Post

In class we watched a show that I thought was just supposed to be funny and that wasn't actually trying to prove anything. In the show it was all about making fun of people who were trying to make a point and then making fun of the people that were criticizing them. If this was a more real news shows that stated the point the girl was trying to make and then talk to someone about what was really going on. This show was taking certain things being sad that sounded ridiculous. I do enjoy watching these but I don't think that it is a credibly way to make a decision on a topic

Satire

The video clips that were shown in class brought up some interesting thoughts, with the added commentary from mike. It was interesting to think about satire from a Rhetoric stand point, rather than to merely be entertained, which was something I never did before. The main idea that i took away away from this all was the idea that what John Steward and Steven Colbert say in their showes is to always be taken with a silver spoon. In other words, while they might be hitting on some key components, everything they say does not need to be entierly true - nor are they obligated to tell the entire truth... actually its almost obvious when they are fibbing and when they are not, but yet they use these over exadurations as ways to sell their opinions on to their audience - which just raises more questions, is this morally correct?

Blog Post

In class on Tuesday we watched a clip from the Daily Show and I enjoyed it very much, which doesn't really matter, because that has nothing to do with the assignment.  I think that a flaw in the argument of The Daily show vs. Rush Limbaugh is that the Daily show is a TV show whose main goal is to attract the most possible viewers, and not necessarily to influence its viewers politically.  John Stewart has an entire staff of writers who work around the clock to write the best jokes possible while remaining on the political topic at hand, not to talk about politics in just a funny way. This is why I think that Rush and The Daily show aren't even in the same category.  The Daily show is funny first and informative second, and I think that Rush Limbaugh's show is politically focused with extra entertainingly ridiculous extremes used to sway his viewers in favor of his own views.  Disclaimer: I have never actually heard anything else from Rush Limbaugh, and I do not watch The Daily show regularly enough to even include it on the list of shows that I would say I watch.

Satire in society

Being a pretty non-political person I feel it is false to say that Satire is a poor source of news. Sure it makes fun, and pokes at the truth but after watching an episode of Jon Stewart or Steven Colbert majority of people will have obtained new information they did not know prior. I feel Satire was made for the people who don't want to sit down and have a straight forward open discussion about politics, such as Rush Limbaugh's show. Jon Stewart didn't necessarily choose a side and argue against the other, he sort of played devil's advocate, in a sense, towards both sides and let the audience (us) think for ourselves. Where as Rush clearly has one side and aggressively sticks with it.

Birth Control Pills - Kennedy Tran

After the discussion about whether or not the government should have involvement with insurance companies to pay for birth control pills, I had many different ideas floating in my head. The video that we watched on Jon Stewart was showing the visual about the girl who gets the pill is then only viewed to have sex with every person that they see. And  this actually infuriated me. I've seen it one too many times that people who ask their parents if they can go on birth control say no. They immediately fall to the assumption that their child wants to have sex. that is clearly not the case at all. it could be, but not necessarily. the pill isn't just a method of birth control, it also regulates periods and controls woman who have heavy periods. And for something that I didn't know came from Brianne, a girl in my class. Her story was that she used to to moderate her hormones in her body. That came to a shock to me, but didn't surprise me too much that the pill could do a lot more than what people think it could do.

Something else that I wanted to talk about was what someone in the class talked about. Didn't remember who said it. But I remember they said something along the lines that they didn't care about the pills. It's the girls' responsibility to get it themselves and shouldn't be the responsibility of the insurance company or the government. I feel that assuming she's getting the pill for sex, then that's a two way street. The pill shouldn't be just for the girl. It's for the guy too. I'm not saying the guy should pay for the pill, but the responsibility of making the choice to use the pill isn't just the girls' choice. The guy is having sex, too...

It's all about the spin

The media coverage of events from killings in the Middle East to the importance of birth control has one thing in mind. How can I create a gripping story that will capture the attention of the masses? Fox news to Rush's radio network are capturing the attention of the public with this issue of should employers cover birth control? But so is the Daily Show, and all the media stations from Fox to Comedy Central are using the entertainment of the issue to capitalize and increase the audience numbers. What better way to get attention then to get society mad and make them pay attention to the issue.

While the audience is ready to listen another issue has been created, and the issue is what the stations are covering. Taking the the testimony of a single woman and spinning it into a workable story. Instead of presenting all the facts and both sides the networks are driving to increase viewership and listeners. They want you to listen, they want you to focus on what they're telling you, but they don't want you to see the other side. They want you to focus on the story they have spun and keep you trapped in that web.

