tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273411744596799532024-03-05T19:25:13.068-08:00Ariana American Studies BlogAriana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-49118234790104540192015-05-31T21:32:00.001-07:002015-05-31T21:33:40.861-07:00The Courage of a 9-Year-Old<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqc7XHPi-YlTU3dHen24CU5-V9W3ooxEIRmYCPNqE_6mryNjdm0o27WfhUXCW6sUYWaevGS6sOc7KLJhP4rt4nDwQNK6OSbzANe2ljYZ7TlFmvkvOpOs4vsqel0OKZYCJW327D7KjFwE/s1600/03-skoty-finalists-ezra-french.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqc7XHPi-YlTU3dHen24CU5-V9W3ooxEIRmYCPNqE_6mryNjdm0o27WfhUXCW6sUYWaevGS6sOc7KLJhP4rt4nDwQNK6OSbzANe2ljYZ7TlFmvkvOpOs4vsqel0OKZYCJW327D7KjFwE/s320/03-skoty-finalists-ezra-french.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sikids.com/sites/default/files/images/03-skoty-finalists-ezra-french.jpg" target="_blank">Ezra Frech</a></td></tr>
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As I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed I came across a video that brought me to tears. 'The Inspirational Story of 9-Year-Old Ezra Frech'; and it truly was inspirational. As a junior in high school about to become a senior I am constantly daunted by the impending college applications that I am going to have to begin filling out, and the possibility of being rejected from some of those universities. To me applying to college takes a lot of courage, but after watching this video I have realized that what I think takes a lot of courage seems incredibly small to what young Ezra has to face everyday. He truly is courageous.<br />
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Ezra was born with one finger on his left hand and a full left leg that was curved. In order to fix some of this he underwent surgery when he was two and a half years old to remove his left leg and took the big toe from his left foot and put it on his left hand, so that he would have two fingers. He now wears a prothsetic on his left leg. Even with only two fingers on his left hand and a prothsetic on his left leg Ezra is a better athlete than I will ever be. He says sports help him forget about the fact the he is different and allow him to just focus on what is happening in the game; he enters game mode.<br />
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In the video we see Ezra participating in basketball, soccer, football and track. If this was any other kid one would say wow they're really athletic, but a lot of young kids play multiple sports, but for Ezra this is a tremendous accomplishment. When asked if he thinks he has to work harder than anyone else he uses this example to answer the question: "I bet kids when they take a step [think] 'oh I took a step, big deal'. But, for me when I take a step I say 'oh no big deal', but I though about every little bit." This comparison put's everything in to perspective for me. I don't even notice what is happening to my body when I walk up a set of stairs let alone one step, but for Ezra that one step takes a lot of strength.<br />
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In my opinion, the most inspiring thing that Ezra said throughout the entire video was his response to this question: "How do you stay positive?" His response was: "I have to think about what I have, instead of what I don't have." This was such a mature answer from someone who is just 9-years-old.<br />
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Please take the time to watch Ezra's video<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekLpn4zKiNU" target="_blank"> here</a>.Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-79612305712625691852015-05-30T09:52:00.001-07:002015-05-30T09:52:52.517-07:00Fifty Years of the Foot-LongSubway started off in 1965 as Pete's Super Submarines in Conneticut. 17-year-old Fred DeLuca borrowed $1,000 from a family friend Peter Buck, a doctor. DeLuca was aspiring to be a doctor hoped that this sandwich shop would help him pay for medical school. In 1974 the two of them started selling franchises under the name Subway. Subway has made it into many different types of places such as college campuses, malls military bases, a car showroom, a Goodwill store, and even a church.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVj8LriQaNGmsgnTnqPjs7mvKw8BkXEeKRIVpP3p51cSwZPTuK-p5oSNmxbviI9md7WW_E-yEymiw_1EElQrx4egNDV_FQfQQQhTNJTqry3P0cCsiFN6dy4zxcXbLUD8PXuBP9oByQJA/s1600/SubwaySandwichBIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVj8LriQaNGmsgnTnqPjs7mvKw8BkXEeKRIVpP3p51cSwZPTuK-p5oSNmxbviI9md7WW_E-yEymiw_1EElQrx4egNDV_FQfQQQhTNJTqry3P0cCsiFN6dy4zxcXbLUD8PXuBP9oByQJA/s320/SubwaySandwichBIG.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.charlescountymd.gov/sites/default/files/coadmin/tourism/SubwaySandwichBIG.jpg" target="_blank">Subway Foot-Long</a></td></tr>
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Subway has always been one of America's top food chains having <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-rise-and-fall-of-subway-the-worlds-biggest-food-chain/2015/05/29/0ca0a84a-fa7a-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html?hpid=z1" target="_blank">43,945 sandwich shops in 110 countries.</a> However, in the last year Subway sales have declined 3 percent ($400 million). So why is it that their sales are declining?<br />
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Subway used to to be known for offering the healthiest fast food at great prices. Now Subway has some competition: Chipotle Mexican Grill and Firehouse Subs. Both offer healthy build-your-own meals like Subway, but their options seem to be fresher. As a consumer I would prefer to see my deli meat freshly cut in front of me rather than peeled off wax paper. Subway still uses microwaves to heat their food, I would prefer a steamer. Subway hasn't evolved to be in line with what Americans see as healthy. In my opinion Subway needs to work harder to maintain their label as a healthy fast food. option.Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-82092353814958658712015-05-29T20:55:00.001-07:002015-05-29T20:55:25.140-07:00Beauty Comes in All SizesAfter spending four weeks studying eating disorders and the ideal body image I took a little break studying it... except for now. I recently came across a Ted Talk by Ashley Graham where she discussed body acceptance. Ashley Graham is a body activist, lingerie designer, and model… well plus size model. As she says in her Ted Talk, Graham was signed at the age of 13 to a major modeling company. She talks about how difficult it was for her to answer the question "What do you do for a living?", because every time she said "I'm a model" she would get a funny look and then have to qualify with "a plus size model." It's so unfortunate that someone as beautiful as Graham struggles to feel accepted in her own body because of "the narrow mold" that society has set as the beautiful body image.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Reu8enQKup4w4e9lcwz5ellhe2P101VhixDVPpDrqLrVfgC_qi8ipv_p-L-lT37BM2vZhPwzp6fUjuy3zOhowUuqlDXy8cFG7lYx-iV-kCSOqcyjigqurFMH5cZB8TLe7YWz-X7Ju-c/s1600/1423059113_ashley-graham-sports-illustrated-zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Reu8enQKup4w4e9lcwz5ellhe2P101VhixDVPpDrqLrVfgC_qi8ipv_p-L-lT37BM2vZhPwzp6fUjuy3zOhowUuqlDXy8cFG7lYx-iV-kCSOqcyjigqurFMH5cZB8TLe7YWz-X7Ju-c/s200/1423059113_ashley-graham-sports-illustrated-zoom.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/news/sports-illustrated-plus-size-model-ashley-graham-2015-swimsuit-issue-201542" target="_blank">Graham's Shoot for Sports Illustrated</a></td></tr>
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In my opinion Graham is quite the success seeing as she has been on the cover of five magazines and is encouraging women to love their bodies. The Dove brand has launched a campaign to create a <a href="http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx" target="_blank">"wider definition of beauty after [a]</a><span style="background-color: white; widows: 1;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx" target="_blank"> study proved the hypothesis that the definition of beauty had become limiting and unattainable.</a> A quiet shocking statistic is that <a href="http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Statistics.aspx" target="_blank">"only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful."</a> Both Dove and Graham are striving to spread the word the perfection and beauty come in all different shapes and sizes, and that all should be accepted. </span></span><div>
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To watch Ashley Graham's Ted Talk click <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/29/ashley-graham-ted-talk_n_7470856.html?utm_hp_ref=style&ir=Style" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-48813317757363956862015-05-05T19:38:00.000-07:002015-05-12T19:39:02.190-07:00How the Media Influences What We Want to Look Like<span style="font-family: inherit;">Models and actresses have been setting the ideal body in our society since the early 1900s. According to an article on eating disorders in the newsletter CQ Researcher Charles Dana Gibson created a drawing that was in many magazines entitled "The Gibson Girl" which featured a girl whose tiny waist was not proportionate to the rest of her body creating an unrealistic ideal for women. Fast forward 40 years to a time where Marilyn Monroe and other actresses who had a fuller figure set an ideal that was more in ling with natural anatomy. Then, in the 1960s Twiggy a British model who weighed 97 pounds presented a new body image of impossible skinniness. This body type is still desired by many women and young girls today. However,<a href="http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/" target="_blank"> this body type is only naturally possessed by 5% of American females. </a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With media being so prominent in our society, what actresses and models look like will inevitably have a huge impact on whoever sees them. In a </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Pediatric Child Health</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> from 2003 pediatricians Anne Morria and Debra Katzman said that </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">“On average a child or adolescent… spends an average of 6 to 7 hours [a
