The local news always discusses the same subject matter. You will always get your daily dose of the weather, which is helpful. Then you find out what's going on in proximity to where you live. A suspected robbery in Hammonton, a local woman is sent to the hospital after a shooting takes place in Pleasantville. And of course, the exciting news that is happening within your local community, such as a town experimental rain garden is flourishing. In other news, a 3-way car accident at the garden state plaza toll.
Finally, they get into some news that's political. Of course we hear about the H1N1 flu virus, inevitably (5 cases reported by New Jersey health officials), a former councilwoman is indicted for "official misconduct". Also a matter of concern for New Jersey shores, there has been no money allocated to beach replenishment from state or federal government!
Other than those few stories aforementioned, stories were rather locally based (hence local news), strictly pertaining to local residents, car accidents and minor community issues. There is a lot more room for political content, which certainly effects more people than a rain garden experiment. Personally, I thought the news was quite boring and had the urge to view something entirely different. Nonetheless, I can see why people are interested in watching their local news, giving them a sense of knowledge within the community.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Who Will be Next?
Souter is retiring. Oh no! We all know what that means. Obama has to pick a Supreme Court justice to replace him. As a Democratic president with a unified congress, fears are beginning to increase among Republicans as his decision on who will be appointed draws nearer.
The Huffington Post recently released an article discussing the various prospects of who Obama will appoint to the high bench. Republicans have noted that as a state senator from Chicago, Obama voted against cloture on the nomination of Samuel Alito back in 2006. When asked if this would have any impact on his decision to vote for or against Obama's future judicial candidate, Republican senator Richard Shelby stated that he is not a payback kind of guy and that he believes we should move forward. Perhaps this means that other Republican senators will act in this objective manner and keep an open mind when it comes to their decisions on whether or not to vote in favor of Obama's pick.
One thing is for sure: Republicans are taking this very seriously. Ideology of the appointee is going to play a major role in their vote. In addition to the background and expertise of this person, they will have to have at least a moderate standpoint on many controversial issues. I am very curious to see who Obama will appoint and the proximity of his or her ideological views to Obama's own views.
Pirates!!
A recent CNN article discusses pirates attacking a French navy vessel on Sunday. They captured eleven pirates. Mistaking this French vessel with a commercial ship, they attacked. Before they even had time to fire at the vessel, there was a French helicopter flying overhead.
Piracy attacks have become quite popular this year, with over 100 seized pirates over the course of the year. This has become a rather large problem for NATO and the EU, as there are about 70 pirates in a prison in France. The coast of Somalia has proven to be a hot spot for piracy this past year. NATO has been working tirelessly along with the European Union to protect their seas from piracy. Despite their efforts, piracy has continued to soar off the Eastern coast of Africa. Since Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 (according to CNN), it is difficult to tame from their end. Dealing with millions of dollars, it is of absolute importance that these pirates are captured quickly!
However, here is a different side of the story. Somali Piracy was covered by Al-Jazeera, a famous Arabic news station. Although the quality is not the best, if gives a good idea of the root cause of such piracy, as well as solid visual of what is going on. Check it out:
Piracy attacks have become quite popular this year, with over 100 seized pirates over the course of the year. This has become a rather large problem for NATO and the EU, as there are about 70 pirates in a prison in France. The coast of Somalia has proven to be a hot spot for piracy this past year. NATO has been working tirelessly along with the European Union to protect their seas from piracy. Despite their efforts, piracy has continued to soar off the Eastern coast of Africa. Since Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 (according to CNN), it is difficult to tame from their end. Dealing with millions of dollars, it is of absolute importance that these pirates are captured quickly!
However, here is a different side of the story. Somali Piracy was covered by Al-Jazeera, a famous Arabic news station. Although the quality is not the best, if gives a good idea of the root cause of such piracy, as well as solid visual of what is going on. Check it out:
Please Twitter in Church?
A recent article on CNN discusses a pastor's encouragement to Twitter during church services.
John Voelz, a pastor from Michigan is looking for ways to make his church services more creative and interesting for his congregation. Not only does he encourage Twitter, they actually educate their congreaton on how to use Twitter. For two weeks, they asked the congregation to bring their laptops and cell phones to a training session where they showed them how to blog.
This is a very unorthodox approach to getting congregates more involved and interested in church. Most likely, many would argue that although technology is growing more intertwined with daily life, Sunday morning mass may not be the place for it just yet.
However, this is not the only church service that regularly integrates Twitter into mass. In Seattle, New York City, and Charlotte, pastors have the same idea. These pastors claim that it is necessary to modernize church services, to allow people to remain close to God in these changing times. "Twitter Sundays" are becoming more popular throughout the nation. Pastors feel that this is an undeniably useful tool to create a greater sense of a unified community.
Some things that are said on these microblogs:
"had awesome music today and yes i am twittering in church."
"nothing u do 4 the lord is in vain."
"I have a hard time recognizing God in the middle of everything."
I can only say that I am surprised. Yet to be quite honest, I really shouldn't be. Technology and Internet tools are the way of the future. If churches want to modernize along with it, it is a fun creative way of allowing church members to become more active, unifying them by this social tool.
