasoning:
While $45 dollars seems like a hefty fine for him to dish out for your ticket at first, consider the amount of money he routinely spends at the liquor store, or on late-night munchie runs at Sonic, or on miscellaneous items, like a new camo collar for his black lab (ultimate frat dog).

When you look at the situation in perspective, cutting a few corners to save up for your ticket isn't that big of a deal, and that's if he actually earns his own money--which very few of them do. If he doesn't have a job (besides fratting hard 24 hours a day) they have even less of an excuse. This means he was just too lazy to call up mom and dad (who probably love you anyway) and ask for a few extra bucks. Super lame. An additional side note: tickets are available at the Colonial Life Arena, meaning he doesn't even have to use real money to purchase them--a quick deposit of funny money on the old Carolina Card would suffice.

My point: The days of worrying about having a date ended after senior prom. If your frat star is falling short and throwing you one of these lines...Forget him. Ditch the drama. Go with your friends. Look Fabulous. Live it up while you can, because life is too short, and college is even shorter.

Obesity Prevention Research Piece (journalism assignment)

(So, this wasn't an opinion piece, but I feel it's well-researched and could potentially help if you are someone looking to change to a healthier lifestyle through diet & exercise: Here are some "How to Be Healthy 101 Basics") :


Whether you have recently had a health scare, are currently overweight or feel you are at a healthy weight, you can benefit from taking steps to preventing obesity and the related health problems that come with it.
If you feel you are currently at risk of becoming obese, the first step you should take is to visit your doctor. They can run a variety of blood tests and conduct a physical exam to determine if you have any underlying health problems that have lead to your weight gain, such as a slow metabolism or thyroid problem. They could also identify other conditions that could affect your weight loss regimen, such as high blood pressure or a predisposition to diabetes. Once you understand your current condition, your doctor can help you develop a weight loss strategy.
The first step to any weight management plan is to exercise regularly. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you need to get 150 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to prevent weight gain. An example of “moderate-intensity activity” would include fast walking and swimming.
The next step to preventing obesity is watching what you eat. Mayoclinic.com suggests eating “low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods,” such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid saturated fats and limit sweets and alcohol.
One way to keep track of what you eat is to keep a food journal. Use this journal to write down what, when and how much you eat, how you’re feeling when you eat, and how hungry you are. This will help you identify situations that trigger out-of-control eating, so you can learn ways to change these habits.
In addition to these strategies mentioned above, you should also monitor your weight regularly. According to mayoclinic.com, people who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds. Monitoring your weight can help you detect small weight gains before they become big health problems.
Lastly, to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle, you must be consistent. That means sticking to your diet and exercise plan when it is difficult, such as on weekends, and amidst vacations and holidays as much as possible. It is important to remember that as long as it took to put the weight on, it may take equally as long to take it off, and the only way to ensure results is to make a lifestyle change towards healthy living.
Sources:

Interview with Ryan Lang - Promotions Director at Clear Channel Communications and Entertainment

      Ryan Lang, Promotions Director at Clear Channel Communications, started his college education by studying mass communications at Santabarbara City College.  He then went on to the University of Santabarbara to finish his Bachelors degree.  He finished his college education at UCLA where he earned his Masters degree. 

