Wow! I can't believe another quarter has already gone by. I guess time flies when you're having fun! I had a really good time this quarter; reconnecting with students I've already had in other courses, and meeting some of you for the first time. I wish you much success in your future endeavors and hope that you stay in touch with me.
For our final blog post, I would like to get your thoughts and feedback on the class. "What did you like or dislike about the class? What could I do to make the class better?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, June 13th, 2010. After that the blog will be down until summer quarter begins. Congratulations to those of you who are graduating! For everyone else, have a happy and safe summer break!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Should Newspapers be Saved?
Recently, we studied how the media affects our political culture and why it is sometimes called the fourth branch of government. The media's influence on politics has always affected how we view our politicians; from the times of the penny press, FDR's fireside chats and the televised Kennedy/Nixon debates. However, it is now possible that some major cities will soon no longer have a newspaper.
In a recent cover story, Times author Walter Issacon notes that although readership is on the rise, fewer consumers are paying. According to a Pew Research study, more people got their news online for free last year, than paid for it by buying newspapers and magazines. The newspapers, which traditionally have counted on sales from subscriptions and newsstands are now only relying on advertising dollars, thus making the content beholden to the advertisers themselves.
Walter Issacon makes a case for charging for the news we access. Whether we pay an online subscription fee for the newspaper of our choice, or we are simply charged a "user fee" for each article we access, Issacon stresses that charging for content might just be the only way to save our newspapers.
You are all creative students, who produce artistic content that I am sure you would like to get paid for, yet at the same time, I am sure many of your access news for free off of the Internet. So my question to you this week is, "Do you think we should be charged for the news we access, and if so, with what kind of fee?". Answers are due Sunday, June 6th, 2010.
In a recent cover story, Times author Walter Issacon notes that although readership is on the rise, fewer consumers are paying. According to a Pew Research study, more people got their news online for free last year, than paid for it by buying newspapers and magazines. The newspapers, which traditionally have counted on sales from subscriptions and newsstands are now only relying on advertising dollars, thus making the content beholden to the advertisers themselves.
Walter Issacon makes a case for charging for the news we access. Whether we pay an online subscription fee for the newspaper of our choice, or we are simply charged a "user fee" for each article we access, Issacon stresses that charging for content might just be the only way to save our newspapers.
You are all creative students, who produce artistic content that I am sure you would like to get paid for, yet at the same time, I am sure many of your access news for free off of the Internet. So my question to you this week is, "Do you think we should be charged for the news we access, and if so, with what kind of fee?". Answers are due Sunday, June 6th, 2010.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Celebrating a 3-Day Weekend? Thank a Veteran!
I have been looking forward to the three-day weekend coming up for a long time. We always get together as a family and have a big cook-out. The pools re-open, I get a free day off of work and more importantly, summer begins!
It dawned on me as I sat down to write this post, that the true meaning of Memorial day is often lost. Most people know that Memorial Day is to honor soldiers who have died in combat, but did you know that a national moment of remembrance, in the form of a moment of silence, takes place at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time? Another tradition is to fly the flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Many people observe the holiday by visiting graves and cemeteries to honor family members who have died. Hundreds of volunteers place American flags on veteran grave sites across the country.
Both of my grandpa's are WWII veterans. I remember how seriously my grandma took Memorial Day and her responsibilities to honor my grandpa, the flag and our country. I realize that those duties have been lost on my generation, in lieu of BBQ, beer and the Indy 500. It made me realize that it is time to step up to the plate. So, this weekend, I pledge to do something to honor my grandpa's and others who have died in service of this country. My question to you this week is "How do you celebrate Memorial Day? Do you do anything to honor it's true meaning?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 30th, 2010. To those of you that have volunteered to serve our country so that life is better for all of us - I honor and salute you! Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!
It dawned on me as I sat down to write this post, that the true meaning of Memorial day is often lost. Most people know that Memorial Day is to honor soldiers who have died in combat, but did you know that a national moment of remembrance, in the form of a moment of silence, takes place at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time? Another tradition is to fly the flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Many people observe the holiday by visiting graves and cemeteries to honor family members who have died. Hundreds of volunteers place American flags on veteran grave sites across the country.
Both of my grandpa's are WWII veterans. I remember how seriously my grandma took Memorial Day and her responsibilities to honor my grandpa, the flag and our country. I realize that those duties have been lost on my generation, in lieu of BBQ, beer and the Indy 500. It made me realize that it is time to step up to the plate. So, this weekend, I pledge to do something to honor my grandpa's and others who have died in service of this country. My question to you this week is "How do you celebrate Memorial Day? Do you do anything to honor it's true meaning?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 30th, 2010. To those of you that have volunteered to serve our country so that life is better for all of us - I honor and salute you! Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!
