Trick # 9

     Creative practice.  In this trick, I was asked to look at two advertisements and define what I thought about and saw in both.  The first advertisement was for a Saab car which was given the likeliness of an aircraft going down the highway.  To resemble a plane, the cars doors are open to give the idea of wings as well as the car moving quite fast.  The car itself will appeal to readers who, like me, love speed shown by the car moving down the runway extremely fast giving the appearance that it was about to take off.   The title of the advertisement was below and read "Air-crafted" as if the car was made tougher than a normal vehicle.  The phrase also represents that the car was designed to be faster and more aero-dynamic because it was invented by aeronautical engineers.  Overall it definitely comes across as a sports car.

     The second advertisement shows the highly recognized face of Kermit the frog in the foreground while the vehicle, a Ford Escape Hybrid is sitting in the background on top of a mountain.  This could possibly give the appeal to children as well as the adults who remember watching Muppets while growing up.  It does seem funny though that while trying to sell the SUV, the advertisement doesn't really give much info about it.  Almost as if it was secondary in nature (no pun intended).  Kermit is given a phrase, "I guess it is easy being green", which to most people would be kinda funny to attract the attention of the passerby.  So here we have an SUV sitting in a natural setting, overlooking a mountain pass, while dirt and bushes abound in the picture and Kermit is advertising the eco-friendly side of the vehicle.

     Interesting that both cars are played off of what makes them unique, because it wouldn't work the other-way around.  You wouldn't get the same message if you had a Muppet talking about the Saab on a mountain, nor would you get any message of seeing an eco-friendly SUV on a runway.  All in all though, both advertisements priority is to play to your appeal and get your attention fast so that you read each one carefully.  The Saab, while fast, powerful, and sleek, has a black overtone to play on the fact that people relate dark with power, rebellion, temptation and mystery.  The Ford on the other hand, has a colorful outlook, with nature, frogs, mountains and a very blue sky.  The over all tone ends in a bright outlook that grabs peoples attention with its cartoon like behavior.  Both, mystery and humor grab peoples attentions.  They obviously know what they are doing.

Trick number 8. My first essay.

I added the comics in this discussion at the bottom since my actual printed essay will look entirely different.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a large debate over the prejudices in America’s history.  In both this cartoon by Jill Parker and the second cartoon by Steve Greenberg.  Both comics deal with a very serious issue of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal that happened recently.  While, for the most part, Americans don’t think about this policy since it doesn’t affect the civilian population, this policy has in the past and up until recently affected our soldiers on many levels.  Both artists send the same message that soldiers really didn’t care about the policy in the first place.  That to them, the most important factor was that they are a soldier first before everything.  They have an important job that cannot be interfered with petty things.

In the first cartoon, by Jill Parker, you have a decorated soldier stating that after everything was said, all the changes made, that they can finally be who they want to be, a soldier.  It’s possible that this cartoon soldier is also saying that because the policy was repealed, he no longer has to worry about hiding his sexuality from his superiors.  That now, he can focus on being the soldier he wants to be.  Maybe hiding was causing him to not “Be all that you can be".  It’s quiet possible this is the effect that many soldiers are having.  So by repealing the policy, they can finally focus on the more important things.  With the smile on the soldier’s face, he is relieved and happy with it.  The soldier’s words also show pride.  He’s proud of what he does.  He’s proud that his country, the country he is serving is moving beyond basic prejudices albeit slowly.
The second cartoon, by Steve Greenberg reflects the message of the first one by showing us two coffins draped with the American flag.  It goes on to show us that neither person cared about the others sexuality even to the end of their lives.  This is a powerful image in and of itself.  The one soldier shows that he didn’t ask.  He felt that it did not matter about a persons sexuality as long as they stand shoulder to shoulder.  The other shows that he “Didn’t Tell” because he felt that he doesn’t need to.  He’s performing his duty all the way to the end.

One more aspect of this image is that the American flag is showed prominently by taking up a large section of the comic.  This represents a few things.  It shows that our country is again, moving beyond simple prejudices and seeing everyone as equal regardless of race, sex, or preferences.  They are even in both their countries and their own eyes.  Both coffins are side by side.  They stood shoulder to shoulder together in life and now in death.  I was asked about the encroaching shadows but actually, when I see them now, I prefer and believe that they are in fact, receding.  This repeal is brightening our view on the subject.  And these two in the image are leading the way.  The old beliefs are being pushed away with the shadows of our past.

