My Favorite Local Spaces...

There are only a few local space that I would call my favorite. 

My first would be the Fort Worth Zoo. This is a great place to enjoy a beautiful day while looking at exotic animals. With so much to do at the zoo I don't know how you could become bord. There are so many activities that one can participate in, even if it seems childish because you are still learning. I'm even an actual Fort Worth Zoo Crew Member (I have a year round membership). 

Another place would be Sushi Q. Almost twice or three times a week a large group of my friends and myself join for happy hour specials. This place is always crowded with people for happy hour, which is after 8pm, that sometimes its difficult to find seating. I know the people who work there on a first name basis so they tend to offer great service (sometimes discounts) to my friends and I.

The Modern Museum of art is also another place I consider myself a member. From time to time when interesting exhibits come through I try and attend. Art is an interesting way to connect with people while letting your mind be free.  

Second Blog...Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

It has ethos...in a sense that it connects with the readers, allowing them to question themselves with the title "Welcome to the Open" across a double-page ad that has a H3T Hummer full of bikes and equipment on top. It also features a mountain biker in the lower portion of the right page (maybe a sense of who they are directing the advertisement to). The left page also has a caption about "outdoor adventures", etc. telling about the cool things you can do with this truck and the price. I would say ethos is the strongest of the three rhetorical appeals in this advertisement because it allows the reader to connect the most again with the rhetorical statement, "Welcome to the Open." I believe this is the main appeal of this advertisement because it is so plainly put out there on the ad, stretching those words in big, white, bold letters across the double-page advertisement.

It has pathos...in the way that the ad makes us feel. It provides an "adventurous" feeling that could allow you to roam the Earth in this vehicle. You could also argue parts of the ethos here as well, such as the questioning of one’s self about the title.

And it has logos...in the advertisements paragraph. Here it states facts such as the "engineering benchmarks like front and rear locking differentials" that will help in your aid to travel the Earth. The paragraph also says that this is the "most versatile HUMMER ever," again providing a corporation's "fact" allowing the reader to believe in these remarks, but could need some careful testing.

Chapter 1

In chapter 1 it basically stated that everything we do or see is an argument in some way or another. Although the arguments can be very difficult to understand, there are guidelines to helping the reader or subject understand the argument that is being shown. Pathos are the emotional appeals or appeals to the heart. In other words, pathos are the "feelings" of the argument and how they make you feel. Ethos are the ethical appeals or appeals based on the writer's authority and credibility. This means that the publisher of the argument has a connection with his audience that highlights the values that they share. While logos are logical appeals or appeals to reason. Meaning the "facts", or logical reasoning within the argument of what it is trying to do or say. These three parts "argue" for an argument in the way that they should be deciphered or learned.

Arguments of definition are in fact the biggest argument of controversy. They hold the highest amount of importance because it questions life and our nature. We question life and death, two of the most controversial subjects of all the time during an argument of definition. Although mostly everything can be an argument, some facts are not...such as choosing breakfast, ect.

First Post: Entry About Myself...

My name is Mason Moss, currently I am a sophomore here at TCU majoring in International Communications (emphasis in global Ad/Pr) with a minor in Spanish. I am a native Texan from Houston, TX and have lived there most of my life.

I chose to take this class for my sophomore intermediate English course to fill my requirement, but also because of the teacher. I had her as a freshmen for my other composition class and I felt her style of teaching helped me learn a lot about my writing techniques. Therefore, I plan on learning more with her style of teaching and help.

Typically, I write e-mails, texts, and occasionally Facebook. If I had a choice, I would type everything I can because it not only looks more professional, but it also saves time. I feel that these types of writing don't really do much in helping my "writing skills", but writing papers is the only way to allow your writings to become better.

TCU is a renowned university that has strived for many years, I feel greatly appreciative to be a part of it and its history. LXA (Lambda Chi Alpha) is my fraternity that I am very proud of the accomplishments we do and the brothers I live with. Houston is Houston, huge and fun. There is so much to do in this huge city and so many neat people to meet, although some areas are better to stay out of than others, but that is like any major city. I am very proud to say I am a Houstonian. (Go Stros)

Blogging, indeed is an argument itself, I feel that I am "arguing" for my personal information to be read by fellow students or whomever. The words I choose are my own, and there for if I feel strongly for or against something, it is my personal argument that I chose to say regardless of what others think or believe. I chose my colors because they are neutral and are easy to read for myself and hopefully others. My arguments will let others know that Ms. P is a great teacher who is willing to help everyone as individuals, and that participation in this class is a must.


I, Mason Moss, have read, understand, and agree to the terms of this course's class syllabus.

Final BLOG...

