Thursday, January 30, 2020
Basketball
By: Kelton Kluiter
On Sunday, January 26th the world lost a legend. At the age of 41 Kobe Bean Bryant and 8 others were killed in a tragic helicopter accident on their way to a travel basketball game. One of the other passengers killed was Kobe’s 13 year old daughter Gianna also known as “Gigi”. Kobe and Gigi were very close. They seemed to go everywhere together. Gianna was a very skilled basketball player and loved getting coached by her father.
Kobe and Gianna were often found sitting court side at NBA games all across the country. Basketball was a passion that both Kobe and Gianna obviously shared. The others killed in the crash were John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, and Ara Zobayan.
Human Trafficking
By: Conner Freerks
Did you know that Human Trafficking is one of the leading causes of death in the United States? 30,000 people die from human trafficking a year. Many people also go missing a year from human trafficking. The definition of human trafficking according to the google dictionary is, “the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for forced labor or sexual exploitation.” My three main points in this paper will be Ashton Kutcher, ways to prevent human trafficking and ways human trafficking happens.
Ashton Kutcher is the is the co-founder of the Non-profit organization Thorn. Thorn is a foundation that helps families bring home victims of human trafficking and help people have more knowledge of human trafficking. On February 15, 2017, Ashton Kutcher testified in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the issue of Human trafficking. Thorn’s goal is to eliminate Human Trafficking threw spreading information about the dangers of the internet and the ways the traffickers try to manipulate the children. Thorn has created a product that helps identify the victims of human trafficking and helps identify traffickers. Since the spotlight was created it has helped identify over 9,000 children od human trafficking, over 10,000 traffickers, and over 35,000 cases. This quote is from the website Thron, “The internet has made it easier for children to be bought and sold online. There are more than 150,000 escort ads posted every day in this country. Somewhere in that pile of data are children who are bought and sold online for sex. When we surveyed underage sex trafficking victims, 3 out of 4 who entered the life in the past decade said they had been advertised online at some point in their trafficking situation. How can law enforcement sift through massive amounts of data to focus their time on the most vulnerable victims?” Spotlight was created to help law enforcement go threw million of ads and websites to help find and identify the victims of human trafficking.
There are many ways that you can prevent human trafficking. Now since we live in a media-based world most of the human trafficking happens threw social media and ads. Number one trusts your instincts. This means if a situation or an individual is making you feel uncomfortable trust it and end the situation or end the conversation with that individual. Number two report suspicious activity right away. This means if the situation or the person feels suspicious report it to a trusted friend or adult. Number three set up a safe word with your parents. This means if you are ever in the situation of getting human trafficked text your parents at the safe as soon as possible so they can call the police immediately. Number four use public computers or if you use a private computer let a parent know the password. Number five delete search history and browser history. Number six disable chat logs. Those six tips are simple ways to prevent human trafficking. Some other simple information is that never give personal information to someone that you don't know. Block the suspicious once you are unengaged from the conversations. As I said earlier if there is any suspicious activity by someone please please report it because it could mean your life if you don't.
My third and final point of this paper is what happens inside human trafficking. There are so many things that can happen in human trafficking. One is that you can be forced into a labor camp. Many times people will get trafficked and forced to work for the rest of their lives. Human traffick is alot like slavery. First, you get taken then sold and then forced against your will to work for free for the rest of your life or until you are rescued from the camp. Another thing that could happen in trafficking is that you are forced into rape and prostitution so that the people that run the organization can make money for their life or buy more people to work or prostitution. Another thing that could happen is once you get trafficked you will go straight to the hub of the State and get sold. When you get sold you could go anywhere. There have been cases where American citizens that were trafficked were found in Mexico and Canada. Also, you could be murdered right away if the people find you not worthy or strong enough to work if can’t produce money by prostitution or if you continue to refuse and say no.
So, in conclusion, the three main points that I wrote are the reason that many people go missing and die from human trafficking. Now you know ways to prevent it from happening to you. Now please use this information to prevent yourself from this terrible problem and remember the only way that human trafficking can stop is by you helping spread the word and information to help prevent other kids from this. It all starts with you.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Police Brutality and Its Effects
By: Tess Lampe
Because my English class has started to read the book All American Boys, I thought it fitting to review the controversial topic of police brutality, being that it is very present in the book (written by Jason Reynolds and Brenden Kiely). Police brutality is defined as “a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary.” Essentially, it is when a police officer is unnecessarily and excessively brutal or physical with a civilian.
Police brutality has come in many forms, those being general violence, torture, and even murder. Minority or discriminated-against groups like African-Americans, Native Americans, religious minorities, the mentally ill, the disabled, those of the LGBTQ+ community, and the poor are most affected by police brutality, according to SIRS. Some have come to believe that more accountability, oversight, and training would help prevent police brutality. Others oppose by stating that police have the right to use “reasonable” force in self-defense and should not be treated as a criminal for making “split-second decisions.”
