Final Blog Post

Through this course I have learned that a lot of news sources share their information among one another. One news site may report the initial story, but from there the story changes and grows as different sites add their own opinion and spin to the story. I'm use to getting my news from one news source and so by reading and comparing multiple news sources I learned that the story that you read on one site is not necessarily the story you may read on another. I think that it is interesting that one story can experience a great deal of change simply from the news site is it posted on. My habits have also changed, after being expected to read the news and share it with the class, this has now become somewhat of a daily routine. On the days I don't have class I tend to bother one of my poor friends by trying to discuss the news with them. These changes have improved my ability not only to read and comprehend but also to communicate. I feel like I now have a better understanding of the texts I read not only in this class but also in others. I also think that by discussing the news I have a better sense of the world going on around me. I am not longer stuck in my bubble, I now know how to interpret and discuss the things I see and hear. I think that these habits are very helpful for my future, not only will I be better adapted to stay updated with the world but I will also be able to have conversations with a wider variety of people. I am also excited to have the habit of keeping up with the news because I believe it will help me with future dental school interviews. 

Extended Essay 2 Revised

Oscar Pistorius

           

            Oscar Pistorius may be best known for his performance in the London Olympic Games. As the first Paralympic athlete to compete against able-bodied athletes, Pistorius was thrown into the spotlight. He attracted multiple media sites, and as his story spread so did his fame. Soon Pistorius was considered a hero by many; he even gained sponsorships from brands such as Nike and Oakley. Even through Pistorius didn't place in the Olympics; he was one of the most popular athletes of the summer. However, this swift rise to fame seemed to push Pistorius past his limits. On Friday February 15th newspapers around the world were littered with Pistorius's name once again. Unfortunately, this time instead of fame the headlines were broadcasting murder. On Valentine's Day February 14th, in South Africa Pistorius was believed to have shot his girlfriend to death in their home.

In the weeks following the death of Pistorius's girlfriend, multiple news sources followed and report on the story. The general details of the death remained the same, but as more news sources covered the story and new details emerged, the story began to morph and change. Depending on what audience the news source was targeting and what details they chose to focus on, the changes were evident in the story each source reported. The multiple lives that a news story takes on can be referred to as a 'news sphere'.  In this news sphere, stories branch off on another as they begin to develop. These stories all share a common central theme but each story is unique in its own way. Following the story of Oscar Pistorius the central point of the story is the murder of his girlfriend, and by analyzing five news sources the 'news sphere' of this story is evident.   

            As gun shots were heard at 4am in the morning, neighbors began to wonder what had occurred at the home of Oscar Pistorius. When police arrived they discovered Reeva Steenkamp dead at the scene. Many newspapers in South Africa were quick to report the story, and by 9am on February 14th the word had spread about the country's star athlete killing his girlfriend in the night. The Star newspaper in Johannesburg, South Africa was one of the first to report on what had occurred. This news report was very short and to the point. In the case of The Star, only the basic news was provided on what had occurred. It was reported that "a 26 year old man, reportedly Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, had been arrested for allegedly shooting a woman dead"(Star). The story also reported that "a 9mm pistol was recovered"(Sapa) from the crime scene. The goal of this sort of report is to simply get the story out to people. With only basic information little can be said about how or why the murder occurred. When a story first arises the author reports the basic facts in a simple manner that is accessible to a variety of people. The intended audience of the Pistorius piece is everyone. Even if readers won't follow up on the stories that follow this report, the paper wants this news to be known to a large spectrum of people. Once this information has been reported and new details emerge then the story can begin to grow. In the story of Pistorius, The Star newspaper is the first step to creating a 'news sphere'. The Star creates the initial spark that is then picked up by other news sources that add other facts and opinions to the piece.

