Research Topics

My first possible topic would be school shootings and the media influence. This would be an interesting topic because I can delve deep into what makes people choose to go to a school and attack fellow classmates and teachers. With school shooting disturbingly prominent in our society it could be helpful to research why people do this. I would focus mainly on society and the media's role, if any to triggering these young students to commit such terrible acts of horror. I would use the examples of the Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres because those are the two school shootings in our nation that have received the most attention.

My second choice for my research topic would be teen pregnancy. I have had some experience with friends becoming pregnant at a young age by mistake, so I could use their testimony to argue if the media influenced any decision that would have lead to them getting pregnant. The is also such an abundant amount of information on teen pregnancy in the media today. For example, the MTV show "I'm Fifteen and Pregnant" is a great way to show light on teen pregnancy and if that show has anything to do with the high rate of teen pregnancies in our nation.

My third possible topic for my research paper is crimes committed by teens. There seems to be a significant amount of crimes committed by teens in the U.S. today. I want to know if it is just a random occurrence or if the influence of the media has something to do with it. There are many extremely violent video games as well as movies and TV shows in today's society that could have a strong influence on children who really don't know what is right and wrong. I'm sure there is other factors that would be contributing to teen violence but my goal would be to find if there is any link to the media, if there is then I would try and find a way to resolve the problem.

Rush Must Go!

Rush Limbaugh would be my number one choice to be voted out of the public eye completely. I believe him to be a total racist that has his own national radio show in which he can broadcast his bigotry. He is an extreme right wing conservative who speaks his mind with little to no penalty when he makes inappropriate comments. He has recently entered the public spotlight once again attempting to place a bid with a group to buy the St. Louis Rams, whom are a professional football team in the NFL. He has a cult following which is scary because it shows that their are many people in the United States who agree with his racist charged views.

For years Rush Limbaugh has been making inappropriate comments on his radio show with much controversy. I believe that is why he is so popular because he doesn't hold back, he tells it how he sees it which is most of the time shocking. For example, he said of the NFL, "Let me put it this way,"..."The NFL often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There , I said it". This is just disturbing comments that should not be acceptable, especially, when they are said on a nationally broad casted radio show.

Society should not accept this behavior through the media. It is pretty much saying that it is okay to make demeaning remarks about race. It is surprising to me how he is still on the radio after all of the controversy that has surrounded him throughout the years. You really just don't know what he will say next because he has already shocked many people with comments that he has made. The radio network and the sponsors for his show should not support someone with those kinds of views, we are a society of many different races and we have come a long way since segregation. It is almost like he is living in the past and that no one will get upset from what he has to say. It is about time that Rush Limbaugh is taken off the air and out of the public eye, he is nothing but a bigot.

Movie Review: "Funny People"

"Funny People", is a comedy/drama that I saw recently in theaters. It is a fictional movie about a famous comedian, George Simmons (played by Adam Sandler), that discovers he has a blood disease and may not have much time to live. During his battle with the disease he meets a young aspiring comedian, Ira Wright (Seth Rogan) and decides to have him write material for his stand ups. As George is slowly starting to tell people that he loves that he is dying from this disease, he contacts his first true love that he let get away.

As George pursues his ex-girlfriend to try and get her to love him again because he knows he doesn't have much time, he discovers she is married and has a family of her own. As the movie goes on George and his ex-girlfriend begin falling in love with each other again; furthermore, he hears good news from his doctor that there is no trace of the disease in his body left. As George's ex-girlfriend contemplates whether or not to leave her husband and father of her two children for George, Ira sees that its not the right thing to do and tries to stop her from doing it. Eventually, George's ex-girlfriend comes to her senses and understands that she needs to stay with her family and let George go completely from her life. George is obviously crushed by this and blames Ira, so he breaks the friendship off with him. A few months later George contacts Ira and the movie ends with George and Ira becoming friends again.