There are bigger issue that need to be focused on with this issue of birth control, but the networks have already spun their stories. Capturing the audience while leaving them in the dark.

It all about how they spin it.

Birth Control and Politics

Many strong points were said in class about the relationship between birth control and politics. Most people agreed that birth control and politics should not go hand in hand. People like Rush Limbaugh bring down the word of birth control and try to spoil it for everyone. Good amounts of people that are on birth control are not having sex they are doing it for medical reasons. Contraceptives should be covered by medical insurance for all women because if that isn’t covered than why is Viagra. If Rush’s opinion is so strong about not paying for birth control out of his pocket (which wouldn’t even be happening) then we should make him pay for his Viagra out of his pocket. The way the system is set up is not fair and should be equal for all.

Sick and Satired

More than anything else, I'd reckon satire to be a function of derisive humor, usually ID'd in the States as reductive and blending like mirthful lamentations about human folly with wit and 'edginess". Satire is also a great place to look for the pulse of a Nation, just ask John Stewart or Voltaire. If your barroom bitching sessions were burnished and broadcasted nationwide, presto: modern satire. It isn't much of a coincidence then that Stephen Colbert hails us as "Nation" during his broadcast. 

Maybe as a symptom of the expressive freedom Americans have enjoyed for goin' on 3 centuries, satire in journalism is razor sharp and really efficient at very free, human stuff. It gets people talking, laughing and thinking. How's that for proving enlightenment ideals correctamundo, the freer the better. 

Take Candide, for instance. Senseless bloodshed and dalliances with saucy Parisian minxes all hit poor old Candide by virtue of "everything is best in this best of all possible worlds." Voltaire takes a criminally distilled philosophy and condenses it even more, which is when it becomes funny. Satirical.

The pithy jabs of satire suggest that the satirists firm and comprehensive grasp of the topic, such that digressions into jest are almost a reprieve from edification. Reverence and revelry don't really jive. Neither do complexity and condescension. Satire says This is so base and halfbaked, we can freely select elements of the topic and brandish them inward, against the theme. 

w/r/t the birth control thing, I don't give a soaring toss. I will happily subsidize your rogering. May the jolliest of jolly rogers it forever be. 

Satire and the issues

Using satire to get a point across isn't the worst thing. We watched John Stewart do it in a nine minute clip that was much more effective than a nine minute clip of cspan. With that satire in the media comes the necessity to not go overboard. Everyone needs to remember that people have the right to their opinions. Whether it be John Stewart and his somewhat moderate views, or Rush with his extremist conservative views. Unfortunately, I have to say that both men in this case were able to get their opinion heard by disrespecting the other side of the issue.
As far as the issue on birth control, I don't see how Rush can attempt to keep a fan base when he calls out 50percent of the America people for using a contraceptive. That 50 percent, women, I would assume don't appreciate him calling a a young girl advocating for herself and her friends a "slut" without ever having met her. If I was him, I would stop being concerned about this issue as much, and be a little more concerned about how he is going to stay on the air after alienating himself from such a large portion of the country.

It's Not All About Sex

Here's the thing that bothered me about everything that was said about the supposed issue of birth control: it doesn't exist just so women can have sex and not get pregnant. There are actual medical reasons that some woman take it. In fact, some woman wouldn't be able to function if they weren't on the pill. The pill also helps regulate cysts, so that they don't cause further harm to the woman whose body they are in. It's stupid of everyone weighing in on the argument to neglect this fact. While Stewart may have had some clips of people mentioning the other uses for birth control, it was basically glossed over. And clearly, Limbaugh has no idea what he's talking about, if he thought it was appropriate to call the Georgetown law student a "slut" for stating her two cents on the matter. Frankly, her opinion should be weighed more heavily in the argument than his. She's the one who may need the medication. She has friends who need the medication. Rush Limbaugh is never going to have to go on the pill, for any reason. However, as Stewart mentioned, he may use Viagra, which is covered by healthcare. This turns Limbaugh's logic around, because Viagra is only used so that men can have sex. That's the only benefit to the medication. And the cost is covered. So if everyone is so against women being able to have free birth control, why aren't they more enraged that Viagra is free of cost to men who are having trouble having sex? It's not exactly a necessity in life.