These arguments frequently beg the question “Do you think the police are ever justified in using excessive force?” The answer for some is yes when it comes to self-defense and if the one the police officer is apprehending is fighting or resisting. However, for others, they want to protect themselves and their children at all costs, especially if they are apart of any minority groups. Do police unfairly target racial, ethnic, religious, or other minorities? Definitely, but that usually applies to the ones who hold discriminatory beliefs. While it is true that some police are racist, homophobic, etc., that does not apply to every police officer, which is why police brutality is controversial in the eyes of many. Some only blame the ones deserving and some believe that all or most police officers will abuse their power or put their own beliefs in front of their duty.
Addressing why police brutality was brought up in the first place, many people have died or have been seriously injured due to excessive & unnecessary force from police officers. More specifically, black men at age 15-34 are 16 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than any other. Additionally, police killed 1,164 people in 2018 alone. Further, even though black people are only about 13% of the population in the U.S., 25% of the 1,164 people killed were black. Despite this, 99% of officers involved in a police brutality crime were not convicted.
Police brutality has always depended on many things, including your race and where you live.
Not only are black people 3X more likely to be killed than white people (even though police brutality is most common with black, hispanic, & white), but they are also 6X more likely to be killed by police in Oklahoma than Georgia.
Conclusively, police brutality is not something to be treated lightly and when it happens by its definition, there is no excuse for it. It does not line up with other crime rates in the U.S., and there has been close to no accountability taken for it. Rest in peace to those like Keith Childress, Bettie Jones, Kevin Matthews, Michael Noel, Leroy Browning, and others who were treated so horribly.
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2257695952?searchid=1579807228&accountid=65642
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/05/the-57375-years-of-life-lost-to-police-violence/559835/
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/unarmed-2015/fuvbm3dyqdjiquus4et3t3q4n32vdc
Because my English class has started to read the book All American Boys, I thought it fitting to review the controversial topic of police brutality, being that it is very present in the book (written by Jason Reynolds and Brenden Kiely). Police brutality is defined as “a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary.” Essentially, it is when a police officer is unnecessarily and excessively brutal or physical with a civilian.
Police brutality has come in many forms, those being general violence, torture, and even murder. Minority or discriminated-against groups like African-Americans, Native Americans, religious minorities, the mentally ill, the disabled, those of the LGBTQ+ community, and the poor are most affected by police brutality, according to SIRS. Some have come to believe that more accountability, oversight, and training would help prevent police brutality. Others oppose by stating that police have the right to use “reasonable” force in self-defense and should not be treated as a criminal for making “split-second decisions.”
These arguments frequently beg the question “Do you think the police are ever justified in using excessive force?” The answer for some is yes when it comes to self-defense and if the one the police officer is apprehending is fighting or resisting. However, for others, they want to protect themselves and their children at all costs, especially if they are apart of any minority groups. Do police unfairly target racial, ethnic, religious, or other minorities? Definitely, but that usually applies to the ones who hold discriminatory beliefs. While it is true that some police are racist, homophobic, etc., that does not apply to every police officer, which is why police brutality is controversial in the eyes of many. Some only blame the ones deserving and some believe that all or most police officers will abuse their power or put their own beliefs in front of their duty.
Addressing why police brutality was brought up in the first place, many people have died or have been seriously injured due to excessive & unnecessary force from police officers. More specifically, black men at age 15-34 are 16 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than any other. Additionally, police killed 1,164 people in 2018 alone. Further, even though black people are only about 13% of the population in the U.S., 25% of the 1,164 people killed were black. Despite this, 99% of officers involved in a police brutality crime were not convicted.
Police brutality has always depended on many things, including your race and where you live.
Not only are black people 3X more likely to be killed than white people (even though police brutality is most common with black, hispanic, & white), but they are also 6X more likely to be killed by police in Oklahoma than Georgia.
Conclusively, police brutality is not something to be treated lightly and when it happens by its definition, there is no excuse for it. It does not line up with other crime rates in the U.S., and there has been close to no accountability taken for it. Rest in peace to those like Keith Childress, Bettie Jones, Kevin Matthews, Michael Noel, Leroy Browning, and others who were treated so horribly.
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2257695952?searchid=1579807228&accountid=65642
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/05/the-57375-years-of-life-lost-to-police-violence/559835/
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/unarmed-2015/fuvbm3dyqdjiquus4et3t3q4n32vdc
Friday, January 24, 2020
NFL Playoffs
By: Kelton Kluiter
This week in the NFL Playoff the Conference championships were played. The Packers played the 49ers in Sanfrancisco and got absolutely hammered 37-20. 49ers running back Rahim Mostert ran all over the Packers for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns.
In the AFC the Chiefs took down the hot Tennessee Titans and stopped Derrick Henry’s hot streak. The Chiefs won 35-24. The Chiefs and the 49ers square off in the Superbowl next Sunday in Miami Florida. Can the 49ers defense stop the hot Chiefs offense? We will see next Sunday in what should be a great Superbowl to end another great NFL season.
This week in the NFL Playoff the Conference championships were played. The Packers played the 49ers in Sanfrancisco and got absolutely hammered 37-20. 49ers running back Rahim Mostert ran all over the Packers for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns.
