The Scarlet Letter

Are Eggs Fresh After Fourteen Years?

By Paul Rincon
"Fresh Effort to Clone Extinct Animals"
11/22/13
bbc.com/culture

       We did it again! The human race has singlehandedly managed to wipe out an entire population of mountain goats, called bucardos, in the high mountains of Spain. These majestic creatures of the Iberian Peninsula became extinct through continuous hunting and loss of habitat. Luckily, the last surviving bucardo, Celia, was captured by scientists. They extracted her DNA and froze it in liquid nitrogen in 1999. After Celia was killed by a falling tree the following year, scientists managed to inject her nuclei into a surrogate and successfully clone the bucardo. However, the baby calf died due to complications at birth. Scientists are continuously working to “de-extinct” these mountain goats by successfully cloning the bucardo a second time. This is not an easy task since these frozen cells are extremely fragile and hard to work with. If the scientists become successful, then perhaps they can extract the DNA of every species of animals and store it in a special library for safekeeping. The next time when human beings try to annihilate another magnificent creature under the name of a “sport” called hunting, perhaps a scientist can reach into that DNA library and save the face of humanity by de-extincting these wonderful creatures.

Does God Love Sinners?

   " 'He did not send me!' cried she, positively. 'I have no Heavenly Father!' " 
        (Hawthorne, Pg. 67)

When little Pearl uttered these words, it is revealed to the reader that Pearl does not believe in God. She believes that she was plucked off of a rosebush instead of God sending her to Hester. These atheistic ideals were affirmed when mother and daughter were playing in their home. Hester jokingly told Pearl that she did not belong to her and that the Heavenly Father had sent her. Pearl then adamantly refuses to believe that she has a Heavenly Father. This quote reveals to the reader another part of Pearl’s personality. It shows how Pearl suspects that she was born into sin and that committing a sin was against God’s laws. Therefore, Pearl believes that if there was a God, she would not have been born into shame. This quote is important because it is going against what the Puritan culture believed at the time. They only believed in God’s laws and that no one dared to go against them. For a three year old Pearl to say this, it shows how courageous and radical her ideas were for the time. This quote brings new revolutionary ideas that maybe there was no God and that Hester and Pearl were out casted for no good reason and if there was a God, he would not have brutally punished his followers.

Piano: Burn It or Learn It?

October 22, 2013
By: Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore
bbc.com/culture
"Why Piano-Mania Grips China's Children"

 During Chairman Mao’s Chinese cultural revolution, pianos were destroyed as despised symbols of the Western society. Today, China is experiencing a classical music revolution by bringing back the piano into the Chinese culture, once again. Forty million children are learning how to play the piano. While the European market for piano is declining, China’s demand is becoming infinite. Ironically, the dean of the International Piano Academy at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Keng Zhou, began learning the piano during the cultural revolution on a broken and half destroyed piano. Today, the Chinese middle class has gained tremendous economic power and can afford buying brand new instruments for their children. What has changed from the time that they were destroying pianos as a sign of the bourgeoisie to today, where students spend four hours practicing piano every day? Many people in the Chinese society view the piano as a sign of culture and tremendous wealth. There are also those who were deprived of this opportunity during Mao’s China and want their children to fulfill their shattered dreams. Critics of China’s teaching methods believe that Chinese students are rote learners and leave little room for creativity. These critics hope that in the future, the Chinese children would play piano more with their heart.

How Pure Were the Puritans?

www.pbs.org/godinamerica/people/puritans.html‎

        Puritanism began in England around the 1500s. They believed that the reforms of the Church of England did not go far enough and decided to set sail towards America in the 1600s. Eventually, they settled in the Massachusetts Bay colony, freely practicing their religion. Puritans were Calvinists and believed in predestination, which is the belief that God is all powerful and knows everyone’s fate at birth. Nothing an individual could do or say would change their fate. Puritans believed that God will choose the individuals, which were called the elect, that would be saved and at that point, would undergo “conversion.” During conversion, the elect would be told by God that they were saved. They also believed that they were doing God’s work and anyone who would defy God’s laws was subject to harsh punishments. These Puritan Calvinists not only believed in individual salvation but also in the spiritual health of the community as a whole. As time passed by, Church membership began to decline because the Puritans had set their standards so high that it was not possible for many to achieve conversion. They then turned to alcohol, lying, sexual behavior, which were the common vices of that time.

Transcendentalist or a Tyrant?