day] viewing the various media combined." This amount of media </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">exposure</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> is bound to have an impact on its viewers. The Anorexia Nervosa and associated disorders </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">association released the statistic that "47% of </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">girls in 5</span><sup style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">-12</span><sup style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> grade reported wanting to lose
weight because of magazine pictures." Clearly there being one body type people are striving for is not healthy. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Media is constantly showing us what we should be striving for. For example, Victoria's Secret released a bra campaign entitled "The Perfect 'Body'" and here is what the campaign picture looks like:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7mnamp1VMNjeRvAuQymc7GDxXuTHHuxGi37Fpy8DVPbct2B6iPSfLme7HvRSnQp7fYjzh-Nzobf5LJhvqq_c-5urtt7_BzfJJckrAx5Ee1yztEq_6hIm9Avku9iI4PicSb_L5Mqm-KQ/s1600/o-VICTORIAS-SECRET-570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7mnamp1VMNjeRvAuQymc7GDxXuTHHuxGi37Fpy8DVPbct2B6iPSfLme7HvRSnQp7fYjzh-Nzobf5LJhvqq_c-5urtt7_BzfJJckrAx5Ee1yztEq_6hIm9Avku9iI4PicSb_L5Mqm-KQ/s400/o-VICTORIAS-SECRET-570.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/06/victorias-secret-perfect-body-campaign_n_6115728.html" target="_blank">Victoria's Secret Campaign</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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This ad makes it seem as though this body type is "perfect". Though the word "body" is specifically talking about the body of the bra having 10 extremely thin women in the background doesn't make it seem that way. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/06/victorias-secret-perfect-body-campaign_n_6115728.html" target="_blank">After much scrutiny Victoria's Secret changed the campaign title to "A Body For Every Body" with the same picture in the back</a>. </span><br />
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When will women finally not feel pressure from society to be this thin?<br />
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<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment-->Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-32450898269467493222015-04-27T16:24:00.000-07:002015-05-04T16:24:54.207-07:00Athletes and Eating DisordersIt's particularly ironic that athletes in certain sports are susceptible to eating disorders. Athletes have one goal in mind and they will do whatever it takes to reach that goal, even if it means developing an eating disorder. According to Walden, a treatment facility for people with eating disorders <a href="http://www.waldenbehavioralcare.com/athletes-more-susceptible-to-eating-disorders-2/" target="_blank">"…athletes- both men and women- may be two to three times more likely to have an eating disorder than the average person…"</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_466501498"></span>Gymnast Kerri Strug Developed an Eating Disorder</a></td></tr>
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It has been proven that women are more likely to develop eating disorders over men. According to the <i>Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine </i>women in aesthetic, weight category and endurance sports are at the highest risk to develop an eating disorder. Aesthetic sports include gymnastics and dance; these female athletes are at the absolute highest risk for developing eating disorders. In the <i>Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine </i>42% of the athletes who participated in aesthetic sports have an eating disorder. In 1992 gymnast Kerri Strug failed to make the all-around competition in the Olympics. The 14-year-old believed that if she were lighter she would perform better. In 1996 the 4-foot-9-inch athlete weighing 78 pounds won gold at the 1996 Olympics. <br />
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Men athletes can also develop eating disorders. Men in antigravity, weight category, and endurance sports are at the highest risk, especially athletes in weight category sports like wrestling. In the same study conducted by the <i>Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine </i>men had significantly lower percentages for eating disorders, but the sports with the most male athletes with eating disorders was weight category with 18 percent. Athletes in weight category sports are at risk because they need to maintain a certain weight to compete against the same competition. <div>
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To me it is very shocking athletes are at such a high risk because sports are supposed to keep you healthy. What do you think about athletes susceptibility to eating disorders?<br /><span id="goog_466501499"></span><br /></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-21762083388300914892015-04-22T10:47:00.000-07:002015-04-22T10:47:05.765-07:00The Connection Between Eating Disorders and ObesityIn my previous post I talked about how the ideal body image the media has instilled in our society has caused people to develop eating disorders. Continuing with the same topic of eating disorders, in this post I am going to discuss how our country's battle with obesity has driven people to eating disorders, specifically children. <br />
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html" target="_blank">about 17% of children and adolescents had an eating disorder in 2011-2012</a>. With such a high amount of children being obese our country has put more emphasis on being healthier. <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/about" target="_blank">In fact, First Lady Michelle Obama launched her Let's Move initiative with the intent to solve the obesity problem in this generation</a>. Children are trying to be healthier, but some end up with the other extreme: an eating disorder. <br />
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When children try to lose weight some become too focused on it and their <a href="http://for-obese-kids-weight-loss-can-sometimes-lead-to-eating-disorders/" target="_blank">"every thought and behavior surrounds eating"</a>. The problem with these children is that their parents and/or physicians do not recognize that they are developing an eating disorder because they believe its a good thing the child is losing weight. In order to lose weight in a healthy way the child must exercise and eat healthy, but not eat as little as possible and over exercise. It is important, as a country, that we promote a healthy lifestyle in a healthy way. <br />
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In a study from the journal Pediatrics two case studies were presented for teenagers who were obese and through there weight loss developed an eating disorder that went undetected for a very long time by doctors. In both cases there were signs that suggested an eating disorder; however, doctors attributed these symptoms to other causes rather than an eating disorder. Doctors, as well, should be especially aware of excessive weight loss in an obese child so that the eating disorder can be detected as soon as possible.Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-76729322414680946842015-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:002015-05-12T17:38:40.237-07:00The Ideal Body Image <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAPADAPuR4iMgrR4HouR6UBaJFWIwLpb1_cXqIBjL1KfvIpixL0lI1ol_WfC-_1ty6mDIIoPaiyH-TrQ2jKWu2mRy0KFTs6EP0COst4w9mgawdN4oLv-t0HbkI3wvlB1Knoc2m5JZVwk/s1600/France-Bans-Extremely-Thin-Models.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAPADAPuR4iMgrR4HouR6UBaJFWIwLpb1_cXqIBjL1KfvIpixL0lI1ol_WfC-_1ty6mDIIoPaiyH-TrQ2jKWu2mRy0KFTs6EP0COst4w9mgawdN4oLv-t0HbkI3wvlB1Knoc2m5JZVwk/s1600/France-Bans-Extremely-Thin-Models.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wallstreetotc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/France-Bans-Extremely-Thin-Models.jpg" target="_blank">Supermodel Ideal</a></td></tr>
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With Junior year comes the Junior Theme. This project can be on any topic that has some historical significance, which is why it was so difficult for me to pick a topic. After going through multiple topics I landed on eating disorders. In particular I'm studying "why eating disorders are on the rise?" According to a CQ Researcher article about eating disorders anorexia and bulimia affect nearly 10 million women and 1 million men. <br />
