Oct 15 2018

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The Selling of the President 1968 Non-Fiction Text Review One

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The book was about the 1968 presidential campaign of Richard Nixon. It started on October 21st but then goes back to introduce the main characters and most important people behind the scenes, which were Harry Treleaven, Len Garment, and Frank Shakespeare. Most of the people are entering in and out of the story some stay in like Roger Ailes and Gene Jones. After introducing them, then it goes to the beginning of the 1968 presidential election. It discusses the ups and downs in a political campaign and how anything can change. The overall, ongoing subject is Richard Nixon’s dislike of television and how hard it is for him to adapt. Marketing him will be the biggest challenge his campaign has to face.

The struggle for Nixon to even seem likable and more himself is enormous in the campaign. He gives the impression that he’s unexciting, dull, an ass, and someone that is not ‘up’ in the current state and society of the United States of America. There is also the problem that Nixon is trying too hard to get as many Humphrey votes as possible. He doesn’t understand why people don’t want to vote for him. The disconnect between the old and new seems very clear when Nixon’s friends come into the campaign and try to take over and the campaign people that have been there since day one have to move aside for his friends. All of this goes on the campaign season is winding down to Election Day.

The author is this book is Joe McGinniss. He rose up in fame because of this book and changed how political writing is done, according to a statement Roger Ailes made in the Associated Press in 2014. McGinniss wrote more non-fiction books later on including Fatal Vision, Cruel Doubt, Blind Faith, Going to the Extremes, and The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. McGinniss was not a political reporter at the time he wrote the book. McGinniss was a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer when he received access to the Nixon campaign. He got the idea to write the book one day by chance when someone on the train boasted about getting the Humphrey deal and making him look better than President Lincoln in six weeks. He contacted the Humphrey first, but they turned him down. So, he reached to the Nixon campaign, and they said yes to getting access to behind the scenes of a presidential campaign.

He wrote the book to give everyone a view that they haven’t seen before, what it is like to be a part of a presidential campaign in 1968. He described the “new” way to market Richard Nixon in a time where old school was out, and the new school was in for politics. Nixon had to change his ways to win the election, and that itself is a historical piece of history that not a lot of people knew what was happening. McGinniss accomplished writing about the 1968 Nixon presidential campaign and the journey of ups and downs and the changes they went through from the beginning to the end, where Nixon won.

Joe McGinniss gave an excellent insight into the advertising and marketing departments of the Nixon campaign. He was able to talk to the Garment, Ailes, Treleaven, and Shakespeare and get into their “circle” and know what they were thinking when they were planning what to do next in their conquest of helping Nixon win the presidency. He used mostly used reporting what’s going on, observing and participating with the people involved in the campaign to write this book because he was on the road with the campaign. He also did some interview, but they were only short conversations with Ailes, Treleaven, Shakespeare, and Garment.

The most important thing that McGinniss wanted to accomplish writing this book is that there is growth in Nixon to use television to his advantage to help win the election. He also discussed how anything could change for a political campaign in a moment or even a day. It seems like he wanted to make a book about his time with the campaign but it turned out to be about the four prominent characters’, Shakespeare, Garment, Ailes, and Treleaven, respective parts in the campaign.

McGinniss is mostly objective observations throughout the entire book, except for the conversations he has with the main characters. He is on a journey of a lifetime that changed the course of American history and American political history. He is not involved in the story to the point where you think that these conversations were recorded for the book and that the events were almost filmed to be written down. He is very good at taking himself out unless someone from the campaign talks to him. Once someone like Garment has discussions with McGinniss, then he is involved in the story but not that much.

He put an appendix section in the book to prove to the readers that he is using credible information in the book. In the appendix section, there are notes from the Nixon Advertising by Harry Treleaven, extracts from Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan, and an analysis by William Gavin. McGinniss also used memorandums by Ray Price, Len Garment, and William Gavin. He also used an article from Harry Treleaven about why Nixon should use magazine advertising in the New Hampshire Primary.

He uses an outline of strategy from Patrick Buchanan, Television advertising notes in New Hampshire and notes for Oregon RNFP advertising by Treleaven. McGinniss also used notes for recruiting panels for the question and answer tapings by Fuller and Smith and Ross office memorandum, notes on NFP advertising phase one and on Nixon advertising after September first by Treleaven, and seven different scripts written by E.S.J. Productions, Inc.