            Twenty four hours after the first report in South Africa, the story of Pistorius hit one of the United States' largest news sites, The New York Times. In the article published by this source, details of Steenkamp's death fill the first few paragraphs. However, the rest of the story delivers background information about Pistorius and his girlfriend, and reports about gun control in South Africa. Instead of focusing on the death and the details of what happened, The New York Times focuses on Pistorius's past and the violence that is common in South Africa. After a detailed description of Pistorius's Olympic achievements, the article then shares an interview with his father. Pistorius's father commented on the incident saying, "I have no clue what happened...I don't discuss my son's relationships. I have, in fact, not met the lady"(The New York Times). By adding an interview from Pistorius's father, the article adds greater depth into the life of Pistorius. This information allows the reader to assess how they feel about Pistorius and to take a stance on what has occurred. The article ends with the discussion of gun use in South Africa and adds statistics about gun control in the past ten years. The New York Times chose to introduce new background information to the initial story of murder. Since few details are available, the article instead looks into the past of Pistorius to find possible motives for the murder. The New York Times didn't have any new information to report but to make this news story their own they added more information. The addition of background information is used to address the audience of the article. The story occurred in a country outside the United States, and as a result many people may not know who Pistorius is or why this issue gained so much attention. In order to make the article more accessible to a wider range of people, The New York Times includes background information not only about those involved but also about the country in which the event occurred. Adding background information is a way that a news source can alter a story therefore altering the view of the audience. In the case of The New York Times, the additional information draws the attention away from the murder and tries to uncover details of why it occurred. This news source also takes some of the negative views of Pistorius away by reporting on the violence that is already significant in South Africa. When relating this story to the 'news sphere', this report can be considered premature, the story made a first step by traveling from one continent to another however, more details are still required before the story can expand further.

            On February 17th, three days after the initial report, details about the murder incident finally emerged. On CBS News there was an article titled South African newspaper sheds doubt on Oscar Pistorius's accidental shooting claim. This article ties the reports in the United States back to two African news sources. Since this incident did not occur in the United States, news sources must rely on African news sources for information. Relying on other sites in an article appears to give the article more validity however, it also has the affect of not delivering the full story. The article in CBS News provides a summary of the report published by the African newspaper City Press. The story in CBS News is short and simply delivers the message without much interpretation. The article is aimed at those who have been following the story of the Pistorius murder case. The article assumes that the reader knows the background information and focuses purely on the new details in the case. The CBS News report adds more details to the story by sharing these details from news sources reporting form Africa. The purpose of this report is similar to that of The Star, this article simply delivers the details of the murder creating a new spark for other news sources to embellish. This spark created by the emergence of details is just another part of the 'news sphere'. It opens up more pathways for news sources to branch out from stringing together a larger web surrounding the central point. A story has the ability to continue endlessly as long as different sources continue to add to it. However, once the 'news sphere' expands to a certain extent the information being analyzed can then change from fact to opinion.

                        Eventually after a story has been reported for a period of time and all the details have been covered, the story loses its steam. At this point in time writers begin to write more opinionated pieces about the issue and reflect on what has occurred. In these types of opinion pieces, the author chooses whether they agree or disagree with the issue at hand. Generally this results in either a positive or negative reflection in the writing. Cynthia Falardeau published a piece in the CNN Opinion section of the news site titled What my son taught me about Oscar Pistorius. In her writing she discussed how her amputee son taught her to accept that Oscar Pistorius is just a man and that like all people he makes mistakes too. In this piece, the original story is barely mentioned. The focus of this piece is what has been learned from Pistorius's mistake. In closing the piece Falardeau says, “I am grateful for Pistorius' flash of greatness, and I am sad if he has fallen from it"(CNN). This article provides an example of the positive response some may have to the incident that occurred. Conversely, others may respond negatively to the issue. In an article in Slate, William Saletan voices his disgust for Oscar Pistorius. In this writing he expands on facts known from different news sources. Saletan uses the basic information of how the murder occurred and the layout of the house to analyze the affidavit of Pistorius. In conclusion to his piece Saletan says, “You’ve raised, in Oscar, a fine hunter. An animal, in fact. When care and thought were required, he moved with ruthless haste to defend his territory, even at the risk—and the expense—of a young woman’s life"(Slate). Saletan offers his own opinion to the Pistorius piece that sheds negative light on the Paralympian runner. Both of these opinion pieces are aimed at audiences who have followed the story throughout the entire 'news sphere' web. These two authors express their own opinions in the hopes of swaying their readers to share the same views or argue against them. In the 'news sphere' these articles may seem like the final step in the development of a news story however, they introduce entirely new avenues of thought by provoking readers who either agree or disagree to explore their own opinions. If readers were to comment on the two pieces written by these authors, the story could follow a completely different path from the original story. This path would show the shift from news to opinion which is commonly observed in 'news spheres that have grown to a large extent.

