Virginia Tech
In our class discussion today, we discussed the publicity the shooter has been getting and that the media may be giving it too much attention for the simple fact that this is exactly what he wanted. In one article I read, Cho says something to the effect that he was like Jesus Christ and did this to help future people who were like himself. He said he was doing this in order to give other people the strength to follow through if this is what they wanted to do. The fact that every news channel and even MTV are constantly playing footage of the tape he sent in or flashing the photos in our face is giving him the coverage and attention exactly like he wanted. I also feel that all this media coverage must be difficult on friends and families of the victims of this tragedy. This footage being replayed is a constant reminder as to what happened. I would feel as if I didn’t have any time to breath between what is playing on television and mourning with friends and family. Not that this should be forgotten but I feel the media should not continue coverage on the Virginia Tech shootings.
Baby Moses Law
The Baby Moses Law which was created in Texas is intended to help parents who feel they are not ready to take care of their children but also do not feel that abortion is right. Unlike adoption, the Baby Moses Law allows for the parents of the child to stay anonymous. I feel this law not only helps the mother but also allows an infant an opportunity for a better life that maybe their birth mother would not be able supply. Although I feel people should be more careful in their actions, accidents do happen. After making a bad decision, one of the most responsible things a mother can do is give their child a better life by giving the baby to someone they know can find a supply a better home. Some people believe that when these people make mistakes they should deal with their consequence but I do not feel that a baby should be seen as a consequence. The way many infants wind up dead is because the unprepared mothers do not know what to do when they cannot handle having a child. This gives not only the mother an opportunity for a better life but also the child. Being born is not a choice a baby can make therefore being born an unwanted child can not lead to a healthy life.
Extreme Home Makeover
In one of our recent class discussions we discussed the large participation by the College of Saint Rose students for the Extreme Home Makeover: Colonie Edition. We talked about how a big portion of our student body volunteered but few were able to actually participate. I think people were not greatly disappointed because of the fact that they could not help but because they would not have the opportunity to meet celebrities such as Ty Pennington or be shown on t.v. Maria was one of the few students chosen to go and told us that she had been picking up garbage aroung the site. I feel that a vast majority of students would not have signed up if they were told they would be cleaning up garbage. I also feel they would not have signed up had it not been for a t.v. show such as Extreme Home Makeover. I think that if these people cared enough to do the show then they should also follow through and try helping the rest of the community by signing up for Habitat for Humanity. Not just signing up either but also following through with the labor process and hard work that goes into these homes. Maybe I am not one to speak on this subject though as I myself am not a part of Habitat for Humanity but I also did not sign up for Extreme Home Makeover. It’s not that I do not want to help the community but I don’t feel like I have the time. Maybe that’s bullshit too though and I could find the time but I believe my being sincere about the fact that I didn’t attempt to help is better then other people’s false reasons for participation.
Grand Theft Auto
During the discussion on Grand Theft Auto the point was made that it is inappropriate for young kids. Although I agree with that, I feel that these games should not be in the hands of a child. There is regulation through the government that does not allow games rated M for mature, to be purchased by anyone under the age of 18. Even if a child does become exposed to games such as these I feel that they are so unrealistic that they should not influence a child as heavily as many articles say they do. If a parent instills good morals in their child, a 10 or 12 year old should not think it is logical to act the same as the character in the video game. Through experience I know that in the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas you are able to type in a code and a jet pops up that you are able to fly. You can type in another code which enables a mass amout of weapons to be available. Neither of these things are realistic therefore I don’t think they are influential. If a video game such as Grand Theft Auto fell into the hands of a child who did not understand right from wrong then it is solely the parents fault for letting it happen.
Wikipedia
The controversy over Wikipedia has been long lasting. Some of the discrepancies people have had is that it is an unreliable source One of the reasons people believe this is because Wikipedia is constantly being changed. People are allowed to edit and update as much as they want and say what they would like without being monitored. Another issue people have with Wikipedia is that people who may not have the credentials may be updating this source. In class we updated the definition of culture. Who is to say that we know the true definition, which is the problem many people have with this source. In class today we saw how it was difficult to update a Wiki when you wanted to adjust the definition. While you were trying to add to what someone else had written, other people could have already deleted, altered, or said what you were trying to say in the amount of time it takes you to post. I feel that Wikipedia may not be the most reliable source but it is a good source of information. It is a good source of information because it has input from many different people. Having input from different people can show you a new perspective at which to look at.
info…
The website Salon is an online news source. This site not only writes about politics, national news, and movie reviews but also gives you a place to discuss them with other people. On this web page you can find book reviews along with sports and business reports.
Technorati is a widely used online blog site that covers almost anything you look for. You can read the blogs of people about your favorite kind of music, movies, or whatever you might be interested. You can easily search to find what you’d want to read about.