Personally, I think that at least some of the cost of birth control should be covered, for health reasons. Yes, birth control is also a contraceptive, but that's not the only use for it. From my experience, most people my age who have been on the pill have been on it for health reasons. Most of them aren't even having sex. Because birth control is a medical treatment in some cases, the cost should be at least partly covered. But more than that, people need to stop being so ignorant on the matter. I don't understand why everyone is up in arms against it in the first place. It's not everyone's business.

Birth Control in Politics

I am actually very surprised that the issue of contraceptives has been so prominently debated in politics recently. Especially, because the main reason most woman go on birth control is due to health related issues, not because of sex. I really liked Jon Stewart 's video because he gave the facts but also allowed the audience to make their own opinions about what should be the solution. The video was also comedic which made it entertaining to watch and kept the audience engaged. As for Rush Limbaugh, he should not have much say since the topic does not have anything to do with him. Birch Control should be covered by insurance companies, or at least most insurance companies. For many woman it is a health risk not to be on contraceptives, and having it covered by insurance, saves money by preventing issues that could occur later. All in all, I think that birch control should be covered by insurance because I believe that in the long run it will do more good than harm.

Birth Control Becoming Political

The question being debated is whether or not birth control should be covered under insurance. My instant response to this debate is that it should not be a political argument.  If men could get pregnant, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. One main reason people are against this is because they do not want their government money/ tax money spent on women’s birth control. "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart talks about the controversy regarding contraceptives.  Jon Stewart featured a story about a women doctor who is fighting to have insurance cover the cost of birth control. Using Rush Limbaugh to example his argument against insurance covering birth control. This satire is effective because it informs the viewer of the issue while allowing them to make their own opinions. I think congresses needs to realize the benefits that this could have, It could help prevent future abortions. Overall I think birth control should be covered under insurance especially for people who can't afford it. 

Birth Control and Satire

I believe that Satire is probably the best way to convince a large audience that an idea is absurd. Jon Stewart's video was a perfect example of it.  Rush Limbaugh statements were truly absurd, and I don’t even think it would take Jon Stewart for the average person to realize it.

Rush Limbaugh attempted to use comedy to convince his audience too, but the way he used it was so grotesque that it was offensive.  Satire can also be considered offensive when taken the wrong way, but the problem with Limbaugh’s statements about the speaker being a slut is that he didn’t mean for his statements to be understood in any other way.

Personally, I think it would make sense to offer birth control through health insurance because it would result in increased health for women who suffer from menstrual problems, and it would also help to decrease the cost the government has to pay in the long run.  Without the birth control pill being covered, there would be more babies born, and if the baby is born because the mom couldn’t afford a birth control pill, then statistically the likelihood that the baby will be on welfare is very high.   I really liked how Stewart managed to have a professional opinion in the talk even though his entire show is for comedic value, but it really helped to prove a political point. 

It really sickens me that the republican presidential candidates only had an issue with the wording, and not with the logic.  Stewart pointed out this fact and I think that’s the point that will stick with me during election season this fall.

The "Issue" Of Birth Control

Honestly, I don't even think this should have been a topic for debate. Contraceptives exist. They have for many years and they will for many more years, regardless of how much or how little sex anyone is having. I don't believe anyone should be labeled a slut for using contraceptives or expecting contraceptives to be covered under health insurance.
Firstly, we as the people of America do not pay a dime in tax dollars to the private insurance companies that cover and provide contraceptives to the girls that need it. So everyone needs to hush up about them apples because there are plenty of other, more pressing issues we could attack if we want to talk about taxing.
Secondly, contraceptives are used for much more than just sexual purposes, as we established in class. And I believe it's every girls right to have the option of birth control offered to them whether it's to control birth or not.
Thirdly, I agree with Joe and others that have mentioned the longterm prevention that contraceptives provide. Obviously the government would rather pay (if necessary) to provide women with birth control than have them off making babies left and right that they can't provide for. Which ultimately falls back on the government through welfare, food stamps, education, housing and other basic needs. It seems more logical to provide a few years of contraceptives than eighteen years of benefits to entire families in need that may have been prevented if the correct precautions were provided in the first place.

It is sad that these are the things that I have to worry about in my future as a woman in this country. I have to worry about whether or not I have the freedom to do what I want with my own body, or whether I will be able to stay healthy without having to pay thousands of dollars because I don't have the same benefits as everyone else. And what about our generations daughters? What will be next? I thought this was a country based upon freedoms and natural rights? So then why do I not have the right be a strong, independent woman of society without being ostracized and spat on?