John Voelz, a pastor from Michigan is looking for ways to make his church services more creative and interesting for his congregation. Not only does he encourage Twitter, they actually educate their congreaton on how to use Twitter. For two weeks, they asked the congregation to bring their laptops and cell phones to a training session where they showed them how to blog.
This is a very unorthodox approach to getting congregates more involved and interested in church. Most likely, many would argue that although technology is growing more intertwined with daily life, Sunday morning mass may not be the place for it just yet.
However, this is not the only church service that regularly integrates Twitter into mass. In Seattle, New York City, and Charlotte, pastors have the same idea. These pastors claim that it is necessary to modernize church services, to allow people to remain close to God in these changing times. "Twitter Sundays" are becoming more popular throughout the nation. Pastors feel that this is an undeniably useful tool to create a greater sense of a unified community.
Some things that are said on these microblogs:
"had awesome music today and yes i am twittering in church."
"nothing u do 4 the lord is in vain."
"I have a hard time recognizing God in the middle of everything."
I can only say that I am surprised. Yet to be quite honest, I really shouldn't be. Technology and Internet tools are the way of the future. If churches want to modernize along with it, it is a fun creative way of allowing church members to become more active, unifying them by this social tool.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
NBC News
Recently, I watched the nightly news on NBC. The order in which the stories were presented was very interesting.
First, the epic Swine Flu was presented instilling trepidation and panic into the minds of all viewers. They discuss how the H1N1 virus continues to spread, focusing on the vaccine for the monster. They later jump into floods all across the Midwestern region of the US. It will cost well into the hundred thousands to repair all damages. On a lighter note, they begin to discuss how Cuban-American relations are gradually improving, then continue on with the depressing news. In a nutshell, Chrysler is bankrupt, and crime rates are increasing in urban areas caused by the condition of our poor economy.
Why do people watch the news? As much as it kept me up to date with what's going in in the U.S., it was actually quite depressing! They highlighted one to two stories that were positive, and that's about it. The order in which the stories were presented went pretty much like this: Negative to negative, positive, then leave you with negative once again. Perhaps this was not the intent of the order, but it is surely how I perceived it.
whitehouse.gov
In a recent class discussion, whitehouse.gov was brought up as being a propaganda tool used by the Obama administration. As a result, I decided to check out the website. After only a few minutes on the site, I was already overwhelmed by the direct information on there and didn't know what to look at first. Just by going on the homepage, you can find every piece of signed legislation in chronological order by the administration as well as their descriptions. You can also find a weekly address given by the president, information on the economy, and so much more.
Clicking through this website was wonderful. YOu can find out anything about the current administration and what they're doing, as well as what your state and local government is up to. Inevitably, it makes Obama look good, too. Since the site is run by his administration, I wouldn't expect anything different. But, if you're looking for direct information on what your government is doing without the taint of the middle-man media, then you've found it in this site. Learn about the new piece of legislation, then decide for yourself if you agree, without the interpretive subjective media to get in your way. How often can we say we've learned a bit of news about our government without mass media getting involved? Learn about Obama's agenda the way he wants to present it to you, it is his agenda after all and should be presented to his fellow Americans through a direct source.
This week, the president's address urges American's to stay calm but cautious in regards to the H1N1 Flu Virus. Check it out:
Clicking through this website was wonderful. YOu can find out anything about the current administration and what they're doing, as well as what your state and local government is up to. Inevitably, it makes Obama look good, too. Since the site is run by his administration, I wouldn't expect anything different. But, if you're looking for direct information on what your government is doing without the taint of the middle-man media, then you've found it in this site. Learn about the new piece of legislation, then decide for yourself if you agree, without the interpretive subjective media to get in your way. How often can we say we've learned a bit of news about our government without mass media getting involved? Learn about Obama's agenda the way he wants to present it to you, it is his agenda after all and should be presented to his fellow Americans through a direct source.
This week, the president's address urges American's to stay calm but cautious in regards to the H1N1 Flu Virus. Check it out:
Hannity: Obama's First 100 Days
Recently, Hannity recapped Obama's First 100 Days as he perceived it. With little to no commentary, he put together inconsistent and out of place phrases to attempt to portray the faults of Obama's administration thus far. And so, with dramatic music highlighting the background of their words, he begins his recap.
He starts with Guantanamo closing in one year. Wait a minute, why is this a bad thing again? He continues on with a segment of an Obama speech, where he simply says that the state of the economy can become a national catastrophe. How is that not already obvious, regardless of who became President??
He then shows a clip from Biden, stating that even if we do everything right, there is still a 30 percent chance we get it wrong. One would assume he is talking about the economy. Yet since that is the only part of some random speech, we don't even know what that sentence is regarding!!
Continuing with the economy, he discusses Obama's resolution, the stimulus bill, aka, spending bill. What do you think a stimulus bill is? Thats the whole point. Your congress voted for this, and you voted for your congress. Moreover, the nation voted for Obama! He openly stated that this was his plan for recovery throughout his campaign. Why do you question it now and not then?
August 31st, 2010, America will be out of Iraq. Again, where is the bad in this?