            His career in radio began in 1992, at thirteen years old, when he was hired as a promotional intern and part-time air talent.  In 1994 Lang was offered full time hours and worked from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. as the overnight jock on a top 40 station.  On January 31, 1997 he was let go when the company went in a new direction, allowing him to pursue other opportunities outside of Sanabarbara. 
            Over the next few years Lang worked in many other markets, moving from San Luis Abispo to Los Angeles to San Diego, then to San Francisco and next to Las Vegas.  He traveled back to his hometown in 1999 where he worked for Jay Core, which was later bought out by Clear Channel.  It was there that Lang took a brand new, unknown station and made it number one in 9 months.
            “This is known as gorilla radio warfare,” Lang explained.  “Once I took an unknown station and either matched or beat the number one competing station in the area, my contract was up and I moved to another market.”
            Once his contract was up at Clear Channel in his hometown, he took the opportunity to move to a small market on the east coast.
            “My goal was to eventually find a job in Florida and settle down there,” said Lang.
            He landed at a small station in Florence, South Carolina where using gorilla radio warfare he destroyed their competitor station in 6 months, taking it from the number one spot to number 13.  Once he beat the station, he was let go, but he was not unemployed for long.
            “Thirty minutes later I got a call from the station I had just destroyed, asking if I could build them back up,” Lang explained.  “I agreed, and completed the task in 6 months, taking the number 13 station back to number one and keeping it there for three years.”
            When he left he moved to Sumter, South Carolina and worked for Miller Broadcasting, which has stations in Columbia, Orangeburg, Sumter and Florence as well.  His job position was a morning-show DJ on an urban station, afternoon jock on a country station, and a mid-day jock for a rock station.  It was there that he held the title position of Promotions Director for all four markets.  He stayed with them for three years, and then decided it was time for a change.
            “I felt burned out, plus we were under-staffed and the stations were suffering from lack of budget,” Lang said.  “It was then that I decided it was time to retire from radio all together.  I took two years off and worked for a few private companies, but I wasn’t staying as busy as I was used to.  That was when I took the job I have now.”
            Before Lang took the job as Promotions Director of Clear Channel Communications in Columbia, South Carolina, they had two Promotions Directors, two assistants and fifteen interns doing the job he is doing now with only three interns and no assistants.
            Lang’s first responsibility as Promotions Director is protecting the license of the station aka “keeping them legal.”  He creates and publicizes marketing incentives, which are meant to increase sales and the image of the station.  Typical promotions for the station include: giveaways, contests, samples, coupons and discounts to name a few. 
            When asked about the pros of his job Lang replied by saying, “I get all the free music I want.  I also enjoy getting to meet famous artists and actors that come through the studio and to our concerts and promotions.  I like to see the other side of concerts and the personalities of the people who are putting on the show.”
            When speaking about cons, on the other hand, Lang said, “I am forced to babysit the promotions department and sales people.  I am constantly dotting Is and crossing Ts, which should have been dotted and crossed by other people who should be doing their jobs.  People don’t take the time to follow through because this business is so fast paced.”
            Some people may think the business of radio is dying, but Lang disagrees with them.
            “Some teachers will tell you radio is dying, it’s not.  It’s changing.  It’s morphing so quietly that people don’t notice, and we can’t spend the time telling them.  Our listeners are changing with us, as well, so in a way, we don’t have to tell them,” said Lang.
            He used the example of how Clear Channel Radio is now referred to as Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.  This is because they are not only their own radio stations, but they own half of XM radio and the 13th most popular app, “I Heart Radio.”  They also own outdoor billboards, TV stations, and so on.
            When asked if Lang had any advice on young professionals trying to break into the business he advised them to do an internship where they will get to see first hand how people are and how to deal with unique, artistic people.
            “The phrase ‘different folks, different strokes’ really applies in this business,” Lang joked.
            During their time at their internships, Lang says students will learn that “with some people you have to have thick skin, some you need to hug, and some you just know won’t make it in this business.”
            He cautions that when you make friends in this business you will always find yourself working with them in the future and to stay employed you’ll find it is what you know, and most certainly who you know.  He admits that not everyone is meant for radio but for the few who make it their life, “they call it their choice of drug, because once it’s in you, you won’t want to stop.”

Thursday, January 2, 2014

SIPA Direct Mail Letter

Dear Friend,

            The future of our society lies in our youth.  SIPA believes that the education of our students is the most important element in building a better future.
            The Southern Interscholastic Press Association is a non-profit organization of public schools, including middle, junior and senior high schools and independent schools.  Our purpose is to encourage a high degree of professionalism in scholastic journalism and mass communications in the Southeast.  SIPA provides opportunities for students and advisors through awards, scholarships, interactive tools and hands-on workshops. 
             Students who plan to pursue a career in journalism in the future already benefit from programs like broadcast, literary magazines, newspaper and yearbook staffs.  SIPA teaches students in these organizations more journalistic skills that will get them ahead in their college courses and their future careers. 
            SIPA members receive periodic newsletters featuring news from the world of scholastic journalism.  These newsletters offer advice from nationally renowned experts to benefit students.  They also keep staff updated on award and convention opportunities for their students.
            SIPA also has an annual convention and competition which offers a variety of hands-on workshops taught by nationally recognized advisers and professional speakers.  Along with the annual convention, the Carolina Journalism Institute provides an intensive summer workshop taught by award-winning faculty members. 
            SIPA gives students useful guidance and opportunities to ensure a better future, but these opportunities do not come free.  We need your help.
Last year we raised $100 thousand for SIPA.  By making a donation you will be helping us achieve our current goal of $200 thousand for the program.  Apply for membership or make a donation to SIPA by visiting our website www.sc.edu/cmcis/so/sipa or by returning the reply form along with your donation in the pre-addressed envelope.

