The born into Coal video had both a human interest and standard narrative. Although it had both elements, it seemed that it was more human interested because it focused on individuals rather than tell a story with facts and points. It involved sadness, happiness, fear, hope, love, etc.

I selected this image because of a few reasons. First off, one will see a dirty man with dirty clothes in front of a coal mine... safe to assume that he's a miner. Second, one can observe the stern look on his face like he's been through a lot. Third, the stand still recording is a good effect (I don't know why this is a good effect or if it even is a good effect, but even ESPN will record an individual in a stand still pose instead of just taking their picture.) Lastly, one can see his name in the corner for knowledge of his name, and then his relation to somebody else.

This shot can be done in my video group of a lifter and we could put his name and stats or some statistic about him... For example.

The Last Supper Blogpost

Of the two visual rhetoric presentations, I believe "The Last Meal Project" to have more substance to it. The author's main point was "document the face and last meal of a convicted killer and is without question, honest and true." Henry Hargreaves' document displayed the meal the accused had for their last meal, told how they were executed, and why they were executed. "The Last Meal Project" had blood-like words and and a picture of the convicted, both giving a sinister element to the project. This sinister element was able to show that these individuals were "honest and true" killers.
Hargreaves' said that researching and putting together the presentation made it feel like he knew the convicted through their last meal. When i went through the slideshow, it wasn't personal for me nor did i identify with them. I think if Hargreaves put pictures of the convicted and their families (or some other heart-warming element) next to the last meal (or even threw out the last meal picture) then I, the reader, could have identified. Better yet, having a picture of the convicted eating their last meal would have caused an immediate identification. The individual would have displayed fear, happiness, content, or any other array of emotions someone would feel while eating their last meal before they're executed.
"The Last Meal Project" also posed the question "how is society really served by the death penalty?" Throughout the slide show, random facts would come up like "hey, reader, did you know this?" These facts were the answer to his previous question.
Overall, "The Last Meal Project" had more visual rhetoric's and was constructed better. But, I feel if Hargreave's changed the point his was trying to make or even changed the materials he used, then his presentation would have been better. The blood red words, the old black and white photos of the convicts, the crumpled ripped paper with the "stats" illustrated the points "The Last Meal Project" stated to the reader.

Rise of the NBA Nerd: Belated Post

Wesley Morris wrote an article concerning NBA players and their dress. His first comment is about Kevin Durant and his "nerdy" dress that he wears to a press conference and even provides a picture. Morris points out that athletes used to dress like they just threw on whatever, but now they dress more professionally. He later compares a black athlete dressing nerdy to having a black president. Most NBA players have ''cleaned" up their dress, but some, especially the NBA celebrities, have taken it to a whole level. Morris compares the "nerdy" dress to that of Carlton Banks from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, an accurate comparison at that. And at first glance, Carlton and those who acted like him at the time, were weird and ostracized. But taking a another look at this, Carlton is actually someone that should, in a way, be looked up to. Like Will Smith did. Morris talks about how with Carlton's impression of being nerdy also came the impression of being gay, and pointed out the press conference with Dwight Howard. He ends it saying that there is a radical change to this sport,  it that there is no more "normal".
In my opinion, the idea of dressing up for a public press conference is a good idea, but some of the stars have taken it to a whole new level. Whether they're doing it to try and inspire a new trend or they're just being smart asses, it's being noticed. The fact that big name stars such as LeBron, Kevin Durant, and Dwight Howard are making such an extreme means that there will be a change in the future.
They way people dress definitely has a lasting impression on those who first meet you. Although humans are creatures with higher thinking than other animals, we still have a primal instinct of us that causes us to judge by appearance. So if someone were to wear lounging clothes or "gangster" wear, they wouldn't be taken seriously in most instances besides lounging around. On the other end of the spectrum, if one were to wear a suit or clothes one would wear to church, they would be taken seriously. If the NBA celebrities are trying to come off as jack-asses, they're doing a good job. I understand that they may be trying to get a message out that a way someone dresses shouldn't be the deciding factor of how they're viewed, but that's the way it is right now. Now, if the players are trying to get a trend started by making "nerdy" popular, they will probably succeed to some extent. I understand that some things are purely fashion accessories that have no real use, like a backwards ball cap, or earrings/other piercings, and even lens-less glasses, but the backpack Kevin Durant wore was a stupid touch.
Changing the opinion of the masses isn't impossible, but it's unlikely to do when it is attempted to do so quickly. The Rise of the NBA Nerd will have spread out opinions. Some will like it and start following the "new" trend. Other's might think it is stupid/ goofy and the players need to care about their actual appearance more. And the rest will just not care.