Journalists have particularly difficult professions and dangerous professions; they are constantly searching for a new and interesting story to unfold to the media.  While searching for these stories, some journalists are offered to go overseas to other countries and become foreign correspondents to report the news.  This can be the chance of a lifetime to report in a different country for a journalist, yet while reporting in war areas their life can also encounter dangerous situations. These risky conflict zones often present the journalists and their crew with life threatening decisions and choices to either get the story or make sure their lives are preserved.  An article by Lisa Schlein showed the danger these brave journalists take up in order to give the important stories to the media networks to show to the American public.  One could even argue that these journalists are acting as American heroes, keeping the United States informed with foreign news to keep us informed on public affairs.  So why is it that the journalists who are encountering dangerous situations on an everyday basis still lack the protection they need to keep them safe?   

This is an issue that is brought up in the film A Mighty Heart starring Angelina Jolie.  The movie is based on a true story about Danny Pearl who was kidnapped in Pakistan in 2002.  The movie brought to life the ongoing struggle for journalists who are trying to report in foreign countries peacefully, but are being held hostage due to reporting in conflict zones.

   In 2007, 110 journalists were killed while reporting in different countries.  More effort should be taking by governments to reduce the number of journalists taken captive by instituting a world wide security to protect foreign citizens like tourists along with journalists.  I definitely believe that the safety of these brave individuals who are putting their life and careers on the line to potentially protect the United States citizens should be valued and protected world wide. 

Media news and entertainment through television, the Internet, and even on cellular phones are becoming an ever expanding world filled with options to choose what you want to view.  One has to wonder whether or not the entertainment shows are starting to overcrowd the serious and old-fashioned version of news stations.  The news stations deliver news about external affairs overseas and the presidential elections while entertainment shows focus on celebrities and poke fun of the weekly “buzz” going on.  With these two extremities being combined together into one, anchorwomen/men are being forced to change their style of presenting news by trying to find the right medium between serious yet engaging and interesting to listen to. 

Katie Couric is currently the host of The CBS Evening News being only the third permanent anchor The Evening News in forty-four years following Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.  Before switching to CBS, she was previously a host for the Today Show for NBC from 1991-2006.  By switching to CBS she became the first solo woman anchor of an American weekday evening news show earning her an outstanding salary of $15 million.  Couric also worked for ABC and CNN as a reporter before switching to NBC. 

Couric has an impressive resume of important people she has interviewed including Tony Blair, Barbara Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Hilary Clinton (Clinton’s first television interview), and John F. Kennedy Jr. (his first and last interview).  Couric’s perky attitude and detailed interviewing style where no question is off limits is what makes Couric a respectable and successful anchorwoman and reporter.

 I would label Couric as a “hard news” reporter, meaning that she stays professional and focused on the news and doesn’t waste time on celebrity gossip.  She is a successful anchorwoman who has become well known and accomplishing in a male dominating profession.  Couric sticks to the facts because she has to in order to establish herself among her competitors because for women anchorwomen it is more about what they wear and what their hair looks like rather than their intelligence and their ability to speak intelligently and with persuasion. 

According to an article in Like It Is, the author agrees that women are judged more on their looks than on their intellect.  She has interviewed some of the world’s greatest and influential leaders, all while being able to hold her own in the interview by being informed and asking direct questions that go straight to the heart of the issues.  She has found the perfect balance between reporting the news and keeping the main focus on the worldly issues and not on celebrity news.  Because of this perfect medium, I believe that she does not have to change anything to become a more serious journalist. 

They say history has a way of repeating itself, yet we never seem to listen to this warning do we?  This saying often appears to be a foreshadowing which can apply to just about anything in society.  In this case, I am choosing to show the connection between the current Hollywood writer strike and the former writer strike of 1988. 

In 1988, the writers in Hollywood decided to pick up their signs and protest outside the network company buildings that employed them.  The strike lasted five and a half months; the shows became so painful for the viewers to watch because their favorite shows had lost their flare that made them interesting.  Because of this, the networks lost about ten percent of their viewers, which has never been regained.  More and more families began turning off their televisions with disgust because the shows appeared to have no depth and a loss of intriguing storyline.  In result of the viewers turning off their television sets, the networks lost an estimated $500 million.  So why would the producers want to walk down that road again?

