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A Broken System

         When I read through the prompt for the rational argument paper, I struggled to brainstorm the perfect subject to dig into for this project. I thought about technologies like autonomous vehicles, the right way to harvest energies from the environment, and even whether or not the United States should have a military presence in other nations. None of the subjects really seemed to stand out immediately, so I moved on from generally gathering research and started working on another item on my 'To-Do List'; finding the best option for my family's health insurance in 2021.      For those of you who are lucky enough to not weigh the stresses of guessing how much health coverage your family will need in the coming year, I am jealous. I have worked tirelessly collecting data in an excel spreadsheet with each plan's premium, copay, coinsurance, deductible for the family and the individual as well as the out of pocket maximums. After gathering all of this information (and
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Dusk to Dawn

Wasatch Mountain Range, Utah        What first comes to mind when looking at this image in the context of the phrase written with an unstructured font over it, is a feeling of nostalgia. I find myself reminded of the backpacking trips I would go on yearly. I would go on an approximately ten-mile hike in the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah just outside Salt Lake City. The Wasatch mountains are known for their aesthetics and also their common mountain lion sightings. The distance and elevation change while carrying a 50-pound pack was not the challenging part, what ended up usually being the most rewarding part of the trip was being all alone in the woods with your thoughts.        The preparation for the trip was meticulous: The tickets were booked, the rental car was reserved, the tent was all prepped and looked over for damage, the food rations and cooking supplies were all confirmed. Every contingent needed to be prepared for whether it was to find water while

Onto The Future

            Vice President Elect Harris’s speech was filled with pathos, ethos and logos. What stood out to me the most was her use of pathos, which is fitting for the type of speech she is giving. She recites personal stories of both President Elect’s life stories, but her own upbringing as well. She spoke about women who have been fighting for a century to be represented properly, especially women of color. Her speech was uplifting in a time where this positivity is lacking in politics. She ended her speech before introducing President Elect Biden by addressing the young women in the crowd, giving them confidence for their representation in the future.      President Elect Biden entered the stage running, with an air of confidence and pride as he approaches the podium addressing his “fellow Americans”. He immediately starts calling people out in the crowd, some personal relationships and some professional. He then steps right into the voter count, and pledges to b

Powers of Persuasion

           The video “Mr. Rogers and the Power of Persuasion” describes the powers of persuasion using description, imagery, and proof throughout history. In the video, the narrator does a great job of breaking down Mr. Rogers's argument to the U.S. Senate and how he harnesses these powers. He makes it really easy to understand. The video draws conclusions of how each of the powers of persuasion assists in getting someone on your side. I liked how it broke down how great speakers overtime effectively uses all of the powers to get the listener to listen and hopefully understand your view. If there was anything I would change, it might be how quickly the video moves through major topics. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and do not think of myself as a good speaker. I was shown through this video that ethos, pathos, and logos could effectively help in just about all areas of professional and personal life. This video helped convince me that if I structure my tho

Summarizing the Summary Process

    Over the last couple weeks, the documentary project was both enjoyable and more work that I expected. While narrowing down the list of documentaries, I chose about ten that seemed to have interesting narratives. While narrowing down the list further, I worked through which were available on Netflix or Prime and which were no longer streaming. I was able to narrow the list down to two, If a Tree Falls and Human Flow.     The documentary If a Tree Falls was a great film and very informative about the Earth Liberation Front, a group known for its radical environmental stances. The documentary follows a member who has been radicalized and labeled a domestic terrorist due to the property destruction he was a part of. After watching the film I was left questioning if writing a  subjective summary of the film was possible. I decided to investigate my second choice, Human Flow further.      With the film Human Flow I was immediately drawn in by the aesthetically pleasing cinematogra

Documentary Project- Human Flow

  Human Flow by Ai Weiwei       Human Flow is a documentary that combines information, experiences and powerful imagery to create an intimate understanding of the human refugee crisis going on around the world. Director Ai Weiwei included all the sights and sounds of a refugee’s day to day routine, as well as, information on how they were being affected by the decisions of the governments they were relying on. 1. Was there a specific scene that got to you? Describe and explain how it moved you (Angry? Curious? Delighted? Motivated?). Give a lot of detail, and really dive in to how it affected you. Don’t hold back.     There was a scene about halfway through the movie right as you are understanding the tone of the film where the director Ai Weiwei is receiving a haircut from a refugee at one of the camps. The camera is on his face from the neck up and you see his eyes panning toward the camera as the sheers his hair. At this moment you really feel that this film

Photo reflection- The Ongoing Road

My son overlooking passing boats  on the St. James river, MI 8.2020      Throughout my life, road trips have held a very high level of importance to me. Whether it was a weekend trip to the mountains, an early morning drive to Disneyland, or a month-long trip dragging our camper around as many National Parks west of the Mississippi. By the time I was a teenager, no destination in the Western United States was too far. This is a passion which my parents have passed onto me and I hope my kids share the same appreciation for the road.   Gordes, France     In my adult life, road trips have continued to be my favorite method of travel. Over the last ten years I have driven the entire United States as well as portions of Canada, France and Italy. I was even lucky enough to find someone who shares my love for a good road trip. When we got married, we made sure to include a three-hour road trip from the nearest airport to the ceremony and every guest came away with an unforgettable story of th