In the AFC the Chiefs took down the hot Tennessee Titans and stopped Derrick Henry’s hot streak. The Chiefs won 35-24. The Chiefs and the 49ers square off in the Superbowl next Sunday in Miami Florida. Can the 49ers defense stop the hot Chiefs offense? We will see next Sunday in what should be a great Superbowl to end another great NFL season.
Voting Republican
By: Conner Freerks
Have you ever wonder why the American government was awful from 2008 to 2015? Well, its because There was a democratic president. This is why you should vote Republican and not Democrat. Voting Republican is better because we want to lower taxes and we create a better economy.
We want to lower taxes.“Lower taxes are the only real check on the expanding size and scope of the federal government. If we want smaller government, our best strategy is to reduce the amount of money Congress has to play with.” “ Private individuals and businesses use money more efficiently than the government does.” We need to cut taxes so people can keep there hard earn money. Not only that they want to lower taxes make the economy better.
Republicans make a better economy.“The jobless rate fell further, to the lowest in nearly 50 years. The number of job openings grew to the highest in at least 18 years.” “Total nonfarm employment grew by 5,613,000 since the president took office, according to the most recent figures available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”Trump has made the economy way better by dropping the unemployment rate and creating many new jobs. That’s why the economy is better.
Voting Republican is better because we want to lower taxes and we create a better economy. So vote Republican for a better America.
Have you ever wonder why the American government was awful from 2008 to 2015? Well, its because There was a democratic president. This is why you should vote Republican and not Democrat. Voting Republican is better because we want to lower taxes and we create a better economy.
We want to lower taxes.“Lower taxes are the only real check on the expanding size and scope of the federal government. If we want smaller government, our best strategy is to reduce the amount of money Congress has to play with.” “ Private individuals and businesses use money more efficiently than the government does.” We need to cut taxes so people can keep there hard earn money. Not only that they want to lower taxes make the economy better.
Republicans make a better economy.“The jobless rate fell further, to the lowest in nearly 50 years. The number of job openings grew to the highest in at least 18 years.” “Total nonfarm employment grew by 5,613,000 since the president took office, according to the most recent figures available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”Trump has made the economy way better by dropping the unemployment rate and creating many new jobs. That’s why the economy is better.
Voting Republican is better because we want to lower taxes and we create a better economy. So vote Republican for a better America.
Bell Ringers
By: Katie Stirling
In English class, almost every period has a bell ringer at the beginning of class. This is everyday except Mondays. It is a short writing assignment about four sentences long. There is a different activity every day displayed on the board.
On Tuesdays in Composition class, we do descriptive writing. There is a picture on the board and we have to write sentences about it. We describe what we see in several sentences.
On Wednesdays we write a journal. This can be a variety of different things. There are different questions we get asked every week. Sometimes it’s a “what if” question. In this case, you are given a situation and you have to explain what you would do if that happened. There can also be opinion writing. This is where you state your opinion and reasoning for it.
We write from a perspective on Thursdays. We are given a point of view and are asked to write from that viewpoint. These viewpoints can be a number of different things. It could be from the view of an animal, person, object, plant, etc.
On Fridays we do a journal prompt again. This is sometimes similar to Wednesday’s and sometimes completely different. We get asked on things we value, have strong opinions about, and more. We get to use our imagination quite often also.
Although bell ringers can seem pointless sometimes, we do them for a reason. They help our writing skills and help us develop new vocabulary.
In English class, almost every period has a bell ringer at the beginning of class. This is everyday except Mondays. It is a short writing assignment about four sentences long. There is a different activity every day displayed on the board.
On Tuesdays in Composition class, we do descriptive writing. There is a picture on the board and we have to write sentences about it. We describe what we see in several sentences.
On Wednesdays we write a journal. This can be a variety of different things. There are different questions we get asked every week. Sometimes it’s a “what if” question. In this case, you are given a situation and you have to explain what you would do if that happened. There can also be opinion writing. This is where you state your opinion and reasoning for it.
We write from a perspective on Thursdays. We are given a point of view and are asked to write from that viewpoint. These viewpoints can be a number of different things. It could be from the view of an animal, person, object, plant, etc.
On Fridays we do a journal prompt again. This is sometimes similar to Wednesday’s and sometimes completely different. We get asked on things we value, have strong opinions about, and more. We get to use our imagination quite often also.
Although bell ringers can seem pointless sometimes, we do them for a reason. They help our writing skills and help us develop new vocabulary.
Types of Math Students
By: Grace Litterer
Alright, in full honesty, I am running out of ideas. However, I can always count on some sort of school-based “Types Of” article. (It’s called drawing from life.) Ergo, this article will be about Types of Math Students. I can’t tell how many times I hear students groaning about math homework. As a student in a trigonometry class, I feel a great deal of this groaning. Of course, I feel I must write about it.
The first type of math student is the Boy Scout. No, I am not making a metaphor about grades and merit badges. Instead, I am focusing on the motto. Yes, the Boy Scout is always prepared. In fact, they probably have their own math toolset, complete with their own compass, ruler, protractor, and $100 calculator that creates graphs in color. Yes, this person is equipped with the best and brightest (and most expensive) math tools. Of course, their 90-degree angles have to be perfect and their circles have to be consistent. Anything to get a head start on an A+ grade. No price is too high.