Reforming Birth Control

The only reason I knew about this health care reform in the first place is because I am a social work major and we try to keep updated on major events. After our last Rhetoric class I felt like this topic got as heated as an abortion debate. I understand the complication to this debate, and there will be no easy solution or two black and white sides.

I think that our class was pretty together on the fact that we didn't approve of all the negative media attention and accusations for the bill. Even though I am someone who definitely encourage women's rights, and that ultimately the matter of birth control should be left up to them. Although I would be more agreeable to listen to the opposing debate if they had sufficient doctor and other medical professionals giving sufficient advice towards the subject or birth control. I also had a bit of an issue with the fact all the main contributors to the debate seem to be male, and not that I don't have anything against male contribution to the debate, it's just that I'm not okay with some guy trying to say that menstruation control isn't that big a deal or not something to be looked at. When a guy experiences the crap that a monthly gift brings, then ya go right ahead and say whatever you want, until then they should probably close their mouths.

The best suggestion I heard all class is that maybe changing the name from birth control, to something with a more neutral heading.

I don't think that this debate is going to end well, and I just hope that whatever happens I won't have to suffer through someone else's stupidity.

Discussion on Health Care Reform

So after our discussion in class to read up about Obama health care reform about including contraceptive for woman in their health care plans. Obama in February helped make his new health care reforms an issue for women by announcing that church-affiliated organizations, including hospitals, schools and charities, would have to pay for birth control under employee health plans even if the use of contraceptives violates their religious beliefs. Republicans denounced the order as a violation of religious liberty and Obama softened the requirement, but his campaign shot back that Republicans had declared a "war on women." The republican party has been outraged by Obama stand whit planned parenthood, supporting these new additions to our current health care plan. After seeing the news coverage of this event along with Rush Limbaugh it seems that Republican supporters along with Representatives in congress want nothing to do with Sandra Fluke or her new health care reforms. I feel Rush Limbaugh comments were extremely derogatory and I feel that if the reforms save money for taxpayers then I'm all for it. 

Argument of the Contraceptive

For me I had no idea of this issue with birth control existed out in politics. The daily show was actually informative to me in the fact that I had no idea about this issue and he explained it in a way that the modern person can understand clearly and he also places in little comedic jokes that make it more entertaining to learn about the news. With his use of satire I was still able to make my own decision on whether or not birth control should made available to people with healthcare with no cost. With all of the satire that is included within the daily show you can still make out what the truth is on the different topic. I was able to establish that there was a debate out there on whether or not birth control should be available to women for free cost. I chose the side of John Stewart on this one and say that birth control should be made available free especially for teens. Birth control should be free, not because people want to go around having sex all the time like Rush Limbaugh had stated. It should be free not only because it helps protect teens from unwanted pregnancies but it also helps regulate the female hormonal cycle. So I think that this little contraceptive should be free. What others might say if they make birth control free would be that we should make condoms free also. But I don’t believe that we should do that because the only thing that a condom is good for is to be used as a contraceptive, there are no medical purposes that you could use it for.

The Birth Control Issue

See, as a man, it's hard to imagine just what birth control means to women. It's hard to understand just how useful it is, and as a result, men shouldn't really be the ones to make the choice of whether or not birth control should be part of a woman's insurance or not. Personally, I do think it's a good idea, because since birth control is useful in preventing unwanted pregnancies, and since it can be expensive, women should have better access to it than they do now. What better way to give them access then to make it part of insurance, making it easier and more affordable to get.

Of course, as with every issue, there are those who disagree, and they blow the issue out of proportions. Rush Limbaugh did this, and went too far, saying that we would be paying for these women to have sex, and he called the Georgetown woman a "slut." #1: that's way out of line. #2: Rush doesn't seem to understand that this has nothing to do with how much sex a women has. All this does is prevent pregnancy, nothing else. Yet, Rush's lack of information makes it look like he has no clue what he's talking about. On the other side, maybe he understands, but is trying to change the situation and make it look like something it's not.

This, of course, is perfect fuel for Jon Stewart, a man who specializes in ripping apart "news" such as this through satirical remarks. Now, I found the segment we watched funny and informational, but that's probably because I've watched his program before and knew what to expect, and I knew a little bit about the issue already. To someone learning of this for the first time, or a first time viewer, the satire might become lost in the amount of "facts" and information Stewart presents as he tries to bash Limbaugh. That's the thing with satire: the topic must be understood for the humor to really hit it's mark in the viewer. I found it funny; others might not have.