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One cause of eating disorders is the ideal body image that we have in our society. With models and actresses being extremely thin, girls and women are striving to be more like them; however, these are truly unrealistic and unhealthy ideals. <a href="http://www.mirror-mirror.org/perfect-body-image.htm" target="_blank">The average supermodel is 5'10'' and weighs only 120 pounds, while the average women is 5'4'' and 169 pounds.</a> The numbers themselves show how difficult it would be for the average women to reach these ideals. In order for the average woman to have the same body mass index (bmi) as the average supermodel she would have to lose 69 pounds. The bmi of the supermodel is 17.2 and anything under 18.5 is underweight; so not to mention the difficulty of losing 69 pounds, but those that strive for the ideal body image are striving to be underweight. The way that women and girls are reaching these ideals is by developing eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia. </div>
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-81173186463174010902015-04-06T14:48:00.000-07:002015-06-04T12:47:53.410-07:00Curing the Stigma Against Mental IllnessWe recently discussed "paginas en blanco [blank pages]" of family history in my American Studies class. A common "pagina en blanco" of families was mental illness. Most of this cover-up was due to the stigma of mental illness at the time, but I'm not sure if the stigma has really gone away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://healthcenter.ucsc.edu/shop/general-health/mental-health.html" target="_blank">There are many forms of mental illness</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/opinions/ruderman-simons-mental-illness/index.html" target="_blank">Andreas Lubitz was the co-pilot of the Germanwings Flight who crashed the plane into the French Alps</a>. It has recently become known that Lubitz was struggling with a mental illness. This revelation raises the need for a discussion about the stigma put on mental illness. Why do people with mental illness feel the need to hide it? If they confide in doctors, should the doctors sound an alarm if their patient could harm others? </div>
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In order to fight the stigma of mental illness we need to encourage those who are suffering to open up about it. Not long ago there was a stigma against those who had cancer causing them to not tell anyone about their disease, but now public opinion has changed and everyone is more supportive towards those who have cancer. The way to suppress stigmas of mental illness is to educate the public about what the disease does to a person. In on article on Revelstoke Review a mother was quoted saying <span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.revelstoketimesreview.com/opinion/298604501.html" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;" target="_blank">My daughter's struggle with severe depression was more difficult for me than my husband's sudden death.</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">" The problem with our society is that when a person has a mental illness people tend to stay far away instead of comforting or being there for them. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">There is also a problem that health care providers face when it come to doctor-patient confidentiality. If they feel that someone could be a threat to others there are policies in place that inhibit them from telling anyone. It may be necessary for policy to change in order to allow doctors to identify ill parents that could be harmful to others. At the same time we have to provide a society where someone with a disability can reveal their struggle while still living a normal life. </span></div>
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-5093164031408931802015-03-23T20:51:00.002-07:002015-03-23T20:51:47.961-07:00Fraternity Scandal Sparks Parenting DebateAt University of Oklahoma a racist chant against African-American people was being used in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. As a result two students were suspended and the SAE chapter was removed from the university. This is horrific that in a society that is supposed to have moved past racism of this nature it still exist. Something that has come to surface because of this situation is the issue of parenting. The two young men expelled were Levi Pettit and Parker Rice, but there parents reactions were completely different.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2s5Zd1RZ-hD9QNXXGR-ndD9eHZRdZyvKXgktVIvp7Ge_wHGMxpN_OFkscw5b1y-mQYZPiABpxeKVOC6jAz7fBwBKGkATKMGjeqKjFVUz5Sa0YLXqj72AR3FlU84qC47yVW5LwE5CvTo/s1600/university-oklahoma-sae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2s5Zd1RZ-hD9QNXXGR-ndD9eHZRdZyvKXgktVIvp7Ge_wHGMxpN_OFkscw5b1y-mQYZPiABpxeKVOC6jAz7fBwBKGkATKMGjeqKjFVUz5Sa0YLXqj72AR3FlU84qC47yVW5LwE5CvTo/s1600/university-oklahoma-sae.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/2015/03/10/university-oklahoma-sae.jpg" target="_blank">Sigma Alpha Epsilon, University of Oklahoma</a></td></tr>
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In the case of Parker Rice he issued a statement to the Dallas Morning News apologizing for his behavior saying this it was "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/20/opinions/navarrette-responsible-parenting/index.html" target="_blank">wrong and reckless</a>". His parents, however, had nothing to say. On the other hand, in the case of Levi Pettit he has yet to release a statement, but his parents did. They said that they know their son made a mistake and what they saw in the video was "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/20/opinions/navarrette-responsible-parenting/index.html" target="_blank">disgusting</a>", but they also vouched for his character saying that deep down they know his isn't a racist. Finally, they apologized on his behalf saying "we apologize to the community he has hurt".<br />
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The difference between the two cases of parenting has sparked a debate between those who believe the Rice family is in the right versus those who believe the Pettit family is in the right. In my opinion the Pettit family is in the right. Having the ability to acknowledge that there son has made a mistake proves to the community that they didn't raise him to be that way. I asked my mom what her opinion was and she said that if she was in this position she would have had her son apologize and she would have apologized as well, and I agree.Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-75520986033108594172015-03-23T18:27:00.004-07:002015-03-23T18:27:49.037-07:00Was it "Stolen From" or "Inspired By"?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/robin-thicke-blurred-lines-pharrell.jpg" target="_blank">Williams and Thicke in Blurred Lines music video</a></td></tr>
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The long copyright battle between Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke versus the family of Marvin Gaye has come to an end with Williams and Thicke found guilty of copyright infringement. During my American Studies class we analyzed the songs by playing them one after another and I personally did not hear much that was similar. Though both songs have a similar beat and tone to them they don't sound exactly same to me.<br />
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Any type of artist will be inspired by artists before them, that comes with the territory. Another problem is that "<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-blurred-lines-copyright-robin-thicke-marvin-gaye-edit-jm-20150320-story.html#" target="_blank">there are only so many chords and notes</a>" to use in music which makes it really easy for music to end up sounding the same. This makes me wonder why this particular song was brought to court when many other ones sound even more similar than these two. An example, given in a Chicago Tribune article, referenced two country songs Luke Bryan's "Drunk on You" and Parmalee's "Close Your Eyes". After listening to these two songs one after another I thought I was listening to the same exact song. So, if these songs sound identical then why aren't they heading to court for a lawsuit?<br />
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One of Williams' worries is that this ruling will cause the creativity of other artists to be hindered because they are scared of violating a copyright. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/20/pharrell-blurred-lines-copyright-lawsuit-stifle-creativity" target="_blank">"Everything that's around you in a room was inspired by something or someone. If you kill that, there's no creativity."</a> I agree with Williams that a ruling like this will scare off artists in the future. What do you think? Is Williams right about the effects of the ruling?<br />
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-76139672822051308822015-02-25T20:08:00.002-08:002015-03-23T21:08:43.445-07:00Volunteering: AbroadMany people have different opinions on high school students volunteering. One opinion is that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/your-money/31shortcuts.html?_r=0" target="_blank">"service will teach children to look beyond themselves"</a> and learn about the role they play in the community and country. On the other hand some believe that high schoolers volunteer because the want to build their college résumé. Many argue wether it matters why one is volunteering; it just matters that they are volunteering. I have done various types of volunteer work. From traveling to abroad to staying in my community, I have felt the joys of volunteering. Yes it does help my college résumé, but that doesn't mean anything to me. I want to volunteer because I enjoy it so much.<br />