Another point that this image makes is that they might not be coffins.  They could be statements showing that now, America has split the policy in two.  On one hand, the box on the right “Didn’t Tell” because there was no need for it.  It’s a persons freedom to live the life they want to live.  They should never be subjected to the prejudice or judging of others.  So on this hand, you have a persons freedom.  On the other, you have the newer view not asking in the first place. That finally, America is realizing that it doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t change who the person is, or what they are doing so there is no reason to ask.  Accept who people are and move on.  This definitely reinforces the view of the shadows retreating as it represents our country moving on and becoming all the better for it.

The shadows are also representing something besides showing how our country is improving.  They also serve to focus the readers attention on the subject at hand.  By using a neutral color, the tan, for a background and the black of the shadow for the outer edges, this emphasizes on the objects themselves.  And by giving them the bright colors of the red, white, and blue of the flags, that just pushes it even further.  Given that the messages written at the bottom of each flag are in black and white, this just all but screams out for your attention.  Showing that this is a very important subject that every reader should know exists.

The subject at hand, the policy that split our military into factions has caused problems in the past.  When this policy first came into being, December 21, 1993, almost 14,000 soldiers were discharged under the category of homosexuality as reported by http://www.military.com/news/article/2011/dont-ask-dont-tell-policy-is-history.html.  This was something that showed the narrowness of our country in a time where we should have been showing the world why we are the best country in it.  We should have been striving to be standing on top and yet we allowed ourselves to fall from grace.  It would be almost 18 years, and 3 Presidents before we corrected our stance on this.  While a step forward in the right direction, it is still only one of many other problems our country still has.  But this shows we know how, and can, take the right path.





Since I have almost 12 years in the military, I thought it would be good if I included my view on the policy itself.  I never agreed with the policy itself.  From day one, it slaps the Constitution in the face.  It blatantly encroaches onto every American’s rights to live the lives they want to live without judgment.  It goes against everything our country has told and showed the world that we are about.  From my experience, it doesn’t matter what your sexual preference is, as long as your willing to do your duty, as long as your willing to stand shoulder to shoulder, as long as your willing to stand up for what you believe your country is about and watch my back while I watch yours, I don’t care.  It’s as simple as that.  I found both these cartoons to be very close to the truth as far as I see it.  Most soldiers don’t care if your gay or not.  Fortunately most of us have moved beyond it.  We understand the importance of our job.  We understand that our training gives us an advantage that most civilians never see.  Or understand.  We spend a lot of time beside everyone we serve with and this has allowed us to move on.

Unfortunately America is a big place with a lot more people in it than our military.  So its going to take a long time for the rest of the country to catch up.  Ultimately I agree with the first cartoon.  It doesn’t matter.  All that matters was I was a soldier, like him, and I’m proud of it.  The second cartoon is something I believe represents our country.  It’s evolving.  It’s changing.  And so far, for the better.  I realize that our country has bigger problems, but one small step at a time.  Allowing gay people to openly serve shows how much we’ve improved and maybe one day the rest of the world will follow in our steps.

This is one subject that every American, civilian or military, should take notice of.  One that they should take part of and strive to understand.  And in the end, we need to keep those shadows away.  Keep the light bright and always be moving forward to improve this great country that we all share.

Trick # 7 part 2.

The whole “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was started on December 21, 1993 and ended on September 20, 2011 after President Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Admiral Mike Mullen which set the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.  The policy was designed so that gay soldiers could not openly join the military but at the same time prevented military personnel from discriminating or asking about a soldiers sexual preference.  The policy was originally formulated in 1981 under the Department of Defense titled under the Directive 1332.14.  According to http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/military_history.html

Nearly 17,000 men and women were discharged under the category of homosexuality.   Both comics done by Jill Parker and the second by Steve Greenberg both show cases that our soldiers ultimately don’t care about the policy.  They don’t care what your sexual preference is.  It’s ultimately about serving with the soldier next to you.  Putting your life in their hands.  They have a job to do and it’s important for the mission and our country that they do it.

Trick #7

Common denom.  --  The don’t ask don’t tell policy and a soldiers view of it

Thesis – our thesis is on the American military policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  They share a point of view that not every American soldier cares about the sexuality of others. 

1. Observations:  Soldiers don’t care about serving with other people with different sexual preferences

2. Both cartoons focus on the subject of the American militaries “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and the soldiers viewpoints.

