Thoughts from this week

I really enjoyed writing the opinion pieces at the beginning of the class but to be honest I didn't like having to write the movie review. I found the movie review hard to do. It wasn't hard making my statement of the movie it was just hard finding evidence from the movie to back up my argument.

On another note...I am finding it hard trying to find an editorial that interests me enough to want to write a letter to the editor for our assignment on Thursday.

News and Record

So... we submitted our letters to the editor last week to our various newspapers. Mine, shockingly, got put into the News & Record. The loser I am, I looked on the newspaper's website to see when my letter would be posted. When it did get posted I noticed that people had already commented on my letter!!! Who actually goes onto the newspaper's website just to read the letters to the editor (well besides me)? Nevermind that, who actually RESPONDS to other people's response to other people's articles??? Anyway, the comments were kind of strange, one ranted on in caps about how he agreed with me and hated stupid people on twitter. The other comment was like a page long on how 140 word limit was justifiable. It just shocks me that people would actually comment... on a letter to the editor...seriously?

Dan Shaughnessy & The Boston Celtics

In response to Dan Shaughnessy’s column “Quite a series of events,” I don’t understand how he can completely shift his opinion of the Boston Celtics within days.

One day Shaughnessy is ranting about Coach Doc Rivers’ choice to give Ray Allen the ball in the final seconds of Game 2 against the Chicago Bulls. This was totally unnecessary. Hasn’t Ray earned our respect by now?

The following day, the Celtics and Bulls were tied yet again as the game winded down. The scoreboard read 115-115 until the ball got to the hands of Allen after a pass from Rajon Rondo. Swoosh, with two seconds remaining. Final score Celtics 118, Bulls 115.

And what did Shaughnessy write about the next day? About how good ol’ Ray Allen “emerged as the man” and saved the game. Well, which is it? Does Shaughnessy truly believe we are “doomed” this year, because I think all the Celtics need is a little support.

Letter To The Editor

In response to the column titled “Give pro-life license plates a fair vote,” I can’t seem to wrap my mind around the fact that there is such a huge debate going on about what you are allowed to support on your license plate.

I’ve been stuck behind cars driven by 40-year-old men who have customized license plates that read “#1PIMP,” or “I’d rather be shaggin’.” The concept that a Choose Life license plate may be too controversial is lost on me.

There are more than 130 different ways to express yourself through your plates in North Carolina, so why not add one more?

If the proposal to approve a Choose Life plate is denied, we will be the only state in the Southeast that won’t allow the plate.

North Carolinians preach that abortion is wrong, and that life is the only answer. If we believe so strongly in choosing life, why do we shy away from a plate that stands up for that very thing?

Maybe these folks should quit shaggin’ and start worrying about something with a little more substance.

Jennifer Paolino
704-321-5358
3427 Darlington Road
Matthews, North Carolina 28105

Give Pro-Life License Plates A Fair Vote

"To tweet or not to tweet"

The "To tweet or not to tweet" opinion piece focuses on the absurdity of "Twitter." Whether I should "tweet" or not has never been the question for me. "Twitter" should be twitted away and never seen again.

This social networking site serves no purpose for society. What are the merits of having a network that only lets someone have 140 characters in whatever they are trying to say?
As a college student, I use “MySpace” to be an individual by setting my own background and website. I could never do this on “Twitter” where everyone’s page looks the same.

“Twitter” offers no creativity for its users and twitterers certainly cannot show their interests beyond a 140 word limit.

So what is the obsession with twitting?

Maybe it is the bored celebrities who twitter away their millions instead of using their money for the greater good, that has people in a “Twitter” frenzy.

It would be different if people used their posts to write something interesting, but more often than not, people write about useless crap like going to the bathroom.

I just hope that twittering doesn’t turn my generation into a bunch of 140 word limit twits.
Original Article:
"To Tweet or not to tweet"

Letter to the Editor: Penalize students for texting

Dear Editor,
Regarding Brittani Level’s letter (April 22) about students texting in class, I agree that this habit severely hinders their education process and can lead to cheating.

As a senior at High Point University, however, I know how busy students are and how tempting it can be to text in class, especially if it’s about a matter important to the student. I doubt that students will ever discipline themselves enough on their own to stop texting in class.