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In this post I am going to focus on volunteering abroad because I have such a close connection to it.<br />
Over the past two summers I have gone on volunteer trips to Costa Rica and Ecuador. I believe that this was so beneficial because it gave me a chance to see how the rest of the world lives. From going on this trips I have realized how fortunate I am to live in America in such great conditions. On these trips I didn't just spend my time thinking about the differences between home and where I was. I spent my time playing with children in daycares. I spent my time making the daycares cleaner and happier than they were before. Going on these trips has been a life changing experience for me.<br />
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Opposers to volunteering abroad believe that it is a way for students to use money they have to make their résumé stand out from others. Barmak Nassirian is the associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and he said "We're not idiots. We know the price of an air-conditioned hotel and a plane. It's an act of affluent tourism masquerading as community service." I think he is looking at this type of volunteering from to narrow a lens. By using the word "affluent" he is making it seem as though we are spending our money to go to the nicest area of these countries and eat gourmet meals and we throw a little community service in there to make us seem like we aren't being selfish tourists. He isn't giving us enough credit. We work hard during the day and we don't stay in the nicest part of town. I don't think it is right for someone to discredit the work that another person does. This is still a legitimate way of volunteering. Mark Segal is the director of Westcoast Connection, which has similar programs to one I went on, and he said by volunteering abroad "you're opening the doors for relationships and learning in a way that's very different than being a traveler." When volunteering abroad we aren't just on vacation, we are trying to make a difference.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqS4YVTnrwtrcJrpRUf_BfPDIeIJyjlSj8f0hVEkojJzWQErmqfBw3MrEOwFR1OMs19maye4j457-PoO4QBQ16UELHSh4JpW9eUJ5LR9kwa0O_HLIp8V84VwLGtQ2zgKjm5WhJuyC6lnw/s1600/IMG_8865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqS4YVTnrwtrcJrpRUf_BfPDIeIJyjlSj8f0hVEkojJzWQErmqfBw3MrEOwFR1OMs19maye4j457-PoO4QBQ16UELHSh4JpW9eUJ5LR9kwa0O_HLIp8V84VwLGtQ2zgKjm5WhJuyC6lnw/s1600/IMG_8865.JPG" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFH5H4CY7IpfJN9Bdhskz-kF9CcAiOGuCDcrH7ElCQ-QY5ZPX2bILY6FWd3cdjGoDb7SM8FGC8mIOq5qLmpqytO3ymuvGQsAv2pevngkYnlEo14EV9b6ZMJv7uM-5Yq1b7jdXRlV2iuc/s1600/DSC09219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFH5H4CY7IpfJN9Bdhskz-kF9CcAiOGuCDcrH7ElCQ-QY5ZPX2bILY6FWd3cdjGoDb7SM8FGC8mIOq5qLmpqytO3ymuvGQsAv2pevngkYnlEo14EV9b6ZMJv7uM-5Yq1b7jdXRlV2iuc/s1600/DSC09219.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a>Here are some personal experiences from my summers abroad that prove these are not superficial trips. To the left is a picture from my first summer in Costa Rica. The first two weeks I spent there I cleaned and painted the daycare. The third week is when the children came back from winter break and I finally got to play with them. They were the sweetest kids I had ever met. I made a very strong connection with the little girl in the picture, Daniella. Even though there was a language barrier I was able to communicate with her enough to play games with her. To the right is a picture of a little boy I met in Ecuador, Benjamin. My favorite part of the two weeks I spent in volunteering at his daycare is when as soon as we walked in he would run up to me with his hands out just like that asking me to pick him up. These two children made me feel like I made an impact on them, which made the whole experience even more fulfilling.<br />
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-84783234645837366882015-02-19T19:31:00.002-08:002015-02-19T19:31:40.236-08:00Road Rage on the Rise<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/tammy-meyers-road-rage-shooting-adjusted-timeline/story?id=29046012" target="_blank">While on the highway, taking her daughter home from a driving lesson, a man pull up "aggressively" behind Tammy Meyers and tried to pass her.</a> Her daughter reached over to the steering wheel and honked the horn. Then, Meyers sped up and drove away. Once she returned home she had her daughter go inside and tell her brother (Tammy's son) to come outside. Her son Brandon was armed and they set out to find the man from the highway. With no luck, they returned home to find the man at there house. He was also armed and fatally shot Tammy. Police are still trying to find the suspect. In the picture below family and friends gathered to mourn Meyer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-road-rage-victim-suspect-deadly-encounter/story?id=29018018" target="_blank">Vigil For Tammy Meyer</a></td></tr>
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This is the most recent road rage incident, but road rage is on the rise and becoming more deadly. After this recent incident the Washington Post compiled some data together for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to prove how large of a problem this is becoming. This graph to the left shows the increase in deadly road rage accidents starting in 2004. In 2013 the number of deaths was nearly 250, which is a scary number in itself, but it doesn't take in to account those road rage accidents that didn't end up in death, but may have caused serious injury. This graph also doesn't take in to account those road rage incidents that people take a step too far and track each other down to kill at home, like Tammy Meyer. <br />
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Another study showed that road rage is most common in people ages 18-39. I find this interesting because I believe this is the most hectic time of peoples' lives. At 18 you are starting your life as an adult; maybe going to college. As you get older you will graduate from college and try to find a job in your field of work. Then maybe you want to get married and have kids. All of these milestones in life can add stress to people. So, it could be possible that a reason people are acting this way is because they are stressed and the last thing they want is to be cut off by someone on the highway. In no way am I justifying this sort of action, but I can see why this age range may be more enraged on the road. </div>
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What do you think? Do you see a correlation between age and road rage? </div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-65531258308733675022015-02-05T20:35:00.003-08:002015-02-05T20:35:40.692-08:00Making Girls Proud To Be Who They AreThe #LikeAGirl commercial from the Superbowl has gotten mixed reactions, but for me it had the most impact. The commercial made girls feel like it was okay to do things like a girl. As a young girl I always heard boys tell other boys "You throw like a girl" or "You run like a girl". The implication was that they were throwing poorly or running badly.<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/why-like-a-girl-is-so-important_n_6598970.html" target="_blank"> In this commercial it showed young girls being asked to run, throw, and fight like a girl and the results were incredible.</a> They threw like they were the star pitcher on a softball team. They sprinted like they were in the Olympics.<br />
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The effect of this commercial spread all of twitter with the trending #LikeAGirl. One of my favorite tweets was this one:<br />
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The caption "I serve my country #likeagirl" proves that women can be proud of who they are. The hashtag is there to show young women that they can do anything they want to and do it just as well as a boy. </div>
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However, some people didn't have the same reaction I did. Meninists started using the #LikeABoy in response saying that equality matters. The difference is that no one has ever used "like a boy" as an insult, but "like a girl" is used very often as an insult. This commercial wasn't made to bring down the self esteem of boys and I think these meninists need to understand that. It is also a proven fact that women aren't on the same playing field as men; not just in things like throwing or running, but in the workforce. <span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.aauw.org/research/the-simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap/" target="_blank">In 2013, among full-time, year-round workers, women were paid 78 percent of what men were paid.</a> Hopefully this commercial won't just change what is happening among young girls and boys but what happens among adults. </span></span></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-59006821553497843982015-01-28T20:19:00.002-08:002015-01-28T20:19:59.501-08:00Re-RIGHTING History<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP9_dteL2BI5VvYxKTaw1oyq22tre53BQav08AtoTPWc1Ss-ufQviGgux_sXeO4NI9FGelaaEDtYJr0bkcZzmRmMZ2cytjL_j1w0jyPSPpOVipQ3v30m7UUk4gwWETWMU1EGO9hXhwho/s1600/27CAROLINA3-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP9_dteL2BI5VvYxKTaw1oyq22tre53BQav08AtoTPWc1Ss-ufQviGgux_sXeO4NI9FGelaaEDtYJr0bkcZzmRmMZ2cytjL_j1w0jyPSPpOVipQ3v30m7UUk4gwWETWMU1EGO9hXhwho/s1600/27CAROLINA3-articleLarge.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/27/us/more-than-50-years-on-south-carolina-city-seeks-to-make-it-right.html" target="_blank">Friendship Nine sentenced to 30 days in jail for sit-in</a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">John Alexander Gaines, Thomas Walter Gaither, Clarence H. Graham, Willie Thomas Massey, Willie Edward McCleod, Robert L. McCullough, James Frank Wells, David Williamson Jr. and Mack C. Workman </span></span>were sentenced to 30 days in jail for an anti-segregation protest in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Jan. 31, 1961. These men from Friendship College were give a choice by the judge $100 or 30 days in jail. They chose 30 days of doing hard labor. </div>