Next, Obama is shown giving a speech, yet again. He states there have been times where America has shown arrogance. Is it really unpatriotic to convey the truth? Yet Hannity insists he said this in a negative way. He then shows a clip of Obama stating he does not consider America a Christian nation, at the same time, showing a poster of "The Decline of the Christian America". You must be joking. Whatever happened to separation of church and state?! Whatever happened to our first amendment right to religious freedom? They then state he bowed before the Saudi king.
He concludes by saying this has been the most expensive first 100 days for the American people.Yet the last time we have had an economy this bad was The Great Depression, and we had a war to get us out of it that time, we don't have that kind of revenue this time around. In a nutshell, his was the most awful depiction or recap I have seen in my life. Taking random clips and speeches and throwing them together completely out of context doesn't quite do it for me. Attempting to highlight every negative aspect of Obama's first 100 days and coming up with this garbage just goes to show how strong Obama's first 100 days actually were. I applaud Obama on his efforts to create a more stable economy and prevailing against his adversaries.
He starts with Guantanamo closing in one year. Wait a minute, why is this a bad thing again? He continues on with a segment of an Obama speech, where he simply says that the state of the economy can become a national catastrophe. How is that not already obvious, regardless of who became President??
He then shows a clip from Biden, stating that even if we do everything right, there is still a 30 percent chance we get it wrong. One would assume he is talking about the economy. Yet since that is the only part of some random speech, we don't even know what that sentence is regarding!!
Continuing with the economy, he discusses Obama's resolution, the stimulus bill, aka, spending bill. What do you think a stimulus bill is? Thats the whole point. Your congress voted for this, and you voted for your congress. Moreover, the nation voted for Obama! He openly stated that this was his plan for recovery throughout his campaign. Why do you question it now and not then?
August 31st, 2010, America will be out of Iraq. Again, where is the bad in this?
Next, Obama is shown giving a speech, yet again. He states there have been times where America has shown arrogance. Is it really unpatriotic to convey the truth? Yet Hannity insists he said this in a negative way. He then shows a clip of Obama stating he does not consider America a Christian nation, at the same time, showing a poster of "The Decline of the Christian America". You must be joking. Whatever happened to separation of church and state?! Whatever happened to our first amendment right to religious freedom? They then state he bowed before the Saudi king.
He concludes by saying this has been the most expensive first 100 days for the American people.Yet the last time we have had an economy this bad was The Great Depression, and we had a war to get us out of it that time, we don't have that kind of revenue this time around. In a nutshell, his was the most awful depiction or recap I have seen in my life. Taking random clips and speeches and throwing them together completely out of context doesn't quite do it for me. Attempting to highlight every negative aspect of Obama's first 100 days and coming up with this garbage just goes to show how strong Obama's first 100 days actually were. I applaud Obama on his efforts to create a more stable economy and prevailing against his adversaries.
Environmental Blog: Palin Makes News Yet Again
Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin is building up her flip-flop reputation yet again, this time to environmentalists. A recent blog from Tree Hugger states that Palin accepted the stimulus funds, yet said no to $29 million appropriated to the Alaskan State Energy Office. Environmentalists argue that she refuses this funding because she does not want to make Alaskan buildings more energy efficient.Silly Palin. This makes environmentalists very unhappy. By turning down the greenest portion of the stimulus funds offered to the state of Alaska, she pretty much just put "going green" as last on her to do list. By putting this on the back burner, she ultimately stops the rippling effect of a more sustainable Alaska before is has even begun. Are we sure Palin wants to get re-elected? Her good looks and charming personality can only take her so far.
What's worse, this blogger states that Palin is the only governor to refuse the funding to the state energy office. I can only say one thing about her decision to opt out of going green. If she wants anything to do with remaining a huge player in the game of politics, then she is currently committing political suicide by refusing this money. This will be held against her in all her future endeavors, so she better put a bandage on this issue real quick. Regardless of her personal ideology, she must cater to this growing concern of her constituencies.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Fellow Classmate's Blog: Judicial System Facing Problems with Technolgical Advances
A fellow classmate in my Politics & Media class recently wrote a blog regarding a story that appeared on the front page of the New York Times a few days ago. The article she discussed utterly blew me away. Twitter and Facebook, internet social tools, were actually considered legitimate grounds for a mistrial for a Pennsylvania state senator!
Not only is this outrageous, but I completely agree with my classmate when she states that the legal system must comply with new technology, because technology is only going to improve and become more accesible. She does an excellent job conveying both sides of this controversial issue. She then articulates logical arguments for both sides of this issue and asks questions that can only be answered through policy.
With internet and technology becoming more advanced and accessible each day, new laws have to be created that cater to this changing society. The laws that exist today do not safeguard the judicial system as we know it. It starts off with one case of a Pennsylvania state senator. Soon if not already, every case will have this potential downfall. Another caveat is, some jurors may not even be caught, and the rule that any information from outside the trial will be broken without any notice.
In a nutshell, if justice shall prevail as it has in the past, the laws of the judicial system must comply with the current trends of today's advanced technological society. Until that happens, as my classmate would concur, the legitimacy of our judicial system is skating on thin ice.
Not only is this outrageous, but I completely agree with my classmate when she states that the legal system must comply with new technology, because technology is only going to improve and become more accesible. She does an excellent job conveying both sides of this controversial issue. She then articulates logical arguments for both sides of this issue and asks questions that can only be answered through policy.