Monday, May 17, 2010
What's Been Happening in Arizona and Could It Happen Here?
Last month, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer passed the strictest immigration law in the country, which will go into effect July 29, 2010. The act makes it a misdemeanor crime for an alien to be in Arizona without carrying legal documents. It obligates police to, when practicable; determine a person’s immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion that the person is an illegal alien. Police may arrest a person if there is probable cause that the person is an alien not in possession of required registration documents. This legislation has started a national debate on illegal immigration. The ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, NAACP and other civil-rights groups say the law, “encourages racial profiling, endangers public safety and betrays American values”. The mayor of Los Angeles has called for a boycott of Arizona businesses. Supporters of the law say that the law is simply enforcing federal law, and that it is necessary to crack down on illegal immigrants crossing our borders.
Last week, Governor Brewer also signed a bill targeting The Tucson Unified School District's ethnic studies programs. The Tucson Unified School District offers courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native American studies, focusing on history, literature and the influence of a particular ethnic group. The law prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, are designed for students of a particular race, or promote resentment towards a certain ethnic group. United Nations human rights experts condemned the measure saying in part, “All people should have the right to learn about their own cultural heritage”.
So my question to you this week is “What are your opinions of both piece of legislation? Would you want similar legislation in Indiana? Why or why not?” Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 23rd, 2010. You must discuss both piece of legislation to earn full credit. I also encourage you to contact the governor and tell her what you think! You can email her at: http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp
Last week, Governor Brewer also signed a bill targeting The Tucson Unified School District's ethnic studies programs. The Tucson Unified School District offers courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native American studies, focusing on history, literature and the influence of a particular ethnic group. The law prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, are designed for students of a particular race, or promote resentment towards a certain ethnic group. United Nations human rights experts condemned the measure saying in part, “All people should have the right to learn about their own cultural heritage”.
So my question to you this week is “What are your opinions of both piece of legislation? Would you want similar legislation in Indiana? Why or why not?” Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 23rd, 2010. You must discuss both piece of legislation to earn full credit. I also encourage you to contact the governor and tell her what you think! You can email her at: http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp
Monday, May 10, 2010
Should the United States Torture?
Wow! I leave town for one week and it seems the news wire just went crazy. First, there was the oil spill in the Gulf, which as of this writing is still spilling thousands of gallons of oil into the water. Then, there was the flooding in Tennessee, leaving the town of Nashville under water and eerily reminiscent of New Orleans. Finally, there was the attempted terrorist bombing in Times Square. As I watched all of this from my hotel in Albuquerque, I couldn’t wait to get back and post something on the blog. The attempted bombing got me thinking about something I had previously blogged about and I decided to re-post this week. Now that we have the terrorist suspect in custody – what will happen to him?
In August 2009, the CIA released their 2004 inspector general’s report revealing the full extent of harsh methods used on terror suspects. The report found that CIA investigators routinely staged mock executions, and used power drills, guns, and waterboarding techniques to extract information from the detainees.
These “enhanced interrogation techniques” have caused moral, ethic and legal debates across the country. President Obama has gone so far as to call some of these techniques “torture”. As the debate rages on, many feel is boils down to one question, “Did the harsh methods like waterboarding cause terrorist suspects to give up valuable information?” Like so many things in Washington, it depends on who you ask.
The program’s defenders, most notably former Vice President Dick Cheney have long claimed that the detainees broke down under the coercive techniques and gave up crucial tips. The information they provided helped foil imminent terrorist plots against the United States, and thus saved American lives. One the other hand, the inspector general’s report says it “did not uncover any evidence that these plots were imminent.” The report also raises the fundamental questions of whether the interrogators needed to use enhanced techniques at all. The report states that at least in some instances, they were used “without justification.”
So my question to you this week is, “What do you think of the ‘torture’ debate? Should the United States engage in these practices if it means keeping us safe?” Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 16th, 2009.
In August 2009, the CIA released their 2004 inspector general’s report revealing the full extent of harsh methods used on terror suspects. The report found that CIA investigators routinely staged mock executions, and used power drills, guns, and waterboarding techniques to extract information from the detainees.
These “enhanced interrogation techniques” have caused moral, ethic and legal debates across the country. President Obama has gone so far as to call some of these techniques “torture”. As the debate rages on, many feel is boils down to one question, “Did the harsh methods like waterboarding cause terrorist suspects to give up valuable information?” Like so many things in Washington, it depends on who you ask.
