All the President's Men - Movie Questions

Who are the following people?
-Carl Bernstein: Investigative journalist at the Washington Post.
-Ben Bradlee: Executive editor of the Washington Post.
-Patrick Buchanan: A speech writer and opposition researcher for Nixon.
-Archibald Cox: The first prosecuter in the Watergate scandal.
-H.R. "Bob" Haldeman: President Nixon's chief of staff.
-E. Howard Hunt: An intellgience officer; his job under Nixon was to fix things that were leaked from the White house.
-Leon Jaworski: Second special prosecuter in the Watergate scandal.
-G. Gordon Liddy: Chief operative in Nixon's "White House Plumbers." He refused to talk to the FBI.
-James McCord: Former CIA officer who served as an electronics expert before the Watergate scandal.
-Bob Woodward: Journalist for the Washington Post who exposed the Watergate scandal along with Carl Bernstein.

1. The date is June 17, 1972.
2. Five mean are about to be caught breaking into the Washington, D.C.  offices of the National Democratic Headquarters located in the Watergate building.
3. Their purpose for the break in: To plant bugs in the office building.
4. A Republican, Richard Nixon, is president. He was first elected in 1968, and is running for a second term. He wins.
5.  Thanks largely to the work of two reporters from the Washington Post newspaper, Nixon's administration is found guilty of a) unethical and illegal campaign activities, b) the misuse of hundreds of thousands of dollars of unaccounted for campaign donations, and c) a political espionage campaign headed by the Committee to Re-Elect the President, and involving the White House, campaign officials, and the Justice department.
6. By the time it's all over in the summer of 1974, many White House officials and others are charged and convicted of felonies, and do serious jail time, and, faced with impeachment, President Nixon resigns.

Vocab:
1. Bugging - Planting listening devices in a room
2. Canuck letter - forged letter to the editor of the Manchester Union leader
3. Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) - fundraising committee of Nixon's administration
4. Cover up - trying to hide something
5. Covert operations - undercover operations
6. Deep background - information that isn't included in the article but is used by the journalist to enhance the story.
7. General Accounting Office - investigates how the federal government spends tax payers' money.
8. On the record - Said with knowing consent that your words will be used
9. Set up - introductory statement
10. Slush fund - a reserve of money for illegal purposes
11. Verbatim notes - Word for word notes

1. By the statement that Ben Bradlee made, he meant that the things at stake on their journalistic piece was the right to free speech, being able to write without the fear of punishment, and the future of the country to have an honest leader.
2. "Follow the money" is important because by following who would benefit from a scandal, you are able to find out who is behind the illegal or inappropriate actions.

Police Shoot Man at U.S. Capital

Police at U.S. Capitol Shoot Man With Gun at Screening Point

By: Nicholas Fandos and Michael S. Schmidt

On Monday a man tried to open fire at the security screening point of the U.S. Capitol. As a result, the man and an innocent bystander were shot by the police. Employees and visitors were told to remain wherever they were. The gunman was Larry R. Dawson. Chief Matthew Verderosa stated that he did not believe this was an act of terrorism, rather it was simply a criminal act. 

This shooting is alarming, especially in the wake of the Brussels attack. The U.S. Capitol Police acted  both appropriately and quickly. The police chief said that because of new security measures that the Capitol has taken, the armed man was able to be quickly apprehended. 

To read the full story Click here

Third Bomber in the Brussels Attack is Arrested

Man Arrested as ‘Third Bomber’ in Brussels Attack Is Freed; Hunt Is Renewed

By: Andrew Higgins and Kimiko De Freytas-Tamura

Fayçal Cheffou was arrested last week as he was thought to have been involved in the Brussels attack, however he was released on Monday, since he was mistakenly identified by one of the bombers by the witness. Eric Van der Sijpt, a spokesperson for the Brussels prosecutor's office said that although Mr. Cheffou has been released from prison, his charges are not being dropped; there is not enough evidence yet to continue holding him in prison. 