My reactions to reading this book are that if you’re a political science major, someone who likes politics, or someone that loves history and wants to know the background and insights of a historical event, then this book is for you. The book is long and tedious just like a presidential campaign. It was tough to read this book and not get easily bored to death by it. Some parts to go on forever and other parts seemed to go fast like a snap of your fingers. The further in you read, the more bored or intrigued you are, depending on who’s reading the book.

The book is very racist and sexist and was written in a time where this was unfortunately alright to say and write in a non-fiction text book. The word “negro” was used a lot and the “n” with the double “g” and ended with an “r” was used only once in the entire book. When Nixon was doing the panel shows, he had to have at least one “negro” on the panel to give a diversity look to make it seem like “everyone” is included. Beautiful women were called broads by men when they were talking about them.

I didn’t feel very comfortable when reading those parts in the book. It made me see that things have indeed changed since the 1968 presidential campaign. Women and minorities are treated better now than in 1968, but not where the country needs it to be. Presidential campaigns were male-dominated, and the women were used as a prop or as “Barbie dolls.” This book made me appreciate what the social and political world of the United States and that we have a right to say and speak up for things that we believe in that need to change.

I wouldn’t reread this book for a very long time. I’m just glad to have this book read and done. The boredom of the book made it hard for me to understand. It was written in a way that the reader can picture him/herself being a part of the campaign. For those who don’t like politics, this is not a book for you to read. For those who love politics or history and like discussing politics, then this book is for you to read. This book gives deep insight on the makings and conflicts inside of a presidential election, especially one that changed the course of history for the United States. Even if you’re not someone who likes politics, Nixon is a fascinating yet dull person to talk about and reading this book showed me how many people it took to make Nixon look good on television and advertising. The book is a journey back to a critical time in history.

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Oct 07 2018

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Hollywood Shuffle Movie Review

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“Hollywood Shuffle” is an all right movie to watch but the comedy itself is very dry and hard to follow. For someone who likes to have a lot of laughs when watching a comedy film, there were only a couple of places where anyone can agree to have a chuckle or smile. It is not a movie that I will generally watch.

The movie gives a more profound message about how black actors are treated in being cast in films. The words “not black enough” is heard throughout the film. These words show how white directors, writers, and casting directors expect the black stereotypes out of black actors that are portraying in movies.

This film is about a black wannabe actor, name Bobby Taylor, played by Robert Townsend, who’s trying to make it in Hollywood by landing any role. The roles for black actors in Hollywood are gangsta stereotypes. Bobby wants to make his characters that are the opposite of what Hollywood expects from black male actors. He daydreams about the roles he wants to play throughout the movie.

The movie is a satirical comedy film that is about the racial stereotypes of black actors in television and movies. Robert Townsend is the director of the film. Townsend also co-produced with Lydia Nicole. He also co-wrote it with Keenen Ivory Wayans. Wayans also appears in it too.

The film is rated R for adult situations and language. The movie was released in theaters in wide-screen on March 20, 1987. The film also released on DVD on July 24, 2001. The cast of this film is called “The Hollywood Shuffle Players.” The players include Helen Martin, Anne-Marie Johnson, Starletta DuPois, and David McKnight.

The acting was excellent by the entire cast, especially Robert Townsend. Townsend gives the perception that this can happen to anyone when someone is trying to make it in Hollywood. Townsend also shows that he is leading the cast throughout the movie. This leading is good because the cast can carry themselves on their own and the spotlight is on Townsend. The plot is realistic because anyone that tries to make it in Hollywood is struggling to have a chance to show their talents in auditions and casting calls. It also shows how actors try to make ends meet while trying to find a role that can make their careers skyrocket.

The dialogue is mostly stereotypically for how African-Americans talk to one another and how white people would talk to blacks. It shows how stereotypically Hollywood was back in the 1980’s and what they were expecting from black actors. The cinematography was in mostly in color, and the camera shots were excellent, especially the close-up shots. The music fit perfectly with the movie. In the scenes that needed a particular type of music, the music was perfect and put into the right parts.

My biggest problem with the movie is trying to understand the jokes in the film. For someone who doesn’t get it, it is tough to tell what’s funny and what’s not funny. For someone who’s watched many satirical comedy movies, this movie will make you laugh a lot. I liked how the plot is connecting like a puzzle. Having a scenario like that makes the film easy to watch and understand what’s happening.

For a movie that had a budget of $100,000, the production is excellent. The film was very successful in the box office by making about $5.229 million. People who love satirical comedy are the targeted audience for this movie. For people who aren’t into satirical comedy, this movie is easy to follow, but they will not understand or get the jokes. This film receives two and a half out of four stars.