With internet and technology becoming more advanced and accessible each day, new laws have to be created that cater to this changing society. The laws that exist today do not safeguard the judicial system as we know it. It starts off with one case of a Pennsylvania state senator. Soon if not already, every case will have this potential downfall. Another caveat is, some jurors may not even be caught, and the rule that any information from outside the trial will be broken without any notice.
In a nutshell, if justice shall prevail as it has in the past, the laws of the judicial system must comply with the current trends of today's advanced technological society. Until that happens, as my classmate would concur, the legitimacy of our judicial system is skating on thin ice.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Femenist Blog: Spitzer Wants Back In
In the feminist section of The Pandagon, a post was written regarding Eliot Spitzer's attempted comeback in the political realm. The author of this blog wants to make certain that he is not let off the hook based on his supposed ignorance. She insists he has proven himself an intelligent man who understands the game of politics perfectly, as well as the rules and regulations that come with it. Let's face it, he wouldn't have been elected governor of New York if he didn't know how to play the game. She strongly argues that in our cultural society, sex is already degrading when concerning women. She claims this is evident through the automatic punishment of unintended pregnancy. What's worse, Spitzer attempted to throw these prostitutes into jail, just like the prostitute he screwed that eventually screwed over his career. The author eventually drifts off to movies, then sex in general. She makes legitimate points about the role of women in society. However, it's not necessarily relevant when talking about Spitzer getting back in the game.
Personally, I agree with this author. I don't believe Spitzer should have any leeway, simply because he violated a law he so vehemently attempted to enforce. However, a politician is a politician, and that means he will take every initiative possible to stay in the game, no matter how much dirty laundry has been aired. She has a right to be angry, we all do. But that's not going to stop Spitzer from doing everything he can to gain his power back. He may not be returning as governor of New York, yet I wouldn't be surprised if he attempted to get back in the swing of things, at least in some capacity. Of course he will say that he laments his mistakes and hindsight is 20/20. That's the role of every politician who's put in a tight spot.
NPR: Get Out Your Paper Masks
In a recent "All Things Considered" program on NPR, the topic of discussion was none other than Swine Flu. More specifically, the plans, or lack thereof, to deal with such a situation. President Obama has just asked for 1.5 billion dollars to combat it, the CDC. WHO and HHS are all scrambling to figure out where it is headed next. Citizens across the country, and the world are in a state of panic.
Richard Besser of the CDC was interviewed, and he explained the new emergency kits that are being send across the country. One component of these kits are paper masks, which have been said to be useless in Mexico. So is this "forward leaning step" (according to the CDC) just a placebo to prevent mass panic?
The top minds in America's health organizations are also trying to decipher the what ifs...what if the swine flue disappears only to return in the winter months? What if it reaches other poor countries? What if it never goes away? As these experts scramble to find the answers to these questions, the spread of the flu continues worldwide.
Even worse, none of these questions have been or will be answered for some time. We'll just have to strap on our paper masks and wait.
Pandagon on Specter
Pandagon recently wrote a hilarious post on Jim DeMint attempting to twist Senator Specter's flip to Democrat as a victory for the GOP. The hysterical entry describes how DeMint, a South Carolina senator, attempts to see the glass half full, stating "Republicans are seeing across the country that the biggest tent of all is the Tent of Freedom”.
All the while, a senator from Maine, Olympia Snowe, is left hanging with a bunch of extreme right wingers, according to Pandagon. She is not as positive as DeMint, insisting that this switch over is devastating for the Republican party. Snowe, a moderate Republican, lamented the extremist views of the Republican party and their exlusionary policies towards moderates. For now, Snowe is sticking with the party. Although it is a hostile place for moderates, she still believes in sticking with the essence of the party, and thinks that those currently representing the party have abandoned those principles.
Reading the Pandagon opened my eyes to information that objective news wouldn't provide for me, not to mention the post was hysterical. Posts like these open up channels for information on ridiculous senators and the truth behind major political news, that wasn't available for the average person not linked with anything but an internet source in the past.
All the while, a senator from Maine, Olympia Snowe, is left hanging with a bunch of extreme right wingers, according to Pandagon. She is not as positive as DeMint, insisting that this switch over is devastating for the Republican party. Snowe, a moderate Republican, lamented the extremist views of the Republican party and their exlusionary policies towards moderates. For now, Snowe is sticking with the party. Although it is a hostile place for moderates, she still believes in sticking with the essence of the party, and thinks that those currently representing the party have abandoned those principles.
Reading the Pandagon opened my eyes to information that objective news wouldn't provide for me, not to mention the post was hysterical. Posts like these open up channels for information on ridiculous senators and the truth behind major political news, that wasn't available for the average person not linked with anything but an internet source in the past.
FOX vs. CNN
Today I watched FOX news and compared it to CNN. Oh, the differences of obviously right wing and left wing media. They cover major events in very separate ways.
The three big news stories discussed on both networks were: The swine flu, the Specter switch and the end of Obama's first 100 days.
