Category Archives: Sophomore Year

Current Event Assignment

Topic: After life. The emotion of people and their spirits after death. A journalist and photographer capturing the true essence of the afterlife.

Title: ‘About dying’: The side of death we don’t see

Date Published: September 11, 2015 8:39 ET

Written by: Ashley Strickland of CNN Photos

Summary: Ashley Strickland spent 6 months of her life at Pathological Institute in Aarhus, Denmark to document death and what happens to people after they die. She experienced many bodies bodies in various stages of decay, people missing limbs, the results of aggressively resistant bacteria and young faces for whom death had come too soon. A study of death gave her a new perspective on life. She hopes people viewing the images will experience the same shift.Her objective was to see if she could make people look at death and actually relate to it on natural ground without the grief and use it as a perspective in life.

Reaction: Strickland is photographing objects I never thought mattered to shoot. She truly captures the spirit within these past people. Strickland is doing a very unique type of photography I have never heard of. She uses it to her advantage.

World Impact: We all die. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. Ashley strickland introduced a new aspect in my life and I now see this as an important matter.

 

Current Even Assignment

Written on September 8, 2015

Topic: Sarah Palin, former vice president nominee, praises Jeb Bush for being bilingual, but she would prefer people in this country to “speak American”.

Title: Palin praises Bush for being bilingual, but says English is ‘unifying aspect’ of America

Date Published: September 6, 2015 9:13 ET

Written by: CNN Politics of Washington

Summary: Palin disagrees with anybody who speaks Spanish in America. She believes if you are apart of this country, you should ‘speak American’. The article mentions Donald Trump answering a question in spanish and Palin attacking it. Trump claims he only answered the question in Spanish because it was asked in Spanish. There was also another scenario mentioning South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley saying the Republican Party “often appears cold and unwelcoming to minorities.”

Reaction: Yes, I agree with Sarah Palin, but this is over reacted. Now that I am older, I have realized news is just overreaction to simple life. This seems no big deal to me. No person can force another person to speak English (or American, as a Palin calls it). I don’t understand why so many people are saying they “love” the growing population of Hispanic people, but want to change them when we see a flaw.

World Impact: Like stated in my reaction, this seems no big deal to me, this is just today’s news. This doesn’t impact the world, or even America honestly. It may impact Mexicans by taking offence to Palin’s words, but no big impact.

CNN Politics

Current Event Assignment

Written on September 1, 2015

Topic: Med students (30%)having mental health conditions and (15%) considering suicide due to stressors of a competitive educational environment, intense course loads, and unceasing exam schedule, and lastly the emotional stress of caring for sick patients.

Title: Nearly a Third of Med Students Have Mental Health Issues

Date Published: September 1, 2015 06:30 ET

Written by: Laine Bergeson

Summary: The stress of school and work, 80% feel they don’t receive the support of friends and family they need, 16% smoke because of the large amount of workload, 25% are engaged in binge drinking every week, and 11% have taken illegal drugs more than once in their life because of stress. Only 80% of Med students have experienced mental distress and found moderate support or none at all. These students may also face stigma from within their field, which may keep them from seeking treatment they need. Some tutors and consultants have viewed a mental illness as a “weakness” and the depression isn’t a real illness. Med students are beginning to address the issue and seek help.

Reaction: The percentages presented above are not shocking. I know and they know med school is a struggle and is stressful without any place to breath. I’m not looking into going through the medical route for a career, but if I were, I would try to be on the top of my game and hide my mental illness because having an illness does seem weak and I wouldn’t want to seem weak around my competition.

World Impact: This seems to impact those of choice. Not everyone was, is, or will be a med student. This only impact those in the medical field that are new to the course.

Discovery.com

Current Event Assignment

Written on August 26, 2015

Topic: Anchor thrown out of room when speaking when not called to.

Title: Univision’s Jorge Ramos: It’s my ‘right’ to challenge Trump on Immigration

Date Published: August 26, 2015 6:05 ET

Written by: CNNMoney of New York

Summary: Jorge Ramos, said to be the most famous Spanish-speaking news anchor of the United States, was escorted from a Donald Trump press conference after he stood to ask a question when not called on. The press conference continued without him until he was able to return. While Ramos was not present, questions erupted on the topic of Jorge Ramos. When Ramos returns, he is finally “called on” and asks his earlier questions. Trump explains to Ramos on his one question and takes his sweet time getting to the point. Trump continues to discuss gangs and drug dealers who are “illegal immigrants”.

Reaction: Ramos made a bold decision with “just asking a question” to stand up when not called on. That almost seems preschool like. I know the press conference needs to be orderly and prompt, but we are over reacting.

World Impact: Ramos being escorted isn’t really a world impact. This is just a “small problem” in our society and we will get passed it.

CNNMoney