3. How do we know this?    Cartoon #1, the soldier is declaring that above all else, no matter the situation, he is an American soldier first.  Cartoon #2, shows two coffins with signs stating Didn’t ask and the other shows didn’t tell.  The flags on the coffins show that they were americans that gave their lives not caring about the policy.

5.  What do we find interesting about these cartoons?  We find it interesting that the soldiers don’t appear to care about the policy on the same level that politicians or civilians do.  The soldiers understand that you have to serve with one another and will put your life in their hands.  They understand the importance of not allowing this policy to interfere with their job.

How does it tap into larger social or cultural issues?  There has always been controversy between having gay or straight people serving in the military.  Hate crimes have always been uncommon within the country. 

Thesis --   The two cartoons both share a common idea that the average military person does not care about the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.  That it does not matter what your sexual preference is. When you decide to serve, you serve as an American soldier.  And that no matter if you are gay or straight, when you enter the military and you die, you die an American citizen.

Trick # 6

  

Topic:   Don’t ask, Don’t tell.

Story:  The cartoon shows two caskets draped in American flags.  The story shows that neither soldier that gave their lives, cared about the others sexual preference. 

Audience:  The cartoon was produced in Los Angeles, California.  It was published on the author’s website.  The cartoon was conservative in nature.

Author:  Steve Greenberg is an editorial artist who has won awards or honors nearly every year.  They include runner-up in the 2008 Fischetti Editorial Cartoon Competition as documented in http://greenberg-art.com/About_the_artist.html

Argument:  The message of the cartoon is showing that even though both soldiers laid their lives down for their country and each other, they didn’t care if one of them was gay.    This is implied by one of the coffins stating “Didn’t ask”

Composition:  This cartoon is a single frame image.

Word and Image:  This cartoon is a hybrid that relies on both image and text.  The text shows that the two soldiers don’t care about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, and the image refers to them giving their lives for their country.

Imagery:  The drawings are realistic as they are meant to show seriousness.

Tone:  The comic is entirely serious as it shows the nature of the subject and the cost of it.

Character and setting:  The components show two objects, both coffins.  There is no other way to break them down.  The flags draped over them show they were military.

Cultural Resonance:  This cartoon refers to the recent repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal of this year.  The symbols used in this cartoon show that the soldiers don’t care.  The audience would be narrow as it only applies to our military.

Trick # 5.

Topic:  Don’t ask, don’t tell policy.

Story:  A soldier is declaring that he doesn’t care about the policy.  He is a soldier and his job is to continue doing what he was doing.

Audience:  It was produced in America.  It was a newspaper originally.  This was a conservative comic.  It has a laid back approach to the audience.  The tone is direct and to the point.

Argument:  The message is that this particular soldier does not care about the don’t ask, don’t tell policy. 

Composition:  Single frame cartoon.

Word and Image:  While the visual isn’t necessary, it does allow the viewer to get a complete understanding of the cartoon.

Imagery:  he represents the average American soldier.  Does not rely on caricatures.  The cartoon does refer to present events.

Tone:  The comic is serious in nature.

Character and setting:  the cartoon features a person.  The imaged person is white, no age is immediately obvious.  Gender is male.

Cultural Resonance:  It does refer to the event of the Don’t ask, Don’t tell repeal.  The symbolism is the American military.   The symbol speaks to a narrow audience. 

Trick 4

     Discussion of Cyana Chilton's Essay titled "Drugs to Death in a Political Cartoon"

     Now this was much more complicated than our previous assignments.  The first thing I did was get my view of the political cartoon listed inside of her essay and then compare it to her description.  This allows me to see how the author thinks and gives me insight into their style.   I could not have been more wrong or further off.  This was a very complicated read and I was totally taken aback by how much information the author got from this simple cartoon.  Chilton was seeing things and how they interacted that I would never have seen even if I had stared at it for a week straight.  The basis behind the image and her thesis was that the Mexican government was unable to do their job in protecting their country and economy from the drug cartels.  While from the image, I received that the cartels were responsible for many deaths in the country, and thinking that the deaths could literally be referencing people, it also had the chance to represent the country itself.  Or the economy.  With the pinata titled "Mexico" and the skulls spilling from it, this could easily cover several ideas.  And the amount that Chilton came up with was simply astounding.