                Ralph Waldo Emerson, the speaker/writer, wrote an essay on how to educate young minds. The occasion of this essay is around the 1820s till the 1830s. Emerson addresses everyone and anyone who reads his essay, but in particular educators and teachers. The purpose of this essay is to teach and inform teachers of different ways to educate and guide students to reach their full potential. He also encourages teachers to be patient and to inspire students to follow their natural abilities. Emerson informs the public that the educational system is in dire need of reformation. Education is the subject matter of his essay, however, he believes that without the cooperation of the teachers, education will be incomplete.  According to Emerson, a good educator is one who teaches for the joy of teaching and does not dictate his own point of view and. Teachers should be able to nurture and encourage all sorts of abilities. They should hearten students to speak their minds and voice their opinions without being uppity and presumptuous. In order to convey his message of reform and change, Emerson adopts a sincere and informative tone. He sounds benevolent and adapts a confident accent to make the reader feel at ease and persuade them to adapt his point of view.

Did Mirrors Lift the Dark Ages?

bbc.com
October 30, 2013
By: the BBC columnist
"Mirrors Finally Bring Winter Sun to Rjukan, Norway"

                 Imagine living in the dark six months out of the year. The people of Rjukan, Norway have always lived that way. This small town in Norway lies in a deep valley and during the six months of winter, the surrounding mountains cast a huge shadow over Rjukan. Finally, the people of Rjukan can enjoy sunshine in the middle of their town for the first time ever. This has been made possible by placing giant mirrors on top of the mountains, which are controlled by computers, to follow the Sun’s coarse throughout the day and reflect the Sun’s light over the town center. This idea of using mirrors in Rjukan is not new. Over a hundred years ago, a Norwegian engineer and industrialist, Sam Eyde, proposed this idea of using mirrors. However, the technology did not exist to fulfill Eyde’s vision. In 2005, Martin Andersen, an artist, brought this idea back to the spotlight and eventually accomplished building these computer controlled mirrors. The people of Rjukan celebrated the grand opening of these mirrors recently by gathering in the town square to bathe in the Sun, play beach volleyball, and sing “Let the Sunshine In.” The shadows have finally been lifted from over this small, picturesque town.

 

Artist or Scientist?

           A true education is when you develop your inborn talents and abilities through learning, experimenting, and practicing. Whether it is medicine or fashion, people who learn and become experts in their field of interest have acquired a true education.  I believe schools in the United States do not follow this model of education and learning. In the United States, educational institutions are geared towards a narrow range of popular, financially rewarding professions. However, not everyone can become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. Educational systems are not only   emphasizing sciences and math but also placing a great significance on test taking skills. This does not mean that if someone does poorly on a particular test, then they do not know anything about that subject.  On the contrary, tests do not determine how much a person truly knows. Schools serve the narrow few left-brained, scientifically inclined individuals .The great majority are destined to go through life with a mediocre education, having just a job to support their livelihoods. Education should be served in a more diverse manner and should cater to a wide variety of interests and skills. Schools are offering education however it is their brand of education, which is not necessarily what most kids want to learn.

Laughter: Passing Gas or a Sign of Intelligence?

bbc.com
October 18, 2013
By Anna Lacey
"Peek-A-Boo: A Window on Baby's Brain"

         A baby’s first laugh is the most unforgettable moment in a parent’s life. But what are they laughing at? Babies cannot laugh at something unless they get the joke. Their laughter tells us a great deal of their understanding of the world. Does this mean that the babies that laugh at an early age are intelligent and have a great understanding of the surrounding world? These questions were somewhat answered by Dr. Caspar Addyman, a baby laughter researcher at Birkbeck College in London. According to Dr. Addyman, babies can smile and laugh in response to pleasant feelings, which can be as young as one month old.  He then used laughter to track the babies’ understanding and intelligence at a young age.  Dr. Addyman discovered that when parents play peek-a-boo with a one month old baby, the babies with higher intelligence will not only laugh but also anticipate when their parents will reappear. However, on the other hand, some babies get shocked and startled at peek-a-boo because they believe that not seeing the parent’s face   means that they have actually disappeared. Accordingly, these babies do not get the joke. Peek-a-boo is all about shared communication. There is a potential link between laughter and language development. Children could pick up the rhythm of conversation through playing games and laughter.  

Do You Have a Dirty Brain?

