Morgan

The image of the street below the 8th floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company is unexpected. Emotions of sympathy and curiosity come from its contents. There's a policeman looking up, rather than examining or helping the bodies that lie on the ground. The eye is drawn to him first; he stands straight, his light buttons contrasting against his dark coat, encircled by the bodies. The purpose of the photo are the bodies. Are they alive or dead? Was this a tragic accident? These questions invoke curiosity, the viewer wanting to know more of the story and history. In addition, sadness sweeps over with the image of the mangled bodies, and that no one seems to be paying any attention to them. They are close together, shrouding the policeman and the people behind him. They are similar in art elements: all dark, lumped figures, face-down on the pavement. The black and white of the photo only emphasizes the sadness, the bleak situation. Knowing the history of this photograph helped me to better comprehend its historical elements. In the spring of 1911, hundreds of women were employed by the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, manufacturing clothing. The owners often kept the doors locked to prevent theft by the workers. One day, a fire broke out; the locks on the doors prevented easy escape. Many women, when faced with no escape and an inevitable death, decided to jump from the 8th floor for a swift way out or miracle survival. People in the streets stopped and stared up at what they thought were pieces of material being flung out the window, only to hear with dismay the thuds on the pavement. This photo helped to spark a revolution in workplace safety.

http://youtu.be/y-_JhRJ0tWA

The purpose of the video is to mock political parties. The video portrays that politicians have stepped over boundaries and blown issues out of proportion, considering the strong opinions of both main parties in a negative light. Each group sees the other's success as the end of the world, portraying extremes. The liberals are more liberal in the first half while the second half satirizes conservative Republican views from a Democratic standpoint. The creator's points are conveyed through somewhat-timely political events such as the healthcare reforms, Proposition 8 viewpoints, legality of drugs and even basic rights such as freedom of speech. There are jabs at each political party seen throughout, equally making jokes towards their main arguments. "If the other side wins" considers the two main political parties that dominate our government today in a comical and satirical way. Though exaggerated, it has brought attention to the ways of Republicans and Democrats, who rule almost all of the Capitol Hill.