Sincerely,

Kayla A. Gasbarro


P.S. Our students need your help in order to succeed.  Please make a donation today!

Mary Rowlandson: Suffering, Salvation and Social Impact

Mary Rowlandson wrote her autobiographical narrative for many purposes: to record and reflect, to eulogize and gain perspective; as well as to immortalize a recount of her experiences, all while paradoxically trying to put them in the past.  She wrote to describe what she saw the day she was taken from her home by Indian savages, and the horrors she encountered thereafter.  Centuries later, literary critics are still analyzing her story, but why?  At the surface, her piece is simply words jotted down on paper as a way to record and communicate her personal message.  If this description were enough to make a work literary, critics would be analyzing the messages one finds on the tiny piece of paper tucked inside of a fortune cookie or the diary of my 7-year-old sister.  I believe an author conveying a personal message is just the foundation for a literary work, but to define a work as literature, the definition must be far more specific.
To be considered literary, first, the message of a work must contain literary devices and stylistic techniques, which are used to enhance a piece of literature by enhancing the literal meanings as well as supplying figurative meanings to the author’s basic ideas.  These elements, when analyzed properly, give the reader greater insight into the message the author is trying to portray or the context in which the work was written.  While literal language serves a vital purpose in a work of literature, commonly authors utilize literary devices, such as similes, metaphors, allusions and symbols, which change the literal meaning of the language, to make aspects of a simple narrative prominent and more memorable, or to extend the meaning of a literal idea.  In accordance, stylistic elements such as where an author chooses to place a semi-colon, or capitalize a letter in a work, serve the same purpose. 
Literary devices can also be useful when an author is attempting to contextualize a literary work, which is the next characteristic a work must contain.  To be considered literature, a work must reflect a specific context, whether it be historical, political, religious, etc. through the author’s use of descriptive literary devices.  For example, a work can be placed in “historical context” by the author simply stating the time period in which the work was written.  If we wish to research historical facts, however, we could just as easily consult an Encyclopedia or a textbook.  Instead, by historically contextualizing a work in a literary sense, the author writes descriptively, using imagery, along with other literary devices, to give the reader a tangible depiction of the time period they are discussing, rather than blatantly stating it.  By identifying a work of literature’s context, the reader is able to more closely analyze what an author wrote and how they wrote it.
In addition to the various elements mentioned above, a work must have one more characteristic in order to be considered literary, which is to serve a public interest.  This characteristic explains why literature such as Mary Rowland’s narrative has survived centuries and is still circulating in the public domain.  For a work to serve a public interest, I believe it must attempt to influence, inform, educate, entertain or persuade the public in a significant way.  If the work’s purpose is unique and powerful enough to make a significant impact on the public, it could in turn influence society as a whole, not just during the time period it was written, but in future generations to come.
            “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,” is a piece of literature because it exemplifies all three criterion mentioned above by the author purposefully utilizes literary devices and stylistic techniques as a coping method when reflecting on the death of her child, uses literary devices to place the work in historical and religious context, and serves a public interest by not only educating readers but instilling a lasting memory in their imaginations.
            Rowlandson’s narrative is saturated with the use of literary devices and stylistic elements, which she utilizes to emphasize the prominence of certain significant experiences throughout her journey.  In the most momentous scenes, she uses various literary devices simultaneously to evoke practically tangible elements of realistic imagery in the reader’s imagination.  In addition, she uses an abundance of figurative language to communicate her underlying internal conflict, as she struggles to rationalize the tragic suffering she is forced to endure.  One example of Rowlandson’s usage of these literary techniques is demonstrated in her depiction of the tragic and untimely death of her baby.  She states,
Thus nine days I sat upon my knees, with my babe in my lap, till my flesh was raw again; my child being even ready to depart this sorrowful world…down I sat with the picture of death in my lap.  About two hours in the night, my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life… (Rowlandson 123).
Unable to cope with the death of her child, she utilizes a metaphor, referring to the tragic memory of her child dying in her arms to a picture of death.  She refers to her baby as a picture, an inanimate object, as a method of emotionally disassociating the two mental images; one being the child she loved dearly, the other, a worthless, disposable picture.  This helps alleviate the traumatic memory in her own mind because when the tragic memory occurs, she mentally substitutes the tragic memory with an image to which she has no emotional connection.  She also uses a simile to describe the moment she watches her child pass away, saying her baby was like a lamb was foremost a religious reference.  The Lamb of God is a theological reference in the Christian faith alluding to Jesus as the perfect sacrifice when he gave his own life in order to atone the sins of all humans.  Seeing the death of her baby as a sacrifice to God reflects her Puritan beliefs that everything happens because God wants it to, therefore she had to sacrifice her baby because God wanted it that way.  This is also a method of coping for Rowlandson, seeing the tragic death of her child as a sacrifice to God instead of a cruel injustice brought about by humanity. 