The program’s defenders, most notably former Vice President Dick Cheney have long claimed that the detainees broke down under the coercive techniques and gave up crucial tips. The information they provided helped foil imminent terrorist plots against the United States, and thus saved American lives. One the other hand, the inspector general’s report says it “did not uncover any evidence that these plots were imminent.” The report also raises the fundamental questions of whether the interrogators needed to use enhanced techniques at all. The report states that at least in some instances, they were used “without justification.”
So my question to you this week is, “What do you think of the ‘torture’ debate? Should the United States engage in these practices if it means keeping us safe?” Answers are due no later than Sunday, May 16th, 2009.
Monday, April 26, 2010
You Don't Know Jack!
This weekend, I watched the HBO movie, “You Don’t Know Jack” starting Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian or “Dr. Death” as he is sometimes called in the media claims to have assisted 130 terminally ill patients with ending their life. In each case, the terminally ill individual took the final action resulting in death. Dr. Kevorkian assisted them by attaching them to intravenous drips or devices that once pushed, released drugs that would end the patient’s life. Dr. Kevorkian’s crusade to legalize physician-assisted suicide caused a massive controversy with some calling him a killer, and others calling him the most empathic physician they had ever known.
In November 1998, Dr. Kevorkian allowed 60 Minutes to air a videotape of a voluntary euthanasia. In the video, the patient voluntarily gives his consent at which time Dr. Kevorkian administers a lethal injection. This video was significant, because it was the first time Dr. Kevorkian administered the lethal dose himself. He was subsequently charged and convicted on second-degree murder and served eight years in prison.
I have to admit, I felt conflicted watching this movie. All four of my grandparents suffered for years with terminal illness. I know first-hand what it is like to watch someone you love suffer, with no hope for a cure. Had there been a way to end their suffering, I know for sure I would’ve thought about it. As Dr. Kevorkian said “We don’t let our animals suffer, why do we let our fellow human beings”? That being said, as I watched the movie, I kept coming back to my faith. In the end, I just can’t justify taking someone’s life or assisting someone in taking their own. For me, it feels too much like “playing God”.
So my question to you this week is “What do you think of physician-assisted suicide? Should it be allowed? If so, in what cases?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. Please note the change in the deadline because I will be out of town. There will be no new blog post the week that I am gone. The blog will resume with a new post on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010.
In November 1998, Dr. Kevorkian allowed 60 Minutes to air a videotape of a voluntary euthanasia. In the video, the patient voluntarily gives his consent at which time Dr. Kevorkian administers a lethal injection. This video was significant, because it was the first time Dr. Kevorkian administered the lethal dose himself. He was subsequently charged and convicted on second-degree murder and served eight years in prison.
I have to admit, I felt conflicted watching this movie. All four of my grandparents suffered for years with terminal illness. I know first-hand what it is like to watch someone you love suffer, with no hope for a cure. Had there been a way to end their suffering, I know for sure I would’ve thought about it. As Dr. Kevorkian said “We don’t let our animals suffer, why do we let our fellow human beings”? That being said, as I watched the movie, I kept coming back to my faith. In the end, I just can’t justify taking someone’s life or assisting someone in taking their own. For me, it feels too much like “playing God”.
So my question to you this week is “What do you think of physician-assisted suicide? Should it be allowed? If so, in what cases?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. Please note the change in the deadline because I will be out of town. There will be no new blog post the week that I am gone. The blog will resume with a new post on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010.
Monday, April 19, 2010
What Makes Punishment "Cruel and Unusual"?
Today marks the fifteenth anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City. Motivated by his hatred of the United States government, Timothy McVeigh detonated an explosive filled truck parked beside the building, killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring 600 more. 324 buildings in the area were also damaged by the blast, resulting in $652 million worth of property damage. Prior to September 11th, 2001, this was the most destructive terrorist attack on U.S. soil. To those affected personally by the Oklahoma City bombing, my thoughts and prayers go out to you today.
Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to die by lethal injection. He was executed in 2001 in a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. His co-conspirator, Terry Nichols is serving multiple life sentences. In a few weeks, we will discuss the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the concept of "cruel and unusual punishment" and how it relates to the death penalty. So, my question to you this week is "Do you think the death penalty is an appropriate form of punishment? Why or why not? When should the death penalty be used?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, April 25th, 2010. Don't forget to sign your name to receive full credit. Happy Earth Day - April 22nd, 2010!!
Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to die by lethal injection. He was executed in 2001 in a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. His co-conspirator, Terry Nichols is serving multiple life sentences. In a few weeks, we will discuss the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the concept of "cruel and unusual punishment" and how it relates to the death penalty. So, my question to you this week is "Do you think the death penalty is an appropriate form of punishment? Why or why not? When should the death penalty be used?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, April 25th, 2010. Don't forget to sign your name to receive full credit. Happy Earth Day - April 22nd, 2010!!
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