Jasper's New Article

84^th Annual Academy Awards, 11^th Annual Harry Potter Snub

            On Sunday, February 26^th, 2012, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 went head to head with the likes of Hugo, Real Steel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball, Drive and War Horse for best visual effects, sound mixing and sound editing. All three were won by Hugo, leaving the vastly underappreciated Harry Potter in the dust.

            The Harry Potter franchise has a long history of being nominated but not winning Oscars. Over the course of ten years and eight films, Harry Potter has been defeated at the academy awards. Some argue that this is a result of the exceptionally epic technical scale that the competing films were made on. Avatar, Lord of the Rings, Inception; all of these are renowned for their sound editing, visual effects and other technical assets. However, the Harry Potter movies have always delivered on a technical level and are every bit as good.

            Besides nominations that should have been wins, there are several instances of Harry Potter deserving best actor and best actress nominations that it didn’t receive for its theatrically trained actors. Neither Maggie Smith, who faithfully portrayed Professor McGonagall in all eight films has won two academy awards nor Alan Rickman who has won an Emmy and been nominated for a Tony were ever recognized for their performances.

            Personally, I believe that Harry Potter certainly should have been acknowledged long ago for what it is and the impacts it’s had on society. I believe that the Harry Potter movies, the later films especially, exemplified everything you look for in a film. I think they are written off as children films, when in truth they were full scale, epic fantasy films that more than deserve a place in the Oscar hall of fame.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/harry-potter-oscar-snub-m_n_1304252.html

http://movies.ign.com/articles/121/1219533p1.html?RSSwhen2012-02-27_162100

http://oscar.go.com/nominees

Grace's New Article

Money over People

                 I stand for people over money; however, a popular choice these days is money over people.

The Beatles once said, “I don't care too much for money, for money can't buy me love." This quote stands as a witness to the unimportance of money. As well as love, money cannot buy happiness.  Sometimes I hear that people in poverty are happier than people who live in mansions, and sometimes I see it. I believe it. In addition to this, people who have money spend it on unimportant items and do not donate to charity. The smallest gestures in the world can help anyone and change anything.

                Many people would rather have a job they hate that pays more than have a job they love that doesn’t pay as much. They claim that this makes them happy, when really some people spend their days in misery and cannot wait to go home. Personally, I would rather do something I love and make less, than do something I hate and make more. Also, when people who make a lot of money are compared to people who live in shacks, it is disgusting because of the separation of wealth and the continuous inequality. Here we are as a rich society with few people who even care about less fortunate people in the world.

                People claim money can provide happiness in life with new technology, goods, and other luxuries. Ultimately, this money is used for things that are less than important. Not that all people need to contribute to charities, but people are more important than objects.  I believe people in poverty deserve more than they have, which is why, as a society, we should help.

http://cowboygrandpa.newsvine.com/_news/2011/11/22/8955076-the-love-of-money-over-people

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8715735/People-choose-money-over-happiness.html

http://my.firedoglake.com/ducksoup4/2011/07/16/money-is-more-important-than-people/

http://www.wisebread.com/64-funny-inspiring-and-stupid-money-quotes-from-famous-people

Harley's New Article

I believe that:

Corn, what does it mean to you? Corn is in every fast food meal in America, in fact 90% of your fast food consumption can be traced back to a field of corn.  You may think of corn as corn on the cob, but it goes into much more than that. Every fast food chain gets their beef from corn fed cows. Cows that are fed with corn cannot digest the corn so they are less healthy which means that what you are eating is not healthy to begin with. Corn fed cows have a shorter life span because they cannot digest the corn, much like the cow we have troubles digesting corn as well.  The majority of corn produces is used for a sweetener AKA corn syrup. You can find corn syrup in most candies and soda worldwide. This is because it is cheaper and easier to get than real sugar, which means they can produce more products cheaper. Although it is cheaper it does not mean that it is healthier. It is actually cheaper because it is less healthy. You would have to pay a minimum of 16% more for grass fed beef and some real sugars. People are not aware of what they are eating and how it affects them. Back in the day corn farmers could grow 16 bushels each acre and now thanks to modified seeds and fertilizers the modern farmer can produce 180 bushels an acre. Corn can be traced in almost you eat which is a scary thought due to the fact that the food is being created with quantity and not quality.      