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54 years later...</div>
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The men now in completely different form: walking with canes, using wheelchairs, or with less hair. Unfortunately, Mr. McCullough passed away in 2006 and Mr. Gaither had to send his son in his place. However, one thing remained the same: the lawyer. Ernest A. Finney Jr. represented the men 54 years ago and he returned back to Rock Hill for the trial. </div>
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Kimberyly P. Johnson, author of the book "No Fear for Freedom" a children's book about the sit-in, approached the local prosecutor Kevin Brackett about vacating the charges. So, Mr. Brackett, during the trial spoke on behalf of the justice system and apologized for what the Friendship Nine went through. The judge John C. Hayes III told the men that they should never have been charged in the first place. It's amazing that these two white government men were able to admit the faults of the white men in the past. In fact, the judge 54 years ago was judge Hayes' uncle. </div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/south-carolina-court-clears-friendship-nine-in-1961-sit-in.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" target="_blank">"We cannot rewrite history, but we can right history"</a> said judge John C. Hayes III. <br />
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I think it's very interesting that it took the country 54 years to right the wrongs of the past. It shows that the country is making progress, but it still took so long to do so. Will the justice system right any other wrongs of the past?<br />
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Link to the video from the trial is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/south-carolina-court-clears-friendship-nine-in-1961-sit-in.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-60884806900550756292015-01-14T19:43:00.000-08:002015-01-15T20:00:14.887-08:00The College Athlete StandardsI was having a conversation with someone who is a soccer player and who plans on playing in college, and she was giving me examples of schools that she was looking at and how they could get a scholarship to these schools with a lower ACT or SAT score than the "average person" (a.k.a a non-athlete). Now that I have started the ACT process and realize how much work you have to put in to it I have come to the conclusion that his system is unfair. Even if I put in more time and effort in to studying than an athlete they may have a chance to get into a college that I wouldn't be able to just because they can kick a ball or shoot a basket. I am not trying to say that being an athlete or playing a sport in college is bad, I just believe that if they earned a spot into the school like the majority of students at that school it would be more fair.<br />
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The Atlanta-Journal Constitution(AJC) is a major daily newspaper out of Atlanta, Georgia, and they compared SAT scores of college football and men's basketball players to their classmates, in 2008, and here are the results:"<a href="http://www.newhaven.edu/27084.pdf" target="_blank"> Football and men’s basketball players on the nation’s big-time college teams averaged hundreds of points lower on their SATs than their classmates</a>".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWTdSfx2S_r0_8Ej6nmRnTcsVRcdtxn-CFw9qgS9ahbgAcXgfh3XnDrLEQdcmrxN_0REovWZEDaU05qogdXuC_04ng0uw2sUhVIF4lPq-6J0r57spzlh_KwhJDMDrSYmxetpjSLebahY/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWTdSfx2S_r0_8Ej6nmRnTcsVRcdtxn-CFw9qgS9ahbgAcXgfh3XnDrLEQdcmrxN_0REovWZEDaU05qogdXuC_04ng0uw2sUhVIF4lPq-6J0r57spzlh_KwhJDMDrSYmxetpjSLebahY/s1600/images-1.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Florida" target="_blank">The University of Florida</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwus1Grrykaovnr7je3VErcLQ8nqUMFZ04j2nUIGqsWzv4TkqotS5iMxayBkQqXcuYRsoRinu0wPkWxFNHnbhrzekzlLjIVjHhpYP8XnQLxx1b5UsBZmNvlzw1Slg3VrrfEa53NMYEsZI/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwus1Grrykaovnr7je3VErcLQ8nqUMFZ04j2nUIGqsWzv4TkqotS5iMxayBkQqXcuYRsoRinu0wPkWxFNHnbhrzekzlLjIVjHhpYP8XnQLxx1b5UsBZmNvlzw1Slg3VrrfEa53NMYEsZI/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Georgia" target="_blank">The University of Georgia</a></td></tr>
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The AJC found that the biggest gap between SAT scores was at the University of Florida where players scored 346 points lower than the average student. I also found it very interesting that some schools with the highest admission standers had the biggest difference in SAT scores. Schools also use a special admissions process to admit athletes if they do not meet the normal requirements to get in to the school. Nancy McDuff, the University of Georgia's associate vice president for admission and enrollment management said <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">“If the university says they’d help us meet team needs, that’s as important as finding an oboist for the orchestra.” However, the AJC found that at the University of Georgia 73.5 percent of athletes were admitted through special admission compared to the 6.6 percent of the student body who were admitted through special admission. This really shows what colleges will go through to have a stronger team even though these players may not be qualified regarding school standards. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">I am not the only one who believe this is unfair. Former Princeton University President William Bowen said "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">There are grounds for concern. Places at a lot of these schools are precious things. To have them
allocated this way raises troubling questions about fairness, about taking advantage of educational opportunity.”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">So do you agree with Mr.Bowen and I or do you think that the way this system admits athletes is fair? </span><br />
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-23183001451512481542015-01-13T17:41:00.000-08:002015-01-16T17:41:50.017-08:00#BeAwesomeToSomebody<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOMKD7dzuufEgVkjYA9wxDLpyGa00w1Qs5XGaLtqQwSjixzS7UzytrURSr3jLhVeLuqAHFC13ktORSJ3T7Q_RYYYCTNbUiM2pxlkabuTd0DE8jwUt0o8jQaaY41HZra5mkc6kPa92vBA/s1600/11HAIRCUTTER1-blog427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOMKD7dzuufEgVkjYA9wxDLpyGa00w1Qs5XGaLtqQwSjixzS7UzytrURSr3jLhVeLuqAHFC13ktORSJ3T7Q_RYYYCTNbUiM2pxlkabuTd0DE8jwUt0o8jQaaY41HZra5mkc6kPa92vBA/s1600/11HAIRCUTTER1-blog427.jpg" height="200" width="113" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/11/style/a-hair-stylist-provides-free-cuts-to-the-homeless.html" target="_blank">Mark Bustos</a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is Mark Bustos, a 30 year-old hairstylist at Three Squares Studio in New York City. He has a list of celebrity clients, but every Sunday he does something to give back. He goes to places like Union Square, the Lower East Side, and Midtown to give haircuts to homeless men and woman.<a href="http:/" target="_blank"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">“Whether I’m giving one at work or on the street, I think we can all relate to the haircut and how it makes us feel,” Mr. Bustos said. </span></a> His idea is to give back to the community because everyone deserves a good haircut. He posts before and after shots of his clients with the hashtag "BeAwesomeToSomebody" and he believes anyone can do something awesome like this. The idea came to him when he went to the Philippines in 2012. After seeing all the impoverished children there he decided to open up a barber shop. After returning home to New York he decided to go out on the streets and give haircuts.