The next type is the opposite of the Boy Scout, the Unprepared. (I know. I came up with the name myself. It is original.) As the name implies, this person is always unprepared. They don’t have a protractor, compass, ruler, calculator. You are lucky if this person has a pencil. This person would rather have the teacher take 5 points off of their total than find a book cover. (Before you ask, we do have free ones at the office. However, this person couldn’t be bothered.) Don’t underestimate this person, they can often do more with pen and paper than your average Boy Scout if they feel like it.
The final type of math student is the Panicked. Now, you can usually find panicked students in any class. However, this type of panic is specific to math class. This is the type of panic that you feel when you didn’t understand the second week of class, and now you are 3 months in and you are failing the tests. This is the panic that ensues when your teacher says you should have learned this last year, but you barely passed the class. Yes, it is a specific type of panic; panic that shakes you to your very core; a panic you feel when you step into a classroom and hear you have a pop quiz in conic sections.
So, no, math isn’t just another class. It’s a state of mind, a state of mind that’ll push you headfirst into a state of panic that makes you so anxious you’re calm. Math will make you care way too much or not at all. You will pay any and every price for a passing grade, or you will designate math class as nap time. And, honestly, I couldn’t say which is better.
Super Bowl
By: Ethan Schmidt
The Superbowl is a very popular sporting event that takes place every year to determine the championship of the NFL. Millions of people watch this event every year. It usually takes place on a Sunday in either February or January. It is broadcasted in more than one hundred and seventy countries. The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
The NFL officially formed in 1920, but the super bowl didn't happen until forty years later. In 1960 a group of businessmen decided to launch a different league from the NFL and the called it the AFL. In 1966, they created an agreement to merge the leagues by 1970. The first Super Bowl was between the AFL champions and the NFL champions in 1966. They called it the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game.” Later the Kansas City Chief’s owner, Lamar Hunt, proposed to call it the Super Bowl.
The first Superbowl took place on January 15, 1967. It was between the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. It took place in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Ticket prices only averaged twelve dollars. It was the only Superbold game that didn't sell out. It was on two networks and it was watched by over 61,000 fans. The Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. The year after that the Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 33-14. The next year the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts. The year after that, the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-7. This was the last game played between the AFL and the NFL. The popularity of the sport grew once the NFL and the AFL merged.
The Superbowl is a very popular sporting event that takes place every year to determine the championship of the NFL. Millions of people watch this event every year. It usually takes place on a Sunday in either February or January. It is broadcasted in more than one hundred and seventy countries. The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
The NFL officially formed in 1920, but the super bowl didn't happen until forty years later. In 1960 a group of businessmen decided to launch a different league from the NFL and the called it the AFL. In 1966, they created an agreement to merge the leagues by 1970. The first Super Bowl was between the AFL champions and the NFL champions in 1966. They called it the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game.” Later the Kansas City Chief’s owner, Lamar Hunt, proposed to call it the Super Bowl.
The first Superbowl took place on January 15, 1967. It was between the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. It took place in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Ticket prices only averaged twelve dollars. It was the only Superbold game that didn't sell out. It was on two networks and it was watched by over 61,000 fans. The Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. The year after that the Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 33-14. The next year the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts. The year after that, the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-7. This was the last game played between the AFL and the NFL. The popularity of the sport grew once the NFL and the AFL merged.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Winter Blues
By: Katie Stirling
Winter can feel like the longest season sometimes. About the middle of January is when it really starts to get annoying. I, along with many others, enjoy the summer weather a lot more than cold weather.
After the holidays are over, the months tend to feel longer. The weather starts to get very cold and snowy. Many people start to look forward to warm weather and spring. Especially when you live in Iowa, you never know when that warm weather will arrive. It could be as early as March or as late as May, it just depends on the year.
The summer is much more enjoyable for me for many reasons. Because of the warm weather, you can spend much more time outside. There are so many things to do outside. I especially like to kayak, camp, play games, go swimming, etc.
During the summer months, you don’t have to go to school. This break from school is very nice and stress-relieving. Although there are many things going on in both the summer and winter, school is one less thing you don’t have to worry about during the summer. It’s nice to have a little more free time for a couple of months.
I enjoy the summer months more than others mainly because of the warm weather. This creates more opportunities to have fun and more things to do. Although it’d be nice to have this last for a longer amount of time, every summer has to end.
Winter can feel like the longest season sometimes. About the middle of January is when it really starts to get annoying. I, along with many others, enjoy the summer weather a lot more than cold weather.
After the holidays are over, the months tend to feel longer. The weather starts to get very cold and snowy. Many people start to look forward to warm weather and spring. Especially when you live in Iowa, you never know when that warm weather will arrive. It could be as early as March or as late as May, it just depends on the year.
The summer is much more enjoyable for me for many reasons. Because of the warm weather, you can spend much more time outside. There are so many things to do outside. I especially like to kayak, camp, play games, go swimming, etc.
During the summer months, you don’t have to go to school. This break from school is very nice and stress-relieving. Although there are many things going on in both the summer and winter, school is one less thing you don’t have to worry about during the summer. It’s nice to have a little more free time for a couple of months.