Shannen's New Article

Workers Fear Retirement Cuts on Benefits

                I stand for retirement benefits. Businesses should not cut retirement funds because people need the money. Without that money they can’t support themselves when they get older. “…55% of workers say they are willing to give up some of their future pay increases in order to have more guaranteed income in retirement…,” said U.S.A Today. “And 50% say they would also trade a portion of their pay to ensure health care benefits.” The Employee Benefit Research Institute conducted a survey which was called the Retirement Confidence Survey. Older workers have a hard time with the condition of the stock market. Unlike younger workers, they have more time to pick themselves back up again. Among people 40 and younger, about 70%, a number which has risen since 2009, are willing to pay more for a guaranteed retirement benefit fund. Workers should not have to do this because we have our rights. These rights for retirement are going down because no one makes time for the workers. About 64% of people worry about their retirement funds because health care costs are rising.  “A January report by the Insured Retirement Institute said that a healthy 65-year-old male can expect the cost of health care expenses, including premiums, for the rest of his life to total $350,000, and a 65-year-old woman can expect to pay at least $417,000,” said U.S.A. Today. The only highlight is that people are finding their voice and standing up to try to fix this problem. The people are working on changing what is happening to them. I stand for retirement benefits!

Nathan's New Article

I stand for lower gas prices!

Gas Prices

The price per gallon has spiked recently, and it is absolutely absurd.  In what universe are the gas companies allowed to raise prices by 5% for no reason.   CNN recently wrote an article about this exact topic.  They said there are two reasons for the spike in gas prices.  One, the big oil companies have been gauging us forever, which is not surprising.  The other, which is very surprising, suggests Wall Street speculators have been investing and gambling in the loosely regulated commodity markets for gas and oil.  They go on to say, “That speculators controlled only about 30% of the oil futures market. Today, Wall Street speculators control nearly 80% of this market. Many of those people buying and selling oil in the commodity markets will never use a drop of this oil. They are not airlines or trucking companies who will use the fuel in the future. The only function of the speculators in this process is to make as much money as they can, as quickly as they can.”  We should have rules and laws that regulate such investments within oil, destroying the temptation of monopoly.   Our society is so keen on money and that needs to stop.  Money corrupts all; it is the root of all evil.  It is crazy to see that it’s possible to let people buy out practically the whole oil industry.  We as the people need to stop this. There are so many people being affected it needs to stop now.  With the price per gallon approaching $4 a gallon we need to stop it so they can’t go any higher, and with that put regulations on the oil industry. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/opinion/sanders-gas-speculation/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0228/Rising-gas-prices-give-Republicans-new-tool-to-hammer-Obama-video

Tanner's New Article

I Believe     

I believe that technology is taking over our lives. Everywhere we look, there is someone using their cell phone or computer to either type something or connect with someone else. I think that it is impossible to live in the modern world, without using a piece of technology in someway or another. I use my phone at least once every 30 minutes of everyday. I catch myself on my smartphone doing things that are pointless, such as downloading the latest app, or on Facebook looking to see what someone I don't even know is saying right now. 

The average American would not be able to make it through one day without logging on to Facebook, or checking their phone for a new text message. Society has become highly advanced in its technology; however, I sometimes find myself asking if we should have slowed down when we could. We are on a speeding train ride with no breaks, there is no way to slow down this technologic disease that we have started. People are always wanting more. They want the newest, the best piece of equipment they can get their hands on. We go crazy whenever Apple releases the newest Ipad or Iphone. It takes over all of the news stations for weeks, going over the next big advancement that they have made in the phone, such as Siri. Ten years ago, it would have been absurd for a phone to be your friend and talk to you when you ask it questions. I can only imagine where we will be 10 or 20 years from now.

I believe that we need to take a step back from the modern world every now and then, to remember how simpler life could be. It will be a challenge for most people to do this, but if we can achieve this, it will make it so that we can remember how life used to be.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/opinion/mobile-frankenstein-keen/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

http://www.informationweek.com/news/196902629

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/8-tips-to-keep-technology-from-taking-over-your-life-from-wisdom-2-0/

Zane's New Article

I stand for people recognizing the Academy for what it is.