This seems to be the same case in the current strike in Hollywood.  In the strike of 1988 the issue was money, and today’s strike issue is also about money.  The producers are making money from DVD sales and Internet sales, so obviously the writers want a chunk of that money too.  The center of Hollywood seems to be built up by money.  The current strike has lasted for about ten weeks now, and neither side appears to backing down.  While this feud continues, no new shows are being made and the networks are beginning to rely heavily on reality shows which require no scripting or less compared to other shows. 

It’s not just the writers who are being affected now, it is also affecting the A list celebrities who are afraid to cross the picket lines in fear of having their reputations ripped apart by the media.  The celebrities are trying to keep their opinions on the down low as of right now.  They know the power of the media and they do not want to appear as narcissistic and self-absorbed.  The upcoming Oscar Award Show is going to be interesting to watch, given that this year there are promises of appearances by writers on protest, which will be a first for the red carpet.  The celebrities who have been nominated or invited are questionable on whether or not they will make an appearance or show up at all for the event.  In my opinion the celebrities who have been nominated should go for it, because they were nominated for their successful roles, they earned it. 

To me, the resolution seems quite simple and the result is inevitable, just give the writers their share of the money.  The current strike is at the half way mark from the 1988 strike, and it is estimated that this strike will lose much more money than the former one ever did.  Do the producers really want to repeat the old path?  I don’t think they really want to.  According to Sheldon Liber, “It’s not about anyone being happy…it’s about finding a number that makes both sides equally unhappy.”

Questions:

1.  Do you think the Golden Globes will be cancelled, rescheduled, or will they continue anyways?

2.  Do you agree with why the writers are striking?

Child soldiers are becoming a big problem in Africa more and more every day.  Children as young as seven or eight are being abducted from their families and forced to fight against their will.  Something needs to be done to prevent these children from being ripped from their families and everything else they know. 

This problem became increasingly evident after watching the movie Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  The movie is about a man who loses his son and has to find him with the help of a very large and expensive diamond he found.  The father attempts to use the diamond to protect his family and get his beloved son out of the hands of men who turned him into a child soldier. 

This movie showed the results the smuggling of diamonds is having in Africa today.  Diamonds are a popular export from Africa, which result in an aggressive competition for them.  However, the cutthroat demand for these precious stones comes at a dire cost.  Men are ripped from their families to help find the diamonds which are handed over immediately after being found. 

The boys are handed weapons and given instruction to kill anyone in their path. These young boys are denied a childhood when they are given these destructive weapons.  The boys are taken young so there is little resistance from them, which coincidentally results in their making of good soldiers.  The reason these children tend to make such good soldiers is because of how obedient and vulnerable they are.  Because of this, the boys are brought up knowing no other life but violence, so they are unable to adjust back into society later on in life.  Something more has to be done to ensure the lives of these children and give them back a childhood so they are able to have a normal and well adjusted upbringing.  When purchasing a diamond in your jewelry ask to see the certificate explaining these diamonds were conflict free of purchase. 

More and more Americans are beginning to convert to home sourcing as a means of working.  Home sourcing has recently become a new and innovative way to establish a career.  Americans are now realizing how convenient it would be to work at home instead of in an office. Working at home has many advantages to it.  You are located in the comfort of your own home for starters.  Because of this, you would not have to pay for the gas to drive to work every day, which would benefit you by putting money back into your own pocket.  You would also not have to pay for numerous outfits of fancy and appropriate work attire if you only visit the work office once a month.  Families which include children would be able to save money, because parents would not have to pay for day care for the kids if the parents were at work.  Parents would also be able to spend more time with their children.  Individuals, who have chosen to home source, find that they are able to do what they love in their chosen profession, for example they could start their own business up themselves.  Besides the benefit of saving money, “home sourcers” have also proven to be happier and more productive workers while being able to work through their home.   However, there are certain problems with home sourcing.  An individual, who works at home and also has kids, could find it hard to juggle kids and work at the same time.  Also, some people find it difficult to finish their work on time, because there is nothing pushing them to get their work done today versus next week.  However, it can all be manageable the key to remember is to stay organized and on task. 