Luckily, my global studies professor has conquered this issue. In his syllabus, he states that any student who uses a cell phone or an electronic device during class will receive a 75 point deduction from their final grade, which is based on a 950 point scale. While he can’t accuse students of cheating while texting, he can at least penalize them.

Needless to say, the cell phones stay put away in that class.

Sincerely,
Pam Haynes

Note: I wrote this letter in response to "Texting in classrooms can lead to cheating" which can be found at the bottom of this page: http://blog.news-record.com/opinion/letters/

Letter to the Editor

Jones is right
State Rep. Earl Jones has the right idea, legalize Video Poker.
I disagree that video poker shouldn’t be legal. Many people enjoy being able to play video poker and if you legalize it will give them the opportunity to play legal poker as opposed to going to an illegal back-alley poker room.
As an avid poker player I know that poker players will do anything they can do to play the game. I think that legalizing video poker would help create another avenue for people that are looking to play a game and enjoy it. I think that if it is set up in a safe environment where people can have fun while playing it can be successful for all. Many states have legalized poker, why not North Carolina.

Chris Smith
High Point

Letter to the Editor

To tweet or not to tweet
By Maureen Dowd

I completely agree with Maureen Dowd and her sentiments towards the new Twitter craze in her column (April 23). I am a college student and I refuse to create a Twitter account.

It honestly worries me about how people from my generation view the idea of communication. We are already so disconnected from reality and from real relationships. Instead of having verbal interaction we instant message each other on the internet or send a quick text message. Conversations that should happen face to face now only occur through typed abbreviated words and generic emoticons.

The fact that Twitter only allows for 140 words limits people and their ideas and emotions. Technology and online blogs or tweets stifle people’s ability to express their thoughts. Incorrect grammar becomes more prevalent in everyday speech. People are lol-ing and idk-ing out loud more and more.

My generation will have to eventually learn how to communicate properly. I just wonder how and when.

Drug Gangs Will Win

In response to Courtland Milloy's Wednesday Drug Cartel opinion piece, I couldn't agree more. Although I’m writing as a democrat, President Obama has the world in a "bubble" that will very soon burst if these drug cartels gain easy access to desperate Americans.

With recession unfortunately comes depression and many drug experimenters quickly become users to ease the pain caused by job loss and lack of success. Present in many people, is the fear of failure as well as the failure to step up to plate when the going gets tough. This combination is lethal to American morale, yet Christmas morning to organized drug leaders. They prey on weakness and their mouths are watering as they see the American people suffering.

It is imperative that rather than using ALL federal drug funds to slow the flow of drugs into America, that some are used for drug prevention programs to help those already at the mercy of illegal substances.

Jody Wicks

Review

If you are looking for a heart-wrenching, fast paced film, then you need to watch Slumdog Millionaire.
Directors Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan do an absolutely brilliant job of depicting the lives of two young brothers as they fight through the struggles of growing up alone in the slums of India.
This film takes us through a number of flashbacks in the life of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) that explain through his life experiences how he is able to answer questions on the Indian Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
In a tear-jerking early scene, both Jamal and his brother Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) witness the death of their mother during an anti-Muslim attack from the Hindus. While escaping the attack the two brothers befriend a young girl, Latika (Rubina Ali) and attempt to survive on their own before being “rescued” by an orphanage.
In a key and very intense scene, the brothers are separated from their new friend Latika as they attempt to run away from the orphanage. Jamal is extremely distraught and spends the rest of the film trying to find ways to find her and bring them all back together. The producers and actors do a good job in this scene laying the ground work of how the two brothers begin to lead lives down different paths.
The bulk of the film consists of Jamal describing how he got answers to the Millionaire questions based on life experiences he had. Jamal and Salim spend most of their time dealing with adversity in different ways. Jamal spends most of his time in search of Latika while Salim spends his time running from his enemies and working for mobsters.
The producers do an excellent job of creating a solid balance between the different time frames that this movie takes place in. Many movies have flashbacks but most of the time a lot of the intensity and passion of the movie is lost while travelling back in time. In this film the passion for Jamal is just as evident when he is 18 years old as when he is 8.
The thrilling ending to this movie is in itself enough to watch. When faced with the 20 Million Rupee question Jamal is forced to use his phone a friend lifeline and has just one phone number, Salim’s. Will Jamal receive the information he needs, watch and find out?

Miss California.

After watching Miss California give her infamous "Marriage is between a man and a woman" answer on the Miss USA Pagaent, I'm desperately hoping that someone, somewhere writes a column or a letter to the editor about this event so I may respond to it.

