Progress Report

www.dailytech.com/Cell+Phone+Unlocking+Bill+Heads+to+President+Obamas+Desk/article36293.htm

I am making steady progress on my assignment. I want to write about how cellphones are helpful, lifesaving, damaging, and distracting. I think that the topic of cellphone use has given me potential to write about many different perspectives but so far I have only focused on one. I found another article that supports the use of cellphones and also promotes particular safety apps. After completing a second rhetorical analysis document (RAD) form, I feel much more confident in my topic. 

I have gained more support on the lifesaving aspect of cellphones. I found an article titled, "Five Ways Your Cellphone Can Save You", written by Elizabeth Cohen, CNN Senior Medical Correspondent. She first uses pathos to appeal to emotions of suspense, hopelessness, and compassion when describing the story of  Leigh Fazzina. Fazzina was in the midst of the biking portion of a triathlon when she got lost in the woods. After the sun had set, she crashed her bike and she received a serious shoulder injury. Fazzina yelled for help but there was no answer. She then tried to make a phone call but there was no signal. But, despite having only one bar of service, her Twitter App was working. Fazzina tweeted, "I've had a serious injury and NEED Help! Can someone please call Winding Trails in Farmington, CT tell them I'm stuck bike crashed in woods.” At least six of her Twitter followers had called the police within minutes. EMTS arrived less than 20 minutes after her tweet. 

The author then goes on to explain multiple way a cellphone can be used to save a persons life or the lives of others. Cellphones can be programmed to show your current location. Carriers like Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T can be used to locate yourself or members of your family in case of an emergency. You can also use a “In Case of Emergency” contact to store the contact information of a person that knows your medical history. Cellphone apps by groups like the American Heart Association can walk people through the steps of CPR. Others apps like DocGPS can direct you to the nearest emergency room in the event of an emergency. 

I think that Cohen's article will provide more quality support for my own paper but I am ready to move on and begin researching a different perspective. I think that it will be interesting to move forward and read about the many different aspects of the argument. How can cellphones be considered detrimental to our relationships? Are our lives dwindling away as we spend hours staring at our phone screens?