     Chilton's main argument from her interpretation of the cartoon was that the cartels were solely responsible for the problems that the country was going through.  I don't necessarily agree.  I believe they are a large part, however, the inability for the government to either want to, or capable of actually doing something places some of the blame on their shoulders.  The reason I think that the cartoonist himself does not believe that the cartels are solely to blame lies in the cartoon itself.  You do see a large amount of skulls spilling out of the busted pinata, however it is not completely destroyed.  It is not split in half.  This represents that there is still a chance to fix the problem and that there is still hope.  At least this is how I interpret it.

     While Chilton does seem to believe that the cartels are the main problem, she goes on to bring up a point about another major player.  The amount of drug users in the United States.  Unfortunately she doesn't go into to much detail, but I think this warrants some space.  These people are the ones keeping the cartels in business.  They are the ones that allow the problem to continue to rot the Mexican people and government.  There's a strategy, when wolves are causing problems, you don't shoot the wolves.  You go after the rabbits.  When the rabbits are gone, the wolves will leave.   The strategy should be the same.  As long as they have buyers, the problem will always exist.

     Overall, the essay was a very interesting, and intense read.  The structure was sound, she started off by explaining the cartoon in her interpretation.  This is exemplified by the fact that she actually includes the cartoon on the first page within the same paragraph that explains it.  She follows this up by showing actual research into the subject matter.  This is of course important as it fills several key points, such as the logos and ethos together.  While this was a rather long read, combining elements together makes it easier for the reader to grasp more of the topic at once time and keeps their interests.

    To myself, this read was pretty important.  It represented multiple things.  As I stated above, it was a complicated read.  So it challenged me.  It also showed me that you shouldn't take the message of a cartoon so quickly and that you should strive to combine and understand as much as you can.  This was also a great example of structure and will provide an excellent reference in the future.  The author also taught me to always look for more.  All in all, very enjoyable.

Trick 3

        The poem I chose to write about today was Muck-Clump by Mark Halliday.  I believe the meaning behind this poem was pretty simple and straight forward.  Here we have a father who goes to help his daughter and after being corrected by his wife about the amount of cereal she eats, starts to think to himself that he is right and she's wrong.  He spends the rest of the morning contemplating how he will say "I told you so" but once he realizes that his wife was right, shows us that maturity is the right thing to do and just leave it behind you.  Move on with your day and be productive.


     There was also another feeling in the poem.  One that after his wife told him to give their daughter more cereal, that he starts to realize he doesn't really know his daughter all that well.  That he missed her growing up some.  She's bigger now.  Able to eat more.  Do things on her own.  He starts to think that time has gone by to fast and that he's been left on the side of the road.  He feels that he isn't really helping raise his daughter.  That everyone else around him is doing all the work.


     This point of the poem, from the first paragraph could be applied to just about anyone in today's society.  It's easy to just assume your right and when you find out your not, to get mad or get even.  But the better thing to do is to admit, even if it's just to yourself, that you were wrong and just move on.  Get it out of the way and then go do something.  As for the second paragraph, everyone feels like this at some point.  Once you have the epiphany and realize it, you can easily fix it.   It doesn't have to involve your kids if you have any, but anything else in your life.  If you feel that your not involved enough, then get involved.

Trick 2

     This blog will be in response to Richard Goldstein's "Cartoon Wars".  If your interested in reading the article itself, you can find it here:   http://www.thenation.com/article/cartoon-wars


    While I had my own thoughts about how cartoons should be held, viewed, posted and interpreted, I have to say after reading this article that my views have in fact changed somewhat.  Normally I'm a very "live and let live" kind of person.  However, the author does raise some valid points, even if he didn't mean to while doing so.  So in this post, I'll start from the beginning and discuss it as we move along.  The first topic that grabbed my attention was an argument I've seen before.  In the discussion about Sponge Bob and Patrick, James Dobson was raising hell stating that the show promoted homo-sexuality to a younger audience.  I do believe that people should be able to make their own decisions, and ultimately the parent can just decide what their kids can and cannot watch, I do believe that the FCC should regulate the amount of "possible material" that is put into shows watched by a large portion of the younger audience.  At least to the point where the kids will be old enough to make their own decisions and not be swayed one way or the other.  


     The reason I say this is that cartoons are in fact, and I only thought of this after reading the article, more dangerous than say a blog or a newspaper article.  Images are power.  They are easy to read.  Easy to understand.  Another effect they have is leaving a lasting and powerful memory to the reader.  For the life of me, I could probably not remember any number of passages in any of my favorite books that I've read over and over, yet can easily recall tons of Garfield comics that I've read as a child.  So in this aspect, cartoons should be regulated to some degree and should be given more careful thought as to who might be the viewing audience.  