After the Brussels attack occurred, many were reasonably upset. Officials released a video of three men pushing carts as a way to seek help from the public in identifying the three men that they believed to be involved in the airport bombing. Because the officials were so quick to release the video, perhaps they excited the public in a way that would cause the public to over react, perhaps causing an innocent person to be charged with a crime. Time will tell whether or not this man is innocent. 

To read the full story Click here

Wag The Dog - Questions

1) Explain the metaphor 'wag the dog'. What does the title of the film suggest?

Wag the dog means that the dog is smarter than its tail. The dog controls the movement of its tail rather than he tail controlling the dog. The title of the film suggests that the media (being the tail) controls the American society (the dog). This is ironic because it should be the other way around. 

2) Who is Mr. Fix-it? What does he do?

Mr. Fix-it is Conrad Breen who produces the war to distract the American public. 

3) What is the significance of the producer's house being bigger than the White House? What message does that relay?

The significance of the producer's house being bigger than the White House is that the producer has more wealth than the President of the U.S. This message relays that producing entertainment gains more recognition than the person who runs our country. 

4) Explain the significance of ' We remember the slogans, but we don't remember the war,' in terms of media's effectiveness.

This quote means that slogans remain in our memory, even if we don't remember the actual timeline of events. Media takes over significant events with 24 hour news coverage, and we usually remember the reporters remarks more so than the actual information that they deliver.

5) Explain the significance of “Of course there’s a war; I’m seeing it on TV!” in terms of media’s effectiveness. 

The significance is that the majority of people believe what they see on the TV. If they see it, they believe it. In theory, the media could make up a whole story and many people would believe it without questioning it. 

6) Who seems more powerful, the producer, or the President? Why?

The producer seems more powerful because we see the producer more than the President, the producer provides all of the input regarding the war, and the producer also puts the President on hold. 

7) The merchandising of products such as the “303 Burger” which Schuman “ate” behind enemy lines is often reflected in our society today. Provide another example of this type of merchandising. 

Another example of this type of merchandising is Gatorade being consumed  by players at football games which are televised. Another example would be when Apple iPhones or other products are used in movies. 

President Obama makes Executive Order on Gun Control

Tearful Obama Outlines Steps to Curb Gun Deaths

By: Eric Lichtblau and Michael D. Shear

On Tuesday, President Obama delivered a message regarding gun violence. He said, "“In this room right here, there are a lot of stories. There’s a lot of heartache. There’s a lot of resilience, there’s a lot of strength, but there’s also a lot of pain.” Obama announced that he planned to take executive action to tighten gun control. However, Obama faces a battle as Congress, a majority of it being Republican, can reject his actions. Obama's plan is to better define who can be a gun dealer, who are then required to do background checks. 

Gun control continues to be a huge issue in the U.S. Mass shootings continue to occur, and the question is: would tighter gun control decrease these occurrences? Congress and the President have not been able to agree upon much of the proposed legislation, so President Obama took executive action. I worry that even if there is striker gun control, people who want weapons will find a way to obtain them regardless of the strict laws which is why I believe better access to mental health care is just as crucial as stricter gun control. 

To read the full article Click Here

Bernie Sanders Sues Democratic Party

Bernie Sanders' Presidential Campaign Sues the DNC Over Clinton Data Breach 

By: Alex Seitz-Wald and Monica Alba

On Friday, Bernie Sanders sued the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for a breach of contract. On Wednesday, it was discovered that Sanders' staffers were using a bug that allowed them to access data from Hilary Clinton's campaign. They were able to access this information for approximately 40 minutes. The Sanders' campaign claims that the DNC favors the Clinton campaign, and that the "DNC's move violates an agreement signed by the committee and the candidates on data usage, and says it is "hamstrung" without access to voter data." 

