The Better Way to Shop

Hey guys I just wanted to let you all in on my latest shopping experience. The best part about my shopping trip was that I did it all from the comfort of my own home. In fact, I did not even have to leave my bed!

I recently just signed up for a Discover Card and while I was cruising through their website I found Shop Discover. At first I thought to myself "Oh Angie, this is going to be like any other shopping websites and probably wont have any decent stores", but let me tell you I was wrong. Shop Discover has a fantastic selection of clothing stores that are at my disposal through their website. THey have anything from Target to Armani Exchange. Under their beauty selection they have my all-time favorite store Sephora which, had I known about a week ago, I would have shopped on the website and not in the actual store so that I could redeem the 5% cashback rewards. Oh that's right, I forgot to mention, if you shop with your Discover Card on their site, you will get different cashback reward opportunities depending at which store you shop at. It is ingenious really.

So being the poor college student that I am, I was only able to make one purchase for the day and that was through Barnes and Noble where I finally purchases "that book" that I was holding off on. I encourage everyone to check out the Discover Shop. It really is a convenient way to shop online, find all your favorite stores in one place, and earn extra bonus rewards while you shop.

Post #20: Rush Limbaugh

On the episode of Rush Limbaugh that I listened to on April 30, 2009; Rush discusses how people consider the Republican party to be too conservative and on their way out. They believe that in order for the Republican party to survive, they must move closer to the center. Rush believes that if the party was to follow this advice, the United States government would be dominated by Democrats. He claims that the Republican values should be upheld. He believes that policies should foster personal growth not governmental growth. Achievement and excellence should be rewarded. They believe to protect every life but to punish those who are wrongdoers. They emphasize fiscal responsibility and education. He argues that liberalism should be defeated and that when Conservationism is upheld "America Wins".

I thought the episode was okay. I may not agree with what he was saying but at least he was not as bad as some of those other radio talk shows that when you have an idea that disagrees with them, they will simply hang up your call.

However, I think that Rush's idea that liberalism should be "defeated" is nonsense. The principles set forth through liberalism will absolutely strengthen a country and they should be sought after. After all, is it not in our Constitution that bears the very essence of liberalism, that all men are created equal and have certain inalienable rights! Rush gives no explanation as to why he thinks that liberalism is such a "bad" thing. He just says it and moves right on. If you are going to address something, at least go through with it. It irritated me that he would says something like that when it is such a crucial part of how we became a nation. Maybe he should provide the listener with some more of his perspective so that they have a better means to understand what he is trying to get at.

Post #19: Network News vs. The Daily Show

I just want to start off this post by saying I love the Daily Show. I find Jon Stewart to be one of the funniest comedians out there. That said, I think that should be addressed, Jon Stewart is a political comedian...not a news anchor. He does not report the news, he jokes about it. One must keep in mind that although the program does mimic the network news, it is strictly a form of entertainment. After all, it does air on Comedy Central. This is the same station that plays South Park and Reno 911.

On this episode of the Daily Show, Jon addressed the Swine Flu Outbreak. This was also addressed hours before on ABC World News. Instead of giving details about the virus like the ABC did, Jon focused the coverage of "Patient Zero". Jon did not comment on how the boy's current health was. Instead, he talked about how cute and adorable he was. Jon then went on to discuss the name change of the virus. He talked about how the pork industry did not want them using the term Swine Flu because they feared it would detract people from buying their products. Then Jon joked about how they wanted it to be called the "Hybrid Flu" and then showed the Chrysler's decal.

Jon does not lie about what is going on in the world, he just adds a funny spin to it. I think that if you watch this type of programming along with the network news you would get more out of it. Let’s face it, some of the jokes that Jon tells can only be understood if you know what is going on in the world. Otherwise, you will have a hard time understanding them. Jon is also a very smart man. He is completely up-to-date on the news. He is a smart man and knows what he is talking about but it's our responsibility to understand what he is saying.

