Blog # 4 Don't toy with me

1.) Main Argument

Article 1. Evolving the ideals of the male body as seen through action toysAre toys evil? Do they impose unrealistic images of what our bodies should look like to the youth of our country? The main argument for this article states that the toys that we let our children play with are too jacked, and muscular. This causes an unrealistic idea of what men think their bodies should look like, thus creating a body image problem.

Article 2. G.I. Joe’s Big Biceps are not a Big DealToys are toys aren’t they? This article defends G.I. Joe against accusations that this action figure promotes unrealistic views of the male body.


2. Analyze the tone of both articles, discussing how the presentation style and language effectively or ineffectively presents the authors' arguments. Use direct examples from both articles to support your point. Based on this analysis, what audience would you choose for each article?

Tone 1.) The tone of the first article Evolving Ideals of male body image as seen through action toys. sounds more like the author is giving facts backed up by scientific data to support his writing for example he shows how in a college held scientific study that: "college men with eating disorders reported a degree of body dissatisfaction closely approaching that of women with eating disorders."(Olivardia, Pope, Mangweth, & Hudson, 1995) throughout the article the author continually gives examples like the one above in great quantity helping the reader to better understand the authors points, and main ideas. The language used is very calm it really doesn't take a aggravated approach or offensive approach to getting his point across it simply shows you the facts behind the article. The author presents very relative facts effectively stating his argument.

Tone 2.) The author of the second article G.I. Joe's Big Biceps are not a Big Deal. starts off on , the defensive note right off the bat stating that " say it isn't so, Joe. For years I've been defending Barbie against accusations that she promotes an unrealistic body image for little girls. And now it seems that good old G.I. Joe has been subjected to the same silly poking, and prodding." (Kim Franke-Folsted) this article seems to simply say in different forms that G.I. Joe is a toy, like Barbie kids just play with them, they don't take the fact that Barbie's Bust line is large, or that Joe's biceps are huge. The author doesn't seem to put allot of scientific evidence to back up his argument or at least not as much as the first article. It seems that the first Article has the better argument. Just based on the simple fact that he has more evidence to back it up his argument. It also seems that this author is just trying to win you to his side by pure emotion.

3.) What do you think of these articles opinions?

These articles both have very idealistic approaches to the perception of body image. For one article it shows how men today are just as obsessed with there body appearance as women are, and it can be seen in the action figures we play with as children. The other article seems to defend that G.I. Joe or any other action figures are just toys that we as children play with. Both these articles make good arguments but to me the individual makes the final decision. For instance a child loves to play it's not till they start to really become self conscious that they began to want to look like, the hero's they love to play with. What guy wouldn't want to look sexier with ripped abs, or huge arms like G.I. Joe. And what girl wouldn't want to have that perfect figure to get any guy she wanted, like Barbie.
For example when I was growing up I loved to play with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles they were ripped turtles with abs and huge muscles. But I really didn't even consider needing to look like the toys I played with. My perception of my body was more influenced by my friends than my toys. As soon as muscles became the thing to have around middle school that's when I really became self conscious about my body. In conclusion the toys we play with to me are just toys it's not till we become more self conscious about are bodies through our friends, or t.v. that we really begin to notice how much more built, or perfect are toys are compared to us. So ya toys might effect the way we think of our bodies but it's the tri-fecta of marketing mixed with peer pressure that really makes us aware of our bodies and thus wanting a better body image.

Blog # 5 Are you being ripped off

Stunned is really the first word that came to mind after I watched this video. Because it only addresses the healthy male population, and that's all. What about the millions of other people that could watch this young, and old and say "gee that looks amazing I can get ripped, and girls/guys will want me." Bottom line this video is based on very one sided evidence, and any good reporter, should know that not all people are healthy males duh. I did get the point that if your a healthy male as they kept saying throughout the entire video than steroids might be a good thing. They make you look younger, they get your body in amazing shape, and you'll be HOT to the opposite sex. But I hope people don't let this information fool them no matter what there are always some kind of hidden side affect known or unknown that can suddenly pop up. in conclusion I believe that given in the proper increments, and used by someone who knows what there doing steroids can be beneficial because lets face it who wouldn't use something that could give them better results, and make them look sexier. you would be lying if you didn't at least think about it. Me personally I think I'll stick to protein, and muscle milk instead, and maybe some vitamins.