Every year the Academy awards create heated debates for who should have won. Often, the results are not what the general audience of America would have hoped for. What most people do not realize is that the Academy Awards are only voted on by members of the Academy.

At the 84^th Academy Awards, “The Artist” won best picture which struck America as odd. “The Artist” has hardly made it big in the box-office only receiving $32 Million. In fact, it is currently on track to become the second lowest grossing Academy Award winner for best picture in the Academy’s history.

                This has raised a lot of controversy. Many people believe that the Academy awards do not accurately represent the views of the modern Americans that attend movies.

                In a recent study by the Los Angeles Times, it was found that 94% of the Academy members are white and 77% are male. Also, the median age of the Academy was found to be 62 years.

                The Academy Awards are being viewed as a biased institution that does not reflect the modern views of the public, and does not give women or other ethnicities a fair say in the matter. The Academy is made up of primarily old white men that are out of touch from the rest of society.

                People need to recognize the Academy for what it is. There are many expectations that the Academy will pick the winners that movie-goers in America would pick, but that is not the case. If people want to see a show that will more accurately represent the public’s opinion, they need to watch the People’s Choice Awards. It is the people’s fault for putting their hopes into the Academy to select winners that they will agree upon, not the Academy’s fault for having old white men voting.

Sources:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/02/oscars-aging-audience-is-it-time-to-shake-up-the-academy.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0227/Billy-Crystal-in-blackface-Are-the-Academy-Awards-out-of-touch-on-race

http://dailycollegian.com/2012/02/23/the-oscars-are-a-boy%E2%80%99s-club/

Rosie's New Article

Death Toll in Syria

            I don’t stand for the rising death toll in Syria. The continuous uprising and conflict over the countries independence has caused family members and friends to injure and kill each other. Death isn’t the only tragedy coming along with the violence; women and children are being kidnapped and moved around the country to make money. I believe people are using the constant conflict over independence as an excuse to commit crimes that will be less recognized. People shouldn’t cause more conflict in their country, and make the situation harder by adding to the violence and conflict. The fight for independence should have nothing to do with kidnapping and raping women. It’s disturbing to me that such a defined conflict can turn into brothers killing  each other and women being taken away from their children and lives.

            More than 7,500 innocent people have been killed in Syria as of this week, with an estimate of over 100 civilians a day. To me those numbers are outrageous, and that amount of deaths shouldn’t be reached. It’s hard to bring myself to understand why people take their beliefs into their own hands so easily. It makes the country seem corrupt and disturbed. Imagining the United States having a conflict and killing each other at this day and age is impossible for me to do. Obviously the Civil War happened years ago, but that was well before the government was developed and put together. The world has seen so many similar conflicts that they should be able to get this one under control.

            I believe the government isn’t intervening as much as they could. Hillary Clinton claims that if they do pursue charges against al-Assad for tried war crimes, then it would make him cede power. Rather than sitting back and waiting for things to calm down I think another country needs to step in and help get the situation with the President Bashar al-Assad under control, as well as the violence in the country under control.

            No country deserves to go through that much death and violence, and sooner than later this fight for independence needs to be resolved.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204653604577250953152295294.html

http://www.ksat.com/news/Syrian-minister-vows-to-defend-independence-as-deaths-mount/-/478452/9136408/-/el9brz/-/

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Scarlet's New Article

I stand against judgment. People are constantly judging others, usually severely. But, do people really know what you have been through to make you “different”. High school is filled with rude people that comment and stare. Maybe you look different or you talk funny. People need to get over it. Humans generally look weird, what our society defines as “beautiful” is rare and may be classified as ugly through other cultures eyes. There is no point in making others feel horrible about themselves because they are not exactly like you. Our country is supposed to be about individualism and freedom. But, instead it has become a staring contest at what you believe is  “ugly” or “weird”. Everyone is beautiful and we should be embracing their good qualities rather than pushing them down. As a young adult you are trying to find yourself and figure out where you belong. No body wants to sit alone at lunch or roam the hallways at break. Be open-minded and have empathy for someone that maybe you don’t understand. Welcome new people to your life so we all can achieve greatness. High school is brutal, it only lasts four years, but this short time usually shapes you as a person for the rest of your life. Invite the girl that sits alone at lunch to sit with you and the boy that never leaves the house on the weekend to go to a movie. It’s a very confusing time for everyone, so embrace it and smile big.

http://www.alleyoop.com/parentblog/2011/09/14/high-school-stereotypes-judging-your-teens-friends/

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_people_stereotype_and_judge_others

http://theteendoc.com/parenting/judging-teens-doesnt-work/

Zane DeZeeuw's New Article

I stand for tobacco education.