Post #18: Comparison of FOX News and CNN

For this assignment I watch a half hour of FOX News Channel followed by a half hour of CNN.





Verses



Hannity was playing on FOX News. First I listened to him rant about how when Obama was running for President, he said that he would excuse the Bush Administration for any questionable methods of interrogation. Now, Obama has switched sides on the issue by putting the blame on the Bush Administration. Hannity then did an overview of Obama's first hundred days in office. He claimed that the one good thing Obama did was buy a dog. Other than that he has done very little except for "bankrupting the country". Hannity criticized Obama's "socialist" agenda.

Then Hannity brought up what Joe Binden said about the Swine Flu. But Hannity says not to worry because the Democrats will surely blame the Bush Administration for the Swine Flu outbreak because they always blame former President Bush. He made the obnoxious comment that if the sun is not shining in the morning it was President Bush's fault.

On CNN I watched the show Newsroom. The first story they showed was on the collapse of the canopy of the Dallas Cowboy's training facility. They talked about a man who was now paralyzed because of the accident. Then they began to talk about the unstable weather that was occurring in the Southeast. Tornadoes were spotted in both Alabama and Tennessee today. The final story that I watched was on the Republican party trying to get a new image. Their goal is it conduct road shows to attract more supporters.

I do not believe that these programs cover events the same way. FOX News Channel was clearly favoring the right. They made annoying comments about Democrats. They attacked President Obama for his supposedly changing view on the waterboarding debate. On the other hand, CNN seemed like a more moderate news source. It provided the viewer with the facts and left very little room for commentary. Out of the two stations, I would much prefer to watch CNN over FOX News any day.

In my opinion the best type of news is one that provides me with facts. I do not mind hearing different sides of an argument as long as both sides have their voices heard. I would much rather be left with a space to make up my own well-informed mind on an issue than to have someone else tell me what to think. If I had to choose I would without a doubt pick objective news covering over partisan based news stories. It is just so much more interesting and informative to be educated on both sides of an issue.

Post #17: Hannity on FOX News

Last night I watched an episode of Hannity on FOX News Station. I was actually surprised at the show. I have never watched anything on FOX news channel before because of it's reputation of being uber-right sided. Therefore, I was shocked to see that Hannity had a panel on his show that had Democrat Lanny Davis. So I thought to myself if Davis is on Hannity is probably going to tear him apart. I was in awe at how civil of a conversation they had. The panel also contained Mary Anne Zoellner who is a correspondent on NBC as well as Collin Raye, a country music star. Hannity would ask the panelist questions and gave them the opportunity to respond. He did not cut them off if they had "liberal" opinions like I thought he would.

One of the topics that was addressed during the panel was the switching of sides of Arlen Specter. They talked about the topic in a civilized manner. The panelist spoke about how this would not be a guarantee for the Democratic Party to be filibuster proof because not everyone of them is going to go along with what Obama wants. Likewise, they also must listen to their constituents and do what is best for their state (and probably what is best for them to get re-elected).

The show was quite different than what I was expecting. I am glad that I learned what I did and came out with a positive view on the show. FOX news may be considered right winged but at least they allow the other side's view to be heard, unlike some of those right winged radio stations found on the AM dial. Whenever they get a caller in who has an opinion that differs from theirs, they usually just hang up the call. It's so frustrating, I don't know how anyone could listen to that for more than five minutes.

Post #16: My Own Choice

Talk about pointless news. Here is a story that would not have been covered if it was not about someone "famous". Octomom is at it again it seems in a child welfare claim because her son showed up to school with a black eye and bite marks. Come on now! Young kids get banged up all the time at that age. When my sister was in preschool, she was at home and tripped over the dresser and gave herself two black eyes. My mom claimed that she was terrified to bring her to school because she feared that someone would call DYFS on her. Do you want to know what happened? Absolutely nothing. If it was any other kid in that class I bet that nothing would have come of it either. But because Octomom is the new household name, she just keeps making the news.