            To further analyze Mary Rowlandson’s narrative, we must next examine how she utilizes similar literary devices to place her writing in both historical and religious contexts. In several instances throughout her work Rowlandson bluntly states exact dates and times significant events occurred.  However, one instance in particular demonstrates how her method of historically contextualizing an event is literary rather than solely factual.  This occurs in her depiction of the horrific and traumatic suffering she witnessed as the Indians attacked her colony, and invaded her home.
Some in our house were fighting for their lives, others wallowing in their blood, the house on fire over our heads, and the bloody heathen ready to knock us on the head, if we stirred out.  Now might we hear mothers and children crying out for themselves, and one another (Rowlandson 119). 
Her mention of mothers and children is a literary technique Rowlandson utilizes to attempt to depict an indescribable occurrence by drawing off of an idea the reader is already familiar with.  When one thinks of a mother and a child, it generates a positive connotation; a child being naïve, innocent and solely reliant on the mother; and the mother, the nurturer, who has shared a bond of unconditional love with the child since she carried it for nine months in her own belly.  Rowlandson draws on this preconceived notion, and drastically twists it, using imagery to create that same mother and child being viciously ripped apart from one another, while members of their own home are being murdered before their eyes, screaming in sheer terror, unsure of their own fate or that of their loved one.  This tangible image she creates in the minds of the reader is the sole difference between reading about these events in a historical, factual reference book and reading about them through personal accounts in a literary work.
            Rowlandson, being a Puritan, also offers many references to place her narrative in religious context.  She does this in a literary manner, however, not just by stating her religious beliefs or classifying herself as a Puritan, but by interpreting the events that happen to her as a sign from God.  One instance in particular is during the first attack on her colony, as mentioned above, as they find themselves defenseless against the Indians.    She states,
We had six stout dogs belonging to our garrison, but none of them would stir, though another time, if any Indian had come to the door, they were ready to fly upon him and tear him down.  The Lord hereby would make us the more acknowledge His hand, and to see that our help is always in Him (Rowlandson 119).
Her perspective on the events occurring in this passage inadvertently contextualizes her as being Puritan, because it demonstrates the Puritan belief that God has a purpose for everything, and when bad things happen to you it is his way of trying to teach you a lesson.  In this passage, Rowlandson she inserted religious references where she was suffering and resenting God the most to try and gain perspective on why he was punishing her, and what he was trying to teach her.
            The last aspect that defines Mary Rowlandson’s narrative as a literary work is its aspect of public interest.  As previously discussed, Puritans wrote as a form of reflection and prayer, never for personal gain.  However Rowlandson’s method of describing their family’s losses after the Indians invaded her home is evidential support that she may have wrote for ulterior motives as well.
Of thirty-seven persons who were in this one house, none escaped either present death, or a bitter captivity, save only one, who might say as he, ‘And I only am escaped alone to tell the News’ (Job 1.15) (Rowlandson 120).
By keeping “I” as is when quoting the Bible, she is metaphorically transforming herself into God’s messenger from the passage she references.  This demonstrates that because Rowlandson attributed her survival to the Grace of God, she believed it was therefore her God-given duty to share her personal encounter with others, thus explaining an ulterior motive for why she wrote her autobiography.  Going along with this perspective, Mary Rowlandson’s use of vivid imagery to depict her darkest hours of suffering could have been an example of public interest: to leave a lasting, emotional impression on her readers so history would not repeat itself.  An example of this is another gory and horrifying description of the Indian attack on her family’s home.
There was one who was chopped into the head with a hatchet, and stripped naked, and yet was crawling up and down.  It is a solemn sight to see so many Christians lying in their blood, some here, and some there, like a company of sheep torn by wolves, all of them stripped naked by a company of hell-hounds, roaring, singing, ranting, and insulting, as if they would have torn our very hearts out… (Rowlandson 120).
In most of this passage, there is no need for much figurative language, because the literal depiction of what she witnessed is disturbing enough to leave a lasting impression in anyone’s mind.  The one simile she does use makes a comparison of the slain Christians lying in their blood to a company of sheep torn by wolves.  She does this as a method of dehumanizing these individuals, which symbolizes the Indians’ blatant disregard for human life as they slaughter innocent human beings as if they are livestock.  She further elaborates on the same comparison, describing the Indians as hell-hounds, implying their actions were too savage for even an animal, but only to be equated to a wild beast possessed by Satan himself. 
Through Mary Rowlandson’s narrative, she effectively utilizes literary devices for the purposes of both enhancing the content of her story as well as defining the context of it.  She offers a societal message through her writings to instill awareness and caution in her readers’ minds and imaginations.  All of these factors combined are what make her narrative a literary masterpiece that is sure to impact many more generations to come.