This woman, who gave a truthful answer, was shunned by a gay judge for doing so. This situation has gotten me pretty heated. To me, her answer isn't even the important part here. The important thing is that she told the truth. The gay judge openly admits that her truthfulness lost her the crown.

Maybe I'll just a write a column about it instead...

Reviewing Movies...Yay!!

Reviewing movies was a task that I thought would be easy. All one basically has to do is watch a movie and then write your opinion about it. Wrong. In order to write a review you have to do much more research than just stating your opinion about the film. You have to have background on the topic of the movie, on the director's previous films and on the actors.

You also have to have an informed opinion on the reason why you disliked or liked the film that you are reviewing. That is what I found to be so difficult when reviewing "Slumdog Millionaire". I didn't like the film but I could not give specific examples as to why I disliked it so. The topic of the film just didn't excite me. I kept looking at my watch. However, I had to give specific scenes to support why I did not like it.

Consequently, I am not fond of movie reviewing. I rather just watch the movie please and thank you.

It is Written

It is Written

By Justina Reinold

Throughout “Slumdog Millionaire” you can’t help but root for Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) as he battles everyone from local gangs to his power-ridden older brother.

“Slumdog Millionaire” takes you on a bumpy ride through Jamal’s life, growing up in Mumbai, India, where he and his brother, Salim struggle to survive each day. Money, food, and shelter are not guaranteed each morning they awake.

The camera work consisting of bizarre camera angles and quick, sometimes disturbing, flashbacks keep you on the edge of your seat.

In one powerful scene, young Jamal and Salim are playing in a pool while their mother washes clothes. Behind her, a train screeches to stop. Here, it becomes obvious that something bad is about to happen.

Fear takes over as their mother screams for the boys to run. As the camera flashes back and forth, you see everything through their mother's eyes. The train. Her boys. For the last time.

Suddenly, you hear nothing but the faint sound of water splashing followed by a blurry image of a mob running towards her.

The muffled background noises change back to normal the moment their mother is attacked by the anti-Muslim’s. This creative use of sound jolts the viewer back to reality. Things are going to get worse before they get any better.

Jamal and Salim end up in the hands of child-traffickers being forced to beg tourists for food and money. The bond of brotherhood is apparent but Jamal’s true love stands in the way.

Latika (Freida Pinto), the “third Musketeer,” slips through Jamal’s fingers numerous times, only causing him to try harder. Latika’s striking beauty and vibrant wardrobe make her character stand out among the rest.

So how does Jamal end up one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” How could a “slumdog” know so much?

The show’s host wonders the same thing and has Jamal taken in for questioning where he is brutally tortured. In Jamal’s case it was not an extraordinary education that got him in the hot seat, but a combination of the different chapters of his life. Each seemingly impossible question triggers a memory that reveals the answer.

One question remains a mystery. What is this “slumdog” with no desire for such riches really doing on the game show?

The answer to the final question tells all. It is written.

###

Trailers and videos
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Movie Rating: R for some violence, disturbing images, language
Running Time: 120 minutes
Language: English, Hindi
Star Rating: 8.6/10
Release Date: January 23, 2009
Rent Date: March 31, 2009
Awards: Won 8 Oscars. Another 76 wins & 26 nominations

"Slumdog Millionaire" doesn't feel so good

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ doesn’t feel so good
By Pam Haynes

“Slumdog Millionaire,” directed by Danny Boyle, has been called a lot of things. It won Academies for Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing. The cast and creators of the movie deserve all of those awards and more.

However, it’s also been labeled the “Feel-good Film of the Decade.” That’s one award I’m not willing to give it so quickly.

Set in Mumbai, India, the story follows the lives of two brothers – Jamal (Dev Patel) and Salim (Madhur Mittal) Malik – who grow up in a slum, all the while losing their parents, being snatched by child traffickers and learning to steal from American tourists to survive.

The death of their mother, murdered by anti-Muslim terrorists, leaves the boys homeless and poorer than they’ve ever been. This is where they meet another orphan named Latika (Frieda Pinto). She joins Jamal and Salim on their quest for survival, but she holds Jamal’s heart for the rest of the movie and his adolescent life.

She also has something to do with the reason he applies to be a contestant on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” years later when he’s 18.

