Frankly, I am so tired of this  that I can hardly contain myself. I believe that they are both full of shit. Perhaps they have some admirable intentions, but they are both ...well...I won't be voting for either of them....and to hell with the people who say that  I am wasting my vote....it is a matter of principle.  Screw those guys. I believe this nation is in need of a revolution...I have for a long time... The entire system is in desperate need of a revamping ... With a corrupt system, nothing can advance beyond who has been paid off or owes somebody some favor. Truth? What is that? Americans have not been privy to the truth in decades... Politicians believe we can not handle the truth.  This is the reason I hate politics. Less government. Ron Paul has that right. The government should have nothing to do with my or anybody else's birth control, and we should stay the %$^& out of other countries period.
Sam and I hate politics because it is so hard to wade through all of the BS to get to the truth. It is exasperating.
ugh.

http://prezi.com/atpdk37svwoy/copy-of-mud-slingin/

good luck!

Empty Chair

                                                               Eye Contact, Dude!  

I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed in tonights debate. I was looking for a real battle of wits  rhetoricians and PR teams. I was looking for a true fist to cuffs, To no avail. 

After obama's cordial welcome to Romney and his initial comments he turned it over to Romney who at first seemed to reciprocate...and then WHAM! he told a story of a woman who's husband was out of work and could not find a job. I think she was in Vegas, which has the highest unemployment rates in the country....She told him she needed him to help her husband find work...Replied, [and I paraphrase] NOT WITH THIS CLOWN IN OFFICE! 

If the audience would have been able to make a noise you would have heard them yell a collective OUCH!

From that point forward Obama seemed pissed. He refused to look up or pay attention while Romney was talking even though Romney seemed to be talking right at Obama's face. Obama managed to look at he same time disinterested, disrespectful, angry and intimidated. Not a good look if you are going for presidential.

In a 1-2 punch of metaphor-enthemene seething with logos and pathos Romney clobbers Obama by interrupting him mid sentence.

I do not recall what exactly Obama was referring to at the time but Romney shook his head almost laughing and interrupted him in a frustrated parent voice saying ..."I have 5 boys and I have had to tell them that no matter how much you repeat something, doesn't make it the truth!"

A. What you're saying is incorrect. B. You are like a child. ....Logos-A rose by any other name...Pathos...Every parent has experienced this frustration with a child. 

The only thing worse would have been fro Romney to send him to his room. 

The other thing I was thinking of was the article about Romney having boys...making him more attractive to women...and men. I wonder if that had anything to do with that comment

I must say that Romney has mastered the CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GUY? look. and the YEEEAH, RIIIIGHT, look.

The one thing I can say about Obama is that he was extremely cordial and smiled at the constant interruptions by Romney. 

Oh, and did you all notice Obama's disappearing act at the end of it all? While Romney had his whole family up there, waving to the crowd, slipped out unnoticed. 

I have got to say I felt a little bad for the guy.     but....

I would like to have seen Ron Paul up there giving both of those guys spankings and sending them to their rooms.

Obama Hoping Jim Lehrer Doesn't Bring Up U.S. Economy

Just for a chuckle...Sweating Bullets

We'll Tell When We Feel Like Telling, now go to your room!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c4L763jgkuA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

He starts out with an unintended enthymeme... by responding .."What I can tell you is...
But what we hear is there is something that you are privy to that you can't tell us. there is something that you are keeping from us that you don't trust us to know. "I am hiding somthing and therefore I can not be trusted."

Also, the look on his face plays a role in how his response is received. his brow is furrowed and he appears about ready to soil his $1,000 slacks. He looks stressed and uncomfortable discussing the issue at hand.

Next, Paul Ryan comes on looking smug and a bit condescending, like, yeah, I got this. He looks almost like he is doing his best to paste this look on as to appear unshakable...he fails...he looks like someone you want to slap...hard...twice.

Our commentator goes on to address a specific issue and suggest he offer an explanation to their proposed plan... Ryan simply nods and starts out with "The good news for us is..." I call that deflecting.
Who asked him what the good news was? He is merely suggesting that there is good news...and who is us? He stammers and appears to be avoiding any direct answers, thus perpetuating the feeling of distrust. Halfway through his face begins to show signs of frustration...eyes no longer bright and cheerful.

Question: "Don't voters have a right to know which loopholes you are going to go after?"
Response (as opposed to answer) "So, Mitt Romney and I think, because of our experience, that the best way to do this..."
which implies that we know best because we are smarter than you and our plan will be revealed when we say it will...Our terms not yours.     (And, starting with the word SO adds a hint of condescension to the feel of his response.)

Q: Why not say right now...
R: George, "Because we want to have this discussion  in public"...really making no sense...losing his cool...
he takes the tone and look of an unhappy parent addressing his child.

They both come off like elitist snobs.

You never see Ron Paul respond like this because he seems to have nothing to hide...

This is What You Get for Leaving Open the Door to the Enthememe

http://www.theonion.com/articles/romney-apologizes-to-nations-150-million-starving,29603/


Mitt  Romney blew it.

Just a little fun seeing what happens when someone leaves the door open...

Politics Suck...

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/04/160578836/transcript-michelle-obamas-convention-speech

First, I must say that I am NOT a political person AT ALL! My boyfriend is and I sometimes listen to his conservative rants. Then I read what my politically obsessed friends on Facebook have to say. But if there was a person that I wanted to see win it was Ron Paul. He made (makes) sense to me in that he is like a grandfather who is no nonsense and will never have to go back and make excuses for something he has said.