Athletes and steroids



The media portrays steroid usage as cheating, as trying to cheat your way into a sport, and therefore killing the competitive nature of sporting events. Steroids need to be tested for because sports are competitive games there sole purpose is to have fun, that why people play them at least at first. Steroids provide a cheat card a way to enhance your abilities some natural other not. The standards that apply to high school athletes as opposed to professionals is a thin line. because on one hand you must be fair, and the punishment should fit the crime no matter if your a freshman football player, or a pro football player. If you are caught taking these illegal drugs than the punishment to me at least should be the same to set an example three strikes your out simple, and easy. You test negative three times, and our gone. Parents and, society also put these standards on kids to perform, it places unrealistic expectations on kids to need to out perform the competition. By creating these eminence standards pro athletes to measure up to people create the monster that they are trying to destroy in these investigations into steroids. As a society we put all these pressure's on young athletes to always perform at there best we push these drugs onto the market, and say if you take these they'll make you a better athlete but there illegal, and alot of times look the other way until they get caught. Then people pissed once we find out that someone like Alex Rodriguez is taking these steroids when he was at his best. As a culture we have to press the issue of fair play, and to try your best push your self to be a great athlete, and that doing illegal drugs isn't worth it. But how do you tell some one that when they see that these players who take these drugs are all millionaire's and the consequences aren't even that sever fro them once there caught taking steroids?

"Georgetown parties to much"

Partying at Georgetown university has become some what stagnated by the new rules being imposed at the university. for to long underage students on campus have been drinking heavily, and the university has been taking notice, and cracking down on the amount of drinking. The partying hasn't stopped though it has just moved to a different venue. According to Georgetown residence, and D.C. police commander "the partying has been causing problems in near by housing were the parties have been poring out into neighborhoods because students can't drink on campus" (qtd. in Kinzie) This has caused the university to start to find solutions instead of just trying to end drinking around campus. Some of the rules that are being implemented seem to extreme according to 2nd District Cmdr. Andy Solberg says "15 to 20 police officers will be deployed to local area residences to stem the amount of drinking, and civil disorder that is going on. Citizens want police out their dealing with real crime not public urination"( qtd. in Kinzie) To many of the Georgetown community it is an escalating problem when student leaders took administrators on a walk through campus the first week of school which is usually the week when most of the partying happens it was so quite said one student "you could literally hear the crickets chirps." (qtd. in Kinzie) The reason that the parties are started to move off campus, is that the school administration put limits between 25 ,and 35 people that are allowed in a dorm room at any given time depending on the size of the apartment, the students also have to register the party with the school by 10 a.m. Thursday to have a party that weekend. two Hosts must be 21 or older, and one keg limit per house. Beginning October 1st of this year the hosts will also have to be trained in liability issues, and safety. (qtd. in Kinzie) The school has also imposed the three strike policy, if a student is given three of these violations than they can be suspended from school and thrown out of the dorms on campus. The school has also banned alcohol paraphernalia on campus including no ice luges, beer pong tables, or funnels. (qtd. in Kinzie)
Student at Georgetown didn't just sit around and let the administration shut down their right to party on campus. The students began a online Facebook petition got 1,900 signature the next day after being posted one campus sophmore Kaley Brown said that " shes never seen so much oproar on campus."

Paraphrase practice

Students should try, and limit the over usage of quotations in taking notes. Student's essay's should only consist of about 10% quotations. But they should try not to put all of their notes in quotes as they write them.

#1 thesis idea for blog posting James Patterson English 101 Johnson

James Patterson

Sports rules, and regulations that allow student athletes to play sport's needs to be clarified to

future athletes, so that they can better make decision's about there athletic carrier at the school

they will be attending.