I enjoy the summer months more than others mainly because of the warm weather. This creates more opportunities to have fun and more things to do. Although it’d be nice to have this last for a longer amount of time, every summer has to end.
History of Basketball
By: Ethan Schmidt
Basketball is a very popular sport here in America. Have you ever wondered how it started and where it came from? It all started in the winter of 1891-18892. It was in Springfield college, which was known as the International YMCA Training School. It is located in Springfield Massachusetts. They had a gymnasium class, which offered activities like marching, calisthenics, and apparatus work.
The teacher for this class was James Naismith, a 31-year-old graduate student. He graduated from Presbyterian College in Montreal with a theology degree. He wanted to create a new game that could be played during the winter. He asked teachers and students to help him find a game that could be played. He started thinking of a sport that could be played with a large number of players and wasn't as rough as rugby and football.
After thinking he finally found it. He made an adaptation of American rugby, English rugby, lacrosse, and soccer. Naismith had to find two baskets so he went up to the janitor and he gave him two peach baskets. He nailed them to the lower rail of the gymnasium balcony. It was ten feet in the air. There had to be someone at each end to pick the ball out of the basket. Later they finally cut a hole in the bottom. Naismith created the thirteen original rules. He pinned them up for the gym class and the teams were chosen with three centers, three forwards, and three guards per side. He would take two centers and throw the ball up. This game became known as basketball.
The game spread really quickly. After a few weeks since the game was invented, students introduced it to their own YMCA’s. The rules were printed in a college magazine. This magazine was sent to YMCA’s all over the country. Colleges and high schools introduced it and it finally became a recognized winter sport. Some rules were changed but all in all, the game of basketball has not been changed drastically since the thirteen original rules.
Basketball is a very popular sport here in America. Have you ever wondered how it started and where it came from? It all started in the winter of 1891-18892. It was in Springfield college, which was known as the International YMCA Training School. It is located in Springfield Massachusetts. They had a gymnasium class, which offered activities like marching, calisthenics, and apparatus work.
The teacher for this class was James Naismith, a 31-year-old graduate student. He graduated from Presbyterian College in Montreal with a theology degree. He wanted to create a new game that could be played during the winter. He asked teachers and students to help him find a game that could be played. He started thinking of a sport that could be played with a large number of players and wasn't as rough as rugby and football.
After thinking he finally found it. He made an adaptation of American rugby, English rugby, lacrosse, and soccer. Naismith had to find two baskets so he went up to the janitor and he gave him two peach baskets. He nailed them to the lower rail of the gymnasium balcony. It was ten feet in the air. There had to be someone at each end to pick the ball out of the basket. Later they finally cut a hole in the bottom. Naismith created the thirteen original rules. He pinned them up for the gym class and the teams were chosen with three centers, three forwards, and three guards per side. He would take two centers and throw the ball up. This game became known as basketball.
The game spread really quickly. After a few weeks since the game was invented, students introduced it to their own YMCA’s. The rules were printed in a college magazine. This magazine was sent to YMCA’s all over the country. Colleges and high schools introduced it and it finally became a recognized winter sport. Some rules were changed but all in all, the game of basketball has not been changed drastically since the thirteen original rules.
Kanye West: Music, Masterpieces, and Mental Health
By: Cole Negen
Kanye West was born in Atlanta Georgia in 1977. He moved to Chicago at the age of 3 after the split of his parents. Thus began the turbulent life of Kanye West. West got his beginnings as a producer for the infamous hip hop artist, Jay Z. He produced a single for him, and then would go on to produce 4 songs on Jay Z’s album The Blueprint, one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Kanye had quite a track record for producing, but wasn’t just satisfied with that role. In 2004, Kanye released his debut album The College Dropout. The album was not only entirely produced by him, but also consisted of him rapping throughout the length of the project. The album was a massive concept piece, detailing his life as a dropout-turned-musician, and attacking the idea of people who go to college because they were pressured into it, and get degrees in things they have no passion for, and in the end, can’t find work and make no money. It was a whale of a project on an issue nobody had really tackled before, at least not to the extent West did. More impressive though, was his style of music. The College Dropout contained old-school, simple, bass heavy drums mixed with samples of the 60's and 70’s soul music. It was a very simple style, but was done really well. The production was fun and beautiful, and allowed Kanye’s lyrics to take center stage. It’s straightforward and to casual listeners may not sound like anything that special, but at the time of its release it was a huge U-turn from where hip-hop, especially popular hip-hop, was heading. In 2004, hip hop was very short on innovation. Most hip hop of the time sounded like generic pop music, full of songs designed to be more catchy than memorable. West’s album was a safe-haven for people who wanted hip hop with something more than what was presented on the surface. West received a grammy for the album, but the question remained; was Kanye a one-album-wonder, or was he here to stay. He proved his spot in hip hop with his sophomore album Late Registration. It was of the same style of the first, and some of the same topics of school and college come up, but yet Late Registration stands out on its own. The samples used are a lot more up tempo and jubilant, and West raps about a lot of different things, such as his mother, race relations in America, and celebrating his spot as one of the best new voices in hip hop. These 2 albums, while unique in and of themselves, were generally similar. On his third album, Kanye completely flipped the switch. In an effort to break away from what he saw as a singular lane he was stuck in, Kanye switched up his style completely. Instead of a stripped back soul style, Kanye’s third album, Graduation, was full of electronic and dance elements. The instrumentals were grand, full of synthesizers and 808s. Instead of super focused personal themes, Kanye made songs intended to be catchier, pop rap songs. While this was by far his most contemporary album yet, Kanye still was at the top of the game, for being able to make it sound so grand and elegant. The album as a whole doesn’t match up with his previous albums in quality, but it was far from something generic. It is because of that that this album is a standout from the late 2000’s. Kanye was at the top of his game. He had released 3 straight albums, all very good. Unfortunately for Kanye, things would take a quick spiral from the grandiose of Graduation to his 4th album.