References

Rowlandson, Mary.  “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature.  Ed. Nina Baym.  New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2008. 118-134.

Hunter S. Thompson's Disapproval of the Republican Party

Hunter S. Thompson wrote “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved” to communicate his disapproval of the Republican Party and the ethnocentrism of its supporters in 1970.   Throughout Thompson’s career as a journalist, he has reported on many politicians, none, however, more than Richard Nixon.  He credited Nixon for getting him involved in politics, because he so strongly disapproved of his actions while in office.   He considered him an over-aggressive, merciless war criminal, who was willing to threaten the safety of Americans to prove a lesson to others (Crook 2).  Thompson believed that he was nothing but a negative influence on our country, and anyone who followed him was either uneducated about current affairs or easily persuaded by Nixon’s false promises.
            Thompson uses Jimbo’s character to criticize the Republican Party.  He uses stereotypical characteristics so the readers will identify Jimbo as a member of that party.  For example, in his dialogue with Thompson he informs him that he attends the Derby every year and is familiar with the crowd.  Jimbo makes the statement, “... [T]his is no town to be giving people the impression you’re some kind of faggot” (Thompson 1).  Thompson emphasizes this dialogue to imply that Republicans are generally homophobic due to their conservative beliefs as well as fear of being judged by other members of the party.  Another stereotypical characteristic that portrays Jimbo as a Republican is that he splurges on expensive liquor.  In the text, he disapproves of Thompson’s beverage choice when he orders a Margarita with ice by saying “Goddam, we gotta educate this boy.  Get him some good whiskey…” (Thompson 1).  The irony of Jimbo calling Thompson uneducated, when he clearly has no knowledge of anything going on in the US other than the Derby, demonstrates his ethnocentrism and hypocrisy. 
Jimbo’s lack of knowledge about current events that do not pertain to the upper class suggests that Thompson believes Republicans to be uneducated about the politicians they support.  His ignorance causes him to be extremely gullible.  Thompson tells him a fabricated story, claming that the Black Panthers are planning an attack, threatening the safety of everyone at the Derby.  Jimbo responds by saying, “Those sons of bitches!  God Almighty!  The Kentucky Derby!...Why here?  Don’t they respect anything?” (Thompson 1).  Thompson intends the fictional attack of the Black Panthers to juxtapose the invasion of American troops into Cambodia.  At that time in American history, “…without consulting Congress, Nixon placed twenty thousand American troops in Cambodia in an effort to covertly continue the war in Vietnam” (Kittredge 92).  He is demonstrating that Republicans are solely concerned about their own security at a time when their president is jeapordizing the safety of an entire country.  He is also emphasizing the ignorance of the members of the political party, because they elect and support a leader, despite their lack of knowledge about his decisions and how they negatively affect our country as well as others’.
            Thompson criticizes the Republican Party through Jimbo’s character to emphasize his disapproval of President Nixon and his decisions as a leader.  In the text, Thompson discusses how the only current event everyone at the Derby is aware of is the fact that a woman is permitted to race that year.  Although the Derby is taking place the same time as the bombings in Cambodia and the shootings at Kent State University, individuals attending the race are only concerned about news that affects them directly.  Thompson uses this example to emphasize that the only people who support Nixon are the individuals who are unaware of his irrational and self-serving decisions.  In a farewell letter to Nixon preceding his death, Thompson expresses his uncensored and honest opinion of the late president.
Nixon was no more a Saint than he was a Great President…He was a cheap crook and a merciless war criminal who bombed more people to death in Laos and Cambodia than the U.S. Army lost in all of World War II, and he denied it to the day of his death.  When students at Kent State University, in Ohio, protested the bombing, he connived to have them attacked and slain by troops from the National Guard.  “Crook” 4 