This movie is memorable by how it was made and put together. It is one that you will not forget. The jokes will go over your head, but the film itself will stick in your mind for a while after seeing it. The film will make you have your daydreams be similar to the movie. The message about the racial stereotypes against any black actors in Hollywood shown in the entire motion picture.

 

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Oct 01 2018

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Article #2 First Draft Personal Narrative-A Piece of Paper

These last two years of college has brought the thought into my head of “Why don’t I have a boyfriend?” There are two answers to this question.

One, I am very focused on my education and want to graduate from Morningside College with a bachelor’s of arts degree in Mass Communications.  Two, my social life is going to work, to the grocery store, and helping my mom clean the house and yard.

I have this debate in my head almost every day, and I always pick school over having a decent, healthy social life that includes having a boyfriend. Ever since I came to Morningside, this feeling of loneliness is dominating my mindset. But I feel like I’m not the only one with this feeling on campus.

My mom says, “Everyone will feel lonely.”

I’m just too focused on my future and not looking at the present. I mean I have checked out a few guys on campus, it’s not like I’m not looking at all. It just I’m not checking out or dating the first guy that I see.

My dearest and understanding mother says, “For you, you are goal-oriented.”

That I know, for sure, is true. My mom is my best friend, and I can go to her for everything and anything. So going to her about this lingering problem was much more challenging than I thought. My thought was that she would feel that I’m odd and weird, but as it turned out, she’s having the problem as me but in the early-50’s version.

She has to get out there and have a healthy social life too, like me. Like people say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ She puts it best about why I am in college and not to have a boyfriend or even a social life.

“You’re there to get a piece of paper, a significant piece of paper, that will stay with you for life.”

Having a college degree is very important for that dream job I always want. Especially in the money that I will be making in the position.

“It makes a big difference in your income.”

I wish that I can have the best of both worlds. I want to have a great boyfriend and be successful in school and out of school. The thing is that I have a crush on a guy that I saw in the library a couple of time. I know that it weird but that’s life for you.

It all depends on what my mindset is and what I want my life to be at this point. I am more worry about my happiness than making others happy. But it is what it is. Life will always be complicated, and that is something that I will have to live with forever.

My mom says, overall “it’s what you want in life.”

 

 

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Sep 25 2018

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Anecdote

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To be honest, I have no clue what’s going on right now or even what day it is today. The sad thing is that though I passed out on my mom’s couch and rested peacefully for a couple of hours, I still had homework to complete. My mom told me to “get up and finish your homework so you can go to bed.” I woke up and started on my homework for a couple of hours.

I went to bed at midnight and woke up clearly at 2:50 A.M. this morning. I couldn’t believe that I was wide awake and ready to start my day already. I spent four hours finishing writing, restructuring, editing, and publishing my final draft for my first article in my bed. Then I read an article about someone who donated one of his kidneys to a stranger for 15-20 minutes.

I finally laid back down at 7:20 A.M. and got out of bed again at 7:40 A.M. At this time, I’m running entirely behind schedule. I didn’t eat breakfast and left my mom’s at 8 A.M. I arrived at school at 8:03 A.M. and entered class at 8:06 A.M. The feeling that I have is that I’m tired, I’m hungry, and want to go back to bed.

 

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Sep 25 2018

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College Women’s Health Final Draft

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School has just started, the homework has started to pile up, and the stress level is already at brain-melting. It’s only the middle of September.

Students are dealing with a million things at once. They are trying to do everything in a 24-hour time frame but can’t. Cramming homework is not helping with their stress levels.

Stress is one of the most significant problems for students. Pressure can be around for one week to an entire semester or school year. Some students find a way to relieve stress.

Abby Koch, a sophomore but has junior status at Morningside College; says this week is “throwing off other things that relieve stress, like having to skip working out, which take away stress.”

Abby is taking 16 credits this semester, on the women’s golf team and is the social media chair of Alpha Lambda Delta or ALD and a part of ODK.

Katie McClintock, a second-semester junior at Morningside, says that “each day is its own struggle like yesterday was good, today not so much.”

Katie is taking 12 credits this semester and is involved in Campus Ministries, Christ Connections, and Morningside Activities Council, also known as MAC.

Many health issues come with going to school. Inadequate nutrition, lack of sleep, anxiety, depression, and not enough exercise are some of the big problems.

The mental and physical health and well-being of a student are essential to survive a school semester to even a school year.

Katie suffers from both anxiety and depression. She says that “putting yourself first is of the best things for yourself.”