                        As a news story develops overtime it is constantly subjected to change. These changes may come from the addition of more facts or from the opinion of the writer. No matter the type of change, the changes are crucial to the growth of a story. Changes provide more insight and depth to an event that occurs and allows a larger range of people to relate to the issue. These changes are crucial to both the development of a story as well as to the 'news sphere' that surrounds it. The 'news sphere' allows the story to be connected between multiple sources as well as multiple people. Although the concept of the 'news sphere' is not one that is discussed often, it is generally the pattern observed as any news story is reported. In the example of Oscar Pistorius, the story of murder was surrounded by a multitude of news sources. These sources ranged from an initial news report to a negatively opinionated article in a magazine. This 'news sphere' was also expanded by the geographic range in which the story was covered. A story that began in Africa was reported in the United States only to be related back to African news sources in an American news report. The growth of the 'news sphere' surrounding Oscar Pistorius is an interesting one to follow, and it is a perfect example of how a simple story can expand beyond boarders and audiences as it changes over time. 

Works Cited

Farlardeau, Cynthia. "What my son taught me about Oscar Pistorius." CNN Opinion. Cable news             network, Turner Broadcasting System. 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.             <http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/19/opinion/pistorius-commentary-irpt>

Polgreen, Lydia. "A Nation Reels as a Star Runner Is Charged in Girlfriend's Death." The New     York Times. The New York Times Company. 15 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.             <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/sports/oscar-pistorius-shooting-south-          africa.html?ref=africa&_r=1&>

Saletan, William. "The Slaughter of Reeva Steenkamp." Slate. The Slate Group, a Division of        the Washington Post Company. 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.             <http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2013/02/if_oscar_pisto            rius_is_telling_the_truth_about_reeva_steenkamp_he_s_a_dangerous.single.html>

Sapa. "Pistorius arrested after woman shot dead." iolnews. Independent Online, a Division of       Independent Newspapers Limited. 14 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.      <http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/pistorius-arrested-after-woman-shot-dead-       1.1469990#.UTlk2ldvBFu>

"South African newspaper sheds doubt on Oscar Pistorius' accidental shooting claim." CBS          News. CBS Interactive Inc.. 17 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.   <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57569799/south-african-newspaper-sheds-       doubt-on-oscar-pistorius-accidental-shooting-claim/>

Extended Essay 2

Oscar Pistorius

            Oscar Pistorius is best known for his appearance in the 2012 London Olympic games. As the first Paralympic athlete to compete against full able athletes, Pistorius was thrown into the spotlight. He attracted media and as his story spread so did his fame. Soon Pistorius was considered a hero by many and he gained sponsorships from brand names like Nike. Even though Pistorius didn't place in the Olympics, he was one of the most popular athletes of the summer. However, this swift rise to fame seemed to push Pistorius past his limits. On Friday February 15th newspapers around the world were littered with Pistorius's name again. Unfortunately, this time instead of fame the headlines were broadcasting murder. On Valentine's Day February 14th, Pistorius is believed to have shot his girlfriend to death in their home. In the weeks following the death of Pistorius's girlfriend, multiple sources covered this tragic story. The general details of the death remained the same, but as more news sites covered the story, and new details emerged the story began to morph and change as each source allowed their opinions to dictate the story they shared.

            As gun shots were heard at 4am in the morning neighbors began to wonder what had occurred at the home of Oscar Pistorius. When police arrived they discovered Reeva Steenkamp dead at the scene. Many newspapers in South Africa were quick to report the story, and by 9am on February 14th the word had spread about the county's star athlete killing his girlfriend. The Star Newspaper in Johannesburg, South Africa was one of the first to report on what had occurred. This news report was very short and to the point. In the case of The Star, only the basic news was provided on what had occurred. It was reported that "A 26 year old man, reportedly Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, had been arrested for allegedly shooting a woman dead" (Star). The story also reported that "a 9mm pistol was recovered"(Star). With this basic information the reader now knows what the story is about. Since the news is so new little more can be said about how or why this event happened. The Star does refer to another newspaper, Beeld. This newspaper was the first to report however, the language used in the paper is Afrikaans. The Star was the first paper to report the story in English. By referring to the Beeld, The Star newspaper shows Harris's technique of Forwarding. The specific type of forwarding seen is authorizing, in this technique the author uses another site to validate the information it is providing. When a news story first emerges it is generally all fact base with few opinions. The purpose of the first report is to simply to inform people of what happened. Once this information has been reported and new details emerge then the story can begin to grow. As the story grows it also changes, these changes are seen between the multiple news sites.