As for the bite marks, I used to work in a daycare where I was in charge of the pre-toddlers. It was almost expected that someone would get bitten each week. This is just how children are. They play dirty. Why should Octomom get all of this exposure?

Do I think that this type of news is good for America...absolutely not. It just takes up space. We could be talking about stories that can actually have an impact in our life...like the economy, the war, world affairs, what's happening in our government (local or federal). But no, people would rather watch this "light" news that will most likely never have an affect on them. The media should really cut back on stories like these and leave the room for more important news.

Post #15: Response to a Classmate's Blog

While I was looking at Logan's blog, this article caught my attention. I think that Logan overestimates how much control a parent has over his or her child. Logan fails to take into account that there are ways for a child to gain access to unsuitable media. It is so easy for a child that is being monitored closely by a parent to go over a friend's house where inappropriate forms of media is allowed and observe it there. The parent of the "innocent" child probably has no idea that this form of media is being viewed.

A parent cannot keep a child attached to their hip 24/7! That would only end with the child being resentful of the parent and the parent would probably never be able to accomplish anything if they have to watch every movement of their kid. There are plenty of ways for a child to gain access to things that the parent does not want the child watching. If the child wants to watch it bad enough, I am pretty sure he or she is going to find a way to see it. The child can wait for the parents to fall asleep and sneak the television on or the child can ask his or her friends about what was on the television the next day at school when the parent isn't around. By simply blaming the parent for allowing their child to view inappropriate forms of media is insufficient. There is more to the issue than just "bad parenting".

I still firmly believe that the best way for a parent to deal with violent media is through open communication with their child. Be honest with him or her and they will respect you enough to be truthful in return. It is probably better to be open with your child then to scold them. They will listen to you.

Post #14: 6:30 New on ABC

Now it's time for the World News on ABC. And the stories are....

~White House Briefing: Obama on the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Souter.
~Justice Souter's Retirement Announcement: will step down this summer. History of his appointment and his voting history in the Supreme Court. Obama is reviewing the candidates. Perhaps it will be a woman.
~Reporters Discuss the Announcement: with two White House Correspondents. Did the White House know it was coming? Yes. Who might be the next Justice? Suspicion is he will pick a woman. Timing? Wants to be done before August recess but some complications may arise.
~Flu Outbreak: continuing to spread. Affecting airlines, churches, and the demand for drugs. In 19 states as of this moment. One Professor of disease says it does not look that threatening. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine.
~Cuba: relations with the US?
~Hillary Clinton Pays Tribute: gets emotional while telling a story of one of the officers.
~Bankruptcy Hearing for Chrysler: Combination with FIAT. What is the new look?
~FDA Recall on Hydroxycut: Leads to liver damage.
~Storms in the West: Flooding and heavy rain.
~Sports: Figure skating and manliness. End the outfits. Athletes talk about the dangers of figure skating.
~Sky Deck on Sears Tower: in the making.
~Person of the Week: Author who wants children to know they can do something in the world through projects.

I think the order of the news program was exceptional. They stated the program with the important issues (Supreme Court announcement and the Swine Flu) and then lead into the more trivial ones (figure skating and the Sears Tower).

I also felt that comparing this program to the 5:00 news that I watched, I feel like I took more away from me in this program. I feel like the stories were more meaningful and they focused on what was going on in the world rather than trying to find interesting stories that would be entertaining. It was very informative and I liked the coverage ABC presented.

Post #13: Local News at 5pm

I am currently watching the local news at 5:00pm on channel 2 (CBS). Here is what is going on:

~Weather: weekend outlook.
~Money Talk: sales tax hike instead of firing more state employees like teachers, firefighters, and police officers. (Political).
~Supreme Court Justice Souter is stepping down: President Obama's reaction. Background on Souter's appointment. Who will be the next nominee? (Political).
~Swine Flu Outbreak: No more new cases in NYC. A few more in NJ but seems to be calming down. People, schools, daycare, and offices overreacting. Students staying home from school because they are afraid of the flu in Long Island. Schools are being cleaned and they are safe but parents too are worried. 146 concerned cases in the nation.
~Teen Tragedy: Student athlete died today during a warm up for a track meet in Edison, New Jersey.
~Child Killer: The police may have found the body of the man accused of killing his 3-year-old niece.
~Two men arrested for Robbery: perhaps as many as 16 in NJ.
~Chrysler: ideas on recovery.
~Stocks: up today.
~Hydroxycut Recall: Causes liver damage. Doctors have been critical prior to this recall.
~Rainfall Causing Flooding: Southwest very wet.
~Weather Report: Showers and cloudy for the next few days. Keep the umbrella handy ;)
~Entertainment: Madonna's fight for adoption. 51-year-old actress Kelly McGillis comes out to a website that she is a lesbian, Movie reviews.
~Man Falls Down Elevator Shaft: In Riverdale.
~Teacher possessing Child Pornography
~Overseas: Someone tried to drive car into royal family in Holland. May Day protests in Europe.
~Danny Gains Death: unexpectedly in Las Vegas home.
~Bike Lanes: Limits parking. Complaints from both sides.
~Building Blessed by Archbishop
~Preview of 6:00 News
~Alligator Trapped in Canal Across for Middle School in Florida
~Miss American Controversy: Questions on cosmetic surgery before the pageant.
~Go New York: Top foods to fight fat when over 40.
~More Weather: ...
~Speed Golf: New record for most golf balls hit in 1 minute.

I must say that at first I was expecting there to be a lot of stories on politics. However, it seems that the first two stories were deceiving. It seems that those were the only two stories that contained any politics. There was definitely a lack of political issues in the local news and it was kind of disheartening to realize this. There needs to be more political content in this programming.

The news itself did keep me entertained. I enjoyed watching the stories and hearing the differing perspectives that were addressed. There were some stories that could have been left out. There really was no need to report on any of the movie reviews because if I want to know about a movie, I will go to a website like rottentomato.com. I also think that we could have done without the Miss America piece because that could have been shown on E which I am sure it will be later tonight. And I would personally like to see them consolidate all the weather reports into one so that it is not so spread out throughout the program.

Post #12: My Own Choice

In class, we talked about the possible harmful affects of violent media. The main concern seemed to be that exposure to certain violent media by young children would result in them emulating the aggressive behaviors that they see. I also got to experience this same type of argument in my social psychology class. I thought that I would like to discuss the social psychological perspective on this issue.

Current statistics on violent media shows that 58% of all television programs contain violence and of these, 73% of them do not contain any remorse or consequence for the violent act. Current research states that there when one partakes in viewing violence, violence will be primed in their minds. This means that they are more likely to think about aggressive behaviors but this does not mean that they will act out those feelings. Research also suggests that watching violence can cause short term effects, like increased arousal and anger. (We even learned that there are more domestic violence police calls during the Super Bowl than any other time of the year).

Social psychologist claim that aggression from violence can create long term effects in three ways. First, when violence is always being shown and primed in ones mind, it will be all that the person will be able to think about, regardless of the situation. Second, by observing and modeling the behaviors seen on TV, people learn when and how to be violent. Lastly, people can become decentralized to violence because of all the exposure of violent media.

Yet, some research says that not all violent media is detrimental for children. By letting a child play a violent video game could lead that child to express their aggressive thoughts through playing the game and not through doing. This is why it is better for people to express their inner aggression creatively because it will provide them with a safe option for letting out their aggressive tendencies.

So what can you do if your child is exposed to violent media (which is practically impossible not for them to have this exposure). The best way to go about the issue as a parent is to talk to your child about what is occurring. Let them know that there are consequences for those types of actions. Be open to questions. That is what social psychology preaches.

Post #11: The Huffington Post

I decided to check out the blog known as The Huffington Post. This blog is considered an Internet newspaper and was founded by Arianna Huffington. At first glance, the blog itself seems very overwhelming. There are stories all over the front page of the website and my eyes could not process where to look at first.