In any case, this isn't an issue that men can argue over and try to solve. Rush, and maybe even Stewart, should stay out of this topic and let women decide what they want to do about their issue and bodies.

PAY ME TO HAVE SEX. OR ELSE.

The Daily Show of Jon Stewart is always entertaining to watch. Along with being highly amusing, the show was interesting because of Stewart’s usage of satire.  Although satire is the base of Stewart’s show I felt enveloped in the issue he brought to the floor (table? Lol) I wasn’t aware of the contraceptive case and, with no knowledge of this law student’s case, I was easily convinced by Stewart. But even without watching Stewart’s show I believed birth control should be either affordable or all-in-all free (provided with women's healthcare). In addition, the fact that Stewart had evidence using a woman doctor who understands the issue more than himself, makes his argument strong. He is able to attract people without assuming anything, unlike Limbaugh who said (something on the lines of),“Why would I pay for her to have SEX?!”, and even though Stewart picked certain clips to show to support his argument while making the opposing side look bad (which arguments are suppose to do that, with evidence) he still was able to stay factual and not manipulate the issue; Stewart simply made fun of Limbaugh who was. The satire was able to work because it made the viewer have a basic awareness of the issue. And if they wanted to know more? They could do their own research! I think it’s funny that (mostly) men were (are) talking about this issue and birth control is meant for females. Men do not have firsthand experience to understand the value of birth control.  We can’t stop anyone from having unsafe sex and females from having cramps, hard flow, and inconsistent periods, but we can do whatever is humanly possible to prevent pregnancy (especially for young teens who can’t afford to raise a child) and to give woman whatever provisions they need (birth control) to stay healthy (because most of us can't afford it).

The Issue of Free Birth Control

One of the worst parts of Rush Limbaugh’s argument—and there were many—was the implied irony of it. Say birth control had no medical value to a girl and was strictly used for the prevention of pregnancy. One could infer the following from Limbaugh’s comments: he’d rather not offer females free access to birth control through insurance and instead would be willing to pay for the children of the girls that did end up getting pregnant, because without access to birth control that is what will happen.

John Stewart’s portrayal of the matter was humorous, and I think the satire worked so long as the viewer had a basic awareness of the issue. However, just like the panel in Washington a few weeks ago concerning this very subject, it was majorly men discussing an issue that pertains to women, and since men do not take birth control, it seemed nonsensical to me. How can a group of men stand up and claim to understand the value of birth control to a woman? No matter how much research has been done, it is biologically impossible to understand, just as it would be for a female to understand the value of Viagra to a male. Society has put such a taboo on the word because of its connotations: if someone is taking birth control, that must mean he or she is having sex regularly. That’s where the issue becomes confusing to me—if more and more young girls are having sex, there should be no question in doing all that is possible to prevent pregnancy, especially since they will continue to have sex with or without protection.

I think the idea of free birth control is a pretty revolutionary concept, if only because of what it could prevent. But I don’t think it will last long—public outrage is pretty intense, and the election year works in favor of the Limbaughs and Catholic Churches out there that are appalled at the very idea. Perhaps if there were more people out there like the female physician featured for less than thirty seconds in Stewart’s show, people would be more educated about the issue, and there would be far less disdain for what Obama is trying to do.

Birth Control

Personally, I do think that birth control should be free to all women, especially teenage girls. The issue of teen pregnancy is way too prevalent in our society today. As Colleen mentioned, there are even shows about teen mothers. I think the show is attempting to raise awareness on the matter and illustrate what it would be like if you were to have a child at sixteen. However, I don't know anybody that sees Teen Mom as being an educational program. It's entertainment, and to be honest I think the show glorifies being pregnant as a teenager in a way, cause hey if you get pregnant you may have the chance to be on television. But the thing is, many of these girls get pregnant because they don't have the money to pay for monthly birth control, so they rely on either condoms alone or just trusting the guy they are with to pull out in time. None of these options are a 100% guarantee that you wont get pregnant, however birth control is way more reliable choice. And someone mentioned that if birth control was free for girls than they would like condoms to be free for guys, but it is all working towards the same cause. I mean yes some condom brands may cost up to $25 if they are high quality, but birth control can cost up to $50. And the difference is that a condoms only purpose is to be used during sex, however birth control, as the doctor in the video pointed out, is used for a number of other medical reasons. So I agree with the fact that birth control should be free to all women, because I think that it would be very helpful within our society.