            Twenty four hours after the first report in South Africa the story of Pistorius hit one of the United State's largest news sites, The New York Times. In this article the details of the Steenkamp's death fill the first few paragraphs however, the rest of the story goes into background information about the couple involved. Instead of focusing on the death and the details of what happened, The New York Times focuses on Pistorius's past and the violence that is common in South Africa. After a detailed description of Pistorius's Olympic achievements, the article then goes on the interview his father. Pistorius's father commented on the incident saying, "I have no clue what happened... I don’t discuss my son’s relationships. I have, in fact, not met the lady"(New York Times). By adding an interview from Pistorius's father, the article adds greater depth into the life of Pistorius. This allows the reader to assess how they feel about Pistorius and take a stance on what has occurred. The article ends with the discussion of gun use in South Africa and adds statistics about gun control in the past ten years. The New York Times chose to introduce new background information to the initial story of murder. Since few details are available, the article instead looks into the past of Pistorius to find possible motives for the murder. The New York Times didn't have any new information to report but to make this news story their own they added more information. By including background information this article becomes more accessible to a wider range of people who may not know who Oscar Pistorius is.    This technique could be considered extending. Extending is another type of forwarding in which the author adds their own information to the story they obtained their information from. This report is still premature, more details are still required before the story can expand further.

            On February 17, three days after the initial report details about the murder incident finally emerged. On CBS News there was an article titled South African newspaper sheds doubt on Oscar Pistorius's accidental shooting claim. This article ties the United States news back to two African newspapers. Since this incident did not occur in the United States, news sties must rely on African news sites for information. Relying on other sites in an article appears to give the article more validity however, it also has the affect of not delivering the full story. The article in CBS News provides a summary of the report done by the African newspaper City Press. This technique could be considered borrowing since all of the information is coming from a different source and is simply being reported by an American newspaper. The CBS News also reverts back to the type of reporting first observed by The Star. The story is short and simply delivers the message without performing much interpretation. The similarity between these two sites presents a more subtle version of taking an approach. In this style the author does not address the influences of the other paper or mention the similarities between CBS News and The Star. Instead, the similar style is one that the reader must observe between the two sites. This does not match the definition that Harris supplies taking an approach, instead it is an accepted similarity provided by the reader.

            Eventually after a story has been reported for a period of time and all the details have been covered the story loses its steam. At this point in time writers begin to write more opinionated pieces about the issue and reflect on what has occurred. In these types of pieces the author chooses whether they agree or disagree with the issue at hand. Generally this results in either a positive or negative reflection in the writing. Cynthia Falardeau published a piece in the CNN Opinion section of the news site titled What my son taught me about Oscar Pistorius. In her writing she discussed how her amputee son taught her to accept that Oscar Pistorius is just a man and that like all people he makes mistakes too. In this piece, the original story is barely mentioned. the focus of this piece is what has been learned from Pistorius's mistake. In closing the piece Falardeau says, " I am grateful for Pistorius' flash of greatness, and I am sad if he has fallen from it"(CNN). This article provides an example of the positive response some may have to the incident that occurred. Others may respond negatively to the issue. In an article in Slate, William Saletan voices his disgust for Oscar Pistorius. In this writing he expands on facts known from different news sources. Saletan uses the basic information of how the murder occurred and the layout of the house to analyze the affidavit of Pistoruis. In conclusion to his piece Saletan says, " You've raised, in Oscar, a fine hunter. An animal, in fact. When care and thought were required, he moved with ruthless haste to defend his territory, even at the risk—and the expense—of a young woman’s life"(Slate). This piece is an example of multiple writing techniques used together in one story. Saletan illustrates his own ideas of what Pistorius has done by describing how Pistorius move throughout his house, he extended from the initial story reported by multiple news sites, and he countered the original story by opening new lines of inquiry. These articles may seem like the final step in the development of a news story however, they introduce entirely new avenues of thought by provoking readers who either agree or disagree to explore their own opinions.