Kanye West was born in Atlanta Georgia in 1977. He moved to Chicago at the age of 3 after the split of his parents. Thus began the turbulent life of Kanye West. West got his beginnings as a producer for the infamous hip hop artist, Jay Z. He produced a single for him, and then would go on to produce 4 songs on Jay Z’s album The Blueprint, one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Kanye had quite a track record for producing, but wasn’t just satisfied with that role. In 2004, Kanye released his debut album The College Dropout. The album was not only entirely produced by him, but also consisted of him rapping throughout the length of the project. The album was a massive concept piece, detailing his life as a dropout-turned-musician, and attacking the idea of people who go to college because they were pressured into it, and get degrees in things they have no passion for, and in the end, can’t find work and make no money. It was a whale of a project on an issue nobody had really tackled before, at least not to the extent West did. More impressive though, was his style of music. The College Dropout contained old-school, simple, bass heavy drums mixed with samples of the 60's and 70’s soul music. It was a very simple style, but was done really well. The production was fun and beautiful, and allowed Kanye’s lyrics to take center stage. It’s straightforward and to casual listeners may not sound like anything that special, but at the time of its release it was a huge U-turn from where hip-hop, especially popular hip-hop, was heading. In 2004, hip hop was very short on innovation. Most hip hop of the time sounded like generic pop music, full of songs designed to be more catchy than memorable. West’s album was a safe-haven for people who wanted hip hop with something more than what was presented on the surface. West received a grammy for the album, but the question remained; was Kanye a one-album-wonder, or was he here to stay. He proved his spot in hip hop with his sophomore album Late Registration. It was of the same style of the first, and some of the same topics of school and college come up, but yet Late Registration stands out on its own. The samples used are a lot more up tempo and jubilant, and West raps about a lot of different things, such as his mother, race relations in America, and celebrating his spot as one of the best new voices in hip hop. These 2 albums, while unique in and of themselves, were generally similar. On his third album, Kanye completely flipped the switch. In an effort to break away from what he saw as a singular lane he was stuck in, Kanye switched up his style completely. Instead of a stripped back soul style, Kanye’s third album, Graduation, was full of electronic and dance elements. The instrumentals were grand, full of synthesizers and 808s. Instead of super focused personal themes, Kanye made songs intended to be catchier, pop rap songs. While this was by far his most contemporary album yet, Kanye still was at the top of the game, for being able to make it sound so grand and elegant. The album as a whole doesn’t match up with his previous albums in quality, but it was far from something generic. It is because of that that this album is a standout from the late 2000’s. Kanye was at the top of his game. He had released 3 straight albums, all very good. Unfortunately for Kanye, things would take a quick spiral from the grandiose of Graduation to his 4th album.
Infamous High School Students
By: Grace Litterer
I have to start this paper off with a confession. I cannot believe that I haven’t done an Infamous High School Students blog. Now, considering that I already discussed each class, I just have to highlight some of the well known students throughout many high schools. So, gather ‘round, and come with me on a nostalgia induced journey.
One student I must mention is the Freshman Racer. Freshman are always rushing. This is a fact we absolutely must acknowledge. This freshman zooms around groups of people and leaps over those sitting on the ground. This freshman may have 3 minutes to get to a class, but this freshman treat it like they only have 30 seconds to run from one end of the school to other. Now, this freshman is an absolute classic, and it would not be high school without them. To all the upperclassman who feel the need to trip a few racing freshman, please refrain. Afterall, you were a Racing Freshman.
Next, is the Driving Sophomore. I know, I know. This isn’t the most creative name, but it’s true nonetheless. Sophomore year is the year that everyone gets their license. Of course, everyone within a 10 mile radius must know. One staple of this student is that they shake their keys. You can hear hordes of sophomores shaking their keys and yelling at their friends.
Third, is the Stressed Junior. Now, I have a lot to say about this student. (Of course, I have to, being that I self-identify as a Stressed Junior.) First of all, we must acknowledge the fact that most people get a job their junior year, or the summer between sophomore and junior year. Most juniors either have a job or an extracurricular that consumes most of their time. Juniors are pressured into having so many clubs and extracurriculars. It seems that there are so many things to do and so little time. Of course, junior year is also the year of tests: ACTs, SATs, pSATs, ASVABs, etc. It’s almost as though junior year is designed to cause anxiety and depression. Frankly, it’s kind of ridiculous.