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8oAzX4kpg2WwtcbOJ3-9NiZMjIuNFQrsPIHHoy8b92-m3agYrf9SywXutyW_tlmpgWAH-bBLlF1Jpr_nCn7udt0oAt7wkhQgoYxTl_GEhkJfVMBgDa3BVkvLVu2vLTsVEf7cnADP3ls/s1600/11HAIRCUTTER4-blog427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8oAzX4kpg2WwtcbOJ3-9NiZMjIuNFQrsPIHHoy8b92-m3agYrf9SywXutyW_tlmpgWAH-bBLlF1Jpr_nCn7udt0oAt7wkhQgoYxTl_GEhkJfVMBgDa3BVkvLVu2vLTsVEf7cnADP3ls/s1600/11HAIRCUTTER4-blog427.jpg" height="200" width="128" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http:/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">David Terry</span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is David Terry, a 50 year old homeless man who is H.I.V. positive. He often feels depressed because he feels like he's "on a treadmill going 80 miles per hour with the brakes on". One Sunday he received a haircut from Bustos. After seeing himself in the mirror he said <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">“Yeah, baby, I’ve still got it, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">I’m the king of the world.” An Executive from Coalition for the Homeless believes that a haircut means more to homeless person than just a couple of inches trimmed off. It can help remind them of who they used to be and can often make them want to be that person again. Bustos once had a man say </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"> “Do you know anyone who is hiring. I’m ready to go get a job.” after getting a haircut. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> It's amazing what getting a haircut can do to a person and it's amazing what one person, like Mr. Bustos, can do for someone. So, thank you Mr. Bustos for inspiring people to do more and give back.</span> </span></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-55464143452267598662015-01-11T13:07:00.000-08:002015-01-13T07:20:18.826-08:00The 'Authority Minority'As I sat in my American Studies class listening to my teacher's presentation on how television shows cast minorities to make the show more diverse he brought up the concept of an 'Authority Minority' and I immediately started thinking about all the shows I watch and wether or not they have that 'Authority Minority' figure. The 'Authority Minority' is always the best dressed man or woman and reigns in the main character because they are often not following the rules or they are getting ahead of themselves. Having a minority in head position makes them seem more important, but in reality they get very little screen time. One show came to mind: Castle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kqqAdisXZ4yav4fz77wbLXAikXEWkhC23yRQgzRvhHZkqJSUQaiUNIECLt3nU179NeEXryNvJpa_Zd4NaD7KWXwYh98SvOQ32ywH03GobFc46hr4252YVyVlciDlEf5W8z7tiBQndhc/s1600/1337210025_normal_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kqqAdisXZ4yav4fz77wbLXAikXEWkhC23yRQgzRvhHZkqJSUQaiUNIECLt3nU179NeEXryNvJpa_Zd4NaD7KWXwYh98SvOQ32ywH03GobFc46hr4252YVyVlciDlEf5W8z7tiBQndhc/s1600/1337210025_normal_0001.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/honoring-a-fallen-hero-captain-roy-montgomery" target="_blank">Roy Montgomery</a></td></tr>
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Castle is a network TV crime drama series on ABC. The main character, Richard Castle, is an author who shadows a New York City detective, Kate Beckett.<br />
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In the first three seasons the captain of the twelfth precinct is Roy Montgomery who happens to be an African-American man. Captain Montgomery is Kate Beckett's boss, like the 'Authority Minority' is supposed to do. As you can see in the picture of Captain Montgomery he is standing in a very closed off position with his his arms crossed. This position indicates that he is very strict. During his final season he had an interaction with Detective Kate Beckett that shows how he would reign in his detectives.<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0164497/quotes" target="_blank">Captain Roy Montgomery: The hell am I gonna do with you? </a><br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0164497/quotes" target="_blank">Kate Beckett: You're gonna let me work this case. </a><br />
We can see how Montgomery is exasberated with Kate and tries to bring her down a couple of notches as he sees that this case is too personal for her. At the end of this season Captain Montgomery passes away he is then replaced by Captain Victoria Gates.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuhiT8XvWBQSqSWv88aEbSMDwmeK36B6G_JINzyhyjAQQ6MmtROFJfy3ye-u04VTGK-OTESis628vOdRFeqdEatXRTQoA0PKM0UKWbDoBZ50QRk0APm7DvPRR9411SJceP3ajC_R-8xc/s1600/castle-the-rise26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuhiT8XvWBQSqSWv88aEbSMDwmeK36B6G_JINzyhyjAQQ6MmtROFJfy3ye-u04VTGK-OTESis628vOdRFeqdEatXRTQoA0PKM0UKWbDoBZ50QRk0APm7DvPRR9411SJceP3ajC_R-8xc/s1600/castle-the-rise26.jpg" height="200" width="123" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thetvaddict.com/2011/09/19/captain-victoria-gates-castle-penny-johnson-jerald-interview/" target="_blank">Victoria Gates</a></td></tr>
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Captain Victoria Gates is a female character who is very serious and also happens to be African-American. She, even more than Captain Montgomery, reigns in her detectives. It seems as though the TV series was doing the "token trade", after getting rid of one minority character they will be replaced by another. Captain Gates tries to keep Castle in check the most. She is constantly reminding him that he is only there for research for his books, he is not a police officer or detective. As she is seen in the picture she is very stern and is wearing a suit. By pointing her finger the way she is it shows how she is reigning in her detectives. I find it very interesting that they replaced Captain Montgomery with a female african-american. He could have easily been replaced by Kate Beckett, she is more then qualified. It seems as though they were trying to fill some sort of quota for minorities on the show.<br />
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Have you seen this happen in any other shows? Do you think that the producers made this trade on purpose?Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-38391933637601423042015-01-07T18:51:00.000-08:002015-01-16T18:52:36.370-08:00Remembering A Man That Changed Everything <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">On Sunday January 5th my brother and my dad were talking about a sports reporter named Staurt Scott who had just passed away. After</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> watching a video about Scott's life and career tears came to my eye and I suddenly wanted to know more about this fascinating man. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Scott was a graduate from the University of North Carolina and worked many places before joining ESPN. Al Jaffe, ESPN's vice president for talent, like Stuart because he thought he would appeal to a younger audience. He brought something more hip to broadcast that no one had ever done before. He was famous for his catchphrase "Boo-Yah" which at the time signified future rather than the present. Even after getting diagnosed with cancer in 2007 he continued to be his upbeat self because he didn't want this to change the way he lived his life entirely. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He's remembered by his coworkers as a competitor, friend, celebrity, african-american, worker, poet, father, charmer, warrior, and champion. He connected to the other African-Amrericans in the NBA and NFL by his style and demeanor which was something that the network hadn't realized was possible until he got there. He was a father to two girls who meant the world to him. In July, Stuart received the Jimmy V award and uttered these words during his speech:</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2025en6EXmkSXs0v13oTmiZdOW0e4aXWP_kI_Wbyvw4pHJzPEqQfnNuNKjLRt-kSH4oPA3Ja8sbT-oJKY-65zrfAuPHY4vFvdKSzFPGfGrzlThwQh9vL22x2AR6VmlX783fCMPV5Kk4/s1600/stuart-scott-e1405701993261.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2025en6EXmkSXs0v13oTmiZdOW0e4aXWP_kI_Wbyvw4pHJzPEqQfnNuNKjLRt-kSH4oPA3Ja8sbT-oJKY-65zrfAuPHY4vFvdKSzFPGfGrzlThwQh9vL22x2AR6VmlX783fCMPV5Kk4/s1600/stuart-scott-e1405701993261.jpeg" height="168" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theburtonwire.com/tag/stuart-scott-jimmy-v-perseverance-award/" target="_blank">Stuart Scott Accepting Jimmy V Award</a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/12118296/stuart-scott-espn-anchor-dies-age-49" target="_blank">"When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live."</a>- Stuart Scott</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He was a champion.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Watch Staurts ESPYS Jimmy V Speech <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9cSX5XPY70" target="_blank">here</a></span></span></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-67401398998723817712014-12-31T16:18:00.000-08:002014-12-31T16:18:08.970-08:00A Truly Inspiring FilmOver my holiday break I went to go see <i>Unbroken, </i>a film based on WWII veteran Louis Zamperini's life. Director Angelina Jolie paid great attention <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/a-review-of-the-film-unbroken-131801/" target="_blank">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">to the details of Louis's story, from his rebellious childhood and early days in Torrance, California, to Olympic glory, and of course his great suffering in World War 2."</span></a></span> What Zamperini went through was heartbreaking, and though some parts were difficult to watch others were heart warming. Zamperini suffered a plane crash, 47 days at sea, and then was captured by the Japanese army.<br />