file://localhost/Users/maggieharris/Desktop/rhetoric%20meme.webarchive

Birth Control

It's safe to say that birth control is great thing to have for a number of reasons. Teen moms is a problem going on in our world today. There are current shows being aired showing this issue. Schools are trying to prevent this by talking more about sex and even giving condoms out. The goal being to teach safe sex. If birth control was free, I think it would prevent many teenagers from becoming mothers. As the doctor said in the Daily Show, birth control can benefit a women's health multiple ways. A female who takes birth control is not a slut, but a smart women. In life we have to pay for many things we don't want to. It's life. Birth control being free can benefit not only females, but their families as well.

birth control

I thought it was a strong point when Mike said that if birth control wasn't called birth control it wouldn't be such an issue. Yes, it does work as a contraceptive, but it can also help alleviate certain medical issues. Viagra is a great example of just how powerful a name is. Viagra has one use and it's to get men erect, there is no actual medical significance to this; yet health care covers this. Birth control not only keeps a girl from getting pregnant, but can also make sure that girls are on a regular cycle, don't experience heavy bleeding and other symptoms. I stand by my opinion that this would be fought completely differently if the people fighting over this issue (male government officials) actually had to take birth control. These people are supposed to be fighting for equality for everyone, but that's definitely not the case. They are never going to have to take birth control. They aren't the ones that need to tell their parents that they want to go on birth control for whatever reason they need/want to go on it for. I have friends who take it because they sex and don't want to get pregnant. I have friends who take it for medical reason. The reason for why they take it shouldn't matter. Healthcare is a private operation. The government won't even have to pay for it. The government might have to pay if someone gets pregnant though. To say the government will pay is being completely ignorant to the fact that there are plenty of people who don't get government aid even if they qualify. Our class doesn't know all the facts. We know as much as we've read or heard. While that's a start it won't really make a difference unless the government decides it's something worth fighting for. Honestly, I think the government enjoys this battle too much to actually ever solve it. Like I mentioned in class, this has been going on for years. I don't see an end coming anytime soon and that's really sad. For as much as we've gone forward as a country there are still taboo topics and birth control, whether we want to admit it or not, is one of them.

Birth Control

     To be honest, the whole video didn't grab my attention.  I didn't find it too funny.  Yea there were a couple humorous parts here and there but nothing that cracked me up.  I think that maybe because the topic was of birth control that made it even less funny to me because I take this topic seriously.

     I have strong feelings about birth control.  I think every girl should be able to have free access to birth control.  The last thing I need (no offense) when I get ready to move on in life and I have to pay taxes, is to pay for 18 years of someone's stupid mistake at not using birth control.  There are too many unfit mothers and fathers in this world.  Why is it so hard to put a damn condom on or go to Planned Parenthood and get birth control.  I know a lot of people who get it for free.  I also know that there are people who have to pay for birth control.  Therefore,  I think it would save a lot of people a lot of money and time if birth control was free.

     Another thing about this video is that the only thing that really grabbed my attention was the woman doctor.  I think partially it is because she was mature and serious about the situation and because well, she was a woman talking about female contraception.  The satire did not fit the topic.  "Oh HAHA you're 15 and pregnant because you didn't learn how to close your legs" doesn't strike me as funny, it makes me think "oh hey karma, you do work."  

     I apologize if someone finds offense to this but birth control isn't funny, it doesn't deserve satirical videos dedicated to it.  It deserves some serious listening and maybe if more people took birth control seriously and birth control was free, then there wouldn't be so many people getting pregnant and there'd be less 16 year olds taking Facebook profile pictures of a 2 year old on their hip and having the tax payers pay for their shitty decision to be irresponsible. Now tell me, is that funny? 

satire birth control by Bethune

After today's class discussion I was told to blog about my thoughts on our whole topic as a whole. One of the points that really stuck out to me was Joe's point near the end of class and how much the government has to pay for some families children when they can not afford B.C. Also I feel that you can't force people to take them either and some people will not take it even if handed to them on a silver platter. It does cause a point though even if they save just a hundred kids from being born that's money the state gains like Joe said for the next 18 years. So I feel that it may be a good thing for them to give it with insurance because it can help them maybe gain more money not the first few years its out but more to come. It also does help balance hormones and periods difficulty people have with it. So it can also help people feel better because it isn't always used for as the guy on the news said for sex. So my final opinion is that I feel like it could be in the best opinion, but I also don't know everything because I will never ever have to take birth control or know how any of that feels.