Finally, we have the Chill Senior. This senior has dealt with stress so long that they have entered a state of calm. Now, most people say that senior year is not a big deal. (Of course, it can be different for each student.) However, despite the easier classes. Senior year is about the future, which can be more stressful than hard classes. Between scholarship applications, job applications, and college applications, there is no room for error during senior year. Despite all of this, seniors seem to be the most calm.
In conclusion, there are many different types of students. There is a staple student each year. No matter which class you are in, no matter which student you are, you would be smart to take the advice of one Troy Bolton (from High School Musical). Believe me when I say, “We are all in this together.”
I have to start this paper off with a confession. I cannot believe that I haven’t done an Infamous High School Students blog. Now, considering that I already discussed each class, I just have to highlight some of the well known students throughout many high schools. So, gather ‘round, and come with me on a nostalgia induced journey.
One student I must mention is the Freshman Racer. Freshman are always rushing. This is a fact we absolutely must acknowledge. This freshman zooms around groups of people and leaps over those sitting on the ground. This freshman may have 3 minutes to get to a class, but this freshman treat it like they only have 30 seconds to run from one end of the school to other. Now, this freshman is an absolute classic, and it would not be high school without them. To all the upperclassman who feel the need to trip a few racing freshman, please refrain. Afterall, you were a Racing Freshman.
Next, is the Driving Sophomore. I know, I know. This isn’t the most creative name, but it’s true nonetheless. Sophomore year is the year that everyone gets their license. Of course, everyone within a 10 mile radius must know. One staple of this student is that they shake their keys. You can hear hordes of sophomores shaking their keys and yelling at their friends.
Third, is the Stressed Junior. Now, I have a lot to say about this student. (Of course, I have to, being that I self-identify as a Stressed Junior.) First of all, we must acknowledge the fact that most people get a job their junior year, or the summer between sophomore and junior year. Most juniors either have a job or an extracurricular that consumes most of their time. Juniors are pressured into having so many clubs and extracurriculars. It seems that there are so many things to do and so little time. Of course, junior year is also the year of tests: ACTs, SATs, pSATs, ASVABs, etc. It’s almost as though junior year is designed to cause anxiety and depression. Frankly, it’s kind of ridiculous.
Finally, we have the Chill Senior. This senior has dealt with stress so long that they have entered a state of calm. Now, most people say that senior year is not a big deal. (Of course, it can be different for each student.) However, despite the easier classes. Senior year is about the future, which can be more stressful than hard classes. Between scholarship applications, job applications, and college applications, there is no room for error during senior year. Despite all of this, seniors seem to be the most calm.
In conclusion, there are many different types of students. There is a staple student each year. No matter which class you are in, no matter which student you are, you would be smart to take the advice of one Troy Bolton (from High School Musical). Believe me when I say, “We are all in this together.”
Holocaust Denial - How Are People Today Handling It?
By: Tess Lampe
For years, a few decades at the least, there have been plenty of individuals who have actively denied that the Holocaust during World War II happened. That being said, holocaust denial is essentially any attempt to negate or avoid any facts about the genocide that was the holocaust. Holocaust deniers usually share the belief that the Holocaust was exaggerated or invented by Jews to “advance Jewish interests” because of their antisemetic views, or hatred towards Jewish people.
In 2019, the Palm Beach County School Board fired a Florida high school principal for refusing to recognize the Holocaust as a “factual, historic event.” Cases similar to this have brought forward many critical questions such as the following: Should holocaust denial be treated as a crime? Should freedom of speech protect/allow holocaust denial? Why are there holocaust deniers? Should holocaust denial be considered hate speech? Why and where is holocaust denial active today? Middle Eastern countries like Germany, Belgium, and Israel have criminalized holocaust denial.
When making an attempt to answer the question if holocaust denial should be treated as a crime, there are two main viewpoints: Yes, because it is a form of hate speech and causes much harm. The opposing opinion says no, because it violates freedom of speech. Because there is a protection over freedom of speech, many companies, schools, businesses, and other institutes can’t justly punish someone for antisemitism or for denying the Holocaust. The circumstances of those punishments are different for each institute. For example, Rutgers University could not fire or otherwise punish Michael Chikindas for frequently posting antisemetic, racist, homophobic, and islamaphobic things on his Facebook page because of Rutgers’ freedom of speech policy and because he did not spread his beliefs in school or in any class. Many people would’ve preferred if he was punished for his bigotry - intolerance towards those who have different opinions than oneself - but it would be, according to some, unjust to fire a professor for having a “controversial opinion.
It is acknowledged, however, that “their [anti-semites] poisonous ideology must still be recognized as truly dangerous, and never discounted as simply ‘uncomfortable.’” To end his argument for the punishment of holocaust denial (according to SIRS.com), Steven Lubet said, “Those who encourage anti-Jewish terror are racists, not idiots; and they are motivated by hatred; not personal opinions.” Additionally, Robert Singer made an urgent statement saying that, “Amazon needs to prioritize the removal of all items that blatantly ‘promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance.’” He made this statement after noticing that Amazon had plenty of antisemetic and holocaust denial titles in stock.
