Friday, January 29, 2010

Stephen Glass


Stephen Glass was born into a Jewish family in the city of Chicago. He attended the University of Penn. and worked at the student newspaper "The Daily Pennsylvanian" Even in his early years in writing there was a scandal with the student newspaper. This scandal brought attention to the Penn. State campus from major magazines such as the Rolling Stones, Harper's Bazaar and policy review. A whole edition was stolen by students who did not agree with the comments.

During his stint at the New Republic a smaller online newspaper noticed that Glass's facts did not check out. They discovered Stephen was making up facts, people and dates. He got caught in 1988 on a story called "Hack Haven" He held the title of associate editor at that time. The thing that set people off was how he told the story in a first person cinematic fashion implying that her was there during the whole event. The Editor-In-Chief's wife even found his stories outrageous and stopped reading them.

These days, Glass was fired from the New Republic. He has earned a law degree from
Georgetown University Law Center in "manga cum laude" He also wrote a book called "The Fabulist" which is a biographical pretrial of his life. Glass also wrote an articlefor the rolling stone on canadian marijuana in 2003. He also did a interview with 60 minute. and then oufcourse there's the movie.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Feature Story: Faux or Dog?


Faux fur has been accepted as the alternative for using real fur. Although using real fur is legal, many consider it to be inhumane because of conditions for the animals and how they are killed. Most fur is harvested in countries like China or Taiwan where animal rights laws are ignored, not enforced or simply nonexistent. Unfortunately "Faux" fur is also "made" there too. This is where the problem starts.

A grizzly secret has been uncovered by the Humane Society of the United States. China has been harvesting dogs instead of making the fur. Yes the fur on your boots, jackets, shirts, anything is being made from man's best friend. One in seven coats labeled "Faux Fur" may actually be fur.

Stores such as Burlington Coat Factory and Loehmann’s have been advertising fasely. The furs on their coats have been suspected to be from a dogs or any furbearing small animal such as racoons. The conditions for these animals are extremely cruel and the way the fur is taken is millons times worse. These animals are skinned and left to suffer. Brutality is not a strong enough words for these methoods. The law apprently protecting these animals is actually causing this. The loop hole in the Federal Fur Products Labeling Act is narrowing this down to dogs.

There is something we can do about this by simply not buying the product, it's really that simple. By not buying this then there is no need for these factories that they have set up. Also there is a bill in the process of becoming law that makes stores and chains identify their fur where the counsumer can see. I think we deserve to know what we are wearing.

There is also a way to tell if you are wearing faux or dog fur. Look between the fur and if you see stitching then congrats you're wearing faux. But if you see skin, then you are wearing real fur. If you are just dont sit back and look surprised tell and spread the word. Tell then where you got it from, what brand store and company. Tell your local ASPCA or contact the humane sociey of the united states. Problems dont fix themselves. We were put incharge of these animals by God to protect them and love them as he does, and what we are doing now is not what he had in mind.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I really liked nathan's pinball uteach. I liked this uteach because I learned something new about the most frustrating game ever. I've played this game and failed hard at it over and over again.



I learned how to not only beat pinball but get the a very high score in a very easy way.



I also liked danielle's it was very funny and unique. She picked a dance everybody know's and put in technical terms which I thought was clever. She even had the song ready to play and we got to put the lesson in actions



Lastly I liked tim's presentation, I learned alot about bonzai trees. I honestly had no idea what those small strees were called and why they were so small. Thanks to tim now I do. I learned more about bonzai in 10 minutes than I know about anyother plant ever, I think.