The state of healthcare: The public’s view

This past week, I asked several different people some question’s regarding the Affordable Care Act. As most of the people I asked were student’s here at the University, I attempted to have my questions reflect how they might feel affected by the Act.

Q1) What was your position on the Affordable Care Act before it was put into place?

A1) Well, I’m currently trying to gain my PhD in neurology. I was afraid that I would be unable to find a practice that would hire. I had heard many rumors about possible closures and cutbacks, which would have made it extremely difficult to find a good work environment.

A2) I thought it sounded like a pretty good idea at the time, because it seemed like it was saying all of the right things. All I really cared about though was whether or not I would lose my coverage because of it,  but it sounded like I would be fine with my current plan.

A3) The whole thing was bad news from the start. I knew the whole deal would go south, but seeing what it’s done so far, it can’t get too much worse, right?

Q2) Do you feel the same about it as you did previously, or have your views changed since it was enacted?

A1) No, my mind is pretty much the same. I’m still just as worried about finding a stable work environment after I’m done with school.

A2) (So, you don’t think the same way?) No, don’t. It is nice that the act allows me to be under my parents plans, but I think it has made it that much harder for me to find good rates without being punished for not having a plan at all.

A3) I said it already haven’t I? The whole this is just a mess, from start to finish. I knew it was bad when it was first proposed, and I think the same way about it now.

Q3) (As a student,) are you concerned about how the Act is affecting you currently? What about later down the road?

A1) I’m sorry, but I am not exactly comfortable discussing this sort of thing in public.

A2) No. But maybe once I’m trying to find my own plan, I’ll start running into some issues.

A3) Luckily I haven’t been screwed over yet, but it will happen. I have no doubt.

Everyone I asked had very different views on the Act and how it was (or was not) affecting their personal lives. I actually asked 4 different people, but one of them went off on a rant that got way off topic. His answers have not been included in this post because of his tangent.

Public Service Pulitzer Prize: The Guardian and The Washington Post

The Pulitzer for Public Service was given to two popular US papers, The Guardian and  the Washington Post, for their extensive coverage on the dealings with the NSA since June of last year. They have been constantly updating the report and contributing new information to everything that happens regarding this issue. These papers also looked in-depth at Edward Snowden’s case, and how he was both affecting and being affected by these news releases.

The Guardian’s stories were very well deserving of this prestigious award. They followed through with all of their information, fact checked, made sure their sources were solid, and came out with one of the most important stories of 2013. Their stories certainly caught the public’s attention and made the general public aware of the going ons behind the curtain of the US government.

Right from the start, Snowden put himself out there and was not shy in his willingness to share the information that he had gathered. He may believe that by spreading this information, it is his duty to  take responsibility for his actions, which would explain why he was forced to flee the country. He has been classified as a traitor to the country.

I can not think of a single bigger PSA in the last year than learning that people were listening, reading and watching my every move. And these papers and stories helped to make it clear just how much my rights were being violated. This story is more than deserving of this award.

The Guardian US

Review of The Dead Beat

A Review of

The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the

Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries

 

In all of history, the answers to two of life’s greatest mysteries have eluded the human race: Life and Death. When a person dies, that is the moment when the rest of society begins to examine and realize how these people affected our society. “Across the U.S., a hybrid obituary, a cross between short stories and obits, celebrates the life of local characters, the extraordinary in the ordinary person.” (pg. 11) From celebrities to the school lunch lady, obituaries are what define the history of the human race.

Marilyn Johnson’s The Dead Beat is a wonderfully written guide into the wide world of obituaries. Right from the start, Johnson had me hooked on her life. Johnson is just one among thousands who peruse the day’s obituaries before turning to any other page in the newspaper, and she knows quite well how to attract those of similar minds to her lifestyle. She enjoys finding the details of so many people who, prior to their deaths, were relatively unknown among the common public. The obits have changed since the mid 1900’s, going from old journalists in the home stretch of their journalistic lives to a highly asked for job in some areas. Johnson interviews the editors and writers of various New York based papers, and compares and the writing styles of various newspapers, especially pointing out the differences between the American and British obits.

Johnson describes the events of her life that have ended up intertwining with that of other obituary writers. While attending a memorial service for the writer Arthur Miller, she concludes that Miller’s play Death of a Salesman “can be read as an elevated obit of a common man.”(pg. 78) Johnson does have some qualms about whom she speaks about her work with, but it doesn’t stop her from doing what she loves. She shares her enthusiasm for reading and writing obits with gusto. She goes into detail on those who attend the Great Obituary Writers’ Conference (yes, that’s a real thing) and the obit fanatics that haunt Internet web sites. She also makes sure to include selections from obituaries that emphasize her points with a hint of wit and give a solid representation of the person who was lost.