The documentary Grizzly Man, directed by Werner Herzog, is an intriguing story based on the life of Timothy Treadwell.  The documentary includes footage shot by Treadwell showing his fascination of grizzly bears.  Some viewed Treadwell as somewhat insane for wanting to live so closely to these wild and dangerous animals. Treadwell did not seem to care about other peoples’ speculations, because he loved to be amongst the bears in Alaska, and on some level he connected with them as his own.  This documentary gives a touching insight into why Treadwell loved these creatures so unconditionally and why he was willing to die to protect them.

Grizzly Man includes exclusive interviews of Treadwell’s family and friends, who give their insight on Treadwell’s lifestyle.  To the majority of society, Treadwell’s lifestyle was considered extreme.  Let’s be honest though, how many of us would have the guts to live months on end, through rain or shine, lacking common luxuries (which many of us cannot live without), all while filming grizzly bears up close and personal?  I think I can speak for all of us when I say, no thanks!

 While in Alaska, he filmed over 100 hours of footage from his furry friends.  He enjoyed being in the bears’ company so much; he gave them names which he called them.  Treadwell was extremely brave by moving to Alaska and leaving everything he is accustomed to behind.  I do not think that there was anything mentally wrong with Timothy Treadwell and his fascination with grizzly bears.  I believe that Treadwell was just excessively passionate about studying and living among the bears.  Treadwell showed his passion by dropping everything to pursue the life he wanted.

I wish that everyone would show that much passion towards something they loved and valued that much in life.  If everyone would show this much intensity towards their own hobbies, we would not have to consider people like Treadwell odd and strange simply for being zealous and doing what they want, and getting what they want out of life.  

Gymnasiums are associated as being a place of intense physical activity.  Gyms are used as a place of exercise and high mobility.  In schools, gyms are used to promote health within the student body.  However, gyms hold more than just difficult aerobic workouts and dodgeball, they are the main centers of indoor sport competitions.

Coming from a three-roomed school, we were denied the luxury of having a gym to practice our sports.  For the students, the importance of a gym was high up on the list of desired items.  (not that a $250, 000 gym is considered a random item.)  Every year the students would hope that the school board has made room in the budget for a gym.  Every year, however the students were disappointed in learing that they would have to practice their sports indoor.

So, every year the elementary and junior high students would practice for volleyball and basketball outside in the sunshine weather.   It was not always sunshine like weather outside, especially when November and December roled around.  All of the students were prepared however.  They came with their mittens, snowpants, hats, and scarfs in the snow to play their sport on the parking lot blacktop.  These kids have pretty great dedication though.

Even in a high school like Campbellsport High School, students show how much dedication they have for their imparticular sport, but now they have gyms to use as a benefit.  For many students, they participate in sports all year round.  They go from volleyball to basketball to softball in a given year, and every year the sport changes, but the gym never does.  The gym instead has seasons within it, just like the weather, there are fall sports, winter sports, and even the beginning of spring sports all take place in the same place: the gymnasiums.  Just like the weather, seasons of sports come and go but the experiences that take place at that certain time in the gyms are what matters. 

A school shooting happened at the SuccessTech Academy high school in Cleveland and it was another devastating tragedy that is starting to become more common among high schools around the country. This school shooting was the sixteenth school related shooting in the United States this year alone.

The shooter’s name was Asa Coon, who was a freshman this year at SuccessTech Academy. Coon brought two handguns, ammunition, and three knives with him to school last Wednesday. Coon shot two students and two teachers before he turned the gun onto himself to commit suicide. The injuries on the victims are considered to be minor and are expected to recover.

Coon was perceived as an outcast by his fellow students. He was considered to be a “Goth” and he often wore black nail polish, black clothing, and a trench coat to school. Coon had a troubled childhood and a distressed relationship with his mother. At the age of 12, Coon was put into a juvenile health treatment after he attacked his mother, where he attempted to kill himself. Coon was not perceived as an aggressive or violent person, but he got into an after school fight with a fellow student, and was suspended on Monday.

As you may recall, the Virginia Tech school shooting happened in April of this year, and it was a tremendous tragedy. The shootings that happened at Virginia Tech and at SuccessTech Academy have sent up warning flags amongst high schools all over the country that they could be next.