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One of the most heartbreaking moments was during Zamperini's time at the first Japanese prison camp he was sent to. The officer in charge, which the prisoners referred to as "the Bird", didn't like Zamperini. When the Bird found out that Zamperini was a former Olympic athlete he made him run against another Japanese officer. As Zamperini attempted to run he collapsed multiple times before finally giving up. Seeing this happen made me flashback to scene earlier in the movie. The scene where Zamperini runs from the back of a group of Olympic runners breaking an Olympic record. As I thought about this scene and watched Zamperini on the ground in the current scene I saw how much this strong man had been broken down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf166MWU5yn_aw0DgHOjJSdRp5hpfQc6SServ8I7x8V4BzcAq-A1YCEjJfCgnO04j9x-0zfn69oFYcsQa6V4WMNEfqlOB7V_kfnBSmk67kRAo6SxPcy4fB9Fi1IBHPe-hi7LVp0lZkMXk/s1600/n-UNBROKEN-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf166MWU5yn_aw0DgHOjJSdRp5hpfQc6SServ8I7x8V4BzcAq-A1YCEjJfCgnO04j9x-0zfn69oFYcsQa6V4WMNEfqlOB7V_kfnBSmk67kRAo6SxPcy4fB9Fi1IBHPe-hi7LVp0lZkMXk/s1600/n-UNBROKEN-large570.jpg" height="133" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/unbroken-trailer-angelina-jole_n_5575745.html" target="_blank">Zamperini lifting the board above his head</a></td></tr>
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One of my favorite moments of the movie was during Zamperini's time at the coal mine where he was sent after the prison camp. The Bird was also the officer in charge here and he did not give up torturing Zamperini. The Bird made Louis hold a cement board over his head and if he dropped it he would be killed. As he holds the board over his head he becomes weaker and weaker. I started to get very nervous in my seat thinking he was going to drop the board. He then gained the strength I hoped he would; with a loud scream he took the board from its low position and extended his arms completely above his head.<br />
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I have one word to describe this film:<br />
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Inspiring.Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-65764488011855987182014-12-07T19:15:00.001-08:002014-12-07T19:15:21.348-08:00A Possible Step In The Right DirectionAfter the results of the Michael Brown and Eric Garner grand jury decisions this past week <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/04/body-cameras-are-the-first-step-to-reducing-police-brutality/" target="_blank">President Obama has announced his plan to help equip police with body cameras.</a> I believe this is a step in the right direction and that all law enforcement officers should be required to have cameras attached to them. This is a great way to keep police officers in check.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_21VC0D48pbc9eBJHzhGDUaFWFdQe0YjHq4ihiqUo-cxRy4qve8YUJkMPDbPaBQqoYsHM7oFgg4q20qXh7NQSDPEEX9FyHvgfdoPmPhrAprCAA5RmqGQuO33GCf4Rq3uYKBV1CXAu48/s1600/police-body-camera-44484_210x260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_21VC0D48pbc9eBJHzhGDUaFWFdQe0YjHq4ihiqUo-cxRy4qve8YUJkMPDbPaBQqoYsHM7oFgg4q20qXh7NQSDPEEX9FyHvgfdoPmPhrAprCAA5RmqGQuO33GCf4Rq3uYKBV1CXAu48/s1600/police-body-camera-44484_210x260.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://completecolorado.com/pagetwo/2014/09/09/body-worn-cameras-protect-both-police-and-the-public/" target="_blank">Police Body Camera</a></td></tr>
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People question whether or not this will work considering the fact that there was video footage and still no indictment. My opinion is that there is a difference in a bystanders video and a cops video. If a bystander is taking a video one can say that the way they framed the video made things look as if the officer was at fault. If a camera is attached to the officers clothing then the video footage will be from the officers perspective; therefore, if this happens again the jury can see if there was an actual reason for the officer to take the steps that they did.<br />
Another plus side to body cameras is that it might also provide a source for data analysis. It can help specialists understand how police actually do their work. It could also provide data for anti-racism activists and law and order types. Along with providing data it also will give the general public some reassurance. Police officers are public workers who work to protect the public. If we know that they are doing their job and following their training then we can feel like they are truly helping us. <br />
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-76593471228733641342014-11-30T21:49:00.000-08:002014-11-30T21:49:12.630-08:00The "Free Hug" On November 25th riots continued across the country over the Ferguson grand jury decision, but in Portland, Oregon something happened that put a smile on people's faces. As Devonte Hart held a sign offering "Free Hugs" tears were streaming down his face due to his concerns about how brutal police officers were to young black kids like himself. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/29/living/ferguson-protest-hug/" target="_blank">Sgt. Bret Barnum, a police officer at the site, noticed the tears and asked the boy for a hug</a>; along with a hug he gave the boy was seemed to be a heartfelt response to his concern: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">'Yes. *sigh* I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' </span></span>The photograph taken of this moment has impacted so many people, including myself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYyd1bsXVXHrC0184AyIzmXaerCNbO-3n8nbMBVCT9p4-NLmCaJJRbX4niOBhh7zHqNVoZfz0LJPATeScqFgd-RTQyPb2uPdJts6375sBCRw0MkXXSJQeT1v9stj7V7K1iarwah92F7TA/s1600/portland-hug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYyd1bsXVXHrC0184AyIzmXaerCNbO-3n8nbMBVCT9p4-NLmCaJJRbX4niOBhh7zHqNVoZfz0LJPATeScqFgd-RTQyPb2uPdJts6375sBCRw0MkXXSJQeT1v9stj7V7K1iarwah92F7TA/s1600/portland-hug.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fox2now.com/2014/11/30/the-hug-shared-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Sgt. Bret Barnum embracing Devonte Har</a>t</td></tr>
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I have watched many interviews of the police officer talking about what happened that day and his response was heart warming. Barnum talked about how this moment was something that cops do all the time but it just happened to be captured at this moment. When he saw Devonte crying he approached him as human wanting to make someone else feel better; he didn't just give him a hug he became his friend and asked him about his life. Devonte's mom was also touched by what happened; she posted a picture to Facebook that was shared throughout the web. <div>
This moment happening right after the Ferguson grand jury decision is a sign that change might be on the horizon. That people like Devonte will get to see the change they want to see in the world. It's a sign of peace an it is something that I believe many needed to see. The message relayed through this photograph is so powerful, so inspirational.</div>
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Link to CNN <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/29/living/ferguson-protest-hug/" target="_blank">interview</a> with Sgt. Bret Barnum</div>
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-91634141939540289332014-11-23T21:13:00.005-08:002014-11-23T21:13:56.350-08:00Thanksgiving In A...Tent? <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwFre1x22lI2F6dDZHO9iE5RpcBmETzfXyglTyPb2rRxL_TkhwTbeBrcDXjXtAGh1uI6AikXkQoE1FdiocxwpzgWriJKEidaqWae1QifRNyQHu1CjiHg9ztmyO7kCW88PhqX_fw87RGU/s1600/20141122stewart-ss-slide-E4NL-jumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwFre1x22lI2F6dDZHO9iE5RpcBmETzfXyglTyPb2rRxL_TkhwTbeBrcDXjXtAGh1uI6AikXkQoE1FdiocxwpzgWriJKEidaqWae1QifRNyQHu1CjiHg9ztmyO7kCW88PhqX_fw87RGU/s1600/20141122stewart-ss-slide-E4NL-jumbo.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/22/business/black-friday-campouts-as-traditional-as-turkey.html?ref=business&_r=0" target="_blank">De Armond camped outside of Best Buy</a></td></tr>
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As p<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eople prepare for their Thanksgiving feasts one man is sleeping in a tent. Since November 11th, Derek De Armond has been camping outside of Best Buy waiting to get the best Black Friday deals.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">De Armond and three of his teammates rotate as to who stays at the tent, because someone has to be there 24/7. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I, as well as many other critics, believe that Black Friday takes away from classic Thanksgiving traditions. People spend the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving itself waiting in lines rather than with their families. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/22/business/black-friday-campouts-as-traditional-as-turkey.html?ref=business&_r=0" target="_blank">However, Derek De Armond disagrees, he believes that waiting in these Black Friday lines has become a Thanksgiving t<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">radition that’s every bit as important as — and more fun than — the turkey dinner.</span></a> On Thanksgiving, De Armond, his teammates, and his sons will have their Thanksgiving feast inside the tent. In most cases I'm not much of a tent person but De Armond's tent is not an ordinary tent; his tent comes with three rooms, air-conditioning, a screened porch, a hammock, a flat screen TV, a tiki bar and a Christmas tree.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As many are problem wondering: what makes De Armond and his teammates start their camp-out 2 weeks in advance? De Armond has previously been a Black Friday shopper but he's never done anything like this. What made him change his technique? In the past 4 years he has he has arrived at 6 p.m., the day before, and last year he put up a pup tent but that still didn't get him the deals he wanted. Stores only offer their best deals to a limited amount of people, which means that the people in the front are the ones that get the best deals; so, now being at the front of the line De Armond has secured his chance at receiving these deals.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I still don't know if this hold up the classic Thanksgiving tradition in my eyes, but I can see how De Armond and his friends/family have made this into their own tradition; however, I don't think I am going to start camping-out in front of stores anytime soon. Do you think that you will ever camp-out in front of stores for Black Friday sales? </span></div>
