Don't you just love it when your class falls on a day that you end up getting off for a holiday? As an instructor, it makes things a little harder, but as a student, I was always very grateful. Now, I have made it clear in class that Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. I don't like the way schools fictionalize a story that sounds good, while ignoring the sad facts about how we really treated Native Americans in this country. That being said, I have learned to treat Thanksgiving as a reminder of all the things I am thankful for.
This year, as always, I am thankful for my faith, my family and my friends. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who love me. I am also thankful that I have two jobs in an economy where people often can't find one.
So, in honor of the holiday my question to you this week will be an easy one. "What are you thankful for this holiday season?". Answers are due no later than Thursday, December 3rd, 2009. Please be aware that you have almost two weeks until your blog post is due, because we will not have class next week. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
A sad day in America
As I sit down to write this blog shortly after Veteran’s Day, it saddens me to write about the recent events that took place at Fort Hood, an army base located outside of Killeen, Texas. On November 5th, a gunman opened fire in the Soldier Readiness Center of Fort Hood, killing thirteen people and wounding thirty others. Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an army psychiatrist accused in the Fort Hood shootings has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the military's legal system, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.
Since the shootings, there have been many reports on Maj. Hasan’s background, including that he was harassed by military officials for his Muslim faith, was scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan and that he asked to be discharged from service. Other reports state that Army officials saw no warning signs from the man authorities say is responsible for the worst mass killings on a U.S. military base.
Recently in class we discussed the role of the media, and why it sometimes called our fourth branch of government. For the blog this week, I would like you to review several sources of coverage on the Ft. Hood shootings. My question to you this week is, “What bias do you see in the media sources that you accessed? Were you able to find two different sources that contradicted one another?” You must access at least two sources and name them in your post to get full credit. Answers are due no later than Thursday, November, 19th, 2009. To our veterans, I would like to say that I personally honor and thank you for your service to our country.
Since the shootings, there have been many reports on Maj. Hasan’s background, including that he was harassed by military officials for his Muslim faith, was scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan and that he asked to be discharged from service. Other reports state that Army officials saw no warning signs from the man authorities say is responsible for the worst mass killings on a U.S. military base.
Recently in class we discussed the role of the media, and why it sometimes called our fourth branch of government. For the blog this week, I would like you to review several sources of coverage on the Ft. Hood shootings. My question to you this week is, “What bias do you see in the media sources that you accessed? Were you able to find two different sources that contradicted one another?” You must access at least two sources and name them in your post to get full credit. Answers are due no later than Thursday, November, 19th, 2009. To our veterans, I would like to say that I personally honor and thank you for your service to our country.
Friday, November 6, 2009
It Pays to Have Friends in High Places...
Last week in class, we discussed campaign finance reform and I told you that I may re-post something I have posted previously in another class. So, as promised, here it is.
This past Presidential election was the most expensive race in history, with candidates literally raising millions of dollars to finance their campaigns. During the primary contest, then candidate Obama pledged not to accept campaign contributions from lobbyists. In fact, Obama returned thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from registered federal lobbyists during the course of his campaign. However, Obama did take money from individuals who while not registered lobbyists, were still employed at lobbyist firms. This activity, along with Obama's past contributions from lobbyists in previous races drew criticism and charges of hypocrisy.
The top spenders in the 2008 Presidential election, ranked in order from highest to lowest, were as follows: US Chamber of Commerce, Exxon Mobil, AARP, PG&E, Northrop Group, American Medical Association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, American Hospital Association, General Electric and Verizon Communications. It is no coincidence that one can see two of our countries' biggest domestic issues reflected in this list; health care and energy.For more information on who gave what to whom, check out the Center for Responsive Politics at: http://www.opensecrets.org/. This website will give you the full details on campaign finance and show you who has supported your politicians in the past.
My question to you this week is, "Do you think it is okay for candidates to take money from lobbyists? If it were up to you, how would you reform our campaign finance laws?" Answers are due no late than Thursday, November 12th, 2009.
This past Presidential election was the most expensive race in history, with candidates literally raising millions of dollars to finance their campaigns. During the primary contest, then candidate Obama pledged not to accept campaign contributions from lobbyists. In fact, Obama returned thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from registered federal lobbyists during the course of his campaign. However, Obama did take money from individuals who while not registered lobbyists, were still employed at lobbyist firms. This activity, along with Obama's past contributions from lobbyists in previous races drew criticism and charges of hypocrisy.
The top spenders in the 2008 Presidential election, ranked in order from highest to lowest, were as follows: US Chamber of Commerce, Exxon Mobil, AARP, PG&E, Northrop Group, American Medical Association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, American Hospital Association, General Electric and Verizon Communications. It is no coincidence that one can see two of our countries' biggest domestic issues reflected in this list; health care and energy.For more information on who gave what to whom, check out the Center for Responsive Politics at: http://www.opensecrets.org/. This website will give you the full details on campaign finance and show you who has supported your politicians in the past.
My question to you this week is, "Do you think it is okay for candidates to take money from lobbyists? If it were up to you, how would you reform our campaign finance laws?" Answers are due no late than Thursday, November 12th, 2009.
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