October 17, 2013
By: James Gallagher
bbc.com/health
"Sleep cleans the brain toxins"

         Sleep Deprivation. Nearly all teenagers suffer from it. Homework, texting, and going on the Internet are the major culprits why teenagers do not get enough sleep. Research done by the University of Rochester Medical Center in the United States showed that sleep can clean toxins that build up in the brain during the day. Their studies showed that while a person sleeps, the brain cells   shrink, allowing for gaps to open up between neurons and allow fluids to rush into the brain and “wash” the brain of their neurotoxins. People who do not receive adequate sleep fail to clear away the toxins which can lead to a variety of brain disorders. The part of the brain responsible for this task is the glymphatic system. When a person falls asleep, the rest of the body does too but the brain remains active. The glymphatic system becomes more active when a person is asleep than awake. Other researchers conclude that the activeness of a person’s glymphatic system during sleep is especially crucial for memory and cognitive development. The more toxins build up in the brain, the more difficulty people have memorizing and being able to analyze problems. Also people who have toxin buildup in the brain can be at serious risk for brains disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s later on in their life. The next time you think that pulling an all-nighter will help you the next day, think about what those extra toxins will do to the brain.

Does Size Matter When it Comes to Your Corpus Callosum?

By: Melissa Healy
October 10, 2013
la times.com
"Einstein's Brain a Wonder of Connectedness"

       Is it the size of your corpus callosum that determines how smart you are or do other aspects of your brain also play a role in making you a genius? This old age question was somewhat answered when researchers at the University of Princeton discovered that Albert Einstein had a colossal corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is a network of neural fibers that extends from behind the forehead to the nape of the neck and connects the left hemisphere of the brain to the right. The primary function of the corpus callosum is to carry electrical signals between the brain’s right and left hemispheres. The thicker a person’s corpus callosum is, the more creative they are. Einstein’s corpus callosum was thicker in many sub regions of his brain than a typical young healthy male. When Einstein died, his family gave permission for the removal of his brain for further scientific studies. What they did not know was the great discovery of how his brain functioned. Princeton University took many photographs and documented different aspects of the physicist’s brain. The photographs show  Einstein’s corpus callosum with great accuracy, which led to the determination of how well his corpus callosum  communicated with the parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Earlier studies of Einstein’s brain show that his parietal lobes were bigger than those of normal people. Most authors write that different parts of his brain were better connected than an average man his age. Further studies also show that Einstein’s genius was not entirely due to his colossal corpus callosum. Instead, Einstein used some parts of his brain more than a regular person. This included his critical thinking and critical reasoning areas.  This is quite encouraging news for people that have a thin corpus callosum because they can compensate by constantly exercising different parts of their brain to keep their brains active and alert.

 

 

Carte Blanche For War

        On December 8, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered an emotional and powerful speech to inform the Senate, Cabinet, and the people of the United States that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor without any provocation. With this speech, President Roosevelt convinced the United States that declaring war was the right thing to do and he motivated people to be strong and to prepare for the inevitable. His speech was hopeful, determined, and motivating. The reason why this speech has stood the test of time is because President Roosevelt simply delivered this speech, appealing to the emotions of the listener, by merely stating the obvious facts. Then he appeals to their sense of honor and patriotism to prove his claim. This speech was designed to leave people with no hesitation about declaring war on Japan.  The presentation was concise and to the point.  The facts were placed in a clear and understandable format that prompted Ara to give further explanation about the subject. Unlike other speeches, which are missing one or more rhetorical appeals, this speech seemed to have included all. Besides rhetorical appeals, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt seemed to use almost every literary device in this historical and memorable speech.

Italy's Musical Genius in Parliament?

October 2, 2013
bbc.com
Clemency Burton-Hill
"How Giuseppe Verdi's Music Helped Italy"

        Giuseppe Verdi is a renowned Italian classical composer that has captured the imagination of music lovers for two hundred years. Verdi was a truly great composer. He has written over thirty operas and twenty of them are prominently popular throughout the world. However, Verdi was more than just a phenomenal composer. He was an avid supporter of the Italian unification and worked as a member of Italy’s first Parliament during the 1860’s. Before their unification, Italy was broken up into independent principalities and kingdoms. Verdi worked relentlessly towards Italy’s unification by composing operas with political messages. These messages were designed to resonate with the disenfranchised citizens to sway them into accepting unification. When Verdi passed away in 1901, Italy wept as one. They took to the streets, marching at his funeral procession, and singing his immortal chorus from his famous opera, Va Pensiero. This chorus was the symbol of Italy’s unification in those days. Verdi’s political messages are progressive and are still pertinent today. In most of his operas, the heroes score moral victory over noblemen and sometimes escape the harsh punishment of their superiors. However, he will be remembered as one of the world’s most beloved composers and his music will be performed all over the world for generations.  