These shootings can all be prevented if someone would take the necessary steps to ensure the protection of the students and staff within the high schools. Staff and students need to take these steps in order to possibly eliminate school shootings.

One thing that the staff can do is to appear more approachable, so that students are informed on what is going on with the students. The staff also needs to take more safety precautions to keep the school safer.

One thing that students could do to prevent these shootings would be to report any suspicions or threats made by a student about the school or another student. Anonymous hotlines should be made on high schools so the students feel they can report anything to authorities. Teachers should also appear to be approachable, so that students feel safe to confide in them about possible threats.

The most important thing that students can do to prevent these school shootings, is by not judging fellow students by their differences. Students need to allow themselves to choose their personal beliefs for themselves, students need to understand that it is okay to be different from everyone else, and that you should not be embarrassed by your beliefs. Students need to have an open mind, and they need to put themselves in the other persons shoes. You will never realize what someone else is going through, unless you take the time to understand and ask them about it. As the old saying goes, “you never know a person, until you walk a mile in their shoes.” I feel that this should go through every students mind before they decide to say something negative and demeaning to another student, because it may have just been said as a juvenile joke, but the results can be extravagant.

A growing concern in schools around the country is that of the increasing gender gaps within the educational system. This has become a growing concern because of the fact that more girls are becoming college graduates and are jumping ahead of boys in terms of academics.

It has not always been this way, in the 1970’s, schools were influenced to make themselves more gender interrelated. Thusly, the schools needed to attract more women to promote feminism. So, billions of dollars were spent to advertise feminism within the schools. Therefore, women eventually obtained a “go and get it” attitude towards their careers. Women are now able to pursue any job that interests them, from a CEO of a business company, to an architect.

As women developed a more aggressive outlook towards their careers, men have, regrettably, developed a somewhat more lenient, and laid back attitude towards their work ethic. This new working ethic has become a hindrance on the overall accomplishments in the educational and professional systems for men.

Boys are taught at a young age that they need to be able to “suck it up”, and power through the pain. Girls, however, if they get injured or hurt get immediate attention and are lovingly embraced. Parents do this, because instinct takes over, and they want to prepare their children for the future. If they have a daughter, they would rather shun her away from the real world, so she never has to get hurt. But if parents have a son they say “boys will be boys”, and accept them and their mistakes.

Boys are not receiving the same kind of attention that they need in schools to succeed. In schools, girls are still accepted in their clicks if they like to study, yet boys are considered nerds if they strive towards good grades. Boys are considered popular if they are tough and are able to beat someone up. Girls are frowned upon if they behave like that, they are told “girls argue with their words, not with their fists,“ and they are told to “behave like a lady.” (I can’t tell you how many times I have heard those before!)

According to NewsWeek, boys are two times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with some kind of learning disability, in elementary schools. Boys are also twice as likely to be submitted into special-education classes than girls are.

The gender gap still affects women too.  According to an article on Gender Biases, women generally succeed at English and speech classes, because girls tend to have more developed motor skills. Men, generally succeed at math, science, and technology classes because men are better on hands-on materials.

I think that boys need to start receiving more attention from their teachers in the classrooms, and receiving more help. Boys need to realize that there are many male role models to look up to. Parents need to volunteer at school activities and clubs to show leadership. Teachers, therefore, need to accept students and comprehend that boys are different than girls and vice versa. All students, male and female learn at different paces because of their individual genetic material.

Apple Inc. is responsible for creating numerous kinds of fascinating products over the last few years. Over the years, Apple has created many of the major electronic fads of this time.

The 4GB iPhone will not be released on Apple’s production line any longer, due to the low customer demand for the product. Because of the price cut, the 8GB iPhone is priced at $400, which is a $200 decrease from the original price of $600. According to Philip Michaels athttp://www.macworld.com/news/2007/09/05/iphonepricecut/index.php, iPhone sales are being watched carefully by Apple Inc. and AT&T, who has paired up with Apple to sell the iPhones. The price cut angered many customers who bought the iPhone right away, when it was released. Jobs has given these customers a possible $100 credit because of the rice cut. He does say, “we want to make iPhone even more affordable for even more people this holiday season.” However, investors in Apple’s stock were not so sure about the price cut, they think that it is too early to make such a drastic price change, and that it could be risky.