Thank Goodness for the Woman Doctor

Stewart’s show definitely made an impression on me, considering I wasn’t aware of the Georgetown law student asking for contraceptives to be paid for or that Limbaugh’s poor choice in words. Without previous knowledge on the situation, I felt that I was easily more persuaded towards Stewart’s point of view, but at the same time, I think with previous knowledge anyways, I would’ve had the same opinion.

Although the argument is clearly one sided, only revealing certain cut outs from the opposing side in order to make them look bad and ignorant, I have to say that contraceptives should be paid for under health care. Like any medical treatment, it has its purposes and benefits that should be given to those who need it. The most informative part of Stewart’s piece wasn’t Stewart at all, but the woman doctor at the end. She listed valid arguments, was trusted due to her status as a doctor, and was calm, collected, and serious about her subject. I listened to her more than Stewart.

I also believe this woman’s argument was more convincing since the argument is about women having their contraceptives paid for and she was a woman doctor. Stewart and Limbaugh on the other hand have less of an impact on me. Stewart, for example, was funny, but I can barely recall most of his words. Limbaugh, I can remember his, but I was quickly turned away from his opinion due to his extreme choice in words. As for the doctor, she was calm and collected, explaining the situation very well for anyone to understand. I could relate to her and understand her points, especially as a female myself. If I had only seen her segment and nothing else, I would be all for the government paying for contraceptives, just because I trust her opinion more than anyone else presented on the show.

While Stewart’s humor was enjoyable, I felt that his performance wasn’t the reason I gained an opinion on this matter at all. Looking back on the clip now, I realize that nothing of what he said has stuck with me. Satire can be effective, but I also believe that it can be overused. In Stewart’s case, I recall him putting on a hazmat helmet, but I don’t recall his point afterwards, except that Limbaugh said some pretty strong words. Here is where satire can be considered ineffective, because if someone’s humor is all that can be remembered and yet the point is lost, than the audience will have difficulty determining an opinion. Stewart lucked out with the woman doctor’s interview, because she had the most reasonable and mature answer to the subject, and as the viewer, I was instantly sold on her words.

Satire and Birth Control Discussion

So in class on Tuesday we had what turned into a heated discussion about the issue that has come up in the news lately about insurance companies and birth control. The debate is whether or not birth control should be covered under peoples insurance. Some of the issues had to do with religious reasons, where companies/ CEO's of companies giving people insurance are against the use of birth control due to their religion. Another, main issue is that essentially people, no i'm sorry, women, are using government money so they can have sex. We were informed on this issue through the comedic, satirical news show "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart. On his show he showed plenty of clips showing how news shows and radio personalities, namely Rush Limbaugh, bashed this one woman doctor who went in front of congress to fight for the right to have insurance cover the cost of birth control. What I got from it all is something we briefly went over in class, is that all these Conservative, older generation people were concerned about were the sex aspect of the issue. That people were saving money for themselves and just having tons of sex. Limbaugh even had the audacity to call the doctor a slut/ prostitute. Honestly that was just completely uncalled for. And no one even cared to mentioned the benefits that come from women taking birth control, such as helping regulate menstruation cycles, ovarian cancer, acne and many other hormonal problems. Thankfully our class had enough to know those other benefits. Granted I am one on the side of using birth control strictly for preventing pregnancy, but another point we brought up in class was the contrast to insurance paying for what around 30 to 60 dollars of birth control per month (give or take), or paying to help a child to be born and live for 18 years or more. So seriously, I think it's clear what side of this debate I'm on. As for the satirical way it was presented to me, sure it was an entertaining way to find out this news, and sure I might be more likely to watch this type of news. However, whether it was presented to me this way or not I would still have the same feelings and comments I do about it as I do now.