She also said that “mental health is very important and should be one of your top priorities.”

For Abby, she talks it out with her mom is how she stays mentally healthy. She says, “Bottling it up creates anxiety, and it just steeps and just moves around. If I don’t talk it out, it drives me to a point to curl up into a ball and not do anything.”

The question is how someone can be able to focus on their health while dealing with school and other activities at the same time? The answer comes in three different parts.

Carol Garvey, the campus nurse at Morningside, said that “The body wants three things in a day. It wants proper nutrition, sleep — enough sleep, and movement every day.” She also adds that this pertains not just to women but also for men too.

Nutrition is also a critical factor in keeping a body and mind healthy. According to 4collegewomen.org, the Food Pyramid is a simple, reliable way to plan a nutritious eating pattern and is an outline of what to eat each day.

Carol says that late night eatings to Taco Bell or Perkins, staying up late and alcohol affects the sleeping pattern. She also says, “Eat a little bit from every food group every day.”

Katie usually has a protein bar on the go every day for breakfast. She says that “your body is a temple so what you put in is what you get out.”

Sleep helps the brain relax and reenergize for the next day. If someone doesn’t get enough sleep, the mind will not function as well as it would with good night sleep.

According to affordablecollegesonline.org, younger adults between the ages of 18 and 25 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Carol says that it is a badge of honor for college students to have less sleep and be busier. She also said, “Shut your phones off and give yourself six to eight hours of no phones and sleep.”

Katie only gets around seven to eight hours of sleep every night. She says, “It depends on if you are anxious or have racing thoughts or scary dreams.”

Abby sleeps on an average of six hours sleep a night. She says, “Not getting that [enough sleep] will throw me off my academic game.”

For movement, the best thing to do here at Morningside is to walk to class and school, not driving. If someone has anxiety or depression, then increase the number of steps taken in a day.

Carol said, “Go above the normal activity. Take a ten-minute walk by yourself or with a friend. Ten minutes a day is a good start.”

According to youngwomenshealth.org, try to include aerobic exercises like running, muscle strengthening exercises like weight training, and stretching activities like yoga in your daily routine. The website also suggests that there should be 60 minutes of exercise each day.

Katie goes to the gym every day and usually goes for at least 30 minutes, but she tries to be there for an hour or an hour and a half, to even two hours.

But what is the easiest way for college women to get advice about their health besides their campus nurse? Carol says MyPlate.gov. She also adds that it “is a really good place to get a lot of information that has been done for you.”

 

Sources:

http://4collegewomen.org/fact-sheets/nutrients.html

https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/womens-health/

https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/02/01/college-health/

Abby Koch email: alk013@morningside.edu

Katie McClintock email: kmm018@morningside.edu

Carol Garvey, campus nurse email: garvey@morningside.edu

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Sep 20 2018

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My name

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The first name Reilly is in a drink and business. If you hear the O’Reilly’s Auto Parts song in a commercial and sing it to me, I not bothered by it anymore. The drink O’Reilly’s Irish Cream is a liquor. I wished that my name is after the beverage that would’ve been cool. But my mom liked the name because it was very Irish and a cute name for a girl. Someone pronounced as Ree-lee also like really.

The last name Mahon is a very Irish last name. My mom’s last name is Persinger, which is also a very Irish last name. My last name spelled backward is no-ham. That’s pretty cool because I can say that I have bacon but no-ham. Ha Ha Ha! I have people pronounced my last name as May Hon, Ma Han, Ma Hon.

 

 

Write as a sarcastic politician:

Good morning, my name is Reilly Mahon. My first name is most recognizable with the O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. Please don’t sing the song; I’ve heard it too many time in my life. It is also familiar with the liquor, O’Reilly’s Irish Cream. Pronounce my first name as Ry-lee, not Ree-lee. My first and last name have a very Irish background. If you try to spell my last name backward, it will be no-ham. Please, no food jokes about having bacon but no-ham. Pronounce the name as May-Han, not May Hon, Ma Han, or Ma Hon.

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Sep 18 2018

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Article #1 First Draft-College Women’s Health

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School has just started, the homework has started to pile up, and the stress level is already at brain-melting. It’s only the middle of September.

Students are dealing with a million things at once. They are trying to do everything in a 24-hour time frame but can’t. Cramming homework is not helping with their stress levels.

Stress is one of the most significant problems for students. Pressure can be around for one week to an entire semester or school year. Some students find a way to relieve stress.

