TOW #7 "Scorpio Sun Sign" (article)

                In the article Scorpio Sun Sign, the author stresses the amount of determination, passion, and motivation people born under the sign of the scorpion exhibit. The range of the Zodiac sign, Scorpio reaches from October 23 to November 21. The author compares traits of the actual scorpion insect with human traits of the people who fall under this sign. An example being that “they have tremendous regenerative powers, much like the literal Scorpion can lose its tail and promptly grow a new one.” This translates as the human Scorpio-born‘s ability to persevere and pick themselves back up when they get knocked down. When explaining the significance and meanings behind the planets that rule over Scorpios, the author uses strong descriptive words to reflect the intensity of the water sign. This text does an exceptional job of explaining the Scorpio and its positive aspects. There are not many negative traits illustrated throughout the article. The choice to stick with the strengths was a good one. Who would want to read all about their flaws? Maybe another day it would interest the reader once they know all of the positive aspects they show. The only way to be sure what the author states is valid information is to connect it to real life experiences. Most Zodiac information is based on observation, so observation is the only way to verify for oneself.

TOW #6 "Independent on Sunday" (political cartoon)

                In the 2013 political cartoon below, Peter Schrank addresses the development of a Twitter button to “report abuse” a user might be facing. This is occurring mainly due to the multiple “rape and death threats to historian Mary Beard, British feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, and the British MP Stella Creasy,” that year. Depicted in the cartoon, is a woman sitting on a bench on her phone. Surrounding her are numerous little blue “twitter” birds looking rather maliciously at her. One even seems to be pooping on her head. Although most of them represent the abusive messages that can be found on Twitter, some of them look like ordinary birds to show that not all tweets are offensive. In addition, down at the bottom of the image, next to his signature, Schrank writes “with apologies to Alfred Hitchcock.” This adds a little humor to it since the scene is similar to one someone might have seen in his movie The Birds. Even the woman on the bench looks strikingly similar to the character in the movie, Melanie Daniels. That little allusion could earn a snicker or two from anyone who could catch the reference. I think that could also mean something in relation to the people receiving these abusive tweets. Since in the movie, everyone is steadily being bombarded by birds just like it may feel getting nasty words thrown at you over the internet on more than one occasion.

TOW #5 (the real one) "Man Uses Weekend To Make Totally Different Mistakes Than He Did During Workweek" (article)

                The Onion writes about a sales representative named Sam Roslindale. He told reporters that he spends his weekend making different mistakes than he does during the week. During the workweek, he messes up on things like sales goals. During the weekend, he tends “to drink too much, yell at [his] wife for no reason, and let [his] daughter down. Then, come Monday, [he’ll] be ready to resume destroying [his] career all over again.” The way The Onion describes this, makes it seem as though this is an average thing everyone does. Though, since it is satire, it is known that they are clearly bashing Roslindale for his mistakes. One does not simply ruin their job on weekdays, then ruin their relationships on the weekends, then repeat. The word choice used makes it humorous because the way it seems, is like this is an actual article about a news event that is positive.