     Even when moving beyond animated cartoons or comics, images are powerful in many other aspects of  life.  What if a political cartoonist drew a cartoon of some politician you've never heard of.  But in this comic, the person is given a derogatory demeanor and look?  You don't even know this person, yet you would subconsciously not like this person the next time his name showed up in another article.   Images have power in that they can change the way you see, think or feel about a subject even if you've never covered it or know nothing about the topic.


     But does all this mean that everything should be censored?  In some ways it should be regulated, but there are several layers of security that could be put on this.  Its ultimately up to the artist of the cartoon to decide what to do and what not to do.  He has to balance it between what he feels right, what he believes in or what brings in more money.  All depending on how he see's his career.  His publisher is the next layer.  They get to determine if the quality of the cartoon is too offensive or safe and from there where to send the cartoon or comic to be shown to the public.  They have to weigh how their targeted audience will receive it.  After all, their audience is what keeps their company going.  Don't want to make them mad.  And lastly, its up to the reader or viewer in what they perceive or want to see.   In the case of children's cartoons, if their parents are ok with them watching something, then that's on them.  In the case of comics, if the reader doesn't like them, then they have the option of just ignoring future ones.  So ultimately I would have to say that further censoring would be unnecessary at this time.


     As for me, there are very few things I would censor.  Mostly I wouldn't as that would impede on someones freedom of speech, however, anything used for harmful propaganda, racism, or any kind of personal attack, I do believe should be censored.

Trick 1

       I decided to read Dean Young's "I Said Yes but I Meant No".  This poem got my attention solely on the fact that it has numbers in it.  Which, while I haven't read many poems in my life, I don't believe numbers are common.  Also, I didn't understand the first thing about this poem on my first perfusal. But once I started breaking it down in sections, I think I started to get the basic underflow.  But of course I could be completely off from the author's meaning.  But since this is my translation of it, I can't be completely wrong now can I?


This poem, from the understandings of my head, is talking about just being yourself.  "One should like oneself between 60 and 80%" means that you shouldnt think to highly of yoruself.  This is followed up by "Over 85% means you are a self-involved bore".  Meaning that you are full of yourself and you place yourself above others.  The other side of the coid, "Under 45%, one becomes an undertaking" to me means that you think to little of yourself.  Everything is going to be harder when you don't think you can do whatever it is at hand.

The opening of the poem tells you that if you like one 85% and the other 35% that it's not so bad.  Your not swinging one way or the other to the extreme.  Your being yourself and going with what you feel is right.

Lower on down, you come across "You may feel 0% upon first waking but that is because you don't yet know you exist."  To me this means that when your young, and the world is huge and new, you don't feel that you exist or can make a mark.  You have no idea what your potential is.  Following up with this, "Then as you venture forth to boil water, you may feel a sudden surge to 90%".  This leads you to believe that when you finally get out into the world, you realize it's not nearly as big as you thought.  You are doing things with your life that mean something.  Even if its only to yourself.  Everytime we, as a people, do something great, we are proud of it.  And we realize that we do matter.  This is reinforced by the phrase "Hey, I'm GOOD at boiling water!"

The next passage talkins about not letting it all go to your head or become too extreme.  Keep it around the middle.  Realize that you did something great, but don't become arrogant over it. "Beyond that it is as great storms upon drought-stricken land."  This shows that once you might have thought you weren't important, but that once you made a mark, don't let that go to your head or you'll go to far and over the top.

The second half of this poem I believe is centered around us as a people.  It refers to a tanker splitting open and the birds turning black.  It goes on to tells us that  sometimes a good scrub is all that's needed.  We as a people sometimes go to far and that once in awhile we need to clean ourselves up.  Sometimes it's the simple things that bring us back down to earth.  The author goes on to give us some examples of this.  "A fresh shirt.  Backpacking into remote areas.  A call home."   Sometimes a call home is all we ever need.

Teaching an old dog new tricks.

  First hurdle to overcome was the title of my blog.  Given that I've learned the hard way about taking life serious, I didn't do to well the first couple tries in college.  I was young and thought it was another thing I could take advantage of.  Yeah, its taken me 10 years to figure out how wrong I was.  So here I am again, and of course it's harder than it would have been back then.  But I'm focused now and I have a better understanding of how life works in general.  I realize this is necessary and in the end I hope it helps me to become a better, more educated person.  So here goes, third times the charm!