Abby Koch, a sophomore but has junior status at Morningside College; says this week is “throwing off other things that relieve stress, like having to skip working out, which take away stress.”

(Space for quotes and information)

The mental and physical health and well-being of a student are essential to survive a school semester to a school year.

Many health issues come with going to school. Inadequate nutrition, lack of sleep, anxiety, depression,  and exercise are some of the problems.

Katie McClintock, a second-semester junior at Morningside College, suffers from both anxiety and depression. She says that “putting yourself first is the of the best things for yourself.”

She also said that “mental health is very important and should be one of your top priorities.”

The question is how someone can be able to focus on their health while dealing with school at the same time? The answer comes in three different parts.

Carol Garvey, the campus nurse at Morningside, said that “The body wants three things in a day. It wants proper nutrition, sleep — enough sleep, and movement every day.” She also adds that this pertains not just to women but also for men too.

Nutrition is also a critical factor in keeping a body and mind healthy. According to 4collegewomen.org, the Food Pyramid is a simple, reliable way to plan a nutritious eating pattern and is an outline of what to eat each day.

(Space for quotes and information)

Sleep helps the brain relax and reenergize for the next day. If someone doesn’t get enough sleep, the mind will not function as well as it would with good night sleep.

(Space for more quotes and information)

For movement, the best thing to do here at Morningside is to walk to school, not driving. If someone has anxiety or depression, then increase the number of steps taken in a day.

Garvey said, “Go above the normal activity. Take a ten-minute walk by yourself or with a friend. Ten minutes a day is a good start.”

(Space for more quotes and information)

 

 

 

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Sep 11 2018

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A Never-Ending Shift at Work

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On Sunday, Lindsey was working at Lowe’s in Sioux City as a cashier and had to close that night. A co-worker told her while she was closing that there is a store meeting that she had to go. If she didn’t go, then she would be in trouble.

She said, “I’ll guess I go then.”

She walks into the back of the large Lowe’s building in the patio area. She sits down in a hard, plastic, dusty chair at the end of the patio section.

A new guy that starting at Lowe’s was sitting behind her kicking her chair throughout the entire meeting. Lindsey finally grabbed his leg and took off his shoe. She threw his shoe back at him.

The store manager, Tom, walks into the meeting in his dad-clothes with his white dad-tennis shoes. He gets up to the microphone, and it is too soft for anyone, especially anyone in the back to hear.

No one is paying any attention to what Tom has to say at the meeting. He hands out awards to all of the assistant managers at Lowe’s. While he’s handing out the awards, he mispronounced all of the names of the assistant managers.

At the end of the store meeting, Tom opens up to a Q & A session. Someone asked a question of why are hours being cut down. He gets very defensive about the hours cut for some people.

A coworker wanted to ask Tom if he’s sleeping with one of the cashiers but didn’t ask the question afraid of losing the job. Finally, the store-meeting was over.

After the meeting ends, everyone took the free candy available at the meeting and leaves the store. Lindsey and some of her co-workers stood in the parking lot and talked. They talked about how the one-hour session was worthless and talking shit about Tom, the store manager, who takes himself way too seriously.

 

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Sep 11 2018

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Reconstructing a scene (Practice)

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It was a beautiful day outside for a September day. Leaves are starting to fall off of trees. Not a lot of clouds in the sky. “An unusual day for this time of year,” said the radio DJ on Classic Rock 99.5.

I’m driving in my 2002 Chevy Tracker with one of my taillights covered in red lens tape. Body and frame damages and no bumper. The tape covered some of the scars on my Tracker from a car accident that happened less than a month ago.

I was finally going to my doctor’s appointment that I missed on Friday. Instead, I took my 13-year-old half lab and half chow dog Pegasus to her doctor’s office.

I was leaving school after being there for a couple of hours. I had to have a flu shot. I thought to myself, “Yay, needles,” as I’m driving to the doctor’s office.

I also thought this would be one of the last times I go to this doctor’s office. My doctor’s office ranges from birth to 22-year-olds for patients.

My mind was also telling me to get there in time for the appointment. Luckily, the drive was only less than five minutes from Morningside College and plenty of parking spaces open.

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Sep 11 2018

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Article #1 Sketch

Filed under Articles/Stories

Story: College Women’s Health: What women need to know, should they be doing, and how to protect themselves?

Question: What should college-age women be aware of, and what should they be doing, protect their health?

Online sources: https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/02/01/college-health/

https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/womens-health/

http://4collegewomen.org

Interviews: Three college-aged women at Morningside College

Structure: Martini glass

Lede: Question

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