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-48360700814304692612014-11-09T18:01:00.003-08:002014-11-09T18:01:19.805-08:00Starbucks At Your DoorstepHow nice would it be to not have to wait in those long Starbucks lines in the morning? Well this may become possible soon. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/retailwire/2014/11/06/can-starbucks-deliver-please/" target="_blank">Starbucks is working towards having delivery in select markets in the second half of next year</a>. I for one would be an advocate for Starbucks delivery and I believe that plenty of costumers would support this program as well.<br />
However some good questions have arisen about why this may not work. Tony Orlando wonders how they will be able to make a profit off of delivering? This makes me wonder if they will have to charge a delivery fee or if they will have to make their products more expensive? Which leads to wether or not costumers will still want to have drinks delivered? In my opinion this is something that could make or break the delivery process. Even though I would love to have my coffee at my doorstep I wouldn't want to pay a $10 delivery fee for a $3 drink.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PDP0EiuRV55KJy5srBjfIJQPCZ6yzl7b_oJxcd0qjrIBBtTqoHEySNfQXUuzowaeG0PyeySIVqZxHsShq9pGrz-mTdemDC4DxO_JFEIieQMxbzdOju5W2SwOoe5QJpryLOWFHbG72RQ/s1600/brewed_coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PDP0EiuRV55KJy5srBjfIJQPCZ6yzl7b_oJxcd0qjrIBBtTqoHEySNfQXUuzowaeG0PyeySIVqZxHsShq9pGrz-mTdemDC4DxO_JFEIieQMxbzdOju5W2SwOoe5QJpryLOWFHbG72RQ/s1600/brewed_coffee.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.starbucks.com.au/Menu.php" target="_blank">Starbuck's Coffee</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4vDU5oXipPEmOzrbuM9Tn7XyuxKIPq4dKPCAz4Sy_ulSTfp3BWDzetqjsjmp47y8fdwWe6nHONeDEeYMI4cknIbCJBptk6Y8ImF8R76MsjydIxp3z-vF4h-1YC1TR8bpi4T3zCVzEA/s1600/caramelfrapp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4vDU5oXipPEmOzrbuM9Tn7XyuxKIPq4dKPCAz4Sy_ulSTfp3BWDzetqjsjmp47y8fdwWe6nHONeDEeYMI4cknIbCJBptk6Y8ImF8R76MsjydIxp3z-vF4h-1YC1TR8bpi4T3zCVzEA/s1600/caramelfrapp.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.starbucks.com.au/Menu.php" target="_blank">Starbuck's Frappuccino</a></td></tr>
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Another question that has arisen is wether or not they will be able to keep the coffee hot and the frappuccinos cold? I have some ideas on how they could solve this. Perhaps they could have a cooler in the car to put the frappuccinos in on the way to the delivery. I don't think hot drinks are as big of a problem as cold drinks because those will melt. For hot drinks I think that anything that keeps the heat in will keep the drinks hot. Even those spill stoppers that they started using can keep some of the heat in.<br />
Others make points about how this can really work. David Beirnbaum makes a good point about how for most people Starbucks is an addiction and people will love that they can have their addiction at their doorstep. My own mother is proof of that. When I told her about the possibility that Starbucks could deliver to our house she could not have been happier. Even with some of these problems I believe Starbucks will make delivery possible, because it is a step forward that could really benefit the company. <br />
Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-92127236110167547592014-10-27T20:34:00.002-07:002014-10-30T20:36:25.830-07:00Ebola Gets Worse and Obama Does NothingHow does it make you feel that an Ebola-infected doctor who just returned from New Guinea was allowed to carry on with his normal activities? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seems to be fine with this happening; in fact they <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marc-thiessen-ebola-and-obamas-crisis-of-competence/2014/10/27/ee8db35a-5dd2-11e4-9f3a-7e28799e0549_story.html" target="_blank">"instruct health workers returning from West Africa to monitor their health for 21 days and that "during the time you are monitoring your health, you can continue your normal activities."</a> This is why Ebola, which may not be considered a health crisis in the US just yet, will become a national health crisis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHynO4-GR7KIrJPmEKnYe9l_4ciKcfXD5uGXskrwalkYrsooB4lpeC8we16QDAnjTZwPHs9xlhH_zynH_ZSZpSalZaamQZpnMiXclrJKRpnJLOb9-mzwl9C9ZqU4Dn1lxXVXWORnLCLI/s1600/102120282-cuomo-christie-ebola-news-conference.530x298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHynO4-GR7KIrJPmEKnYe9l_4ciKcfXD5uGXskrwalkYrsooB4lpeC8we16QDAnjTZwPHs9xlhH_zynH_ZSZpSalZaamQZpnMiXclrJKRpnJLOb9-mzwl9C9ZqU4Dn1lxXVXWORnLCLI/s1600/102120282-cuomo-christie-ebola-news-conference.530x298.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/102121778#." target="_blank">Governors of New York and New Jersey Implementing New Protocol</a></td></tr>
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It has been about a month since the first case of Ebola in the US, and even though the Obama administration claimed to have it under control there have still been other cases of Ebola since then. Due to the poor policies being put into place, the governors of New Jersey and New York have had to put their own policies into place. They imposed a mandatory 21-day quarantine on health professionals returning to either state from West Africa.<br />
I believe this policy should be imposed throughout the country. I don't think any Americans would be upset if the president took precautionary measures instead of allowing more people to contract the disease. It's time for Obama to implement a policy that will truly protect Americans. Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427341174459679953.post-80680658562023393342014-10-19T20:58:00.002-07:002014-10-19T20:58:45.606-07:00'Native Son' ReviewThis past Thursday our American Studies class went to see a play of the Richard Wright novel 'Native Son.' I thought this interpretation of the book really captivated the audiences attention, at least it captivated mine. I especially liked how Bigger had his conscience constantly following him around; I thought that made Bigger's presence on stage stronger than if he were alone. Though I didn't read the book the play did a nice job of telling the story in a clear way. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsnzuYF11x4rQDK4XG_HJR70B5_fXW7Z_o9XgOAi9CLgahxs_e_X9WGEpyy5bwgWIjfic8bdshNiQ9zg3z4CY6PQNL2gLfl1GJRjqffWYdX550_kXW2oXn7PohF76BwWMQpEK0G5goyQ/s1600/Jerod-Haynes-as-Bigger-Thomas-in-the-Court-Theatre-American-Blues-Theater-production-of-Native-Son.-Joe-Mazza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsnzuYF11x4rQDK4XG_HJR70B5_fXW7Z_o9XgOAi9CLgahxs_e_X9WGEpyy5bwgWIjfic8bdshNiQ9zg3z4CY6PQNL2gLfl1GJRjqffWYdX550_kXW2oXn7PohF76BwWMQpEK0G5goyQ/s1600/Jerod-Haynes-as-Bigger-Thomas-in-the-Court-Theatre-American-Blues-Theater-production-of-Native-Son.-Joe-Mazza.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Black-Cultural-Society/events/208102722/" target="_blank">Bigger Thomas</a></td></tr>
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One parallel I noticed in this play was how Mary and Bessie both were alcoholics. When they were on stage a flask was typically being passed around. My interpretation of this was that Wright wanted to show how the whites and the blacks weren't that different. A white woman wasn't "classier" than a black woman, if they were both alcoholics. Not to mention that these two women were both murdered by Bigger. These two women have so much in common yet they are completely different. I can't help but wonder if Richard Wright wanted these women to be seen this way on purpose? </div>
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At the end of this play Bigger was supposed to be seen as a victim; I, however, didn't see him that way. Had Bigger only accidentally killed Mary I would have seen him as more of a victim because he didn't have control over that situation, but he intentionally murdered Bessie which is why I don't see him as the victim in the situation. There were times when I felt that he truly wasn't in control of his situation and it didn't help that he constantly had his conscience talking in the background. Nevertheless, killing Bessie was unnecessary in my opinion. Even so, I still enjoyed the play and I understand the message it was trying to convey to the audience about the circumstances that African Americans had to live under during that time period. </div>
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Ariana Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05599924977171684711noreply@blogger.com1