            As a news story develops overtime it is constantly subjected to change. These changes may come from the addition of more facts or from the opinion of the writer. No matter the type of change, these changes are crucial to the growth of a story. Changes provide more insight and depth to an event that occurs and allows a larger range of people to relate to the issue. In the example of Oscar Pistorius his story changed from an initial news report to a negatively opinionated article in a magazine. The changes that resulted in this opinionated piece follow multiple techniques of rewriting that allow the piece to be altered to match each author's specific writing.  

Short Essay 2

Neighbors Kill Neighbors as Kenyan Vote Stirs Old Feuds

 

            When picking up The New York Times on Thursday February 21, 2013 readers were confronted by a shocking image of a baby swaddled in her mother’s arms with a gash across the back of her head. This image causes an immediate emotional response within the reader, causing them to formulate a story of their own, or causing them to question why such a horrendous event occurred. The story formulated by the reader is often more horrific than the actual story, however, this is the reaction newspapers want. They want their reader to become emotionally invested before they deliver the facts. This technique causes readers to invest more time and thought to the issue at hand and in turn may cause a response. The response may vary, it could be that the reader buys the paper tomorrow to follow the story or it may be that the reader finds some way to help those who are suffering. Whatever the response may be, it was initially sparked by the emotional connection to the picture on the front page.

            When first viewing this picture, ones thoughts immediately shift to the nation of Africa and the ethnic wars that have taken place there throughout history. Unfortunately, this issue is one that is common to the country and many Americans are used to reports on mass killing among African people. Some readers may connect this issue to those of the Rwandan genocide or the continued ethnic battle in the Sudan. Either of these connections causes the reader to feel sympathy for the child in the picture and the hardships she has been through. Once the initial shock of the image subsides the reader can look at the caption. The caption offers basic information that ties the image to the story. In the case of this image, the reader discovers that this girl is in fact 9 month old Rahema Hageyo, and that she was “slashed by a machete when raiders from a rival ethnic group attacked her Kenyan village in December”. Once these basic facts have been established, the reader can make new connections. They now know that the story is one of ethnic issues that have grown violent in Kenya. With these few facts and the emotional connection to Rahema the reader now moves on to the details within the reported story.

            Currently in Kenya there is an ethnic war happening between the Pokomo and the Orma. Pokomo elder Elisha Bwora says there are “three reasons for this war…tribe, land and politics”. Although the first two reasons are just as important, the most pressing is that of politics. Kenya is currently in the middle of electing new leaders. The last time this vote occurred was in 2007 and it had disastrous results, 1,000 people were dead and the country was in shambles. As the current election goes on, history seems to be repeating itself. With 200 people already dead the two tribes continue to fight, accusing each other of “burning villages and birth certificates”. With past tensions playing out and current tensions fueling the fire, it is unclear who will win the election and what the following repercussions may be.

            After reading the story it becomes clear that the issue at hand is political tension that has boiled over into warfare. Comparing this issue to the United States, the reader may become confused or even angered since the United States deals with elections every four years and never has it resulted in warfare. The confusion is created from the content of the story, but the emotional response is aroused by the original picture. This emotional response comes from the realization that due to this political issue a little 9 month old girl was harmed. Rahema is nowhere near old enough to vote and yet someone decided to slash her across the head with a machete. The story is about a political issue however, the main message that is intended to be the focus is the disastrous effects that this issue has aroused.  

            This picture demonstrates how newspapers purposely use images to influence the reader’s response to an article. In this case, The New York Times used the tragedy of harming a little girl to cause the reader to recognize the corruption in Africa. Purposeful placement is also used, in that the captioned picture as well as the story is placed on the front page. Instead of focusing on the issue of politics the reader focuses on the tragedies that these people inflict upon one another. The image is the most powerful part of this news story, and the emotional response it creates is its intended purpose.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/africa/neighbors-kill-neighbors-in-kenya-as-election-tensions-stir-age-old-grievances.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&ref=africa

Short Essay 2 Workshop-Alexander

Review Questions

1.                  Is the image analyzed in relationship to a larger story, and what is that story?

                        Yes, it is analyzed in relationship to a larger story, which is primarily about injuries          in Kenya that are due to ethnic issues.  The first paragraph of the story already gives you   a gruesome description of an injury inflicted upon a 9 month old child.

