Response to "Java Man"

Malcolm Gladwell's description of the progression of caffeine in western culture helps to portray its effect on the cultures in the world. By starting of and describing the way Coca-Cola was started Gladwell was able to grab my attention because it is a topic I am familiar with. Gladwell went on to tell of the "commercial artist named Haddon Sundblom" and the scheme he used to put Coke in the limelight created "caffeine for children" which finally placed Coke in the homes of Americans and made it a household item.

Other interesting connections between caffeine and society occurred when cafes would bring "thinker's" together to drink and eventually discuss many different social and political occurrences. A very significant cafe which was of interest to me was the cafe de la regence, where many of the individuals we study today including Robespierre, Napoleon, and Voltaire just to name a few would lounge about and discuss different topics. This all resulted from caffeine and its inclusion in the types of drink which people had for leisure.

Instead of merely stating the facts about caffeine and using sources to prove these facts, he takes an entirely different and intriguing background study to tie the paper together. On the other hand the argument seems to place too much responsibility in the hands of an object as simple as coffee. The stimulant is used to wake up those who are tired and are struggling through their day but it in no way brings out the intellect of individuals. The many people who were brought up in the essay were of great importance because their ability to problem solve and give individuals an option to the ways which society had set up for them. The reason for their success was because times had changed and coffee and other caffeine products acted a s a great substitute for the alcohol which was so popular.

Explore Research Question

I want to explore the contracts which tv networks dealing with the NFL have to work with and why the games are appearing on cable and satellite channels instead of local channels. The idea to appear on cable channels like espn and nfl network creates limited viewing but others might argue that the NFL will compromise its viewership for the amount of revenue. The NFL should be shown on local channels like nbc, abc, fox, and cbs, instead of espn and nfl network.

I know very general information about the networks and the contracts which they have with the NFL but i do not know the extent to which these contracts control the what channels show the games.

Response to "Brain Candy"

I agree with the idea that different media today like tv and video games have become more complex to the point where the viewer must use outside information in order to fully understand the references and problems which are presented. These subtle parodies like "Kennedy's assassination conspiracists" in Seinfeld ask the viewer to be familiar with allusions to certain societal occurrences past and present. Video games are also pushing the level of our imagination and problem solving skills everyday while attempting to test our coordination.

I disagree with Johnson in his mention of how the video games are social tools, because unless they are played with a group of friends they are very isolating similar to reading a book. Though video games allow you to explore there is typically a general direction that one must follow in order to successfully complete a task. This exploration generally leaves the player with one primary way of accessing a certain area or level which is similar to reading a book.

My argument does not need to be changed so much, but the organization of my supporting paragraphs needs some work. My first two paragraphs lack a concise flow but my third paragraph contains a very organized set of solutions to the problem which i have made apparent in my thesis. Gladwell's form of citing his sourcing can be very helpful in my essay to create a better sense of validity.

Argument Chart

Fewer Pads

• Players cannot use unnecessary force in tackles.
• By making pads fitting to the body and smaller there is less of a chance to cause injury
• Instead of helmets to reduce head injuries use scrum caps.
• Players will be more weary about their actions.

Against Fewer Pads

• Excessive force will occur no matter what. There needs to be protection.
• Having pads and helmets helps to prevent concussions and broken bones.
• With football players being faster and stronger the more intense impacts cause a need for more pads.

Response to "Most Likely to succeed"

Gladwell method of conveying his idea was very direct and thorough. By using many quotes and reliable sources like the NFL scout, Dan Shonka, the dean of the University, Bob Pianta, and the co-president of North Star Resource Group, Ed Deutschlander. All three of these people are highly experienced in their respective fields and are able to properly portray the problems at hand in choosing an employee. The difficulty which they face in all three professions is that they can see the problems which an individual is having and how it might transfer over to a professional level or success rate, in the case of the teachers, but they are not sure who can overcome these mistakes in order to become truly great at their profession.

By directly citing Dan Shonda was able to create a picture for those without a clue of the amount of work that goes into choosing a successful quarterback. This tactic is able to tie in readers who are not exactly football fans as well as those who are football fans by not leaving the reader wondering what exactly is the task at hand. This method of research is viewed as very reliable considering there is not any room for misguided information unless the writer purposely distorted some of the facts received in the interview. For the most part Shonda seemed like a truly intelligent person in his description of the "quarterback problem" from seeing the stance of the players and if they can "zip" the ball when needed.

The direct citing also helped to describe the same problem in both the teaching and the financial advising fields. Looking at the teaching study which was carried out it is very convincing that the level of difficulty in choosing a good teacher is a very meticulous one.

Response to "The Talent Myth"

I primarily agree with what Gladwell is trying to communicate to the reader in this argument of talent vs. centralized management. The idea of creating a controlling head which guides the rest of the company in a coherent manner seems to be the more logical and financially stable way to go in running a company. I also agree with the correlation between I.Q. and occupational success. Though some might not succeed in the typical activities that schools test individuals on they are able to put forth a lot of effort towards accomplishing a great deal in areas of business such as sales and marketing which are mainly based on intrinsic skill sets.

On the other hand I feel as though in order for a company to reach its maximum potential there needs to be a fair mix of these two types of running a company. There obviously need to be a strong central body overlooking and guiding the company in the right direction. Skilling described the need for a "fluid movement" in order for the company to move forward, which was Enron primary way of moving forward into the future. At the same time in order to keep up with the market at hand there needs to be a certain level of ingenuity and and talent to make the company and its product exceptional.

In-Class: Should the limit of college athletes be raised to a full four years?

This topic affects many students nationwide who play certain sports for their schools. It is is wide spread issue which leaves many individuals for the professional league before they even graduate all in search of the big checks. I learned that many students actually graduate with their degrees as opposed to leaving for professional teams.