FOX news scorned Obama on his spending spree in his first 100 days, insisting he spend so much money and that it will continue to rise. They stated he racked up a massive spending tab, but never stated what that tab was used for or why it was so horrible. They moved on to the swine flu, even making that a bipartisan debate. They alleged that Democrats are accusing Republicans of blocking the flu in the stimulus package, as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. continues to rise. Then they switched on the Senator Specter's switch from the GOP. They scorned Specter harshly, with reactions from Reagan and Guilliani. Reagan stated, "Good riddance". He was one of three Republicans to vote in favor of the stimulus package, the "monstrosity". Overall, the FOX news station just sounded like a few angry Republicans got together and reported the news with animosity.
CNN reported on a greater range of news stories, but covered those major ones in depth, as well. Other news stories highlighted the stimulus positively, insisting Chrysler reached a debt deal, and that the American citizens have the highest level of confidences regarding the Economy since November, which is how they opened the discussion for Obama's first one hundred days coming to an end tomorrow. In regards to the swan flu, they reported the news without much partisan view. When discussing Specter, they reported on Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the switch, as she stated that she was excited. What was interesting about CNN, even their commercials support Obama's stance on stimulating the economy via green jobs.
What was so interesting about watching both networks, was that although I gained the same information listening to either station, FOX just sounds like a bunch of bitter politicians who wanted to complain, while CNN just put an angle on their news stories to favor Obama. In a nutshell, if I ever had to choose only one as my news source, CNN would win with no competition.
The three big news stories discussed on both networks were: The swine flu, the Specter switch and the end of Obama's first 100 days.
FOX news scorned Obama on his spending spree in his first 100 days, insisting he spend so much money and that it will continue to rise. They stated he racked up a massive spending tab, but never stated what that tab was used for or why it was so horrible. They moved on to the swine flu, even making that a bipartisan debate. They alleged that Democrats are accusing Republicans of blocking the flu in the stimulus package, as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. continues to rise. Then they switched on the Senator Specter's switch from the GOP. They scorned Specter harshly, with reactions from Reagan and Guilliani. Reagan stated, "Good riddance". He was one of three Republicans to vote in favor of the stimulus package, the "monstrosity". Overall, the FOX news station just sounded like a few angry Republicans got together and reported the news with animosity.
CNN reported on a greater range of news stories, but covered those major ones in depth, as well. Other news stories highlighted the stimulus positively, insisting Chrysler reached a debt deal, and that the American citizens have the highest level of confidences regarding the Economy since November, which is how they opened the discussion for Obama's first one hundred days coming to an end tomorrow. In regards to the swan flu, they reported the news without much partisan view. When discussing Specter, they reported on Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the switch, as she stated that she was excited. What was interesting about CNN, even their commercials support Obama's stance on stimulating the economy via green jobs.
What was so interesting about watching both networks, was that although I gained the same information listening to either station, FOX just sounds like a bunch of bitter politicians who wanted to complain, while CNN just put an angle on their news stories to favor Obama. In a nutshell, if I ever had to choose only one as my news source, CNN would win with no competition.
Monday, April 27, 2009
End of the Widow Penalty, Op-Ed from the NY Times
In today's Op-ed Section of the New York Times, an article entitled "End of the 'Widow Penalty' " was an eye-opening editorial. According to this article, when an immigrant's citizen spouse dies, the 'widow penalty' gives that unlucky immigrant an order to leave the country before their paperwork can be processed.
This unjust law was unknown to me before reading this editorial. The author states that no exceptions have been made thus far. This means that after suffering the loss of a loved one, this person must get deported, severed from new family members as their entire life is uprooted.
Up until recently, there has been little progress with correcting this injustice. Finally, in a court case last week, the ball started to roll on fixing this awful penalty legislatively. The author notes that we should not punish immigrants who follow the rules, especially if it is a punishment caused by the death of a spouse.
This is one of my first times reading the op-ed section of a newspaper. I tend to skip right through it, thinking this section is not as important as the more objective news stories. Yet after reading this op-ed, I began to read a few more. Not only did I really enjoy them, but I actually learned a thing or two. This author makes a lot of sense and really gets to the heart of the matter. There still remains injustice in our legal system as the tyranny of the bureaucracy can dictate the lives of good people.
This unjust law was unknown to me before reading this editorial. The author states that no exceptions have been made thus far. This means that after suffering the loss of a loved one, this person must get deported, severed from new family members as their entire life is uprooted.
Up until recently, there has been little progress with correcting this injustice. Finally, in a court case last week, the ball started to roll on fixing this awful penalty legislatively. The author notes that we should not punish immigrants who follow the rules, especially if it is a punishment caused by the death of a spouse.
This is one of my first times reading the op-ed section of a newspaper. I tend to skip right through it, thinking this section is not as important as the more objective news stories. Yet after reading this op-ed, I began to read a few more. Not only did I really enjoy them, but I actually learned a thing or two. This author makes a lot of sense and really gets to the heart of the matter. There still remains injustice in our legal system as the tyranny of the bureaucracy can dictate the lives of good people.
The Daily Show and The Network News
Who needs to watch the network news when you've seen The Daily Show? Today's episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was funny yet informative. Although I watched the Network News, I was much more informed after watching Jon do his thing. The show was broken down into three parts: Swine Flu, White House apology to NYC, and a very informative interview with the Christine Lagarde, the French Finance Minister.