The blog seems to cover a wide range of topics. It has politics, entertainment, health, and many other categories where one can view stories. As I was reading, I discovered an article on Hydroxycut, a product that is used for weight loss. I actually just bought it a few days ago but now that I learned about the recall I am going to get rid of it.

I found the blog to be very interesting because it did not just focus on one thing. I feel like no matter who checks it out will find something that can relate to them because of the variety. The articles themselves are just made up of pictures and links to the actual news story. I like how this is laid out because it does not give any opinions, just what is happening in the world. After a thorough investigation of the blog, I found it relatively easy to use and will most likely return to it when I want to find out what's happening.

Post #10: Youtube Video Post

Post #9: "Good Night and Good Luck"

In class we watched the film "Good Night and Good Luck" which took an inside look at broadcast journalism. The movie is set in the 1950s during a time when the threat of communism was everywhere. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin was going around and exploiting the fear of communism. CBS news decided to take a stand against Senator McCarthy by showing the people the other side of the issue.

One interesting fact about the movie was that even though it was made in 2005, the entire film is in black and white. I felt that this really added to the setting because that is how movies were shot in the 1950s. I was really able to gain a sense of time based on that one seemingly small detail.

The movie brought up a topic that we have been debating with in class, should journalist just report the news or should they sometimes take the news into their own hands. This movie shows the advantages of investigative journalism. The news anchor, Edward Murrow, and the rest of his team at CBS were able to provide the public with the idea that Senator McCarthy was not always being truthful.

I agree that investigative journalism can be beneficial to society. In this case, the news media was able to be open minded and show a side of an issue which was not being discussed. That is what is needed in the news. When I am looking at current events, I want to know what is going on from every angle, not just one point of view. I want the media to provide me with just enough information so that I can make my very own informed decision.

Post # 8: My Own Choice

We are always talking in class about how websites like Twitter are a great way to get information out to the public. But here is an article that claims that these types of websites are detrimental. The article claims that humans cannot comprehend moral implications when absorbing information at such a fast rate. Basically, because there is a limited number of characters that one can fill up when writing a Twitter post, people will not be able to gain the full knowledge of what the actual message is. This will detract them from making moral judgments on what they read on Twitter about what is going on in the world.

I have to disagree with this article because although people do go on Twitter to catch bits and pieces of the news, I would like to believe that people take it for that and nothing more. If I am on Twitter and something catches my eye, the first thing I do is either wikipedia it or go on CNN and see what those sites have to say on the topic. I know that I need to look elsewhere to learn the full story and I think that is obvious to anyone else.

I think that Twitter has been more than beneficial at spreading the word about upcoming events and news stories. When Day of Silence took place earlier this month, people all over were putting up Twitter messages to represent. It really helped to get the word out there to people who may have never heard of the event before. Another thing I remember reading about was that the first news about the plane that landed in the Hudson was actually someone who got out their phone and Twittered the message. In less than a minute news was reported.

Lately, I have heard that the newest concern with Twitter is the spread of wrong information about the Swine Flu. Again, I think people should think about where this information is coming from. If you want to find out more about the Swine Flu, one should probably go on a medical website, not a social network. Twitter can be used as a beneficial tool if it is utilized properly. Maybe some doctors should create a Twitter profile so they can "tweet" about the flu and what people should do if they have symptoms.

Twitter was made to be a social networking site but it can be so much more if we use it in the right way.

Post #7: Environmental Blog Response

I was looking at The Environmental Blog, when I came across this article. Right away it caught my attention because I have been trying to eat healthier and exercise more to get in shape for the summer. But after the article I am left feeling a little skeptical. I can certainly grasp the idea that increased food production can cause more pollution. But I do not agree that by becoming fit you will help the environment.

Personally, I know quite a few people who are overweight who do not eat a lot of food. The reason that they are heavy is due to the fact that they are not eating the right foods. Instead of eating a healthy salad, they go for a plate of pasta. But regardless, they are not overeating. So therefore, there would be no increase in food production due to their weight.