Most of the film consists of flashbacks to Jamal’s childhood which can be rather jolting. The scenes change quickly from him sitting in the hot seat on the famous television show to traumatic moments in his early years. And most of them were traumatic.

Even in the lightest of scenes, this movie leaves a depressed heaviness that weighs on the viewer‘s mind. It starts early on when the boys’ parents are still alive. A famous actor visit’s the slum in one of the highlights of Jamal’s childhood. Just when the actor arrives, Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar as the youngest Jamal) gets locked inside of an outhouse. While the rest of the village is screaming and crowding around the actor outside, he realizes there’s only one way out: down the toilet hole and into a giant pile of fecal matter. He takes the plunge and, though he manages to get the actor's autograph, he’s still covered in feces at the end of the scene from head to toe.

Infamously known as the “poop scene,” it reflects the way that viewers will feel about many other scenes. Despite the few good things that do happen to Jamal, he’s always in a pretty crappy situation.

His relationship with Latika plays out this way as well. The two are separated during their childhood, and though Jamal manages to find her several times in his teenage years, something always comes between them. The train station scene is one of the only scenes where Jamal smiles when he sees that Latika has come to meet him. It seems that the two will finally be reunited. But alas, the Indian mob who captured Latika long ago and forced her to live with mob’s boss as his wife, comes chasing after her. Needless to say, they manage to get to her before Jamal does.

I wish I could say that there were more feel good moments in the movie, but I fail to find any. That doesn’t mean that the movie isn’t worth watching. Just be prepared to deal with the tidal wave of issues in the film including government torture, religious battles, family betrayal and immense poverty.

It also presents a unique portrayal of Indian people by presenting Indian Muslims. It’s a rare depiction, and the film has been criticized for portraying non-Muslims as violent and for portraying the film’s characters as too evil or too money-obsessed. Regardless, it presents different Indian characters than most films before, using child-actors that were selected out of the real slums of India.

“Slumdog Millionaire,” based upon the book “Q & A: A Novel” by Vikas Swarup, is worth watching. It’s though-provoking and educational about events in the country of India, and it certainly makes you ponder the meaning of the word “millionaire” in the end.

It deserves all of the praise that it received except for that one, out-of-place title that the film makers slapped all over the theatrical posters. They may call it the “Feel-good Film of the Decade,” but I fail to find how this movie is “feel-good” in any way.

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire, Not so much a hit

By Emily Scott

“Slumdog Millionaire” may be highly acclaimed and held as many things, but for me I disagree. This movie was dark, depressing and disgusting at times throughout not to mention it was also a long slow moving movie.

“Slumdog Millionaire” was set and filmed in Mumbai, India. The film tells the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) from the slums of Mumbai, India who is looking for the girl he loved and lost, Latika (Freida Pinto). Jamal is a contestant on India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” He is just one question away from winning a million dollars when he is arrested on suspicion that he has been cheating.

As the movie begins Sergeant Srinivas (Saurabh Shukla) is slapping Jamal in the face, grabbing the back of his head and holding his head down in a bucket of water, and hangs him up by rope from the ceiling and even electrocuting him to just get him to answer their questions of how someone like him with no formal education knew all the answers.

It isn’t clear to the audience until later on in the film that all these flashbacks in the film are from Jamal’s life and explains how he knew the answers.

In another scene that is not only particularly disgusting but makes you want to gag at the same time is where youngest Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) and younest Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) are out at the outhouses and youngest Jamal is in the outhouse when Amitabh Bachchan’s (Feroz Abbas Khan) plane is spotted. Youngest Salim locks youngest Jamal in the outhouse and takes off with the rest of the people to meet Bachchan. When youngest Jamal can’t get out he decides to jump down into the pile of crap to escape and takes off to the airport to meet Bachchan and get his autograph.

One of the most painful parts in this film was when Maman (Ankur Vikal) does all kinds of evil things to the children, for example killing the boys and making the girls belly dancers, just so that people will feel sorry for the children and make them want to give money.

“Slumdog Millioaire” doesn’t deliver a “wow” performance and is not worth the time watching unless you are interested in learning history about India.

Write Your Destiny to See Slumdog Millionaire
By: Scarlett Hester

“NAME,” resonates through a dim room clouded with cigarette smoke. A close up shot shows a young, blank faced Indian man, Jamal Malik, as he gets slapped only to be asked “NAME” again. The smoke continues swirl along with his confused expression.

Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle, is a powerful story of love, money, and destiny. Based upon the book Q & A: A Novel by Vikas Swarup, Slumdog tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an 18-year-old boy who ends up on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” By some stroke of luck, Jamal seems to know all of the answers, and is on the fast track to success and a million dollars.

The game show host, Prem (Anil Kapoor), grows suspicious of Jamal and has him taken into police custody to be questioned. However it soon becomes evident that Jamal knows the answers from his own unfortunate life experiences, and not from cheating. The police questioning Jamal begin to wonder how a boy from the slums could advance so far in the show. After being shocked with electricity to the point of unconsciousness, Jamal tells the police, “The answers…I knew the answers.”

The flawless cuts between scenes take viewers on a journey through time and through Jamal’s life. Those who are ignorant to India and the extreme forms of poverty that are experienced in the country are exposed through young Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) and his brother Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail). The two are first shown playing barefoot and in tattered and dirty clothes.

As they begin to run from the police for trespassing the cameras sweep over the slum of Bombay to reveal the trash filled and fly infested neighborhood. However despite the tragic living conditions, the spirits of the two boys can’t be brought down. They laugh and mock the policeman chasing them. Their jovial spirits are reflected in the background music, full of upbeat drumbeats.

If there is any downfall to the movie, it could be that the subtitles that were given were difficult to read at times. The light color of the background combined with small text makes the viewer struggle to read what is being said. At points it is also difficult to understand what is being said when English is being spoken, due to the actors’ thick accents.

As the movie progresses the audience gets to see more and more of what Jamal’s (Dev Patel) life was like and how he never gave up on finding his true love, Latika (Freida Pinto). It’s touching to see the connection between the two, even as children. Often referred to as the “third musketeer,” Latika comes in and out of Salim (Madur Mittal) and Jamal’s lives, however when she’s gone, she’s certainly not forgotten.

It’s easy to see why Slumdog Millionaire won 8 Oscar awards. The camera work is beautiful and edgy and constantly keeps the viewer on their toes. Shots from all angles give the viewer the feeling as if they are in the scene. The intercut between the past and present ties the dialogue and plot together in a way that conveys the story in a unique and interesting way.

Accompanying the cinematography is an epic soundtrack that seems to capture the emotions being displayed across the screen in a melodic and harmonious way. The upbeat pound of the drums and the slow, depressed sound of the string bass bring a whole new element and movie going experience to the table.

Slumdog Millionaire is definitely a movie worth investing your time in. It’s a lesson in love as well as a lesson in culture. Just like Jamal’s story, it is written for you to see this movie.

Bollywood’s “Slumdog” Deserving of 8 Oscars

By Jody Wicks

“Slumdog Millionaire” is a brilliant love story with a sad underlying past of two star-crossed lovers. The premise of this film is phenomenal; it takes a popular game show that many believe you must me extremely intelligent to win, and shows how street smarts can be just as valuable as a textbook education.

“Slumdog Millionaire” is an eye-opening look back at one Mumbai teen’s childhood in poverty that brutally taught him the street-smarts to be only one question away from 20 million rupees ($1 million) on India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.”

When they are children, Jamal (Dev Patel) and his childhood friend Latika (Freida Pinto) are orphaned due to an attack on their Muslim village by rival Hindu religious group(s). The two stick together, along with Jamal’s older brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), for a couple of years and then get separated. Throughout their young lives, fate keeps their paths crossing, yet they are unsuccessful at staying together, which is what causes Jamal to go on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Knowing Latika likes the show, he hopes she will be watching along with the rest of the nation.

The movie opens with a scene of Jamal being beaten up after being arrested upon suspicion of cheating on the popular T.V. show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Indian investigators interrogate Jamal hoping he will reveal how a “slumdog” knew all of the answers to the difficult trivia questions.

He is almost drowned, electrocuted and beaten, yet reveals nothing about how he knew the answers to the tough questions that usually stump even the cleverest of contestants. Once the beating stops, Jamal is hand-cuffed to a chair and begins to tell his story to the lead investigator.

The story starts with the arrogant game show host (Anil Kapoor) asking Jamal a question and then continues with a flashback into his childhood which explains why he (an uneducated orphan) knows this specific information. These flashbacks continue throughout the entire movie.