I noticed that Jon Stewart uses the network news as part of his jokes and also to give the background information for his jokes. When discussing the Swine Flu, Jon Stewart showed clips from ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and FOX news and turned what they said into jokes. In a satirical manner, Jon insisted that the media is the reason we as a society are freaking out about this "pandemic". He then compared far fetched news to practical news, with a reporter from the "Center for Disease Control" and a reporter from "Center For Stuff I heard from Some Guy". In the end of the spoof, the far fetched news prevailed.
He then moved on to the White House apology to New York City for flying a 747 over ground zero for a photo-op, insisting they wanted to see what it would look like to fly air force one over ground zero and scared the living daylights out of New York City. What's worse is no one even told the mayor this was happening! In this story, Jon Stewart uses the media as the foundation to later create his joke, as opposed to the first part of the show, where he used the network news as his joke.
He ended the show with a wonderful interview with Christine Legarde. He asked her hard hitting questions that allowed me to better understand how the current economic depression is effecting Europe and what France is doing about it. She informed the audience that France is in the same boat as everyone else, but is using strict regulation. She already fired bankers and is imposing penalties. When Jon asked which country is more socialist between the US and France, she stated both are free markets, yet France's has a lot of safety nets, including more benefits, something President Obama is doing, which will lead to a more stabilized economy in the long run. Our country is moving in France's direction.
Overall, the show was informative and funny. I got my news, but I was entertained as well. The network news may have covered more, but in less detail, not to mention much less entertaining.
I noticed that Jon Stewart uses the network news as part of his jokes and also to give the background information for his jokes. When discussing the Swine Flu, Jon Stewart showed clips from ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and FOX news and turned what they said into jokes. In a satirical manner, Jon insisted that the media is the reason we as a society are freaking out about this "pandemic". He then compared far fetched news to practical news, with a reporter from the "Center for Disease Control" and a reporter from "Center For Stuff I heard from Some Guy". In the end of the spoof, the far fetched news prevailed.
He then moved on to the White House apology to New York City for flying a 747 over ground zero for a photo-op, insisting they wanted to see what it would look like to fly air force one over ground zero and scared the living daylights out of New York City. What's worse is no one even told the mayor this was happening! In this story, Jon Stewart uses the media as the foundation to later create his joke, as opposed to the first part of the show, where he used the network news as his joke.
He ended the show with a wonderful interview with Christine Legarde. He asked her hard hitting questions that allowed me to better understand how the current economic depression is effecting Europe and what France is doing about it. She informed the audience that France is in the same boat as everyone else, but is using strict regulation. She already fired bankers and is imposing penalties. When Jon asked which country is more socialist between the US and France, she stated both are free markets, yet France's has a lot of safety nets, including more benefits, something President Obama is doing, which will lead to a more stabilized economy in the long run. Our country is moving in France's direction.
Overall, the show was informative and funny. I got my news, but I was entertained as well. The network news may have covered more, but in less detail, not to mention much less entertaining.
The Girl's Next Door
To my dismay, I recently watched an episode of The Girl's Next Door. The episode (Season One Episode Twelve) is a perfect example of how the show depicts every negative stereotype about women in society as truth. I can only describe these girls in one word: ditzy. If these play bunnies portrayed a true representation of women, then everything women have fought for until this point has been for naught. The show makes sure to distort the image of women in society, by suggesting that these women are only but beautiful bodies, and have no brain in between their ears. Everything about the show, from the music in the background to the topics discussed, degrades women.
To give an idea of the level of intelligence these girls who, sadly enough, represent women actually have, I'll provide a quote from the show. On their first trip to New York, one play bunny actually stated, "Is the Statue of Liberty a real person?" Another play bunny insisted the statue needed a makeover. In any other possible moment, either boobs or sex were discussed in serious context.
The media also craves covering stories regarding the play bunnies. Not only do they have their own show, but the entire episode revolved around media coverage. From Virgin Records to The View, everyone wanted the girls in the spotlight. They were even mentioned in an article in the daily news. The article centered around whether one of the bunnies was going to have Hugh's baby, a man well into his 80s. What is so enticing about these women? The fact that most have silicone breasts and speak as if they're seven years old? And what does this say about the audience attracted to such a show? If I'm sure of one thing, it's that shows like this make it that much more difficult for women to be taken seriously in a society where they are portrayed as nothing more than beautiful bodies made up of artificial parts.
To give an idea of the level of intelligence these girls who, sadly enough, represent women actually have, I'll provide a quote from the show. On their first trip to New York, one play bunny actually stated, "Is the Statue of Liberty a real person?" Another play bunny insisted the statue needed a makeover. In any other possible moment, either boobs or sex were discussed in serious context.
The media also craves covering stories regarding the play bunnies. Not only do they have their own show, but the entire episode revolved around media coverage. From Virgin Records to The View, everyone wanted the girls in the spotlight. They were even mentioned in an article in the daily news. The article centered around whether one of the bunnies was going to have Hugh's baby, a man well into his 80s. What is so enticing about these women? The fact that most have silicone breasts and speak as if they're seven years old? And what does this say about the audience attracted to such a show? If I'm sure of one thing, it's that shows like this make it that much more difficult for women to be taken seriously in a society where they are portrayed as nothing more than beautiful bodies made up of artificial parts.
