Daily Archives: September 10, 2020

Passion Blog

Woah Tiger, We’ve Got Some Work To Do

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Hello all and welcome to my blog!

So, my blog is going to be focused on learning about different endangered animals every week. I do want to include other topics such as what is going on in the world the past week relating to environmental news (both good and bad),  what I eat for Meatless Mondays (and also giving some recipes I want to try), inspiring individuals, and other random bits of information about myself.

I plan to make an “About Me’ page in the future, so I will keep introductions a little short. I have always been passionate about the environment and taking actions to help the world around me one step at a time. The topic of environmental destruction is humongous (sadly), so I am going to just focus on a subtopic of endangered animals. I cry over every little thing, so thinking about how entire species are being wiped out due to human actions is my worst nightmare (chances are, I was crying while researching the animal of the week). To sum it up, I am going on a journey to become more sustainable and more aware of my surroundings. I hope you stick around to join me in this journey of learning about the world around us and what actions we can take to do more.

Spoiler Alert: I chose the Amur Tiger as the first species to educate myself about because for one, I think many people have heard about this species. And for two, I think it is symbolic in that these huge, proud, and majestic creatures have been exploited to the point of endangerment. I think it really sets the tone for the gravity of the situation we are in.

Endangered Species Of The Week: Amur Tiger

Also known as the Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), there are only about 450 remaining today. The Siberian tiger resides in a small region in the southeast region Russia. They are also located in small numbers in China and North Korea. They can be up to 10 feet in length and weigh anywhere from  396 to 660 pounds.

It is interesting to note that this species was on the verge of extinction in the 1940s. There were only about 40 left due to extensive hunting in the Russian Far East. However, as stated previously, there are around 450 tigers in the wild today. This increase is due to Russia granting the tiger full protection. However, don’t let this increase diminish from the fact that the species is still gravely endangered and needs help.

Reasons for endangerment

The largest threat to the species is the illegal wildlife trade. They are poached as trophies and for their body parts. They are also threatened by loss of habitat, primarily through Russia’s logging industry as well as slash-and burn agriculture.

Fun Facts:

  • They are the largest cat in the world
  • No two tigers have the same stripe pattern (similar to human fingerprints)
  • They are solitary creatures that mark their scent on trees to keep other creatures away
  • They can eat up to 60 pounds of food in one sitting
  • A litter contains 2 to 6 cubs and at 2-3 years will leave the den to live on their own

How You Can Help:

Wildcats Conservation Alliance: Learn more about the Amur tiger and its threats, make a monetary donation, and learn how zoos around the world are banding together to save the species.

World Wildlife Fund: Learn more about the Amur tiger and what is being done to save its population.

WCS Russia: Learn how Russia is working to protect this native species and how they are fighting poachers.

Further Readings:

Tigers in Crisis: Tigers in Crisis was created by Endangered Species Journalist Craig Kasnoff in 1998 as an effort to promote the plight of endangered tigers and the efforts to save them.

National Geographic’s Siberian Tiger Page

 

Sources

https://www.britannica.com/list/10-of-the-most-famous-endangered-species

http://www.animalplanet.com/wild-animals/endangered-species/amur-tiger/

Ok byeeee! Sorry this was long, but I hope you found it interesting! See you next week 😀

RCL Blog

Kairos: Save the Peloton Woman

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Kairos is an Ancient Greek word essentially meaning to “strike while the iron is hot.” Kairos is the special circumstances surrounding a certain artifact that make the message more urgent or timely allowing for a greater means of persuasion.

The advertisement I have identified as taking advantage of kairos is Ryan Reynolds’s The Gift that Doesn’t Give Back. It is a commercial for his Aviation Gin. The commercial features three women, with a focus on the one in the middle. The three women, presumably friends, went out for a night of drinking to help the women in the middle. However, the two friends are clearly worried for the woman, saying thing’s like “you’re safe here” and they cheer to “new beginnings” after drinking (the women in the middle chugs the glass). The ad works with commonplaces such as going out for drinks when you’re emotional with friends and the idea of changing one’s life for the better. The exaggeration in the friends concerned looks gives an awkward and humorous tone that makes the ad very funny and appealing to young adults.

Now, onto the actual usage of Kairos. This commercial may seem like just another one of Ryan Reynolds’s comical alcohol commercials, however, if that were the case, it would not have gotten as viral as it did. This commercial was in response to a Peloton commercial where a women was gifted a Peloton exercise bike as a gift by her husband for the holidays. Many were critical of this commercial  saying it was sexist and upholding gender stereotypes. Others laughed at how scared the wife looked in the commercial as she was using the product.

This opened up a kairotic moment in which Reynolds’s latched on to. He hired the actress who played the wife from the Peloton commercial, Monica Ruiz, to be the women in the middle for his Aviation Gin commercial. This happened in less than a week after the Peloton ad aired. Now, Reynolds’s commercial gained a whole new and interesting meaning. The commercial posted on YouTube has nearly 7 million views contesting to its popularity and wide acceptance. The public loved it and I am sure Reynolds’s made good sales. This is all thanks to the Kairos of the time #freethepeletonwoman.