Birth Control

I think birth control is great for many different reasons.  If I was a girl I would probably use it to prevent pregnancy as well as all the other pros of being on birth control.  I do not agree with the Georgetown student where she says that girls should be handed birth control for free.  Tax dollars would have to be spent for this to work and that is unfair to citizens who do not agree with birth control.  And if birth control was free then me being a guy would like for condoms to be free.  Those things are expensive and it would be nice not having to buy them.  When it comes to Limbaugh's statement of calling the student a slut that is just completely out of line.  His goal is to raise awareness on the situation and he got his point across but did it in a very offensive way.  As for the Daily Show I really enjoyed the way that Jon Stewart went about the controversy.  I am not at all up to date on the political world but those nine minutes of satire gave me a good enough background of what is going on to make my own opinions on the topic.  It was very entertaining and I personally think the Daily Show is a great way to stay up to date on the political world in a fun media of comedy central.  

Birth control

so honestly I'm not gonna lie but i use birth control for sex. I don't use pills but i have a different B.C(birth control) and my insurance covers it fully. I use to use it only for acne but that's not my case anymore.I agree with Cole Birth control is great for preventing pregnancies. Also there are many other cases that may not be just for sex. If you research it you will come up with a lot of reasons why people use it and not regarding it to sex. I feel just because you use ti doesn't make you a slut i mean if you just want birth control to just get around and be with multiple people than i can see where the name comes along but most people need it for obvious reasons and just because people have sex doesn't mean there a slut. It depends on there own actions. I agree with Joe when he talked in class about the government. Think about it honestly why would the government want to support all these kids till they are 18. no offense but id rather pay for birth control then having to spend 18 years on making sure the kid is provided with there needs. The radio dude calling the other females names was/is very immature and totally incorrect because there are other reasons to be on birth control as i state above i just feel if you don't know 100% about Birth control they should stay out of it and have researchers investigate so they can see where they are wrong in this situation..

birth control

birth control is great for preventing pregnancies, controlling women's' menstrual cycles, apparently controlling acne, and i'm sure many other things.  condoms, jumbo tampons, and creams/medications recommended by doctors work great as well.  none of these things are provided by the government.  i don't need birth control, but if i did, i'd be happy to get it for free.  and as far as the radio reporter...he's a tool.  calling the other lady names was immature and incorrect because there are other reasons to be on birth control.

Late to the Meme Party

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ohzqo/

The daily experience of students at Champlain. Everyone can relate and understand.

Just recommend that you try to avoid doing so everyday.

Naruto Meme - Kennedy Tran

No one will understand this unless they watch or read Naruto. Throughout the story arc, there is this beast monster who is a demon fox with nine tails. He terrorizes, attacks, and kills people he sees. Naruto's father saves the village by sacrificing himself. The demon's soul is placed into his son's body, Naruto. The nine-tails makes reappearances randomly through the arc. The reason why in the end? Because no one ever asked him for his proper name; Kurama.

MEME LINK

Erin Laffin-Meme

http://qkme.me/3ohw6v
meme

Parsons Meme

One of the very first rules of creating a meme, is that you can't call it a meme.  Once that happens it can no longer become a meme.  This "meme" is meant to illustrate the fact that a real meme can't exist in this assignment since it can't be called a meme at creation.

Your Welcome Internet.

Meme

http://qkme.me/3ohmge  thought about it because i recently needed glasses and I have fought my whole life not to get them and a bunch of people back home are the same way.

 

The Most Uncreative Meme in the World

http://qkme.me/3ohkxt

haha meme fail

mine isn't really a sarcastic remark to society or anything fancy. 

just a little inside joke.

but who knows, maybe someone else can relate to me!

Ben Blask Meme

It wouldn't let me post the picture, so here is the link:  http://qkme.me/3ohk2c

Memememememe

Anxiety Cat

One Does Not Simply

Dat Meme

Self explanatory!!! :D

Wonka Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oh7s8/

Meme

So here is my own Meme..
Basically i used a picture and put in my own caption..

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ogubv/

Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ofv8w/

my meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ofepy/

My Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ofcoo/

My meme

http://qkme.me/3of9cj

Easy Homework Meme

Thought this was appropriate. Its my play off of the popular "Most Interesting Man in the World" meme's that are circulating the web. So it goes along with pop culture and this specific assignment. Not to mention our discussion on how easy it is to make a meme and that so many people make them and most aren't very funny. I thought mine was clever, but don't most people? So no hatin'! haha.

Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3of7mr/

Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oevvi/

Meme

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oeroc/

MEME

Bro Teacher Mike #3

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oen0a/

VT and Hockey Memes

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oemdt/

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oemel/

Bro Teacher Mike #2

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oe9kv/

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oe9k7/

by Amanda Schroth

Bro Teacher Mike.

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oe6s9/

Enjoy.

That is all.