2.                  How is the image analyzed?

                        She mentions the “ethnic wars” that have occurred in Africa for decades now and            how that was one of the authors first thoughts.  The author also states how one might         gain a sort of emotional compassion for a little girl who has done nothing wrong.

3.                  What do you find most interesting about the analysis?

                        I liked how the author supplied us with a bit of background information on what   has being going on in Kenya and what is causing these ethnic issues particularly.

4.                  What is most confusing or in need of greater attention or explanation?

                        I didn't find anything confusing or that needed greater attention or explanation.

5.                  Any other comments or suggestions for revision.

                        I thought you chose a good image considering how emotionally stirred some        people might get when they see it.

Short Essay 2 Workshop

Review Questions

Review name: Jordyn Theisen

1.      Is the image analyzed in relationship to a larger story, and what is that story?

            Yes the image is analyzed in relationship to a larger story. The larger story is that two tribes in Kenya, the Pokomo and the Orma, are currently involved in ethnic war over their different tribes, land and politics. Kenya is currently in the middle of electing new leaders for their country and this has sparked increased violence between the two tribes.

2.      How is the image analyzed? (What are they looking at, how it’s composed, emotional content, etc.)

            The image is first analyzed by what it contains and how this would make readers have an immediate emotional response. She then talks about how readers will first create their own stories of why the child is cut across the back of the head. Then the placement of the image is analyzed and what responses this causes. Later, the caption of the picture is analyzed and how this changes what the readers think of the pictures or what emotional connections they make. Finally, the image is seen as being there to evoke a more emotional response for the families affected by the violence in Kenya than a political response for the elections going on there.

3.      What do you find most interesting about the analysis?

            I like how you talk about how the reader first creates its own story of what happened to the child in the picture. This relates to the reading we did over images and their relation to stories, which is a nice touch.

4.      What is most confusing or in need of greater attention or explanation?

            The response the readers have to the image and to the story are very different. This makes it hard to understand what the story was actually about (like what the author wanted you to get from it) and so then it’s hard to understand how well the image and the story relate. Clarifying that part would help.

5.      Other comments and suggestions

            I thought you analyzed the picture very well and it was easy to read because of how you broke the analysis down. 

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

In Errol Morris's piece I think that he is trying to say that we apply our own beliefs to the images we see. When we view an image we work to match some sort of context to it. Generally this context has to come from some previous experience or some previous knowledge that we have. As a result we find ourselves trying to create a story that matches the photograph we see. This can be a struggle as Morris notes when he says, "photographs tamper with the glue that holds life and memory together." I understand this statement to mean that when we look at photographs we are forced to apply context to them and in doing so we sometimes change our own thoughts and memories to fit the photo rather than the actual experience. I think that it is interesting to think about how much a picture can change a story, and how the caption of the picture is as important as the story itself. Once a caption is added to a picture we no longer have to fill the void with our own thoughts and ideas. Instead we can use the short blip under the picture as a starting point and then fill in the rest of the story with the information we know to be true. In the case that the photo is connect to a story, we don't even have to worry about adding our own thinking to the photo at all, instead we can take the facts we obtain from the story and match them to the picture where we find appropriate.
I found an interesting example of Morris's idea on NBC news. This article is about hacker attacks that are taking place in China that could threaten the US. The picture that goes along with the story is located about half way through the article and shows a girl walking in front of a building. On the main page this news story is shown with this photograph and no caption. When I first saw this I wondered to myself, what does a little girl have to do with hacking. The photo does not fit the headline in anyway. Therefore like described earlier, we are forced to add our context to the photo. In my head I began to form a story about this young girl disguised as a school girl being some sort of spy who was able to break into a secure building and hack into the system. However, once a caption is applied to the photo is clear to see that the object of the photo is in fact the military unit in the background and the young girl has no part in the story at all. This is a perfect example of Morris's idea and why it is important for us to have captions to our photos so we can determine what is real and what is fake.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/19/17019005-successful-hacker-attack-could-cripple-us-infrastructure-experts-say?lite