This presidential campaign has been a crazy one so far, filled with twists in turns. The Republican party has caused much of the drama, however with this lawsuit, the Democratic party is now drawing some attention. It is hard to tell in this case what really happened. I would hope that Bernie Sanders was not behind the data breach. Also, I am curious as to what exactly this campaign was hoping to do with the acquired data. It will be interesting to see how this affects the upcoming Democratic debate. 

To read the full article Click Here

The Vatican Sends an Environmental Message

An Environmental Message, From and On the Vatican

By: The New York Times

During the week of December 4, 2015, St. Peter's Basilica went dark, causing some to worry. However the Basilica was simply preparing for Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home - a showing of artwork about climate change which coincided with the climate talks in Paris. Officials assured people not to worry about the blackout, for the projection show would not disappoint. The show was meant to show the beauty of the world, and what is happening to our world because of climate change. 

When I watched this projection show, I was amazed at how beautiful it was. The world is incredible, and it's hard to remember that when crazy things such as wars and terrorist attacks are happening. Climate change is not always at the forefront of our minds, and although it does not necessarily pose an immediate threat, if we don't make a change, future generations are in deep trouble. Hopefully the projection show on St. Peter's Basilica will be a reminder to everyone of what is at stake if we do not change. 

To read the full story Click Here

Some of the Projections that were shown on the Basilica

College President states that "This is not a day care. This is a University!"

College President: 'This is not a day care. This is a university!'

By: Susan Svriuga

Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) wrote a letter to the campus community recently after a student complained about feeling “victimized” by a sermon given at a chapel service. Piper essentially said that going to a sermon is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable and that one should not be so self-centered. He continued to say that many universities will give in to what students want, but Oklahoma Wesleyan is not one of them; OKWU is not a “safe place” but rather a place to learn. He ended his statement by saying that “This is not a day care. This is a university!”

I agree for the most part with Everett Piper. A University is a place to explore what the world has to offer, and we don’t always like or feel comfortable with what the real world has in store. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable by religion, and if one does not feel comfortable, he has the willpower to get up and leave during a sermon. The world is not meant to make every single person feel perfectly comfortable at all times in his or her life. Universities have support and counseling if one is feeling uncomfortable, and this should be fully utilized if needed.

To read the full article Click Here

Planned Parenthood Shooter has Targeted the Agency Before

Planned Parenthood Shooting Suspect Robert Dear Targeted Agency Before: Ex-Wife

By: M. Alex Johnson and Vivian Glover

On Friday November 27th, Robert Lewis Dear opened fire on a Planned Parenthood, it is now being said that Dear has targeted this agency before. Barbara Mescher Michaux, Dear’s wife, said that over 20 years ago, Mr. Dear put glue in the locks of a local Planned Parenthood. Michaux says that Dear used to be a very good man, but at some point his demeanor changed and he became very unpredictable, violent, and abusive.

The attack on Planned Parenthood was very sad. Planned Parenthood helps both genders with a variety of services, not just abortions. We do not know all of Dear’s motives, but we do know that his intention was to inflict harm and fear, and that is unacceptable. People should feel safe going into Planned Parenthood for help. Hopefully, this attack will gain the attention of politicians who can try and make it safer to work at or receive assistance at Planned Parenthood.

To read the full article Click Here

Since Paris Attacks, More Raids, Arrests have Occurred

Paris Attacks: 2,000 Raids, 210 Arrests, Since State of Emergency

By: Jake Cigainero and Alastair Jamieson

On November 13th, Paris was attacked by terrorists. Since the Paris attacks there have been over 2,000 raids, more than 300 weapons have been sized, and 210 people have been arrested. Manuel Valls, a french politician stated that these arrests "are not due to chance," rather they "allow support for objective suspicions."

The attacks on Paris caused an alarming realization that the Western world is very much susceptible to attack. The attacks caused much harm, however at least one positive thing has come from it: nations are joining together to help each other remain safe. These raids and arrests may be scary, but they are showing that French, as well as other nations' security officials are on top of current terror threats and are working to ensure public safety.