I have to say, since finishing the book, I have found myself glancing at obituary pages online, browsing through all of the different and fantastic lives that they detail. Johnson takes the reader on a journey through the world of obituary writers, annual conventions and interviews with the best writers in this branch of journalism.This book is about the life and death stories written by professional obituary writers. Besides presenting the story of a life, they are history as it is happening. That is part of what makes this book so unique; it introduces the reader to a new form of historical literature, in the form of obituaries.

Photojournalism

Photos are the one piece of technology that can truly capture a person in a single moment. The emotions, the events, what a person or a group might be thinking. Nothing is hidden, there is nothing to distract from the main point of the photograph. A well taken photograph can catch a person at the lowest point of their lives, demonstrating how a person can truly be in pain. Equally, they can also demonstrate the pinnacles of human achievement, celebrating the lives of countless people. These are what every professional photographer aims for: that one moment of absolute clarity, a window into what it means to be human.

The first photo, linked below, depicts a view through the car carrying Nelson Mandela’s casket. Through it, lots of different sights can be seen. On the opposite side of the car, people can be seen smiling and cheering. As opposed to being dressed all in black, being depressed over his passing, these citizens (and tourists) are celebrating his life and successes. This image captures how many people this man has affected for the better.

The next photo is quite a bit different. This is at the funeral ceremony for Mandela. In it, President Barack Obama can be seen taking a photo with British PM David Cameron and the PM of Denmark. They are smiling, acting a bit silly even. Next to the President, Michelle Obama is seen acting much more somberly, more appropriate for a funeral. These are quite contrasting figures, but they show that even these world leaders are sometimes not being proper and correct at the most appropriate times. What it does is it humanizes them to public, makes them more relatable.

These photos demonstrate that, even among the dead, people have a vibrance in their lives that causes them to laugh and smile and have fun. Death should not be such a sad and somber subject. It is simply another stage of life, and should be celebrated as such. That is what these photographs illustrate so well.

 

Mandela’s Funeral March

Inappropriate Selfie

Analysis of Radio various radio programs

The BBC radio stations are some of the most widely listened to and have an audience all over the world. The BBC World Service is the world’s largest international broadcaster. They broadcast various news, speeches, interviews and other sorts of dialogues from all over the world. A very important detail about the World Service is the fact that there is absolutely zero advertising; The are active 24 hours a day, constantly updating with important news from all over the world. The main focus of the World Service is the news. They begin a news segment at the beginning of every hour, spanning such topics as terrorist activities, US and Russian relations, and even as far as discussing how much Colorado has made from the sale of Cannabis. It was reported that by the end of January, the state had made over 2 million. They also play recordings of important speeches and interviews with important people, including an interview with the Iceland’s openly first gay First Lady, Jónína Leósdóttir. (link below) They are incredibly talented at keeping their audiences attention, and they key in short and concise spurts of music. Depending on the segment, it can range from a piano to a trumpet.

Science Friday is a weekly program that reviews all forms of scientific research. They have interviews with people who are well-known and respected among their respective societies, such as Michio Kaku. They interviewed him about his works concerning the modification that can be used on the human mind to read human thoughts and replay dreams. They also discussed the possibilities of humans being able to perceive each other without actually being near each other.

First Gay First Lady

Interview with: Rachel Jarrot

Friday afternoon, I had the opportunity to have a chat with Rachel Jarrot, a peer from my Journalism class. Originally from La Quinta, California, Rachel came to Boulder. Being raised in a desert area surrounded by mountains, she wanted to go somewhere different. Rachel has some family who lives in Colorado, and “was a good 60% of why I wanted to come here.” Upon arriving, Rachel soon realized that by coming to Boulder to move out of her comfort zone, she had once again surrounded herself with mountains.

Before all of that occurred, she was the captain of her swim team and water polo team at La Quinta High School. Every morning, she would have to sing a short jingle over the intercom system, advertising a school karaoke event. She was also an avid dancer and softball player, and she loves the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Rachel is an aspiring film student, with a love for romantic comedies and an enjoyment of documentaries and horror movies. She plans on attending a College in Los Angeles starting in the fall, so as to get right into the middle of the film industry. Her current plans for the future after college include moving to New York, finding a Starbucks to visit every day and meeting her own “Chuck Bass.”

Syrian conflict as portrayed through a Lens

CNN and the BBC. The differences in content between two of the biggest News networks in the world is astounding. They both have very different video content on their websites concerning the Syrian conflict. CNN’s video information tends to be outdated, almost a week behind. BBC is constantly updating with new videos, making sure that everything is correct and up to date.

CNN’s videos tend to lean on what they do best: random yet carefully chosen footage to evoke an emotional reaction from it’s viewers, and also getting one-on-one interviews with important people that are working closely in relation with a certain event. The Syrian conflict is no different. The linked video [1] demonstrates how the US is once again looking to implant itself inside of the conflict by sending in people to help. While the tonality of their content is clearly sympathetic to the issues currently happening inside the country, their videos appear a bit biased toward the US as opposed to the general public. Their actual video content is a bit lacking in how up to date it is, nor do they have an abundance of content to choose from.