Thompson believed that Nixon bombed Cambodia as a statement to the rest of the world; to establish a reputation as a dominating military leader.  His illogical actions, however, caused the United States to be viewed as an aggressive bully, threatening the safety of innocent civilians for our own selfish gain.  He states that, “[i]t is Nixon himself who represents that dark, venal and incurably violent side of the American character that almost every country in the world has learned to fear and despise” (Crook 6).  Thompson elaborates on this point in “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved” to communicate that despite the negative impact Nixon’s decisions have on the US, Republicans continue to support him due to their ignorance of the circumstances.  Thompson mentions the media attention directed towards the situation in Cambodia twice in the article, once when he reads the cover of a newspaper at the airport, and a second time when he hears an urgent broadcast over the radio.  He does this to show that the upper class individuals attending the Derby have the resources to educate themselves about Nixon’s aggressive and careless leadership tactic.  However, they choose to ignore how he is negatively affecting the country, because the damage he is doing does not affect their lives directly.  He also strongly disapproves of Nixon’s decision to take military action against American students at Kent State University, solely because they disagreed with his decision to continue the Vietnam War.  He believed that Nixon had a Nazi spirit, considering he attempted to destroy demonstrators who opposed his ideas, even if they were his own citizens.  Therefore, Thompson criticizes white, upper-class Republicans for supporting Nixon, because they cannot see past the façade that he creates by portraying an all-American image to the public, despite his poor leadership and illogical aggressiveness.
            By critically judging individuals at the Kentucky Derby, Thompson realizes that he is part of the problem, but fails to change his behavior.  Throughout his experience at the Derby, he and Ralph are on a tireless hunt for a face to sketch that captures the horrific scene he is trying to portray in his article.  In the article, Thompson describes the image of the face he was attempting to find. 
It was a face I’d seen a thousand times at every Derby I’d ever been to.  I saw it, in my head, as the mask of the whiskey gentry-a pretentious mix of booze, failed dreams and a terminal identity crisis; the inevitable result of too much inbreeding in a closed and ignorant culture. “Thompson” 5

At the end of the text, Thompson looks into the mirror to discover the face they have been looking for is his own.  His image embodies “a puffy, drink-ravaged, disease-ridden caricature…like an awful cartoon version of an old snapshot in some once-proud mother’s family photo album” (Thompson 9).  This demonstrates that despite his criticism and disapproval of the spectators at the Derby, Thompson allows himself to participate in the same behavior, while making accusations about everyone else.  Although he eventually recognizes his hypocrisy, he does not alter his behavior.  He proceeds to ignore significant news stories on the radio during his drive home.  He yells over the broadcast at Ralph, “Bug off, you worthless faggot...If I weren’t sick I’d kick your ass all the way to Bowling Green—you scumsucking foreign geek.  Mace is too good for you...We can do without your kind in Kentucky” (Thompson 9).  He criticizes Nixon for being over-aggressive when dealing with individuals from different countries in a professional situation, however, Thompson makes a physically violent threat towards Stedman when they are working together.  He is also judgmental of Jimbo’s lack of concern about anything other than the Kentucky Derby, but then proceeds to ignore a news broadcast to shout profane statements involving his own personal affairs.  His hypocrisy is relevant throughout the text and discredits his personal opinion and judgment of others.