New York Times Front Page News on Obama
In the front page of today's New York Times, Obama was highlighted in quite a positive way. Entitled "Poll Suggests Obama's Term is Altering Views on Race", the article suggests that the president is changing this country for the better, in direct and indirect ways. The article states that two-thirds of Americans think that race relations in the U.S. are in generally good conditions. The percentage of blacks who say so has actually doubled since his presidency began according to this poll. The poll also states that most of the country feels Obama is headed in the right direction and they agree with Obama's approaches on a plethora of issues. The article continues displaying Obama's success, insisting that even at this point in his term, he has higher approval ratings than any other recent president.
Perhaps these delightful stories about Obama still appear on the front cover of the NY Times and other mass media sources because we are still in the honeymoon stage, or perhaps it is something more. Obama's relationship with the press has been so strong thus far, I feel that they are inclined to continue such positive relations to get more stories. After all, the press is a only a business and needs to keep customers interested. As a direct result, they tend to show positive stories that will generally please Americans. With stories favoring Obama making the front cover of mass media, everyone is happy in this win-win, symbiotic relationship.
However, as much as I like what Obama has done with his presidency thus far, I am still a bit apprehensive that the media is not taking their job as government watchdog seriously. They are so overwhelmed with the amount they have to work with, they are eating it up without any cynicism. As Obama is reaching his 100th day in office on Wednesday, we will see if media begins to speculate further and question his authority, now that the honeymoon stage will be over.
Perhaps these delightful stories about Obama still appear on the front cover of the NY Times and other mass media sources because we are still in the honeymoon stage, or perhaps it is something more. Obama's relationship with the press has been so strong thus far, I feel that they are inclined to continue such positive relations to get more stories. After all, the press is a only a business and needs to keep customers interested. As a direct result, they tend to show positive stories that will generally please Americans. With stories favoring Obama making the front cover of mass media, everyone is happy in this win-win, symbiotic relationship.
However, as much as I like what Obama has done with his presidency thus far, I am still a bit apprehensive that the media is not taking their job as government watchdog seriously. They are so overwhelmed with the amount they have to work with, they are eating it up without any cynicism. As Obama is reaching his 100th day in office on Wednesday, we will see if media begins to speculate further and question his authority, now that the honeymoon stage will be over.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Good Night, and Good Luck
Last week, I watched a film called Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney and David Strathairn. With a historically accurate approach, the film gave an excellent reenactment of the conflict between Senator Joseph McCarthy and famous TV journalist Edward Murrow. Directed by and co-written by George Clooney, the film served as a marvelous depiction of how media can effect government and politics. The senator's anti-communist actions soon became a list of bogus accusations of U.S. citizens involved in communist related activities. Ed Murrow and Fred Friendly quickly decided that he has gone too far and transform their weekly show into a ploy to bring down Senator McCarthy and his accusations.
The film has an underlying theme of media responsibility to the general public as watchdogs of the government. The reporters and journalists involved continuously battled with an internal struggle, as they risked their jobs as well as their reputations in order to do what they felt was right. In the end, the show was canceled, but they brought down McCarthy. The movie ends with Murrow giving a spine chilling speech regarding media responsibility. He states that a television set is more than just a box with wires, but an education tool that should be used for the good of society.
If we carry this last statement over to today's society, we find that these words are meaningless. Top ratings today portray the true interests of Americans. Dating and fashion shows have flooded the networks, leaving little room for the general public to gain knowledge on political agendas. If Murlow's ideas were put in place, if his words were taken seriously in today's mass media, then America would be a better informed body of people. Until that day comes, it will just be a very powerful tool, hidden in a box of wires.
The film has an underlying theme of media responsibility to the general public as watchdogs of the government. The reporters and journalists involved continuously battled with an internal struggle, as they risked their jobs as well as their reputations in order to do what they felt was right. In the end, the show was canceled, but they brought down McCarthy. The movie ends with Murrow giving a spine chilling speech regarding media responsibility. He states that a television set is more than just a box with wires, but an education tool that should be used for the good of society.
If we carry this last statement over to today's society, we find that these words are meaningless. Top ratings today portray the true interests of Americans. Dating and fashion shows have flooded the networks, leaving little room for the general public to gain knowledge on political agendas. If Murlow's ideas were put in place, if his words were taken seriously in today's mass media, then America would be a better informed body of people. Until that day comes, it will just be a very powerful tool, hidden in a box of wires.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The AIG Scandal
All over the nation, tax payers are heated with anger over the absurd AIG scandal. AIG, an insurance company that remains afloat solely due to the bailout, recently gave out $165,000,000 in bonuses to the company's executives. To put it another way, taxpayer's money was distributed in such a way that the rich are getting richer and the purpose of the bailout is retracted in one fell swoop. The current CEO of AIG, Edward Liddy insisted that these bonuses were put in before he became CEO. As he is looking to pick up the pieces and salvage the company, everyone is looking for someone to blame. Even the DailyShow with Jon Stewart created a skit regarding who is to blame. Congress concluded that Senator Chris Dodd was heavily a part of this and is to blame for putting in this provision.