Maybe this article should consider the increase of people living on the planet. The human race has been dramatically increasing the population which would lead to a need for an increase in the amount of food that is being produced. There is over 6 billion people currently on this planet and we are nearing 7 billion.

As much as I would like to tell myself that by eating a fatty hamburger is horrible for the environment, I just cannot. To me the idea is way too far fetched. I think that it is a great idea for everyone to eat healthy and exercise right but I do not think that will have a significant impact on the environment at large. The fact that the world's average BMI is rising is a frightening and just shows that people need to be more health conscious but I still cannot see the connection that would have on the environment.

Post #6: Comparing Internet and Print News

It is pretty evident that the big news on every one's minds is the swine flu. In fact, the story even made it to the front page of the New York Times today with this story. But what I am interested in here is not the article itself, but the differences between these two sources of news, one the Internet or written in print.

For Internet users, obtaining this article is free by simply logging on to the New York Times website. If you own a computer, you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home to have obtained the article. If you do not own your own computer or laptop, a simple trip to your local library will offer you free access to the Internet where you can view this paper along with numerous other papers in mere seconds.

On the other hand, if one wanted to get a paper newspaper it takes a little more effort. For a daily subscription to be delivered everyday to one's doorstep over $60.00 which is with a 50% discount off the first 12 weeks on Offers.com. To go out to the newsstand and buy the paper it now costs $1.50 according to a recent article by The Associated Press.

In the printed newspaper, there is a limited amount of space. The are lucky if one picture or poll gets included within the paper. But when on the Internet, the space is limitless. In this article alone, there are 20 hyperlinks where you can click and learn additional information that is not accessible through the printed paper. Not only can you find more resources at a click of a button, the online article also contains two images and an interactive graph that tracks the flu around the world. Lastly, the website provides visitors with a list of related articles.

In my opinion, I would much rather go online to get my news. It is easier and faster. I can get up to the minute updates on developing stories and a vastly wider range of resources available to me without a thorough investigation. I can also check out other sites to add to my understanding of issues from differing points of view. As long as it is free, this is where I will go to get my news.

Post #5: My Own Choice

Here is an example of to what extent the media can have an influence over the public. The article talks about an interview that was conducted on ABC regarding the use of torture practices. A former C.I.A. agent inaccurately claimed that after performing the technique of water boarding on one suspected terrorist, the terrorist confessed within seconds. The media went crazy with this information. Newspapers, blogs, and television and radio broadcasts spread this "fact" rapidly. however, a memo that was just released indicates that this information was in fact incorrect. The terrorist in question was tortured by means of water boarding at least 83 times according to the document.

The C.I.A. agent just did not have his facts straight and because of this, incorrect information was given to the public who blindly accepted it as truth. The media can really shape our perceptions of what is going on in the world. We take it as truth and very rarely do we question it. But with mistakes likes these perhaps it is time that we start looking more critically on what is being reported to us.

When people first heard that water boarding was affective in obtaining needed information it may seem like a reasonable practice. But to what extent? Now, with this new information out there, will people change their opinions on this hotly debated issue especially if the interview in 2007 impacted them?

Post #4: Swine Flu Op-Ed

Concerns and fears of swine flu have been spreading rapidly as more and more cases are being looked at in the United States. The New York Times posted an op-ed on how different types of influenza develop and change throughout history.

The article was well written and gave a nice overview about the flu in both a scientific and historical context. However, I found myself questioning who the author was and it was not until the end of the story that I found out he was a scholar. But that still leaves the reader to wonder just what are his credentials and where exactly did he obtain this information? It is perfectly evident that he is a writer because of the way the sentence structure flows.

As for his theory that there is a six month gap between the initial wave of the flu virus and a second and, what he claims, more deadly wave makes me feel uneasy. If we are currently looking at the first stage of this, then around October/November we will be seeing an even worse attack. In my opinion, the season itself will be more favorable for people to be catching the flu because the weather will be changing from warm to cold. Will we be seeing the swine flu in the Fall, I guess only time will tell.