My argument essay was mainly about the responsibility of drinking and arguing for the drinking age to remain a solid 21. I felt that my paper covered a good range of interesting statistics and facts, as well as my personal stories and attributes, made it an awesome paper. I began my paper with statistics of a research done by California schools and then backed them up with events I have witnessed and other facts at TCU. I think including my school in my paper gives it a more personal feel to the audience (mainly students; TCU students as well as any other college students). I then go on to include the story about my friends death and how it is relevant to my arguments. Lastly I include more topics of the issue of obtaining alcohol and there should be harsher punishments for the selling of minors to help solve the problem. In the end, "I just wish young adults were more responsible for their actions."
Billboard/Magazine. I figured my idea could be made a larger scale, but would be somewhat difficult.
A magazine size of the ad or somehow placing the ad like one of those in the stall ones? either above the toilet? in the toilet? or on the floor in the tile/concrete? It would be very noticeable and would somewhat graphic (messy). The idea would be a young person (male or female so it could be placed in either men's or women's restrooms) throwing up at a party/bar/or just a restroom stall with the words: "ABSOLUT(LY) HAMMERED" in large type(some color) at the bottom with a cool font. I might place the bottle in the background or bottom of the picture (lable,ect) I still need to decide if I want to built it on a piece of wood or make it all on the computer. If I place the person at a party scene (Frat Party?) with purple frogs or something of the sort in the background, it would most definitely apply to TCU students.
I learned that red is a very noticeable color. I learned advertising is an awesome thing (my major). I learned about where to place words in an and along with the colors and fonts they are typed in.

The Right Age For Drinking...

Interest: This paper plays a lot of importance for me. I have witnessed several occasions of drunk drivers and have luckily never been involved. I lost two friends last year due to drunk driving so this is most defiantly a subject I care about. Its an interesting topic that can be compaired to some of our other sets of rules, example, a kid can get a gun and die over seas at 18 but cant drink or gamble until 21. So I can die at 18, but never drink or gamble. There are many different situations and standards to be compaired.
Brevity: Is the drinking age set too low? Is the drinking age set too high? Is the drinking age a good age already? How underage drinking has effected people's lives? I believe the drinking age is set too low. This improved motivation and set of questions might be a more specific and more focused subject matter.
Disagreement: There is a very open range for disagreement with these questions in mind. Many people would agree that the drinking age is too high, while some others think its just right, and others think its too low. People can agree and disagree for many various reasons and statistics, but the fact is that it does affect people and in different ways. Some peoples lives are ruined, while you could be the person who ruined someones life.
Information: There is plenty of information avaliable for this subject. There are hundreds if not thousands of databases and articles of information about our drinking laws/ages. It could be found all over the internet as well as in books and magazines. It is acessaible almost everywhere. There are many different points of view on this subject, so I can recieve information from someone who views as a positive & negative. It also has affected other student's lives and not just my own.
Question: Is our current drinking age (21) a suitable and responsible age to being/start drinking as an adult? This question alows for a more arguable topic that allows different approaches. I think its a valueable question that is good and can be talked/argued about.

Mini-Ethnography

The group I chose as my subculture used to be right around the corner from my old house. They were the "Link Wood Crew". Link Wood was the neighborhood I spent a few years of high school living in and had a park of its own. There was always a group, a large group, of kids of all ages/sexes/races/colors/ect. that would hang out at this park. They were always up to something and always being active: skating, biking, rollerblading, playing basketball, playing tennis, dancing, playing on the park equipment, and doing normal park-like things. But after talking to a friend from high school, I figured out the "Link Wood Crew" was something else than just a local "mini-skate park", but a gang.
Growing up as an inner city kid I saw signs of gangs and gangs themselves in most parts of Houston. I use to always think, I wonder what it would be like to be involved or join a gang, the things they do, the life they live, the crime they commit, but the things I did know about them kept me back. Now I feel older and more confidante, that with my communication skills, I can approach and talk to these people as allies. I think I chose this group to study because of its dangerous approaches and the feelings I will get from learning about it. I believe after learning about these types of people I will have a better understanding and respect for the reasons they join gangs and the activities involved. I know a few of the members and feel they would allow me to interview or talk with them about the activities and rituals involved. Hopefully I can pick up on the lingo, language, as well. I have some, but little knowledge of what gangs do and how they work.
This subculture is accessible to me, but only in Houston. I know where its members gather and can communicate with them. This is interesting to me because I would like to understand better this style and way of life. I can research this subculture online or at the library if I have any issues. I am not a member of the "Link Wood Crew".
Group Identity: members of certain groups represent different gangs, but all identify themselves as a one big gang.
Rituals: share common motivations for joining - money, protection, and a sense of family.
Language: share common language that is coded with all kinds of with words or phrases. I believe they even use some sort of sign language that has their own decoding.
Artifacts: they share interest in certain color clothing, bandanas, sports teams, music, drugs, and I assume much, much, more.