            Just as people supported Nixon solely because of the public image he portrayed, many citizens in today’s society elected Barack Obama in the 2008 election for the same reason.  Howard Stern, a popular radio personality conducted an experiment where he interviewed Obama advocates as they went to vote.  He asked several voters if they supported things like the Republican Party, opposition to gay marriage and abortion, and a running mate named Sarah Palin.  Because so many citizens were uneducated about either candidate’s policies, and were solely voting for Obama because of his race or public image, many agreed that they supported several or all of the issues listed above.  This shows that despite the increased efforts by the media to attempt to educate people about the election, some will always ignorantly support a candidate for the wrong reasons, just as Nixon supporters did during his presidency.

How Social Factors Affect the Absorption of Information Presented by Advertising Campaigns

The research topic I have selected is how social factors affect the absorption of information presented by advertising campaigns.  This topic is of interest to advertisers looking to effectively reach a desired audience.  According to a study done by Puntoni and Tavassoli, “top-of-mind recall is one of the most commonly used measures of advertising effectiveness” (  294).   Social context is thought to affect the recall memory of participants viewing advertisements, thus making the ad itself more or less effective to its target audience.  Understanding how social factors influence ad recall can help advertisers create a more effective campaign to reach their desired audience more effectively.
            The first article I reviewed on the subject is Social Context and Advertising Memory by Stefano Puntoni and Nader T. Tavassoli.  This article examines the influence of the presence of others on advertising memory.  Three separate experiments were conducted to conclude their findings.
            Experiment 1 results were observed from a sample audience consisting of 67 female students who participated in the study in return for monetary reward.  Participants were met in a waiting room by a male experimenter who led them to the room in which the study took place.  Participants in the “alone” condition were left in the room alone for the duration of the study.  Participants in the “social condition” completed the lexical decision task in the presence of a male confederate in his mid-20s.  He was introduced to participants a research assistant who was to observe them performing the task.  In the participatory study the confederate was introduced as a fellow participant, was seated next to the other participants and used an inactive keyboard.  Direct social interaction in this scenario was discouraged.  Participants were presented with instructions on a computer screen, and told the focal goal of the study was to judge as quickly and as accurately as possible whether a series of target words were real or invented and to indicate their decision using two keys, marked in green and red.  Each word (32 words, 32 non words) was displayed for 2 seconds in random order.  All participants in all conditions completed the remainder of the study alone.  They were presented with a filler task lasting seven minutes, followed by a memory test where they were asked to recall the real words from the lexical decision test.  The original 32 words and 32 matched distracters were displayed one at a time in random order.  Participants were asked to indicate whether they had seen the word during the previous task.  At the end the participants were asked about the purpose of the study and the role of the confederate.
            Experiment 2 was designed to assess the influence of social context in a marketing setting and to reexamine the effect of social context on recognition memory.  Fifty-five male undergraduate students were chosen to participate for monetary reward.  After the elimination of subjects for various reasons, 53 participants were left: 27 in the alone condition and 26 in the social condition.  This study used 20 print advertisements that contained multiple sources of information applicable to social desirability.  Brand names used were nonsensical.  Ten ads were selected to have low applicability to social desirability.  Out of the ten with high applicability, 5 indicated how the product could help the consumer avoid making a bad impression on others.  Five indicated how the product could help the consumer make a good impression on others.  The assignment of male participants to conditions followed the procedure of Experiment 1 with a female observational confederate.  Participants were told to rate each ad on a 5-point scale, from “I disliked it very much” to “I liked it very much”.  A cardboard screen was placed around the keyboard to prevent the confederate from observing the responses in order to reduce evaluation apprehension.  Participants were exposed to ads for 15 seconds each in random order.
            Experiment 3 was designed to replicate the two-way interaction between viewing context and stimulus type for free recall and semantic recognition measure.  The study involved 86 undergrad students from an introductory marketing class who took part in the study in return for course credit.  A sample size of 78 (33 females and 45 males) was derived from the group, 39 in each scenario condition.  They were randomly assigned to conditions and provided with an envelope containing written instructions and other materials.  Participants first read the cover story.  As part of the “visualization technique” they were asked to imagine a doctor’s waiting room scenario then to browse four test pages of the magazine.  The first paragraph of the magazine provided a reassuring reason for the participant’s visit to the doctor, and a photograph of the waiting room was included to strengthen the manipulation effect.  The two scenario conditions were identical to the previous studies except the 3rd paragraph that described the social scenario.  It described the alone scenario condition by describing the absence of other patients in the waiting room, and the social scenario as the presence of four other people and descriptions of their appearances and actions.  Participants were asked to imagine how it would feel to be in that situation then to browse the four test pages in the magazine, spending approximately 30 seconds on each page, while imagining being in the waiting room.  They were then asked to replace the magazine, take the answer booklet and answer some questions about the magazine.  The computer then introduced the recall task followed by the recognition measures.
