Non Fiction RR due 3/21 Horsemen of the Esophagus

The book Horsemen of the Esophagus by Jason Fagone is about not only eating in America, but its influence and also competitive eating. The book begins with a quote from famous writer E.L. Doctorow from the book Ragtime. The quote describes president William Howard Taft and how he represented the American spirit by being “fat”. It ends by saying, “His (Taft) great figure immediately expressed the apotheosis of that style of man.” Over-eating, being fat, or whatever you want to call it might’ve been good 100 years ago, but not anymore.

            America has taken pride in eating contests. Who can eat the most amount of food summarizes the American spirit. The first chapter of the book describes a grilled cheese sandwich-eating contest. It’s compared in the description as a sporting event, with competitors “pre-moistening their food by dunking it in water, which eases the food’s journey down the esophagus.” However, it’s not like a sporting event. Instead of losing weight, you gain it (just like Taft).  

            The grilled cheese contest leaves a sour feeling in your tummy. Sonya Thomas ate a whopping 25 sandwiches in just ten minutes. Two runners up both ate 23. And for some reason, it’s considered an accomplishment. The text says, “George Shea presents Sonya with the championship belt that says WORLD CHEESE EATING CHAMPION in gold letters. She holds it high above her head and grins for the cameras.” Why should we honor the fattest people? Sonya Thomas isn’t a hero, but a chump.

It was viewed by men like J.P Morgan that “the consumption of food was the sacrament of success.” How much food did he mean? Did he mean 25 grilled cheese sandwiches? Did he mean 70 hot dogs? The answer is no. He meant a healthy diet. And by the way, the last time I checked hot dogs aren’t healthy. 

Odd Couple RR due 3/6

In the play The Odd Couple by Neil Simon, Oscar and Felix become roommates after Felix and his wife become divorced suddenly. He then enters the life of cash strapped Oscar Madison, who divorced his wife a couple years before. When Felix Ungar moves in, they fight; a lot. This is because is not directly about their personality’s, but each of their ways of life. Felix is a neat freak photographer, always tidying up the house. Oscar is lazy sports writer, living life with expired food and old furniture. Their clashing personalities lead to many miscues among them.

            Felix says that he picked up his neat-freak habits from his mother. When he was rambling about how much he missed Frances, he explained how even after she cleaned that he would then re-clean it. Oscar, however, says he wants to leave everything messy, also saying that it ruins the vibe of the home. He seems to have more supporters. For example, Felix and Oscar play poker with a bunch of friends in Oscar’s apartment. Before Felix moved in, everyone enjoyed the game (except for Oscar’s food). There’s only been one game since Felix has moved in, and let me list the problems. Speed complains that no one takes Felix seriously. Roy complains that the room smells “too nice”. Vinnie claims that he has to wake up early the next morning. The only other player, Murray, leaves strictly out of the fact that no one else is staying. To top that off, Felix begins to feel depressed while Oscar is just overwhelmed about what his “guest” has done.

            Felix was so happy when he lived with his wife. Oscar was content living alone. Felix shouldn’t interfere with Oscar’s life. He should buy an apartment and switch off taking his kids with his wife now that he’s divorced. Felix is turning a good situation (Oscar) into a rather bad one. The main reason that the playwright made this relationship is to most likely express comedy. 

Non Fiction RR due 2/28

In the early morning of Valentine’s Day, Oscar Pistorius was accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He is completely appalled by the fact that he would be accused of deliberately killing her, claiming that he thought she was a robber. This isn’t the first time he was in the news, as Pistorius ran in the Olympics with the fake legs for South Africa. Now he’s not playing the role of a villain instead of a hero, and very rightfully so. Some of his quotes tip off that he’s lying, and other high authorities have quotes that also prove that.

Oscar Pistorius tried to use many tactics to defend himself, especially using quotes. Some of them are a little “stupid.” One is “ ‘I heard a noise in the bathroom and realized that someone was in the bathroom,’ he said, ‘I felt a sense of terror rushing over me.” Come on, if you’re living with someone you can’t overreact and get out a gun. Then he started with lines that were cheesier then cheese. One is, “We were deeply in love, and I could not be happier,’ he said, ‘I know she felt the same way.’ “ I know they were in love, but this is obviously just trying to cover up the fact that there was a deeper reason that he killed her.

