Thursday, October 11, 2012

IBooks

Hello All! Today, I"ll talk about one of my favorite hobbies, reading. It's something that is now even more accessible through tablets.
The IBooks app can be purchased for free through the App Store. The great part of the app is that it is divided into genres; making a day of browsing simple. I can search the New York Times Best Seller List as well. The downside is that the number of textbooks offered currently is scarce. There are apps on the market that offer a large variety of textbooks. However, these apps can be costly and the risk of bugs is increased.
The features of reading a book through IBooks is impressive. By highlighting a word, I can look up its definition and search the web for more information. I can also highlight or note the word for future purposes. This beats dogearing a print book. I can also search a book by word or by chapter. For those who prefer larger print, the font is also adjustable.
While I think that nothing is more satisfying that curling up to a book in print at night, IBooks serve as a great tool. They make studying a novel quicker and more organized.
-Clark

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Gov. Ann Richards speaks at the 1988 Democratic Convention




Hello All!
Today we'll look at the famous keynote speech of Ann Richards, then State Treasurer for Texas.
In her speech, Richards knew how to play towards her strength-humor. At the beginning, she alludes to having a "real Texas accent" unlike George H.W. Bush who was born in New England. She uses her accent as a tool by stressing certain syllables (HIgh HEels). This use of voice inflection makes her speech more exciting and something all great public speakers understand.
Occasionally, I felt that she overplayed the parallel structure ("and that's wrong"). While having this language handy can be important for any speech, make sure that it isn't too predictable.
Also, notice her great body language throughout the speech. She looks like she doesn't want to be anywhere else. While talking to a rowdy crowd would intimidate even the best speakers, she feeds of the electric energy and makes the speech have a memorable impression. Note around the 20 minute mark she quips, "Poor George..." This zinger became an iconic political catchphrase in part due to the crowd reaction.
One thing to take away from her speech is to be comfortable with your strengths and use them in your speech. If you look uncomfortable with your speech, the audience will sense it.
-Clark