Post No. 13: On The Theme of Group Presentations

So, this blog post is one day late. {GASP} However, no need to break a sweat.  I have actually done this last week.  Still, I am responsible enough to know that I have to be catching up on my blog posts even though they could be a day late.  As I can remember, I have missed maximum two blog posts which were both late.  Anyway, let us cut to the chase about this week.  We now have this group presentation that must be done.  It is an informative presentation about communication technology.  Now, knowing very well that I am a zealous fanatic of the National Football League, decided to be still about the NFL, but this time sticking to the topic of the group presentation.



Each week in the 17 week of an NFL team's season ends on Monday night.  So ESPN is the channel for each Monday Night Football game.  There is a panel of NFL figures, players and other connoiseurs of the sport.  So these people comprising of this panel, go through a segment called "C'Mon Man!"  which is my YouTube Video for this blog.  So, these people who know about the sport of the National Football League, and probably have watched every game, now reflect and comment about the funniest moments.  Every aspect of every game has been picked apart, and analyzed, and potentially, a mockery was made of each moment.

                            

One of the "C'Mon Man" moments was at the officiating level of the NFL games.  When the Miami Dolphins were playing the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 of this season, the Miami defense came with immense pressure on Brett Favre, sacked him, forcing a fumble, and recovered the ball for a touchdown.  However, the call for a touchdown did not come until the referee realized that he mistakingly made the wrong call.  He thought that there was a safety, and the Dolphins had to repeatedly tell the referee that it was a touchdown.

C'Mon Man! Week 2

Post No. 12: NFL and Medical Injuries

Many people who watch the National Football League games on Sunday afternoon, enjoy the game and teams playing in it.  However, do they really know about the injuries that playing such a rough sport can have?  ESPN has developed a show entitled Sport Science.  Sport Science is more of an educational sports show, which examines every minute detail, down to the physics of every sport; whether it be baseball, or football.  In this YouTube video, Sport Science is examining the concussion, the most prolific and predominant injury among the players of the NFL.  

The host and CEO of Sport Science, John Brenkus delineates the medical and physics aspects of how concussions can be caused and how they are related to other professions.  One startling statistic that is thrown out is that the number of concussions each year, in all levels of football, from the Local Middle School and Varsity levels, to College and Professional levels, has reached 100,000.  Then, another one is that the amount of time that players missed football games, has also doubled in the past year.  Now, when a player suffers a concussion, they miss about 5 days of playing football!  

The force of the players, depends upon how fast they run into each other (quite blatant), and also how heavy the players are (again, quite blatant!)  Just about a month ago, in October, the Army Black Knights were playing against the Scarlett Knights of Rutgers University, at the New Meadowlands Stadium.  On the kickoff of the Second half, a member of the return team from Rutgers, Eric LeGrand, was severely hit, and became paralyzed from the waist down.  He could not even feel his legs moving, as a result of the massive hit.  

Science Behind Concussions

Post No. 11: More about the Jets!

After a shutout of 9-0 at home, losing to the Green Bay Packers, the Jets got their act together.  Mark Sanchez threw passes, and the offensive line, more importantly Tight End, Dustin Keller, and the Wide Recievers, Jerricho Cotchery, Santonio Holmes, and Braylon Edwards helped to the effort, playing outstanding football.  On the defensive side, Cornerback Darelle Revis was great facing Calvin Johnson, who was given the nickname "Megatron."

This video, taken from the NFL website, is the highlight of one of the wide recievers, Braylon Edwards who caught a 75 yard pass from Mark Sanchez, enabling the Jets to take the lead before halftime.  The score from
7-3, Lions became Jets were ahead, 10-7.  Aside from this highlight, there were many others throughout the game which were simply miraculous.  In the fourth quarter, the Jets were down by ten points, 20-10 with Lions leading.  With 2 mins and 46 sec, left in regulation, the Jets were able to score 10 more points, sending this game into overtime.

The Jets win the coin toss, and have the ball in their hands, and on 2nd down and 10, at about the 20 yard line of the Detroit Lions, Nick Folk, kicked the winning field goal to end the game with the score, Jets 23, the Lions 20.  This game, in my opinion, was a game to get the Jets back on track and to regain first place in the AFC East standings over the New England Patriots.

In the YouTube video, Edwards is seen going to endzone catching the 74 yard pass for the touchdown.  In the endzone Braylon Edwards drops the ball, and makes fists with both his hands, and hits them against his chest.  Then the replay, Sanchez is in the pocket about to be sacked, steps up with his feet planted and launches the ball deep and Edwards, who specializes in long range receptions steps up and takes the ball to the house.

