Authors Note Portfolio 3...

Blog your author's note for the portfolio. This one will be more detailed because it will cover the connections among your three pieces and the rhetorical choices you made:

Letter to the Editor: In this part of the portfolio I introduce the article where I found/made my argument. Six Flags is a well known theme park that is struggling, just like many businesses, that tried something new to gain profit. I introduce the idea of how serving beer would help their business and how it could be done. I then mention how the TABC has decided to pass the request for permit and conclude with how the decision will affect only those who choose to go. This portion is mostly ethos, that adds how I feel on the subject in my own words/concerns.

Op-Ed: In the Op-Ed I apply the use of pathos and logos. I provide pathos by giving quotes from Six Flags officals as well as Judge Cooper who decided the final outcome of the situation. I feel my Op-Ed is very strong and well written because I give logical reasoning supported by statistics and pathos. I include personal stories to help give the op-ed a little umpf as well. I also feel that my conclusion is short, but to the point of what I had said throughtout the article.

Humorous: For my humorous argument I choose to use the "More XflagsX Beer. More Fun" advertisement I had been talking about. I think it clearly states my point and how I stand on the subject. I provide an obviously changed advertisement that is effective because you notice the words undernearth the X'ed out word flags that are replaced by the word Beer, which is in the same font/format. I like the idea the ad had from the start and think its very effective.

Humorous Author's Note...

I decided to go with the Six Flags advertisement. I changed the words from "More Flags. More Fun." to "More (crossed out with red x Flags) Beer. More Fun." I feel that this argues for the fact that beer being served at the theme park will make it a better time/experience. It is effective because it mirrors the actual six flags advertisement, so you know its a six flags oriented advertisment, but with the play on words its more effective. I might add one or two more things, such as a beer mug over the flags or instead Six $ A'Pop...something of that sort. Please let me know if you have any ideas or concerns about my image. Thanks

Humor Point...

For my humor piece I chose to make an advertisement featuring the creepy old man, Mr. Six, the sort of mascot you have seen on the TV commercials for the Six Flags theme parks. Im somehow going to include the notion of drinking now being available at the theme parks including Mr. Six and a catchy phrase. Another idea I thought about would be editing a small video clip featuring the commercial with the old man dancing and the annoying music playing in the background, a much more effective/noticeable approach because people will recognize the theme park a lot easier. Overall I think extreme exaggeration and puns will play a funny part in my humorous part.

Humor Argument...

Blog about how the sample you found uses humor to address its topic:
The show in general is a play on words almost every show, with guest appearances by famous people here and there. On the South Park episode about fishsticks, they are using a play on words throughout the show. Timmy and Eric create a joke that everyone seems to like, but its so dumb its funny. Sometimes this method works because it catches peoples attention because of the wording, but then they take it to the next level by makin a whole episode about fishsticks. Their method of consistently repeating the word, fishsticks, throughout the episode causes you to remember the subject matter pretty well (which is a good idea if your trying to tell a specific thing to an audience or keep them interested). I also notice this method elsewhere in magazines and commercials, and it seems to work pretty well for visual use as well. The pun/play on words and repeating it causes it to stick in your mind for quite a long time, useful like I said.

Op-Ed Authors Note...

In my Op-Ed I chose to be for the idea of Six Flags obtaining an alcohol permit. Its a great source of profit for the park, and a great time for the attendees. Maybe the park is trying to aim its attraction to older individuals who wish to drink but have never had the place, well now they do. I chose to talk about the spokeswoman of Six Flags and their outlook on the situation. Then I wanted to mention TABC and their standing on the idea. I next include the offical decision by the judge who overlooked the appeals and the case, with some of her quotes as great back up passages. Using some of the things she said in her quotes I analyzed them and added my point of view/argument on them to give back up support. I also chose to mention how the park will have patrons drinking outside then going in, which has been going on for years now, and even threw in my own story about how I used to during high school. Overall, I feel this is a strong piece that gets to the point, adds personal touch, and gives supportive detail.

Op-Ed Prewriting...