Taking Charge of Your Destiny

        At the time the Declaration of Independence was written, the colonists were already becoming increasingly frustrated with King George III’s colonial policies. In the list of grievances, the colonists stated, “He [King George III] has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. “ (pg. 121 in the textbook). This meant that King George III was summoning the legislative bodies, “representing” the colonists, to strange and distant places in order to dissuade them from passing legislation and accepting his unfair policies. As a consequence of ratifying the Constitution, today every state enjoys representation and has it’s own legislative bodies, who can pass laws that would benefit the people of each state. In 1765, Prime Minister George Grenville of Britain passed the Quartering Act, which required the colonies to provide food and quarters for British troops in their homes. This outraged the colonists to an extent in which they included this in their list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence, which stated, “He [King George III] has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures.” (pg. 121 in the textbook).  Today, the Third Amendment to the Constitution states, “No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner…”  Although the list of grievances are long, the above mentioned are considered to be the most poignant ones.

Whose Behind the Wheel?

wsj.com
By Joseph B. White
September 10, 2013

         Ever since I was ten years old, I dreamt of having a driver’s license and driving my own car. This is true for any teenager in the United States, if not the world. Having heard that Google was about to produce manufacture it’s first driverless car, it was quite disappointing. Joseph White of the Wall Street Journal reported that Mercedes –Benz has  manufactured the S 500 series, which drove itself  from Mannheim to Pforzheim in Germany.  This model used a sophisticated navigation system, which allowed the car to find it’s way on public road. Mercedes used sensors similar to those already used in their S-class models. Additionally, Mercedes has added a color camera mounted behind the windshield, that could read stoplights, long-range radars to detect oncoming vehicles, a stereo camera with two lenses set apart to function like human eyes in order to detect distant objects, and a rear-facing camera to spot landmarks.  This idea would particularly be   beneficial for disabled people , who are currently dependent on others to drive them around. Another beneficiary group could be the elderly , who cannot drive after a certain age. However, it is not imaginable for a young person to give up the pleasure of driving a   vehicle for the first time and being independent.

 

Is Harry Potter Coming Back to a Theater Near You?!

September 12, 2013
By: Shauna Dolby
bbc.com/culture

         I tried to cover my eyes with my favorite blanket as I ensconced myself into the couch between  my mother and father.   I was scared and excited at the same time. I could not believe it. I was finally watching the famous Harry Potter movie for the first time. The music was mysterious and the suspense was intense and I could hardly breathe. I had to do it. I had to watch this movie. All my friends had seen this movie. At the time, I was only seven years old.  Once again, J.K Rowlings is partnering with Warner Brothers to produce a new series. The first film of the series will be titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter became one of the largest grossing films in history. This new movie will feature Newt Scamander, the fictional author of the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This textbook was taught at Hogwarts and was one of Harry Potter’s textbooks. Rowlings promised herself not to return to the magical fantasyland where Hogwarts began unless she had an idea that she would be excited about. Well, this was it. Rowling also mentions that in the upcoming film, Newt Scamander will be portrayed as a young wizard, struggling like Harry Potter. The only different aspect is that Rowling will portray life in the magical world seventy years before Harry Potter was born and when Newt was a little boy. Besides this movie, Rowling has also written Casual Vacancy, Quidditch Through the Ages, and the Tales of Beedle the Bard. Most people cannot wait to watch and see what other surprises are in store in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Most Harry Potter fans are counting the days until they could finally relive the fantastic world of magic.

The Nazi Car

By Jonathan Glancey
August 30, 2013
www.bbc.com/culture

        In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche and Adolf Hitler came up with an idea of a family car that would hold a family of five Germans, drive one hundred kilometer per hour, and would cost thirty-one weeks’ pay for an average German worker. Henceforth, the Volkswagen Beetle was born. This car did not go into production before the war, which was Hitler’s initial idea. The actual production began in 1945 in Germany and was shipped to England for inspection. The British motor manufacturers labeled the car as noisy, ugly, and too unattractive to capture the market. Despite the early negative reviews, the Beetle became the best selling car of all time, surpassing Henry Ford’s Model T. Even though many modifications have been made to the VW since 1945, the basic mechanical structure has not changed. The most amazing idea about the VW is that a car created from Hitler’s imagination would capture the hearts and minds of the Americans, starting from surfer dudes, college kids, and hippies. In 1968, the Beetle became known as the Love Bug when Hollywood released a movie called Herbie about an anthropomorphic car. However, the success of the car comes from it’s affordability, reliability, and distinct look.