To read the full story Click Here

High School Football Player Dies in Texas

'Great kid, athlete' Dies After High School Football Game

By: Ray Sanchez

On Saturday, mourners remembered Cam'ron Matthews - an Alto High School football player who recently died after a football game in Texas. Matthews' death marks the 6th death of high school football players in the U.S. this year. In 2014, 11 football players died from sports related injuries, and another six died of indirect causes such as heat stroke. 

I recently heard about the amount of concussions that high school and professional football players suffer from. In fact, a new movie "Concussion" is coming to theaters soon; it focuses on how concussions can damage the brains of athletes. This article reminded me of how dangerous high school football can be, and although concussions and other injuries may seem small in the scheme of things, they can often be preventable or treatable just by simply letting athletes know that if they aren't feeling well, it is crucial that they tell someone. Although this blog post is not about a war or about crises of the world, athletic injuries are a very important matter to be aware of. 

To read the full article Click Here

Photo Scavenger Hunt

                      -Sports action photo

-Photo taken before an event

-Wide Shot

-Photo taken during an even

-Leading lines

-Medium shot

-Artistic shot

-Repetition
-Framing

-Close-up shot

-Academic photo

-Photo that includes one person

-Photo that includes a large group

-Student life photo

   

-Bird's-eye view

                                

                                         

























 -Photo that includes a pair or small group

                

                       



























  -Sports reaction photo
             

-Clubs or organization photo
-Photo taken after an event

          -Worm's eye view 

ISIS Leader Hit by Airstrike

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Convoy Hit by Airstrike, Iraq's Military Says

By: Susanna Capelouto and Mohammed Tawfeeq

Iraq's military is claiming to have struck a vehicle in which ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was in. It is unknown how the ISIS leader was affected, and the US Pentagon is not confirming what has happened. His vehicle was struck in his way to a meeting in Karabelah to meet with senior ISIS leaders. The meeting site was also struck, and several ISIS leaders were killed or wounded.

The threat of ISIS is alarming. They are recruiting more and more people and they do not appear to be slowing down in their fight. Recently I watched an interview with President Obama talking about the fight against ISIS, and how it is a battle that requires the work of many countries. I will be interested to hear what has happened/what will happen to al-Baghdadi, and how his condition will affect ISIS' capabilities.

To read the full story Click here

Chris Mintz Saved Lives in Oregon Shooting

Hero Chris Mintz Shot as he Faced Oregon Community College Shooter

By: Jessica Durando and Mary Bowerman

As students at an Oregon community college were being shot at on October 1, 2015, Chris Mintz, an army veteran, saved his students from being injured. Chris heard shots in a neighboring classroom. He encouraged his classmates to stay calm as he went up to the shooter to try and talk him out of shooting. Mintz saved many more lives from being taken that day, however while trying to talk to the gunman he was shot seven times. Mintz is expected to live, but faces a long recovery as he broke both of his legs. Officials have tried to not use the shooter's name in order to not give him infamy. However, the name that has gone viral is Chris Mintz - the hero of this tragedy. 

When I heard of this shooting I was deeply saddened. I can't believe that these shooting keep happening. It seems that there is nothing that we can do to stop them, however after this shooting I realized there is something that we as a society can do...stop focusing on the gunman and focus on the heroic acts that come out of these horrendous situations. I have seen many tweets about Chris Mintz, and I have not seen any tweets focusing on the gunman. It is clear that we, as America need to take action against gun violence, but that will be a slow process. In the meantime, let's focus on society's everyday heroes. 

To read the full article Click Here

Tweets about Chris Mintz

Pope Francis's Gives Important Messages During his Final Day in U.S.