As for the author's claim that in the past it has usually taken about four months to make a vaccine for a certain strain of influenza, I would like to believe that our medical technology has come a long way. It seems to me that by only looking at the past to give an estimate of how long it will take to produce a vaccine is not sufficient. Current trends in medical research and development should also play a role in determining the length of time it would take to create the vaccine.

Post #3: The Girls Next Door

Today I watched an episode of The Girls Next Door. It was the episode where the girls traveled to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras. I find it kind of funny thinking about how other nations must view us by watching this show. These three beautiful girls get to go on an all expenses paid trip to Louisiana where all they have to do is party. When Hugh called up to check up on the girls, one of his questions was "did you girls throw a lot of beads?" I found that the girls acted very ignorant throughout the episode but I wonder just how much is for real and how much they are acting their role.

There was one part of the show that actually had some substance. The girls went to a part of the city that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. At the end of this trip the girls acknowledged how lucky their were to be living where they are. Here is what enrages me. Instead of doing something, like helping to clean up the city, the girls just return home and act exactly the same. They could have at least donated money or something. What is the point of showing the damage of Hurricane Katrina if you are not going to do anything about it? What were they trying to prove? The producers could have at least ended on a positive note by listing ways to help rebuild Louisiana. I was very disappointed about how this serious issue was dealt with. The impact could have been so much greater if it was just given the chance.

As for what I think this show says to young girls is that if you are pretty enough you will succeed. You do not need to be smart or go to school in order to have fame and fortune. If you are beautiful things will be given to you and everyone will love you. At least that is what is happening to these three lucky ladies. They live in a gorgeous mansion, get to go on free trips, have vast amounts of fans, and can't even distinguish what an otter is (as demonstrated in another episode I watched where the girls could not decide if it was a whale or a dolphin). I think that a lot of girls are smart enough to realize that this is just a show but there will always be people out there that are going to think this is how the real world works. Those are truly the ones who will gain a negative perspective from watching this type of television programming.

Post #2: Feminist Blog Response

Check this out!

Since I first sat down and watched the episode a few days ago, I have been toying with the very same idea. Susan Boyle's performance was so inspiring but at the same time the episode left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. As Palumbo suggests, if Ms. Boyle could not sing people would just feed into the idea that it is okay to judge solely based on some one's looks.

This really surprises me that people would even judge her in the first place because, when I was younger, I was the youngest member of the Contemporary Choir at my church. I have to say that some of the most outstanding singers were not always what society would consider beautiful. Yet, their powerful voices rang throughout the church and it was beautiful.

As far as I am aware, there is no correlation between beauty and how well one is able to sing so why were all three judges so shocked that she was able to sing? Singing is a talent and it comes with practice...not good looks. I am so proud that Ms. Boyle was brave enough to try out for the show and make it as far as she is but I think judging her in the first place was simply unwarranted.

Post #1: My Own Choice

As I was surfing the news stories on CNN I found this. So maybe I was really out of the loop but I had no idea that such a rule even existed. It seems unbelievable to me that someone would flat out refuse someone something as simple as information based on what they believe in. I am absolutely fine with people expressing their faith and I am a very open person to all different types of religion. However, I find it very unfair that someone should have the power to mix work with their personal beliefs if it is going to affect the patient.

I think that the Obama administration is on the right track. This type of policy is just making a situation more difficult. I mean, if a woman was able to obtain information about sensitive issues like family planning then she might be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Why would a person even choose to work for a place that offers these types of services if they are "morally against" it?

One argument that the article touches upon is that to get ride of this policy "would result in the government becoming the conscience and not the individual". I feel that the government would be providing a beneficial service to its citizens by making sure they are able to get the information and services that they need.

Welcome

Welcome to my first post on my first ever Blog. I have created this Blog for my Politics and Media course at Ramapo College. I am a junior in college and a political science major with a psychology minor.

Enjoy :)