            Experiment 1’s results concluded significant interactions between viewing context and stimulus type for reaction times and recall memory.  It found participants reacted faster to and recalled more words applicable to social desirability when in the presence of another person.  Performance on the goal of providing speeded responses was impeded by the alternative goal of making a good impression on others.  They concluded that social context plays a lesser role for recognition than for recall.
            Experiment 2 found that participants recalled more product categories from advertisements applicable to social desirability than from neutral ads.  There were no significant effects involving viewing context or stimulus type for recognition.  It also mirrored the memory results of Experiment 1.  It concluded that participants on the social condition were more likely than participants in the alone condition to recall product categories presented in ads applicable to social desirability.
            Experiment 3 found that across all dependent variables, no significant gender differences were observed.  Participants in the social scenario condition were found to remember more product categories than in the alone scenario.  Also, more advertisements pertaining to social desirability were recalled compared to neutral advertisements.  This experiment successfully replicated the two-way interaction between viewing context stimulus type for free recall and a semantic recognition measure.  In contrast, as in Experiments 1 and 2, the two perceptual recognition measures in Experiment 3 were not sensitive to social context.  This experiment concludes that social context affects memory for social desirability advertisements through semantic processes but not through perceptual processes.
            The second article I chose to examine is titled “Don’t Interrupt Me Now: Media ‘Transportation’ and Advertising Effectiveness” by Echo Wen-Wan, based on the research of Jing Wang and Bobby J. Calder.  This article examines how “transportation”, which is a term that describes being absorbed into the narrative flow of a story, affects advertising effectiveness.  Previous research on transportation experience has shown that a high level of transportation into narrative flow leads to more changes in story-related beliefs and produces a pleasurable experience.  When relating to advertising effectiveness, a high level of transportation into an ad leads to a more favorable brand evaluation and greater intentions to purchase the product.  This study hypothesizes that if an ad does not interfere with the transportation process into the media content, the positive experience will lead to greater advertising effectiveness, and vise-versa if the ad intrudes.  Two experiments were conducted to test this theory.
            In the first experiment, 56 participants read a 4-page book excerpt about a college life situation, which included a full-page ad for Wendy’s.  Half of the participants read the ad after the second page of the story, interrupting their transportation experience.  The other half read the ad after the last page of the story, which did not interfere. 
            In the second experiment, 50 undergrad students viewed an ad for fictitious brand of bottled water while reading a three-page short story.  The ad was positioned between the second and third pages of the story in all circumstances.  Before reading the story, half of the participants were told they would be in charge of getting beverages for a social event.  In this condition, viewing the ad for the bottled water was particularly relevant to participants goals, hence they were more likely to process the ad more deeply while reading the story, making the ad more intrusive to their transportation experience.  The other half were told they would be getting snacks for a social event, making the ad less relevant to their goals, thus making the ad less intrusive to their transportation experience.
            Results for the first experiment supported the hypothesis.  They showed when the ad was presented at the end of the story, highly transported participants had a higher evaluation of Wendy’s than those who were less transported.  When the ad was inserted in the middle of the story, participants who were more transported had a lower evaluation of Wendy’s than those who were less transported.
            Results for the second experiment also supported the hypothesis.  These results concluded when the ad was irrelevant to the participants’ goals, they were equally favorable towards the bottled water regardless of their transportation experience.  However, when the ad was relevant to their goal, participants who were more transported showed less favorable attitudes towards the bottled water than those who were less transported.

            The research question I have formulated that pertains to both articles mentioned above states, “How could advertisers make ads in magazines more effective?”  The first article shows that the social context in which ads are viewed affects the overall absorption and effectiveness of information from the advertisement.  Advertisers should make ads applicable to social desirability, because they are proven to have a higher recall than neutral advertisements.  The second article suggests that advertisements placed in the middle of an engaging text, such as a short story, generate a less favorable impression because they interrupt the reader’s transportation experience.  To avoid this negative effect and generate a more favorable impression of their product, advertisers should place ads before or after involved text features.