Sanchez and the 74 Yard Bomb

Post No. 10: Braylon's Endzone Dance

The Jets yesterday, beat the Detroit Lions in Overtime 23-20.  This video however, goes back to Week 2 of the season when the New York Jets take on their biggest AFC East rival, the New England Patriots.  I saw that game, and the Jets were in tip top shape.  In this video, Braylon Edwards, an acquisition from the Browns in the 2009 season, caught a touchdown pass from 2nd Year Quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Catching the pass, Edwards broke out in a celebration dance.  However, there was a flag on the field, and Edwards was called for taunting a Patriots Cornerback.  Thus, a fifteen yard penalty was given to the Jets, which as a spectator, thought to be quite blasphemous.  As they all say, the rules are the rules.  One thing about the NFL is that when it comes to having the rulings on the field, they are being quite meticulous.

So, this blog entry for last week is obviously curt, but the next one for this week, I hope to have it with more content, and to be more lucid.

Braylon Breaks Out in the Endzone 

Post No. 9: Powerpoint Tips

So, for this past week, which I did not keep up with the blog entries, for the presentation, I have decided to doe one on the topic of powerpoint presentations.  Dan McMillan, is a retired engineer/comedian who is renown for his famous "Life After Death by Powerpoint."  The entire ten minute video is a mockery of regular human errors, or fallacies rather, when using PowerPoint.

For example, one problem that is ubiquitously seen with users is that much of the time, Spell Check is not used in reviewing the PowerPoint document before the presentation.  McMillan specifically says:  "People do not use Spel Cheek.  Big Mistak!"

Secondly, which is quite humorous is that he goes into studying the types of fonts that people would use, and utilizes puns with each font.  When talking about the font "Arial,"  Dan pulls the "Little Mermaid" pun.  Then, when talking about "Times New Roman," he says that people who use the font, are apathetic, and plain.  Ironically, his generalization is quite true.  Even back in high school, all the English teachers, when a major paper was due, and it had to be typed, the font had to be "Times New Roman," and the size had to be twelve point font.

Finally, he talks about the use of Bullet Points, and humorous derives the meaning of that term bullet points.  In summation, this comedian/ engineer shows the audience, what not to do in a funny manner, and the message seems to be more effectively carried.

Life after Death By PowerPoint

Post No. 8: Still With the Theme of Informational Speeches

For this blog post, I have decided to have an informational speech in the form of another commercial.  This time, the commercial is advertising the newly released Playstation Move.  Many avid video game connoisseurs, would say that the new Playstation Move is a copy of the Nintedo Wii system, and those who favor Microsoft gaming systems would advocate that the Playstation Move is a mirror facsimilie of the Xbox Kinnect.  However, the Xbox Kinnect will be released later this year, and I predict that it would be around Christmas time, from going to local Shopping Centers, and seeing all of the signs for this new Microsoft product.

In this video, Kevin Butler, who is seen quite ubiquitously for all of the Sony Playstation commercials, is showing how the Playstation Move differs from the Wii and Xbox Kinnect.  First, he shows, through the movement of the game controller.  Second, Butler says that people will have more control over the game.  Third, and most importantly, the camera zooms in on the Playstation Move Console setup.  Zooming in on this, the add is showing to potential buyers, that there is a Webcam, that can track all of the body movements, process them, and then show your movements as actions on the television screen.  Also, there is a microphone built in with the webcam, so I hypothesize that if you were to make any audio noise, such as a grunt would be heard while playing the game as well.

Butler, humorously says that "Boxers don't punch like this," showing the boxers would be in a catfight.  The contrast would be that the player who plays as a boxer, would punch with more energy and aggression to be able to defeat his opponent.

In a brief summation, this advertisement for a new Sony Playstation product is said to be more "now-eristic" than "futuristic."  This video is not only to inform potential customers, but to humor customers who have Sony video gaming products, and possibly to taunt the consumers who have video gaming products of a different brand, other than Sony.

Sony Playstation Move

Post No. 7: Sticking with the upcoming Information Speech!

So, this week, the blog that I have chosen is relevant to my general theme of my first presentation.  I have decided to inform students on how to successfully purchase a new vehicle.  Though most of the material required to be collected is from my experiences of doing the actual research, and going to the dealers to negotiate a price, my presentation would be more of a narrative. 

However, I have chosen this Youtube Video, advertising the Kia Soul.  Recently my family purchased a new Kia Sorento having traded in our old 2000 Dodge Caravan. In this video, the Soul is being advertised in a humorous way with having animated hamsters.  They dance to a funky beat, and rap as well.  Amidst all of the frolic, the dancing and rapping hamsters, constantly utilize the comparison between different items and the Kia Soul.  More specifically, the words "this" and "that" show the blatant differences between common items and the Kia Soul. 