President Obama, who so vehemently encouraged Congress to pass this bailout, called AIG reckless and greedy. In a two minute speech regarding the scandal (shown below), Obama said he asked Secretary of Treasury Geithner to block these bonuses. He remained positive, stating we need reform and taxpayer's need protection. A few days ago, Obama went on The Tonight Show with Leno and asked the American people to cut Geithner some slack. He insists that the Secretary of Treasury has so much on his plate and that he is doing an excellent job. Meanwhile, Edward Liddy is asking for those who were paid over $100,000 dollars in bonuses to repay the company half the bonus. The good news is some employees have already given back their entire bonus.
However, this AIG outrage proves that there are definitely holes in the bailout. Now that the money is distributed, it is in the hands of the executives of those companies. As proven by AIG, corruption and mismanagement can easily prevail, and all that taxpayer money and the effort that went into earning it would be for naught. Let us hope that this is a rare occurrence and the remainder of the $700 billion is put into good use!
President Obama, who so vehemently encouraged Congress to pass this bailout, called AIG reckless and greedy. In a two minute speech regarding the scandal (shown below), Obama said he asked Secretary of Treasury Geithner to block these bonuses. He remained positive, stating we need reform and taxpayer's need protection. A few days ago, Obama went on The Tonight Show with Leno and asked the American people to cut Geithner some slack. He insists that the Secretary of Treasury has so much on his plate and that he is doing an excellent job. Meanwhile, Edward Liddy is asking for those who were paid over $100,000 dollars in bonuses to repay the company half the bonus. The good news is some employees have already given back their entire bonus.
However, this AIG outrage proves that there are definitely holes in the bailout. Now that the money is distributed, it is in the hands of the executives of those companies. As proven by AIG, corruption and mismanagement can easily prevail, and all that taxpayer money and the effort that went into earning it would be for naught. Let us hope that this is a rare occurrence and the remainder of the $700 billion is put into good use!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Obama and the Economy
In President Obama's first speech to the joint Congress, he discusses a variety of issues. He opens with discussing the recession, a topic of conversation in almost every household. Throughout the speech, he discusses issues facing the country using a central theme of responsibility. He opens up his speech discussing the major issue facing America; the economy. As a country, we have been very irresponsible. We have delayed reform. We have spent money we didn't have, which piled up into more and more debt. We were only focused on short term gains. He boldly blames the banks, insisting that they gave out loans irresponsibly. Obama made clear that we will not push these problems to another day and the time is now! He claims that his economic plan will not only resolve today's economic issues, but will keep the country in prosperity!
His economic agenda: More jobs. He will create 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. He gets very personal in his speech, discussing 57 Minneapolis police officers who were on duty that night because they didn't get laid off. What a brilliant orator. He makes his remedy to this economic chaos sound better by discussing tax cuts. Tax credit for college, which I find brilliant. Not only is he targeting every American household with a family member in college or college-bound, but through targeting education through economic agenda, he makes government spending sound positive. Skeptical? Oh, don't you worry. Joe has that one covered- an oversight team will be run by Joe Biden himself. Want to know where your money is going? Recovery.gov... Obama is not wasting any time. This site will show you how and where your tax money is being spent. Why wouldn't you trust an administration that is so brutally honest, they tell you exactly what's happening, in an unprecedented fashion, the internet?!
He then discusses the domino effect: NO lending.. people can't buy things.. if people can't buy things, that means our economy will worsen. We need to restart lending. Auto loans, college loans, small business loans especially. Obama wants them to thrive to keep economy running.
He then spoke of the animosity some may have towards his plan. He knows people are bitter. After the eight-year administration from hell, people are looking to Obama to pick up the pieces in one fell swoop. He knows this decision of helping banks is unpopular and people are infuriated. But making decisions out of anger and not complying with his agenda is irrational. We need to help banks so we can help the American people! Domino effect. The result of helping the banks? Confidence will return.. our economy will recover.
His economic agenda: More jobs. He will create 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. He gets very personal in his speech, discussing 57 Minneapolis police officers who were on duty that night because they didn't get laid off. What a brilliant orator. He makes his remedy to this economic chaos sound better by discussing tax cuts. Tax credit for college, which I find brilliant. Not only is he targeting every American household with a family member in college or college-bound, but through targeting education through economic agenda, he makes government spending sound positive. Skeptical? Oh, don't you worry. Joe has that one covered- an oversight team will be run by Joe Biden himself. Want to know where your money is going? Recovery.gov... Obama is not wasting any time. This site will show you how and where your tax money is being spent. Why wouldn't you trust an administration that is so brutally honest, they tell you exactly what's happening, in an unprecedented fashion, the internet?!
He then discusses the domino effect: NO lending.. people can't buy things.. if people can't buy things, that means our economy will worsen. We need to restart lending. Auto loans, college loans, small business loans especially. Obama wants them to thrive to keep economy running.
He then spoke of the animosity some may have towards his plan. He knows people are bitter. After the eight-year administration from hell, people are looking to Obama to pick up the pieces in one fell swoop. He knows this decision of helping banks is unpopular and people are infuriated. But making decisions out of anger and not complying with his agenda is irrational. We need to help banks so we can help the American people! Domino effect. The result of helping the banks? Confidence will return.. our economy will recover.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The First Post
My name is Marlene Botros. I am a Political Science Major at Ramapo College of New Jersey. These blogs will be written for my Political Science and the Media course.
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