                Currently the U.S. government is trying to force tobacco companies to put graphic photos on cigarette packs to demonstrate the dangers of smoking. However, tobacco companies do not want the federal government’s food and drug rules to target the marketing and sale of their tobacco products. It is in the best interest for the future health of Americans to be fully educated of the dangers of tobacco before starting up the habit.

                The photos that the federal government wants to place on the cigarette packs would display the damage cigarettes can cause to the body. Some will show rotten teeth due to tobacco use, some will show lung damage, and some will show tracheotomy holes in people’s throats. The purpose of these images would be to bring awareness to the public for the health risks that tobacco causes.

                The cigarette companies don’t want the photos because they believe it will serve to convince people to not buy their product. The companies think that the government wants the pictures in order to promote their non-smoking interest which will interfere with tobacco marketing.

                However, the ultimate goal is to demonstrate the safety hazards cigarettes pose. Other pharmaceutical drugs have warning labels on them for side-affects the products have. The pictures serve no different purpose; they just act as a visual aid to demonstrate what the effects of smoking look like.

                It is perfectly just for the government to put safety pictures on cigarette packs. Because there are health risks associated with cigarettes, it should be the government’s obligation to demonstrate those risks to protect the public and educate them the dangers of the product they may end up using. The pictures merely serve as a visual aid for the risks associated with smoking, and they are not there to stop the public from buying cigarettes. People that already smoke will continue to smoke, but the pictures will help people make an informed decision if they want to pursue smoking or not.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-02-01/Feds-argue-for-graphic-images-on-cigarette-packs/52919044/1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-administration-urges-judge-to-approve-graphic-photos-as-warnings-on-cigarette-packs/2012/02/01/gIQAbij5hQ_story.html

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2012/02/doj-faces-hurdles-in-cigarette-warning-label-dispute-.html

Jaspar Mandaville's Post

On February 1^st, 2012, fans of the Egyptian soccer teams Al Masry and Al Ahly turned upon each other after an unexpected outcome for the game. In Port Said, Egypt, there was little debate that the win would go to Al Ahly. However, fans of both teams were shocked when Al Masry defeated Al Ahly in a 3-1 win. As some of the more dedicated fans, known as “ultras,” gloated and mourned over the game results, things escalated quickly and turned ugly. Ultras from both teams rioted on the field, the stands and in the exit corridors. Over the next couple hours, over 70 fans suffocated or were stabbed to death while trying to flee the angry ultras. This incident marks the most deadly soccer related case of violence worldwide since 1996.

There has been a great deal of debate and controversy concerning the Port Said police’s lack of intervention during the riots. Mohammed Abu Trika, one of the players, said: "People here are dying and no-one is doing a thing. It's like a war. Is life this cheap?" Others went even farther, saying that the police didn’t intervene for a reason. After resigning, Al Masry's manager  Kamal Abu Ali said: "This is not about soccer, this is bigger than that. This is a plot to topple the state.” The speculation over the reasons for the police and security not stepping in continued; “the security forces did this or allowed it to happen. The men of Mubarak are still ruling. The head of the regime has fallen but all his men are still in their positions. Where is the security? Where is the government?" said Port Said parliament member, Albadry Farghali. In their defense, the Port Said police department claimed that when they involed themselves in the past, they only ended up “smasing the skulls” of the rioters and eventually getting blaimed for the aftermath of the riots. However, the plice chief and prime minister of Port Said province both ended up resigning shortly after the incident.