Pope Francis Kicks Off His Final Day in U.S. With Prison Visit, Philadelphia, Mass

By: Tracy Connor and Elisha Fieldstadt

Pope Francis made a historic visit to the U.S. this past week where he ended his visit in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia he talked to victims of clergy sexual abuse. Pope Francis told the victims, "I am profoundly sorry that your innocence was violated by those who you trusted." Francis also visited Prisoners where he told them that everyone has done something that they must be purified for, but "May the knowledge of that fact inspire us to live in solidarity, to support one another and seek the best for others." After the prison visit, Pope Francis heads to a mass this Sunday, September 27, which 1.5 million people are expected to attend in Philadelphia. 

I chose this article as I greatly admire Pope Francis. He is the "people's pope" and he really works to solve social issues that are prominent in today's world. His historic visit to the U.S. will hopefully remind all of us whether we are everyday people or politicians, to keep in mind that we are all working towards a greater goal of helping everyone in the U.S. live the American Dream, or at least a life that they are satisfied with. I hope that Pope Francis will leave a lasting impression on U.S. citizens and politicians. 

To read the full article Click here

Photos of the Pope's Visit

Pope Francis leading a prayer service in New York City

Pope Francis at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City

Pope Francis meeting with Congress

"The View" Attempts to Apologize to over 3 Million Nurses

'The View' Hosts Respond to Criticism Over 'Misconstrued' Nurse Comments

By: Julia Brucculieri

The View talk show hosts attempted to apologize to nurses all over the country after demeaning Kelley Johnson, for performing a monologue about nursing in the talent portion of the 2016 Miss America pageant. Kelley Johnson performed a monologue about a patient Joe, who reminded her that she is a life saver, not "just a nurse." The View replayed this clip as cohost Michelle Collins laughed at Johnson's "nurse's uniform", and fellow co host Joy Behar wondered why she was wearing a "doctor's stethoscope." Nurses all over the country are outraged an these ignorant remarks. The View attempted to apologize to nurses, however they never said the words "sorry."

When I watched Kelley Johnson's monologue, I was beyond inspired because I want to be a nurse. I've had moments in my life where my family and I needed a nurse's support, and I do not know where I'd be without those incredible nurses. When people ask me what I plan on studying in college, I respond "nursing." I often respond remarks much like the ladies of The View made such as, "Why wouldn't you want to be a doctor?" Many people have false notions towards what nurses do. The View's inappropriate comments have created a much needed awareness about what nurses actually do... they save lives. This article was important to share, as I hope everyone can take a moment to recognize the incredible work that nurses and all medical professionals do. 

To read the full article Click Here

Video of Kelley Johnson's Monologue

The View Mocking Kelley Johnson's Monologue

The View's Apology

Camera Woman Apologizes for Tripping Immigrants

TV Camerawoman Fired After Tripping Fleeing Migrants Says Sorry

By: F. Brinley BRUTon

Petra Laszlo, Hungarian TV camera woman was recorded tripping migrants entering Hungary. Laszlo is now apologizing for her actions, saying, "The camera was in my hand, I did not see who was coming but the only thing that came into my mind was that I am under attack and I have to save myself." After this incident Laszlo lost her job and has been receiving death threats for her actions. The Syrian Refugee Crisis is escalating with thousands of Syrians fleeing from their homes. Surrounding countries are having a hard time accepting large amounts of immigrants into their borders, and immigrants are often facing a harsh welcome, as seen by the chaos in the footage seen below.  

Click here to read full article

I chose this article because I want to become more educated on the Syrian Refugee Crisis. The Crisis is one of the world's biggest issues right now, and it is alarming to see the displacement of thousands of families. The woman should not have intentionally tripped the migrants, although I recognize that it may have been an accident. However, her tripping migrants is what caught my attention, and for that I am grateful because it has encouraged me to learn more about the Crisis. After reading about the camerawoman tripping fleeing migrants, I did some more research and found out that although the US has not accepted many Syrian immigrants, the government has announced that in the upcoming fiscal year, the US will accept up to 10,000 Syrian refugees. (To learn more about America's role Click here ) 

                                        (Footage of the camerawoman tripping the refugees)