Similarly, Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated in 2017, “Someone who is despicable as Hitler who didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons.” He said this in an attempt to compare Adolf Hitler and Syria’s president Bashar Assad. Afterwards, Spicer was met with much criticism because of this comparison. He later stated that he, “mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison.” When he was president, George W. Bush said something similar when addressing Sadam Hussein, former President of Iraq, seeming to defend Hitler in saying that he at least, “respected the legitimacy of the embassies.” Essentially, because of their failure to understand the Holocaust, they experienced much backlash.
These uneducated statements along with how the Holocaust is educated throughout the U.S. have contributed to misleading beliefs of the horrible genocide. To finalize his argument, Seth Frantzman stated, “It seems every day there is some abuse of Holocaust memory. We are coming to the point in history where any responsibility for the Holocaust will be whitewashed away… we will lose all understanding of it.”
With these arguments, the question of “Should holocaust denial and antisemitism be treated as a legal crime?” is not easily answered. What it does do, however, is encourage not only the education, but the accurate education of the Holocaust to make sure that it is not forgotten. Many stress the importance of making sure that it is not seen as an event isolated from the rest of World War II, which is important for the next generations and how they view the unfortunate events of the past wars.
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2257695893?searchid=1579108171&accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2267348986?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2262112473?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2266149781?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265961413?accountid=65642
https://www.ushmm.org/antisemitism/holocaust-denial-and-distortion
For years, a few decades at the least, there have been plenty of individuals who have actively denied that the Holocaust during World War II happened. That being said, holocaust denial is essentially any attempt to negate or avoid any facts about the genocide that was the holocaust. Holocaust deniers usually share the belief that the Holocaust was exaggerated or invented by Jews to “advance Jewish interests” because of their antisemetic views, or hatred towards Jewish people.
In 2019, the Palm Beach County School Board fired a Florida high school principal for refusing to recognize the Holocaust as a “factual, historic event.” Cases similar to this have brought forward many critical questions such as the following: Should holocaust denial be treated as a crime? Should freedom of speech protect/allow holocaust denial? Why are there holocaust deniers? Should holocaust denial be considered hate speech? Why and where is holocaust denial active today? Middle Eastern countries like Germany, Belgium, and Israel have criminalized holocaust denial.
When making an attempt to answer the question if holocaust denial should be treated as a crime, there are two main viewpoints: Yes, because it is a form of hate speech and causes much harm. The opposing opinion says no, because it violates freedom of speech. Because there is a protection over freedom of speech, many companies, schools, businesses, and other institutes can’t justly punish someone for antisemitism or for denying the Holocaust. The circumstances of those punishments are different for each institute. For example, Rutgers University could not fire or otherwise punish Michael Chikindas for frequently posting antisemetic, racist, homophobic, and islamaphobic things on his Facebook page because of Rutgers’ freedom of speech policy and because he did not spread his beliefs in school or in any class. Many people would’ve preferred if he was punished for his bigotry - intolerance towards those who have different opinions than oneself - but it would be, according to some, unjust to fire a professor for having a “controversial opinion.
It is acknowledged, however, that “their [anti-semites] poisonous ideology must still be recognized as truly dangerous, and never discounted as simply ‘uncomfortable.’” To end his argument for the punishment of holocaust denial (according to SIRS.com), Steven Lubet said, “Those who encourage anti-Jewish terror are racists, not idiots; and they are motivated by hatred; not personal opinions.” Additionally, Robert Singer made an urgent statement saying that, “Amazon needs to prioritize the removal of all items that blatantly ‘promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance.’” He made this statement after noticing that Amazon had plenty of antisemetic and holocaust denial titles in stock.
Similarly, Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated in 2017, “Someone who is despicable as Hitler who didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons.” He said this in an attempt to compare Adolf Hitler and Syria’s president Bashar Assad. Afterwards, Spicer was met with much criticism because of this comparison. He later stated that he, “mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison.” When he was president, George W. Bush said something similar when addressing Sadam Hussein, former President of Iraq, seeming to defend Hitler in saying that he at least, “respected the legitimacy of the embassies.” Essentially, because of their failure to understand the Holocaust, they experienced much backlash.
These uneducated statements along with how the Holocaust is educated throughout the U.S. have contributed to misleading beliefs of the horrible genocide. To finalize his argument, Seth Frantzman stated, “It seems every day there is some abuse of Holocaust memory. We are coming to the point in history where any responsibility for the Holocaust will be whitewashed away… we will lose all understanding of it.”
With these arguments, the question of “Should holocaust denial and antisemitism be treated as a legal crime?” is not easily answered. What it does do, however, is encourage not only the education, but the accurate education of the Holocaust to make sure that it is not forgotten. Many stress the importance of making sure that it is not seen as an event isolated from the rest of World War II, which is important for the next generations and how they view the unfortunate events of the past wars.
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2257695893?searchid=1579108171&accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2267348986?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2262112473?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2266149781?accountid=65642
https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265961413?accountid=65642
https://www.ushmm.org/antisemitism/holocaust-denial-and-distortion
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)