The comparisons are made in terms of social image, through the female hamsters checking out the new ride, that the male hamsters are boasting.  Also, some of the available options, including the I-Pod Connectivity, and other technology behind it.  At the end of the video, the miles per gallon, in the city and highway are shown.  Finally, the actual price is shown.  However, there are two prices to the vehicle "MSRP" and the "Invoice" price. 

New Kia Soul

No. 6: Back to the Videos!!

"J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!" , the famous chant led by Fireman Ed at all of the New York Jets home games resonated in my mind after hearing the New York Jets, beat the Minnesota Vikings 29-20.  Both football teams had some events going on.  For the Jets, the return of Darelle Revis after his hamstring injury.  Want to know what was even better?  Santonio Holmes returns from his 4 week Suspension!  So both the Jets offense and defense, got a morality boost.  However, the situation did not seem so bright for Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, other than the return of Randy Moss, and catching a Touchdown Pass from the living legend.  Favre, also is in some troubles of his own, after being caught in a fiasco sending some raunchy photos to a Jets Game Hostess, in the year of 2008.

All of the drama aside, the video that I have chosen to analyze was taken directly from the New York Jets website.  This is an approximately five minute video, with commentary from both Coach Rex Ryan and the New York Jets quarterback, Mark Sanchez.  To start off, Rex Ryan physically shows some swagger, wearing the New York Jets cap in a certain fashion, communicating, "Yup, we beat a tough team, and hit us with your best shot!" attitude, thus conveying the message that the Jets may have beaten a really great team, which could have defeated the Jets in a 40-0 score.  However, the reality of it is that the score came out to be 29-20.  Secondly, Rex Ryan, did pay his respects to the living legend Brett Favre, calling him "a competitive player," and an "excellent quarterback."  Coach Ryan also mentions that Favre is "the best that there is."  Brett Favre, now a Vikings quarterback, was once a Jets quarterback.  Before the game on Monday night, Favre had issued a statement saying that he "would have stayed with the New York Jets if they did not draft Mark Sanchez."

Speaking of Mark Sanchez, he put on a stoic face to the media.  As he made his comments, you can see Sanchez droop off from time to time.  He, like Coach Ryan, was in a relaxed stance, but seemed to have been a bit hard on himself, when he commented on the failed two-point conversion pass to Tight End Dustin Keller, that it "was way out in front, and it was my fault."  Second year QB, Sanchez seems to be taking responsibility after leading the New York Jets to the AFC Championship in his rookie season as the quarterback.  Sanchez also credits the win to Ladanian Tomlinson, the Running Back acquired from the San Diego Chargers, and the return of Santonio Holmes from his 4 week suspension, due to drug abuse.

Sanchez and Rex Ryan

(Left) Ladanian Tomlinson      

Post No. 5: Food and Culture

Hello Michelle,

   

I hope you are excited for our summer trip to Abu Dhabi!  I have some great news to share with you.  We have been invited by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to spend dinner at his palace for one night.  His Highness is a Muslim, and he resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  The United Arab Emirates is a middle-eastern Nation, and you may think that since we are from the United States of America, we would not be treated well.  However, when I went with my family to the same place, the tour guide who gave us a tour of Dubai was very friendly.  He also included that the city of Dubai, is religiously tolerant.  I know that you are a Christian so there is a church in the area, and since I am a Hindu, there is a temple as well.  

 

The United Arab Emirates is a unique nation, which boasts amazing architecture, constant advancements, and yet still holds on to the tenets of Islam.  Now get this straight, one of the tenets of Islam is to be peaceful, NOT violent.  You must need to know a few major points regarding the etiquette at the dinner table, and while moving around the city. Michelle, I know that you could be uncomfortable to hear this, but one important point to note is that you must not eat with your left hand. In these Muslim nations, it is considered unclean if someone eats with their left hand. Secondly, I know that you eat meat, but keep in mind, the consumption of pork in the United Arab Emirates, and other Muslim nations are frowned upon. Instead, you must halal meat, where the meat is prepared in a certain way. Observant Muslims do not smoke or drink, but alcohol could be served at hotels in Dubai. If we are at a local restaurant, and alcohol is not served better not to ask for it.

 

The food that we will be having is baba ganoush, an eggplant dip that is served with pita bread, as the appetizer. His Highness has just informed that there will be Khuzi, a stuffed whole roast lamb, served over spiced rice. Since I am a vegetarian, His Highness has made sure to have felafel, fried chickpea patties served with pita bread. Also, I would be having vegetable biryiani, spiced rice with mixed vegetables. The vegetable biryani, is more of an Indian dish, but it is a common food served both in the Hindu and Muslim cultures. We will meet His Highness at around 7:30 pm local time in Dubai after he returns from his evening prayer service at the mosque.