Unit Three Op-Ed Prewriting:
Read several op-eds from your chosen venue. What are the general tone and assumed audience in this venue? What is interesting or unique about these pieces?
Mainly parents. They decide if their kids, whom make up most of the attendance at the theme parks, will be allowed to attend. They could be worried that their kids will be able to drink. They could also worry about other drunks messing or teasing their kids, etc. Gang members become an issue at the park, even more so when alcohol is involved. It is interesting because TABC already passed the permit license so Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor will continue to sell beer, but will this affect the parks outcome and attendance?
Decide one specific, identifiable issue or question for your focus. It needs to be related to your overall topic for this unit, but try to target a specific aspect of that topic. Describe your choice of specific topic:
Would I let my kids attend these theme parks without my supervision? No; there are many reasons why not – drunks at park, drunks driving, throwing up, fighting, gang involvement, etc.
Choose a specific course of action or approach to be taken to addressing that issue or question. Don’t just say that a policy or situation is bad. Tell your readers what should be done about it.
Texas alcohol permits are not that hard to obtain. With today’s people, we are constantly changing the way we respond to abstinence and avoidance of alcohol/drugs, yet right here is a perfect example of what we try to avoid. Alcohol at an open theme park like Six Flags will create issues for the park. Gang members will now have a fun hang out to drink at. Drunks will be getting on and off the roller coasters, and I’m sure they will get the spins and end up throwing up. It seems today’s economy has driven our thoughts to change, but in negative ways. Six Flags wants the permit to make money off of by selling the beer, people know this (and that they are overpriced) but they still attend and support by purchasing.
Determine what rhetorical appeals will be most effective for your audience (ethos, pathos, logos, style). Discuss what appeals you will use.
Ethos – I want to mention I am a student, but from my point of view if I had a child this is what I would do…
Pathos – Apply emotional appeal and points of argument/scenarios that could happened at Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor to make parents think logically about the situation
Logos – Apply facts and make claim against the idea of selling alcohol at Six Flags/Hurricane
Style – I want to approach this op-ed with a “parental” point of view. I wish to state firmly what I would do if my child was in a situation like this and how I would act. I also want to include facts to support my argument from a “parents’” point of view.
Write about what will best support your points for the rhetorical situation (facts, hard evidence, personal experience, anecdotes, referring to other authorities, etc.).
Facts – will give the trustworthiness to the op-ed
Hard evidence – relate to stories/facts
Personal Experience – gang stories at Six Flags in Houston; gives pathos here also
Is there any research that you need to do?
I could do some about the selling of alcohol at theme parks to find some logistics. I could also find some stuff about Astro World in Houston…maybe see why it closed/reasons

Letter to the Editor - Vol 1/Vers 1

To Paul Harral:

            The article, “Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor get alcohol permits,” is clearly about the decision to legalize the distribution and consumption of alcohol in the Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor theme parks located in Arlington, TX.

            According to the article Six Flags has decided to obtain an alcohol permit in order to sell only beer. I believe selling only beer will provide a calmer atmosphere than the selling of liquor because it is a known factor that individuals become drunker, faster when they decide to drink liquor. Therefore, Six Flags has jumped that main issue by only serving beer in certain locations throughout the park. In an attempt to take the necessary precautions, both theme parks have posted signs and placed fences in certain “drinking” areas in order to keep those individuals whom are drinking in a designated area. Six Flags also provides different cups in order to tell what is inside the cups they are drinking in order to help their security officers know if they are dealing with an intoxicated individual.

            Most importantly are the beneficial factors it holds for the public and the Six Flags theme park. While some choose not to drink when going out in public with their family because of the environment they are in, Six Flags leaves that option open to the individual now by providing this service. Not all older-peoples enjoy going on crazy rollercoaster rides, so they need their buzz somehow while their kids get to enjoy the theme park.  For Six Flags, this opens a new side of the theme park to making money off alcohol while providing professional serving of the beer. It will allow the theme park to make a good general revenue just based of the serving of alcohol alone, and at $6 a pop for a 16-oz they will be making a good income. It is a known fact that allowing the sales and consumption of alcohol at other theme parks has been known to work and has provided a better general income for the parks.

            The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has denied the request to hold a new public hearing on the concern, therefore it has been stated and clearly, that Six Flags will continue to serve beer to its patrons in an effort to fulfill its guest’s requests. 

I feel that this could be a great thing for the park. It will invite thousands of older participants whom might not normally attend, but now they might have a stronger pull to. Instead of having to drink somewhere else, now they can drink in the actual park. Overall, I feel that this decision will provide a better general income for the park, without hurting the attendees or safety of those around them.

Mason.j.moss@tcu.edu

 

Authors Note: In this letter to the editor (vol 1) I feel that I clearly state the issue at hand in the first sentence. I then try to give the pros surrounding the issue and how the park is dealing with the current status of the park by changing it to make ready for the new permits (posting signs and fences). I try to give as much of the precautions the park has taken into choice in order to provide the feeling of safety at the park, which is the only thing, other individuals who are not drinking should be worried about. Overall I feel I recap well and try to place in the TABC factor to provide the decision regarding the permit.