Taking an Approach

            The technique of taking an approach covers a wider range of information than that of countering and forwarding. Taking an approach involves using an authors works or style to influence your own. This sounds like a rather simple task, however, it involves much more than simply using another person's style. When taking an approach one must address "an entire style or perspective" of an author as well as their "mode of thinking and writing." Harris breaks this technique down into three sections, acknowledging influences, turning an approach on itself, and reflexivity. In acknowledging influences, a writer may introduce their own writing by first describing the author and work they used to outline their own. In turning an approach, one will address the author and ask the same questions that the author asks about others. Lastly in reflexivity the writer reflects on the choices they made while writing their specific piece. One important matter that Harris highlights in his description of taking an approach is that of changing your thinking. Harris says, "to transform is to reshape, not to replace or rebut. The original does not go away but is remade into something new." In this explanation Harris sums up his point of taking an approach. It is not to argue against an author's work or depict one's own work as better, the goal is to take the original and turn it into something new while still retaining the original work.

            An example of taking an approach can be seen within in many news blogs such as The Huffington Post. When reporting many of the news stories on this page, the Huffington Post relies on larger news websites in order to make sure the news is creditable. Taking an approach is most often seen in the style the news stories are reported. For example while articles on  The New York Times try to remain unbiased, there is a more obvious lean towards a liberal approach in articles in The Huffington Post. This isn't a very strong example of taking an approach, however, news stories are generally reported in the same matter and don't allow for much change to be added to them. In this respect news stories that transfer from website to website generally only change based on the allegiances of the website and not in the information. 

Short Essay

Learning to Livestrong Again

            One would think that someone who has won seven major sports titles would be idolized by many. However, this is not the case for Lance Armstrong. After admitting to the use of performance enhancing drugs his spotlight in the public eye is now tarnished. The New York Times wrote several articles as the story behind Armstrong's doping unraveled. In these articles the writers focus on the negative aspects of Lance's character and they seem to be written as more of an attack. Like most news stories, The New York Times reported the facts and used them to work against Armstrong. In rewriting this story about Armstrong I worked to combine these three news articles into a more opinionated editorial piece. Instead of focusing on all of the negative aspects of Armstrong's doping scandal, I wanted to put a more positive spin on the story. I think that it is important to look at the issue in more than one context, and to bring to light how big of a step this is in Armstrong's life. Although what he did was wrong he is now having to learn hope to cope while dealing with the repercussions. In writing this piece I tried to avoid the typical outline seen in news reports. I didn't use any quotes in the piece, but instead tried to incorporate my own thoughts and research into my writing.

            In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Lance Armstrong, a former Tour de France winner, admitted to the use of performance enhancing drugs. By admitting to the use of these drugs, not only was Armstrong stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, he was also banned from competing in the Olympics and other sporting events. Those who watched the interview felt no sympathy for Armstrong. Instead, many felt that he finally got what he deserved, and a majority felt disappointed that during the interview, never once did Armstrong simply apologize. Although the discussion of Armstrong's crimes is the topic that fills the newspapers there is another side of the story to consider. After years of denying any wrongdoing, Armstrong is finally facing his lies, an act that in itself is very courageous. In the wake of his life being destroyed, Armstrong is learning to live again, and that is something that should hold just as much significance as the scandal.

            Two wrongs don't make a right, and in Armstrong's case, seven wrongs don't make a right either. However, getting it right is not the point. The point is to learn from one’s mistakes, and that is exactly what Armstrong is doing. For years Armstrong was idolized by a wide range of people.  His inspirational story of battling cancer and then going on to win seven Tour de France titles instilled hope and strength within his followers. Watching this one man accomplish such a great feat made people begin to believe not only in their own abilities but also in themselves. With such a large fan base, and using his considerable winnings, Armstrong was able to start the Livestrong Foundation. Soon people across the country were sporting Livestrong yellow wristbands in the fight against cancer, and Armstrong was working to help those who were battling cancer just as he had. Obviously Armstrong wanted to support a cause that was dear to his heart; he simply lost sight of his goal in his aim for fame.