I thought this was a very good movie and I recommend people check it out. I enjoyed it because it wasn't just your average comedy movie, it was more than that. It had some hilarious parts, as well as emotional and dramatic parts. You didn't really know what was going to happen next. I especially was surprised to find out that George survived and that his ex-girlfriend never did get back together with him like most movies end up. It wasn't like your average movie, and that's what I liked so much about it. It was a good mixture of hilarious comedy and emotional drama.

Visual Arguments

I came across this picture when I Googled "controversial images". Many controversial images appeared; however, I chose this picture because I found it to be the most controversial.

I believe that this picture is controversial because it is depicting a child having to make the choice between education or violence. I feel as is whomever produced this photo has the baby looking toward the gun, symbolizing the the baby has made his/her choice of a life of crime. Since there is a rather high rate of crime in our nation, especially within the youth, the picture is showing that many kids today are choosing crime over an education. This picture could also be stating that the child has no choice, and what the baby grows up around will determine what path they follow.

Violence and education are the two sides of the debate that center around this image. I believe that this image is sending a message to educators and parents that more needs to be done to keep children on the right path. More needs to be done to prevent kids from choosing a life of crime, and to promote education. Putting "hey ma" on the building blocks, as well as, "James" on the top left corner makes the image more personal. If the image is personal then it will make people think and actually put a face on the problem at hand.

I do not believe that this image is going to far, if anything it perfect to get the message across. It is personal enough to tug on peoples emotions but not enough to say it is inappropriate. It may have been considered going to far if the baby is holding the gun or using it. With the baby just looking at the gun it strongly gets the issue across to the audience. I in no way thought this image was controversial, but I could see where some people would find it inappropriate to have a picture of a gun next to a baby. The gun symbolizes violence and fear, where as the baby symbolizes innocents and purity. People may have completely different views about this image which makes it controversial, this is why I selected it.

Myspace Response Blog

MySpace and Facebook are social networking sites that millions of people use all over the world. They are a way for people to stay connected through posts, pictures, and events. The social networking sites are relatively new, with people continuing to join everyday. They are a great tool for people to use who like to know what their friends are doing, or to let their friends know what they are doing. With the Internet being the foundation for MySpace and Facebook there are many pros as well as many cons. The Internet is a great source for information and knowledge, however, people may not be who they seem to be online which can make it a very dangerous tool to use.

If you are a Facebook or MySpace user you can understand what a great tool it is for your social life. You can share a wealth of information with friends and family members. You can also see what is going on in their lives. The majority of social network site users are young adults who have grown use to the fact they can go online and find practically anything they want to know at the click of a mouse. It makes sense that someone would combine the Internet with a social networking organization. It keeps people in touch that in the past may have never kept in touch due to the lack of communication and technology.

Although MySpace and Facebook have many pros, there are cons that could be harmful or dangerous. Since you can share so much information on the sites there is always the possibility of someone you don't want seeing that information. There are certain security measures that you can take to prevent unwanted people from seeing your information but it is the Internet and nothing is completely private. The problem with child predators or sex offenders can also be a danger to users of a social network site since there is no real policing to prevent them from using the site. It can be extremely dangerous for young teenagers who get involved with people on these sites that trick them into meeting at a location and taking advantage of them. What you or your friends post on your MySpace or Facebook page can affect your career. Many companies and agencies are now looking at applicants social networking pages when running back round checks. What you have on your page could determine whether or not you get the job or not. People have to be cautious of their actions on their Facebook or MySpace pages or it could be costly.

As a Facebook user I understand how useful and convenient it can be when communicating with friends and family. I also know that you have to watch what you post, as well as who you allow to see your posts. I feel that social networking sites are an important part of our society and everyone should have the opportunity to use them; however, there should be safety measures put into place to protect people's privacy. For instance, I believe that people under the age of 18 should have their own specific social networking site separate for people over the age of 18. There should be security procedures in place to make certain the age of the user and what site they should be put into. You cannot completely eliminate the world of the social networking site, it is to much a part of our society and culture, you can only make rules to police it.