One of My Favorite Arguments

David Platt: SBC Pastors Conference 2009 from Todd Thomas on Vimeo.

Please use your blog to post links to rhetorical arguments which express a point of view you find effective. So, here is an example of a sermon I listened to recently that had a tremendous impact upon me emotionally, intellectually and psychologically, which I guess is an academic way of saying it fed my soul.

An Even Better Visual Argument

Right after I finished getting my blog set up and my example of a visual argument up, I received an e-mail from a good friend with an even better example to show you:

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Too bad they do not have a gadget so I can load it live. What do you think? Is a point of view being expressed?

How To Find A Good Visual Argument

Some of you are techie wizards -- that's how I became one -- former students taught me a few tricks. (And I look forward to learning some more from this year's class.)

So techie trick #1 -- if you want to find a good image on the Internet, type a description of what you are looking for in your favorite search engine. I use both Google and Bing (Microsoft's new search engine- it's pretty cool). I found my visual argument by searching on "editorial cartoons."

Once your search results are returned, click on "images" from the options at the top of the screen. This will return only pictures. Once you find a picture you like, you can save it to your desktop following these steps: (< = select, going forward)

1. < show full size image

2. right click on image with your mouse

3. < Save Picture As...

4. In the dialogue box that pops up, first decide where you want to save this image. I save to My Pictures, but I also created unique folders in My Pictures. For example, I have an "AP Language" folder under "My Pictures."

5. After you know where you are going to stick this image, rename it so you can find it later. My visual argument is saved thus: My Pictures < APLang < Visual Argument_Google.

Assignment No 1

After reading Chapter 1 of EAA ( Everything's An Argument), I asked you to post an image that makes an argument and presents a point of view. Above is my example.

Then I ask you to post why you agree/disagree with the point of view expressed. I agree with this cartoon's point. While a lot of trend watchers and prognosticators are consumed with Microsoft's bid to buy Yahoo! the real big fish in the pond is Google. Their business model ( make a lot of cool apps free, and generate income through ad sales instead) is quickly capturing more and more of the online marketplace. I read an interesting article last month in Wired magazine -- it predicts the big war is between Google and Facebook. You can read it here.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-07/ff_facebookwall

Welcome

Here is where I will post my reflections on this course as well as examples for you of assignments. However, I'm really interested in your self-expression, so you can't really go wrong if your posts reflect your growth as a writer and thinker-- or show me that you have been reading the text and assignments.