Other people have been expressing opinions that make Pistorius’s plea seem a bit far-fetched. Even his prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, argued about that his conclusions appeared unlikely. He said, “ ‘why would a burglar lock himself into a toilet?’ Mr. Nel said, ‘There is no possible explanation to support his report that he though it was a burglar.’ “ Antony Altbeker is a researcher who writes extensively about violent crime in South Africa (Pistorius’s home country). He said, “ ‘Even if he had shot a burglar, he still might be convicted of murder.’ “ Either way, he’s a killer.

Maybe Pistorius actually thought his girlfriend was a burglar. He probably would’ve asked her if she heard it too. The thing is, when he reached for his 9-millimeter pistol from underneath his bed and went to the bathroom, Reeva Steenksamp (the girlfriend) wasn’t there! Naturally, he would’ve noticed that. That statement insures that Olympian runner Oscar Pistorius is a not only a murderer, but a liar.

Dark Dude RR 2/14

          In the book Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos, Rico lives a life full of change. One day he’s loitering on the streets of New York, the next he’s at a small farm in Wisconsin. Besides the changes of scenery, Rico faces the peer pressure of his two best friends, Jimmy and Gilberto. The relationship’s he’s made with them dictate his stability through the book. When Rico is very friendly with his friends, he is more confident in the way he acts.

           

            Gilberto was “the older brother that Rico never had.” He guided him in the rough days of life in Harlem. One day, however, Gilberto struck it rich in the lottery and was off to Wisconsin, leaving a ghetto life for a hippie one. When Rico makes the trek to accompany him, he finds it hard to adapt to his new lifestyle. This is includes slang, the people he hangs out with, and the way he dresses. It’s quickly apparent that Rico doesn’t enjoy this way of life. This relationship will play a heavy factor in ultimately determining if Rico stays in Wisconsin.  

            Jimmy decided to go on the voyage with Rico to Wisconsin. Like Rico, he got increasingly frustrated with the new living conditions. He gets even angrier when he finds out that Rico took his painkillers, which he increasingly got high on. He was mad a Rico for a week, refusing to even look at him. Jimmy got even more irritated when he found out that he had to clean an outhouse at 6 a.m., regardless of smell. This emphasizes the fact that he wants to return to New York. His happiness also plays a heavy factor in keeping Rico in Wisconsin.

            Rico has to get by with a little help of his friends. That will keep him satisfied in living conditions that contain a late gas station ship, Gilberto’s terrible roommates (besides Jimmy and Rico), a peculiar language, etc. Will he stay? No, the question is, can he stay?

Non Fiction RR 1/30

On December 30, 2012, President Barack Houssain Obama said that the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newport, Connecticut was the worst day of his presidency. He wants gun control to be a central issue of his second term. The NRA (National Rifle Association), however, has no intention of imposing any type of ban of assault rifles, the kind that killed 20 innocent children and 6 adults back at Newtown. Obama is right, there should be some kind of ban.

            All the NRA has done as a ban was proposing a plan to place armed security guards at schools across the country. Even, “Mr. Obama said he was ‘skeptical’ that armed guards were a realistic solution.” All guards can do is stand tall and scare. Come crunch time, or an actual situation, a man or child will stop at nothing to carry out what he fulfills to do (kill). Also, more shootings happen at places besides schools. This leaves most of the country still vulnerable to psychos with assault rifles.

            Many groups have said that eliminating guns is going directly against the constitution. It’s true; the second amendment is the right to bear arms. However, Mr. Vilsack of CNN said,” ‘I view when the conversation starts, as this conversation started, with a respect for the second amendment and a recognition that there is a value system attached to it that is important.’ ” You have to value that a gun is used for your own safety and entertainment. Not to jeopardize someone else’s life. The entertainment is targets, not moving targets that are breathing, living among you, doing the same things you do every day. They breathe the same air that you do.

            This text isn’t really about what Obama says. It’s not about Obama, but the words he speaks. Was the Newtown shooting the worst day of your life? No, unless you the people affected. It does, however, certainly put your life in perspective. Any single other innocent person could’ve been shot, but they weren’t. They 26 people were randomly chosen, almost even like the hunger games. That’s why there should be a ban. So no innocent person will have to suffer like the people of Newtown.