Personally, I believe that the police should’ve intervened. It’s their job. In America the police are meant to “serve and protect,” and I imagine the police in Egypt are intended to follow a similar set of principles. Whenever the law enforcement falls short of that standard, it’s police negligence. However, I am undecided as to whether or not the government actually didn’t step in, in order to spark panic. It’s certainly possible, although it seems pretty drastic for a major nation’s government. However, the government in Egypt is in the middle of an immensely tormentous time and is certainly liable to intense episodes of corruption.   

Grace Benesutti's 4th Post

American Airline Changes

                I stand for American Airlines making job cuts to save their airline.

Back in November, American Airlines filed for bankruptcy and are recently creating plans to save more than $1.25 billion a year. They announced that they would cut up to 14,000 jobs out of the 88,000 overall employees of American Airlines.  They will be reducing their management by 20%. If this change is not made, American Airlines can go completely bankrupt or would have to figure out a way to make $800 million a year in profit. Other ways to earn back money for American Airlines would be to ground many older planes and buy newer ones in order to save fuel and restructuring debts and leases. In addition to all of the job cuts, the airlines need to be patient waiting for the results of changes in rules at work, such as longer days for crews. American Airlines is the third largest airline in the U.S. and wants to keep its status.

I believe that these job cuts will be best for the Airline. Thomas Horton said, “We will end this journey with many fewer people. But we will also preserve tens of thousands of jobs that would have been lost if we had not embarked on this path.” The point Horton is trying to make is that if they hadn’t decided to make these changes, the entire airline could have been lost. These changes, yes, will be unfortunate for some people, but many jobs will be kept as well. My family usually travels with American Airlines and they have always been a good airline to travel with. I am personally very glad they are making these efforts to keep the airline and I do hope that the people who lose their jobs will become fortunate in other ways.

 http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/01/news/companies/american_jobs/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-amr-cuts-20120201,0,6689054.story

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/business/american-airlines-proposes-20-cut-in-salaries.html

Noah Hughes' New Article

I Stand For

            Last year, the Supreme Court elected that corporations have the same exact constitutional rights as a people have. I do not stand for this. Corporations are not people. This is ridiculous for this to be true. Even Republican candidate Mitt Romney approves of the Supreme Court’s decision only because he was a very influential businessman. The reasons I believe this is because these corporations are all about the money and they have a higher influence than us real people. Candidates only look to corporations to get the money necessary for there campaigns, therefore corporations aren’t real people, because we non-corporate people are the ones that make the real decisions through our votes and our lives. This is why we organize things like the occupy protest because we feel that our voice has been overthrown by these corporations. Giving corporations the same first amendment rights as us normal citizens only makes them stronger and gives them more of a foothold in our country. A group called Move to Amend is leading the push to having the Supreme Court remove the right they gave to corporations to have these rights.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/24/corporations-are-people-argument-rejected-most-americans_n_1228301.html

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/01/lp_citizens_united.html

http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_19794264?source=most_viewed

Harly Ryder's New Article

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has confirmed that they have shortened the pullout date for the soldiers to 2014. The NATO organization believes that the main objectives are reachable in two years and if they stay for longer it will provoke more issues overseas. Evacuating the soldiers would begin mid-2013 and continue until all NATO forces are out of Afghanistan. I strongly believe that pulling the troops out this rapidly is not going to be a good choice, due to the fact that there will be another power vacuum like the one that occurred in the 80’s with Russia. This power vacuum was formed because Russia was the only true force controlling the people of Afghanistan, and when they left, it left room for terrorist organizations to take over such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  To prevent this we need to complete all missions big or small to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Of course the main objective in the war is to eliminate the threats, but there is much more to this particular event. In order to win this war there needs to be a solid educational system, and the youth of Afghanistan need to learn that America and all NATO countries are not bad. If NATO does stick with the 2014 pullout date there will not be a solid enough base for a sustainable independent country to form. When and if NATO decides to proceed with this plan all we can do as Americans and surrounding countries is hope that Afghanistan can build their own base to form a more successful country.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/30/nato-sticking-to-2014-pullout-date-for-now/?ap

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/5196-top-nato-official-confirms-2014-withdrawal-date-

http://newsok.com/nato-sticking-to-2014-pullout-date-for-now/article/feed/341773?custom_click=pod_headline_europe