Just typing in “syria” into the search bar of the BBC News site reveals hundreds of relevant and up-to-date information and news. Limiting that to videos still gives quite a wide spread of content, some of the videos are professionally done; others appear to be more raw and unedited video sources. They show quite a wide variety of topics, from a British suicide bomber to the capture of a criminal thought to be inciting attacks in the country. They also manage to do something that CNN has not: state the fact the UN has reached the conclusion to come to Syria’s aid. [2] The BBC uses content from all kinds of sources, both from their own reporters and from found footage. An example of this would be footage of the suicide bomber immediately prior to his attack. [3] The footage shows both the British citizen and the truck used to get into the prison where the bombing took place.

The differences between these two sources are really quite astounding. It must also be taken into consideration that the CNN tends to focus more on an American audience and as such directs its content more towards that type of viewer. The BBC reports for the British Isles as well as much of Europe, much less the rest of the world. However, that is not an excuse for the lack of content provided by CNN. This conflict will and has been affecting Israel, a long time friend to the US. It is incredibly surprising how little coverage they are actually giving to the conflict itself. The BBC, on the other hand, is doing its best (and succeeding) to keep up as one of the premier world news stations.

Bibliography

The Situation Room. “Refugees Scramble to Flee Syria Violence.” CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

Bryant, Nick. “Syria Crisis: UN Security Council Agrees Aid Resolution.” BBC News. BBC, 23 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

References

[1] http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2014/02/17/tsr-sciutto-syria-civil-war-refugee-help.cnn&iref=videosearch&video_referrer=

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26311558

[3] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26193000

The First Amendment: Does it count for Snowden?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The first amendment, as stated and put into affect by the Founding Fathers of the US. These words are what led to the boom of reliable news within the country. However, in more recent times, people have begun to question exactly who this law applies to. The general consensus is that it applies to professional journalists, but what is it that separates them from the public’s voice? The question here is whether or not those same laws protect a journalist’s source, or more specifically Edward Snowden.

Edward Snowden’s leaking of classified documents about NSA surveillance programs is NOT protected by the first amendment. Snowden is the source of information, not a journalist planning on vocalizing said information to the world. Constitutional protections do not extend to the source, only to the receiving party.

There is a double standard that is set by this law. While the journalist receives full protection under the law, the source of such an information leak gets no protection and may lose their rights. The unfairness of this case is usually halted by a journalists’ duty to protect the identity of all sources. This has more to do with a moral responsibility and protecting a personal sense of journalistic integrity.

“When the government demands disclosure of a journalist’s confidential source, the journalist is obligated to refuse to cooperate, even to the point of paying fines and going to jail rather than naming the source.”

Straight from the beginning, Snowden was fully in the public spotlight and was extremely forthcoming in how he obtained the documents, copied them and made them available to reporters. Snowden’s motives for not staying under the radar are unknown. He may believe that by spreading this information, it is his duty to stand up and take responsibility for his actions rather than be known as a anon.

Regardless, Snowden will have more credibility, as well as a return to influencing certain policies, if he returns to the US to stand behind and support his statements.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-scheer/edward-snowden-first-amendment_b_4140277.html

Los Angeles Times: In Review

The Los Angeles Times Newspaper, or the LA Times, has been in production of printed media for over 100 years. The paper’s headline stories tend to be focused on much more local and commercial news, but they also have important updates both on the national and the global scales. The print edition’s front page tends to cover the more important and relevant issues that are affecting the Los Angeles community as a whole, whether it be a downturn in the market or a bombing in a foreign country. The online edition generally has different headlines on its front page as to what might be important and relevant topics. The online topics are keyed into a wider, more nationally appropriate audience, as opposed to just focussing on what is important for the Los Angeles area.

The areas of topics for the Newspaper are much more narrowed down than the areas on the paper’s website. The paper is divided into several different sections, each coded by letters. Normally, they are organized with A being the Front page stories and other areas,  about 23 pages, through K, which may be comprised of ads and cutouts. However, in more recent times, the coupon section and advertisements have grown much more thin in their usage throughout the paper. While their are fewer advertisements, they tend to take up larger areas of the paper, usually placed in the listings. The online paper is seperated into many different sections. Some of these articles, depending on their importance, may be constantly updating. The advertisements online are barely noticeable. Depending on what browser is being used, they may not even be there at all. As such, while I in general do not pay very much attention to ads in general, the ones online may as well have not even existed at all.

I have had to read newspapers before for some of my other classes. while not necessarily uninteresting, I find that much of the paper just subtracted from time that could have been better spent doing other things. However, while the Sunday paper did take up the majority of my time, I abhored the online paper. While it was more straightforward, I feel like I lost the ability to find an interesting story by flipping through the pages. On a regular paper, I have the ability to do just that; Find interesting columns that attract my attention and are important to me.