Anyway, I chose Michelle Obama's speech because I felt she was trying to make Obama sound like just one of the lovable poor guys when she described him picking her up in an old rusted out car. Then there was the bit about his prized posession being a coffee table which he had trashed picked from a dumpster. Did he spend all of his money on drugs? Did the coffee table have a glass top?

I know Ann Romney also spoke of being poor..and I am not a big Romney fan, but it seemed less contrived.

That's all I have.

With politicians...it is all rhetoric, and not the good kind...More if the confusing kind.

Rhetoric and the Exploding Omelet

I don't suppose that many people did not notice that Socrates was quite adept at rhetoric himself and that, in fact, rhetoric is nearly if not completely unavoidable. I do suppose that what happened is that a few bad apples spoiled the whole bunch. Not every rhetorician is out to swindle you out of your oxen or property and thereby reducing your rank to that of a slave. But, those people are out there.

When I am arrested for feeding my ex-husband an exploding omelet in a faux gesture of kindness...I mean...if  I were ever arrested for some terrible thing like that...I would want a rhetorician of the highest skill to come to by defense...especially if I had nothing to do with such heinous a crime. Who would even think such a thing??

So..my question is why is Plato not focusing on the character of the lowlifes who would misuse rhetoric?


The other, and perhaps unanswerable question the reading seems to beg, is wether man is inherently good or evil.

If a man is inherently good, then robbing a person blind because he can use words to persuade some dolt out of all they have, stands against everything in his being. But if the opposite is true...then it is every man for himself and tough luck for the dolt.

I am inherently good, by the way...the omelet thing was just an example.

Truth, sadly is sometimes subjective.

I Am The Walrus

OK, I am really not the walrus but I feel like one since all of the reading in my classes prevent me from extending my body beyond the seated position. Ugh.

nor am I a Beatles fan...hate me if you will...

I am a writing major, which means that I will be poor until I publish my first book and am asked to be on Oprah....wait...The Oprah Show is ....ugh....

I am a humorist.

In Los Angeles I was a comedy coach. I worked with up and coming stand up comics on their acts. Richard Jenny who played Jim Carey's best friend in The Mask was one of my clients. Then he killed himself in his bathroom with a .45. Perhaps I was too hard on him...That wasn't funny...

I am repulsed by Jim Carey and I hated The Mask. I am a former film major, so I can say this with the voice of a critic... I am studly that way.

If I ever decide to grow up, I want to be just like David Sedaris, who will be reading his latest at the SUB in November. I plan on stalking him in order to gain his friendship. I am certain that my evil plan will work.

I am older than everybody in this class. And that kind of sucks, because you have no right to be smarter than me...and by the looks of your excellently crafted posts, you all are.

I will be fashioning my own dunce cap that I intend on wearing to class for the the rest of the semester. And, don't you try to stop me. It will be decorated with feathers from my hot pink boa that I use for halloween.

Really, that is the only time I use it!...really.

I have been thinking lately that once I have sold a couple of books, I will buy a country house and turn it into a bed and breakfast for the elderly. Like in Benjamin Button...or perhaps Forrest Gump. I am serious.

So when you guys get old, remember me, I would love to cook you breakfast!

oops forgot my questions... 

As far as the reading goes. Is Gorgias suggesting that there is no sin that can not be justified through rhetoric? 
And isn't he also admitting that he is guilty of being one who..." have and do persuade people of things do so my molding a false arguement?"

As far as the reading goes. Is Gorgias suggesting that there is no sin that can not be justified through rhetoric? 
And isn't he also admitting that he is guilty of being one who..." have and do persuade people of things do so my molding a false arguement?"

Pre-Writing in My Sleep

    Pre-Writing in My Sleep

Dezri Rochin

Aaaaah, how does one go about organizing inspired work before writing one's literary masterpiece? I have heard everything from drafting lists of words associated with my topic to free writing non-stop for 10 minutes at a time. Some people like idea trees and idea circles.

I am more a fan of free writing like a maniac. I am also most comfortable starting out with pencil and paper before moving on to the lap top. I usually begin with a central statement and play with that for a while. I suppose this my version of diagraming, but messier.

Often times I will go to the thesaurus and look up words relating to my topic. I will write them down one side of my handwritten paper. This, however, can be dangerous as it is easy to go off on tangents, which is fine.

In all honesty, it has been quite a long time since any of my professors have discussed the idea of pre-writing. I have just developed my own odd ways of getting the juices flowing. Some of them are kind of embarrassing. I like to write in bed. Sitting up, of course. It just feels comfy. I surround myself

with books and papers and my favorite tea cup. This is especially true in the winter when I can get under the covers. It is all about getting comfortable and relaxed.

I read an article about the importance of clearing your mind completely for at least five minutes per day so as to more readily allow the generation of fresh ideas. The author compared it to when you have lost your keys and are frantically looking for them. You never find them. But when you forget about it for a while and let go of the frustration, there they are. I find this to be true.

Often times complete outlines for essays will come to me as I am falling asleep or shortly thereafter. While this is cool, it is also a pain in the neck, because I have to get up and write or it is gone forever.

For me relaxation is key in pre-writing.