See you soon,

Pranav

The websites:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/737620.stm (Country Profile of the UAE)

http://www.uae-embassy.org/travel-culture/traveling-in-muslim-country (Traveling in a Muslim Country)

http://www.uaeinteract.com/travel/localdishes.asp (Local Food)

Pictures:

(images.google.com)

 

Post No. 4: Back to the YouTube Videos

So, now we return back to the regular YouTube videos.  For this one, I chose the President's annual address at the Correspondent's Dinner that is held each year around May.  This video alludes to some of the landmark events that happened earlier in the year.  For instance, when new Healthcare Reform was passed in April, and the whole Biden using an expletive on live television when the President was about to make the press conference regarding the new laws.  Secondly, another allusion was made to Jay Leno, who was another keynote speaker at the same dinner.  Jay Leno decided to move to another time slot from his regular 11:00 pm time slot after the debacle with Conan O'Brien and his show leaving the NBC network, and switching over to the TBS network. 


Mr. Obama looks to be in a jolly mood, since he smiled for the entire video clip.  Actually, this address he made was fifteen minutes in duration, but Part I of this speech is only being analyzed.  Going back to the allusion regarding Jay Leno, Obama jokes saying that he was glad to "be speaking first, because we all have seen what happened when someone takes the time slot after Leno's."  After laughing along, Leno cajoling yells out in the background, "Good night everybody!"  Overall, this video turns President Obama, the Commander-In-Chief, into President Obama, the Comedian-In-Chief. 


President Obama: White House Correspondent's Dinner, May 1st 2010

Post No. 3 Critical Listening: JFK Speech in 1962 (News Report)

News Report
October of 1962

    John F. Kennedy and his Administration have been examining U.S. surveillance and reconnaissance photographs, and finally reached a conclusion today.  Making a special address to the nation, he states that the Soviet Union has been running clandestine operations of a military buildup, with missile sites and airfields.  President Kennedy states that because of these operations, the Soviet Union is ready to strike the United States and the ideology of democracy.  While delineating the response of the United States to this mobilization of weapons in Cuba, Kennedy asserts:  "Third:  It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."  President Kennedy later on calls upon Chairman Khrushchev to end these clandestine operations, showing that he is ready to talk peacefully with the Soviet Premier.  

Post No. 2: Critical Listening in FCWR-101

Today, my writing class, FCWR-101 met.  The listening styles are mostly Action-oriented and Content-oriented.  This class does digress sometimes, but it returns back on to the main subject.  Today, more specifically, the class started in a different way.  Usually, the class would start with the professor coming in, and the lecture would immediately begin.  Instead, we started with watching a scene from Ocean's 11, pertaining to the assignment due. 

As far as considering the attention diversions, there were not many.  One would be that a student who forgot to put his phone on vibrate, went off, and he answered the phone in class.  Another distraction was that there was a technical difficulty with the sound.  There was sound playing; however, the sound was not loud enough for people who were sitting in the back row of the classroom.  For internal distractions, the major one that I could notice was that I was still somewhat jumpy.  I took the bus from home, transferred to another bus, and got to NYIT.  However, the time I got here was about 11 o'clock, and the class started at 11:10 am.  So, from the bus stop, I swiftly walked to Theobald Hall.  Thankfully, I was able to get to the class on time and before the professor got to class. 

I was able to respond to the diversions, pretty well.  First by calming down, and taking a deep breath to calm myself down.  I also was patient with the small difficulty with the volume of the sound.  The distraction with regards to the student and his cell phone was not significant; the diversion resolved itself. 

Post No. 1

For the first blog post, I am going to be analyzing the press conference held by New Orleans Saints Head Coach, Sean Payton.  This press conference is both an interaction and a transaction because the coach is giving his thoughts on the game.  Then, the media present at the press conference, are giving the coach questions.  The press conference is also a transaction because not only are the thoughts of Coach Payton being conveyed to the media, the thoughts are being conveyed to the viewers watching online or watching the television. 

First, the body language of Coach Sean Payton shows fatigue.  He is constantly leaning on the podium, and adjusting the microphone so that he can easily talk to the media.  Next he is hesitant and trying to finish his thoughts completely, showing a mental fatigue.  The sport of football puts a strain on everyone; the players, and the fans in attendance at the game.  Moreover, the coaching staff of each team in the National Football League endure stress, be it a season opener, or the penultimate Super Bowl.  Towards the end of the press conference, Coach Peyton musters enough energy to answer some last questions. 

Though he looked to be fatigued, he spoke with a calm tone, but simultaneously seemed to be humble.  Coach Payton was not an egocentric person, and he gave the credit of the team triumphing over the powerful Minnesota Vikings to the unsung heroes, who were able to train the Saints, and coach them to become victorious.  Later on, the New Orleans Saints moved on to Florida and were able to win the Super Bowl for the first time in the history of the franchise of the New Orleans Saints.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jBLASjYjAM