Now You See Me & Now You Don't

By Richard Roeper
www.suntimes.com/...421/now-you-see-me-just-an-empty-illusion.html

            Richard Roeper gave an overwhelming thumbs down to the movie “Now You See Me.” According to Roeper, the first few scenes of the movie indicate a spectacular film about magic. However, after a few minutes into the movie, it starts the downhill tumble. Roeper uses the above claims of value to comprehensively devalue the movie. In the movie, four professional magicians have been recruited by an anonymous person to pull off outrageous stunts on stage. One of their ultimate acts was to rob a bank in Paris, while performing single handedly in a Vegas hotel. Instead of an illusion, the actual money in Paris disappeared. Detective Dylan Rhodes, an FBI agent, is brought to solve this spectacular mystery/crime. Last but not least, Thaddeus Bradley, an ex-magician, is brought into the plot to expose the secrets of the magicians and how they pulled this stunt. Roeper points out claims of fact to prove this movie was nothing but a substandard allusion. To begin with, Roeper points out that there are numerous characters and most of them are not well developed. Four tricksters are given comic book names, which take away the seriousness of the plot. Then, the FBI agent who is brought to solve the case dismisses the case by thinking it is a joke. This does not make sense because the concept of the heist is intriguing. Also, Roeper points out the fact that most of the focus of the movie takes place with the FBI agent instead of building the individualized characters of each magician. Eventually, the movie ends with more questions than answers. However, does the audience even want to know the answers?

Leonardo Da Vinci: The Artist or the Anatomical Researcher?

By Alastair Sooke
August 28, 2013
bbc.com/culture

Leonardo da Vinci throughout his life produced no more than twenty paintings, which the whole world knows about and appreciates. However, for long periods of his career, which lasted close to fifty years, da Vinci wrote sketched detailed diagrams of the human anatomy. Da Vinci made many important discoveries such as the first accurate description of the human spine and the earliest known description of the cirrhosis of the liver. He spent years studying and dissecting cadavers, trying to understand how the human body functioned. He drew detailed sketches and explained how each organ operated. Perhaps the most impressive of all was his complete study of the human heart. He was the first person to discover that the heart had four chambers instead of two. Da Vinci also discovered that vortices helped close the aortic valve. Since he never published his research, these vital informations remained unknown for centuries. Da Vinci remains to this day a truly phenomenal human being because he was researcher and a scientist who could actually draw perfectly. This special talent gave him the ability to produce remarkable and detailed drawings of the human body and at the same time to explain how every part of the human body functioned.  Da Vinci’s extensive work, known as Anatomical Manuscripts, can be found in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.

Don't Knock It Until You Try It

Imagine a scoop of white, velvety, smooth, creamy, mint ice cream (asyndeton) bursting with chunks of decadent dark chocolate pieces (pathos). As soon as it hits the tip of your tongue, your brain senses the sweet perfection of the mint ice cream and as soon as that melts away, you are left with hunks of dark, luscious chocolate to savor and feast upon. The second spoonful is highly anticipated by your brain and your taste buds. Once that second spoon enters your mouth, the flavors are enhanced to a point of nirvana. Then the third and the fourth and the fifth and the final spoonful (polysyndeton). Desperately, you maneuver your spoon, gently clinking the sides of the glass bowl, looking for one additional morsel to devour. Alas, there is none. You resign and wait patiently for another day in anticipation of having another scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream made by Haagen Dazs. Eating this ice cream is truly a wonderful experience.  It transports you directly to heaven for a short period of time and you lose track of what is happening around you. When you are finally jolted back into reality, it leaves you with sweet memories of that chocolaty, minty goodness.