            Admitting to his mistakes has caused Armstrong to reevaluate himself and his intentions. In his interview with Oprah, Armstrong depicts himself as a lifelong bully who was hardened by his fight with cancer. Armstrong also admitted that he was scared of himself and his ability to overlook his doping as cheating. By admitting that he used performing enhancing drugs, Armstrong is now currently in the process of facing himself and coming to terms with his actions and their consequences. The process may be lengthy, but in the end Armstrong may be able to view his situation and his mistakes in a new light. 

            Lance Armstrong has watched his life self destruct since the admittance of his doping. He has been banned from the competitions he loves. He has lost his sponsorships, teammates have turned against him, and he is being sued by multiple companies for more money than his winnings total. Yet, throughout all of this despair, Armstrong is working hard to mend his broken image. The road ahead is going to be rough, and he won't have many supporters, but there is no one better suited than Armstrong for this battle. Realizing his personal flaws is simply the first step for Armstrong on his road to recovery. Once he rights himself, Armstrong will then be able to address the bigger issue at hand, living honestly and mending relationships. The road is a long one, but Lance Armstrong is sure to learn to genuinely, livestrong.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/sports/cycling/lance-armstrong-confesses-to-using-drugs-but-without-details.html?pagewanted=2

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/sports/cycling/those-wronged-by-lance-armstrong-see-little-right-in-interview.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/sports/cycling/amid-tears-lance-armstrong-leaves-unanswered-questions-in-oprah-winfrey-interview.html

           

 Peer Review by Hannah Szabo

1.)    The original story described Oprah’s interview with Lance Armstrong regarding his confession to doping. The audience was mostly the American public but also for people around the globe interested in the truth behind Armstrong’s history. The purpose was to shed light on Armstrong’s past. The new story describes Oprah’s interview with Armstrong regarding his doping but also emphasizing his struggle with cancer. The new audience is for anyone interesting in a different (positive) take on Armstrong’s doping history. The new purpose is to portray Armstrong in a favorable manner and let the public know he deserves respect.

2.)    The change of writing can be seen with the positive reinforcements the author gives to Armstrong rather than tearing his achievements down by focusing on his faults.

3.)    The intro could include a more captivating opening sentence.

4.)    The “new” article targets the new audience with a new purpose very nicely. Personal thoughts and outside research helped the author to rewrite the story successfully take a new and more enlightening approach to the Armstrong interview.

5.)    Some grammatical errors; nice title; definitely a fan of positive-ness J

Reviewer: Jordyn Theisen

1.       What is the original story, audience, and purpose? What is the new audience and/or purpose.

The original story is about Lance Armstrong and his doping and cover-ups. It talks about how he didn’t feel remorse for what he did and in order to get back into races, he would have to reveal who helped him dope, who covered it up, and who knew about it. The audience is educated people who like to read the news (because it’s in the NY Times) and people who are fans of Armstrong or are curious about the controversy. The purpose is to talk about an interview with Armstrong and the latest revelations in the doping story. The new purpose is to write the essay in an editorial format and add more personal opinion rather than just fact. The audience of this would be people who want someone’s view of this topic. It could be put in the editorial section of a newspaper too.

2.       How is the change in audience and/or purpose reflected in the rewriting of the piece?

The change in purpose is reflected in the paper by the personal comments. She adds her opinion on how it’s not just about Armstrong’s crimes, it’s about him facing those crimes, which she sees as courageous. She argues that people shouldn’t be so focused on his wrongdoings; they should focus more on how he’s fixing and making up for what he’s done.

3.       What is the single best thing that could be added to the introduction?

Summing up the three articles used as the original sources would be nice so that the reader can get a sense of where the new article is going and how it has changed without reading all three original articles.

4.       In what other ways might the piece better target its new audience and/or purpose?

Maybe addressing whether or not you think he should apologize would be more opinion you could add, or if you think that his teammates should turn against him in light of the fact that multiple bikers were doping at the same time.

5.       Any additional comments?

I thought you did a good job transitioning to an editorial and opinion and information was incorporated well throughout the article.