Riley Kawola Portfolio

           While the the documentary Minimalism: A Documentary on the Important Things was interesting to watch, the argument was overall ineffective and the main message was lost. After watching the documentary and reviewing my notes, I came to the conclusion that the film was trying to show people that they should try and focus on relationships and people, rather than products that only give temporary satisfaction. This is an inspiring and important message, but was lost in translation throughout the film.      The first thing that I believe could have been done to create a more effective argument was to focus less on Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Milburn´s trip. Although their trip around the country played an important part in the film, I feel that the time that was focused on the trip could have been used more wisely. Such as focusing on how their lives changed specifically after being a minimalist, or even how minimalism allowed...

            When people hear the word argument, they often think of raised voices, rolled eyes, and unresolved conflict. But most of this can be avoided if people learn argue responsibly and set some guidelines to prevent things from escalating. In an article written by Gary Layne Hatch,  he describes how arguments can be handled calmly and responsibly and gives tips on how to argue effectively. It is important to mention that Hatch states that there will always be differences, and it's what makes us unique and gives people a sense of identity (197). But, there is a line to be drawn, and it is important to make sure that you can uphold your own opinion and identity, but show respect and understanding to someone with an opposing view from yourself.      One of first and most important things Hatch points out is that it is ineffective to use force. This is meant for more of  a large scale argument, such as in government, but can ...

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            The New Yorker magazine is known for its vivid magazine covers, political cartoons, and depiction of popular social issues. One of their most recent magazine covers, “A Weight Lifted” by Barry Blitt is a cartoon representing a certain political issue. The image depicts a bald eagle carrying away former president Donald Trump in the sky. At first the image seems rather simple, but as you take a look there are a lot of little details that carry a big meaning. The background of the image is a baby blue, with subtle notes of white. The baby blue then fades down the page into a brown color. The blue takes up almost the entire page, except for a little bit of brown at the bottom. The background colors fade into each other easily, looking like a watercolor painting. The top half of the picture shows a bald eagle. The eagle is very large and takes up almost half of the page. The eagle is shown flying and stretched out. Its wings are angled above it...

 If there is one thing that society avoids discussing, it's the topic of death, especially the death of children. In the Op Doc Dying In Your Mother's Arms   Dr. Nadia Tremonti, a palliative care physician, who specializes in the death of infants talks about dying in a new light. Dealing with children who are approaching their last few days is no doubt a difficult job, but she brings comfort to families, and provides new ways to look at things differently. She spends a large amount of her time working with parents, and helping them with grief. She does not hide the truth, but delivers news in a sympathetic way. She explains to the parents that her job is to make sure that their child's time on Earth is as meaningful as possible. The documentary follows along Dr. Tremonti and her patients. While watching what the parents of these children go through, is heartbreaking, Dr. Tremonti's explanation of death helps to look at things from a different perspective. She said that ...