A Night in Casablanca

           The speaker of this letter, Groucho Marx, wrote a letter to Warner Brothers to show how annoyed he was by the legal warning he received from them not to use the name “Casablanca” in his new movie.  However, it was never proven that Warner Brothers tried to block them from using the name “Casablanca.” There are many that believe that this was a publicity stunt on behalf of the Marx Brothers. The subject of this letter is the Marx Brothers production of “A Night in Casablanca.” The occasion is the fact that the Marx Brothers were producing a movie that had the name “Casablanca” in the title and also at the same time, Warner Brothers made a movie called “Casablanca.” The audience is Warner Brothers and ultimately the citizens of the United States. The purpose of this letter is to inform Warner Brothers Studio, in a sarcastic and comedic way, that even though they have made a movie called “Casablanca”, they do not own that name. However, this letter also serves as an enormous publicity stunt that would draw a lot of attention toward their new movie.  The tone of this letter is comedic, colloquial, and somewhat aggressive.  Groucho Marx, by writing a friendly and witty letter, is using the opportunity to say what is exactly on his mind and to actually become accusatory towards Warner Brothers. However, he leaves room for Jack Warner to back down by saying that Warner Brothers does not even know about this legal dispute and someone in their legal department has sent this warning.

"Why Aren't There More Women Conductors?"

By Clemency Burton -Hill
bbc.com/culture
August 21, 2013

As a classical music lover, I have often wondered what would be the highest level of achievement a woman can accomplish in this arena. Perhaps a music teacher or even performing in a prestigious classical orchestra was the answer I always ended up with. Marin Alsop’s discussion with Clemency Burton-Hill in Why aren’t there more Women Conductors? opened my eyes to the harsh reality of gender inequality that exists not only in classical music also throughout society today. Marin Alsop is the first female to conduct Britain’s Last Night of the Proms concert in 118 years. However, Alsop did not reach these great heights overnight. After finishing her studies at New York’s Julliard’s Art School, Alsop had to establish her own orchestra in order to become a conductor, since the opportunities for female conductors were very scarce. Alsop believes women have to overcome a great prejudice as well as a general lack of comfort that society feels about women in leadership positions. She states that women have to be superb at what they do also look gorgeous while they do it. Society expects women to have superhuman strengths to accomplish all this. Her dream is to see the glass ceiling of women’s achievement in classical studies shattered. Recently, Alsop has launched a highly successful fellowship for young female conductors.

The Greater Journey

 

The Greater Journey by David McCullough is an epic story of how America was shaped. Unlike the common belief that America was this global force that prospered overnight, this book gives an insight of the actual story of how America was molded by nineteenth century Paris. McCullough shows the intellectual legacy the 1800’s Paris leaves on it’s American visitors. People such as James Fennimore Cooper, Samuel Morse, and Charles Sumner went to Paris originally to study and educate their minds from 1830 until the 1900’s. However, they ended up exporting many ideas and inventions that profoundly altered American history. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female physician in America, returned from Paris to open a hospital that was run entirely by women. Samuel Morse, a devastated artist, returned to become the inventor of the telegraph. The Greater Journey is a collection of short stories put together masterfully to portray the American artists, writers, doctors, and politicians evolution throughout this historic journey.  This book is made for people who are interested in the unbiased truth of how America emerged and became what it is today. McCullough is a historical nonfiction writer. This book is as exhilarating and exciting as a fictional thriller that you cannot put down until the end.



Capital One Commercial (the cute version)

The advertisement above shows Jimmy Fallon holding a teddy bear and holding a huge sum of cash trying to convince a baby to accept the extra savings bonus that Capital One is offering. However, the baby keeps denying it.  Many rhetorical skills are used in this advertisement. The subject of the advertisement is obtaining a credit card. The audience is any adult that has spending powers. The purpose is to convince the audience to use a Capital One credit card. Capital One tries to entice the audience by offering fifty percent annual bonus. Also, they are implying that only a baby would refuse fifty percent annual bonuses. Anyone older than a baby should understand the benefits of having cash back. The speaker is Jimmy Fallon, a famous comedian, who is talking on behalf of Capital One. Capital One is also the speaker of this advertisement. The tone is very comedic, relaxed, and family oriented. This advertisement has an automatic ethos. Jimmy Fallon, who is a famous and popular comedian, is sure to draw the attention of the viewer. The other ethos is Capital One because they are promoting their credit card to the viewer (or trying to). The logos is the factual statement that Capital One offers an annual fifty percent cash back, which is written on the chalkboard behind Jimmy Fallon. The pathos is the baby, which is not shown together with Jimmy Fallon, the teddy bear, the cash, and the chalkboard. The chalkboard shows that Jimmy Fallon is not relaying the message in complicated terms. He is simply trying to relay Capital One’s message in a friendly way. The cash is meant to draw the viewers’ attention in a way for them to reach out and take it away from Jimmy Fallon’s hands. A cute child and a teddy bear have always a positive effect on the audience. This is an effective advertisement because it uses all three rhetorical skills to grab the attention of the viewer.