For example, one of the questions asked “Whose face is on a U.S. one-hundred dollar bill?” The flashback portrays a time in Jamal’s life when he was hustling American tourists for money to survive. One of these tourists witnessed Jamal receiving a beating from a police officer and in order to show him “America’s hospitality,” gave him a one-hundred dollar bill. Therefore, through his life experience, he knew the answer. This was a great scene that snuck in a playful stab at American mentality.

The film is a combination of questions and explanations takes containing occasional run-ins with Latika as well as grave danger. The culmination of the film is when the audience finds out whether or not (or what kind) of destiny is fulfilled when all is said and done.

Director Danny Boyle, who directed “Shallow Grave,” and “28 Days Later,” has done it again with this film combining an interesting story-line and an inspirational cast. “Slumdog Millionaire” is rated R and is available on DVD and Blu-Ray 31 Mar 2009.

Do anything you can to get your hands on “Slumdog Millionaire,” because it’s got something for everyone; love, action, twist, drama and most of all a fantastic plot.

"Slumdog Millionaire": Is that Your Final Answer?

Slumdog Millionaire: Is That Your Final Answer?
The movie industries overhyped film blah.
By: Liz Welborn

When a movie is both award-winning and highly publicized the audience expects to leave the movie feeling good for having spent their money. Slumdog Millionaire is such a film; with alleged rising stars (Dev Patel and Freida Pinto) and a promising director (Danny Boyle), I thought I would be indeed happy for having spent my change. However, I left the movie feeling cheated. The movie was nothing like it was expected to be: the acting lacked, the storyline dragged so what was the big hype about it?

Slumdog Millionaire centers on Indian Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) and his traumatic life quest to find his childhood love, Latika (Freida Pinto). Jamal who was orphaned alongside his brother (Madhur Mittal) at a small age, he goes through stealing, being used as a beggar, and seeing his mother being killed. Jamal seeks to find her through competing on the hit Indian version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” hoping that Latika is watching and will find him. Jamal becomes under suspicion for cheating during the game show, when he answers all the questions correctly.
Although, this is a good storyline, it drags. The audience gets it: Jamal uses his past to answer the questions, he is on the show to find Latika, and his brother is worthless. We get it. I had a very hard time stopping myself from looking at my watch. Did the director have to show every single answer to every question that was asked on the game show, even the questions that had no impact with the movie? Some of the scenes dragged out because they were unbelievable and confusing. During one part of the movie, Jamal’s brother Salim (Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala) takes Latika into their hotel room and kicks Jamal out. The audience never knows for sure what happens behind that hotel room door. Did Salim rape Latika? Why would Salim suddenly leave his brother Jamal behind?
The casting did not help the storyline much either. The stars of the film did not look compatible. Dev Patel looks like a 16 –year- old boy kissing a much older looking Freida Pinto. The casting crew could have found a more compelling and chemistry-filled couple to play the love-crossed lovers. There was no chemistry when they looked at each other, and when he is in scenes with her, she looks like a teacher talking to her pupil.
The actual theme of the movie is one of the most captivating elements of the film. Jamal gets his answers by recalling instances in his life. A question on the show about a certain song has Jamal remembering when he was taught that same song and used by a gangster to beg for money on the streets. The undying moral of the story is, people learn from their experiences. Through his experiences, he knew the answers to the game show questions.
Besides the theme, the soundtrack was also a positive aspect of the film. The movie played traditional Indian music with a twist. There was music that I found myself tapping my feet to. It wasn’t too cultural where I could not understand the music at all, I related to it. The movie even featured music from M.I.A. Her “Paper Planes” song has been an international hit for months now. It was a surprise to hear it but a good choice as well. The song fit perfectly with the scene it was included in.
The movie showed the shocking culture of the slums in India. There were huts, dirty streets, and muddy waters to wash your clothes. It was somewhat of a culture shock, to be an American observing the hard life of the Indian slums. There is even a scene that portrays the American audience as being the sheltered people that we are. Jamal and Salim are slumming around the Taj Mahal when two Americans with fanny packs, asks them to provide a tour. They give Jamal money not knowing that he knows nothing about the history of the Taj Mahal. He keeps giving them false information and they barely question it.
The ending of the movie is unrealistic, but will undoubtedly please those soft at heart. While the movie has a good message, there are some aspects of the film that need to be adapted in order to make it better. The critics and the world seem to love this film, so that everybody who played in the film is in fact now a “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Who Wants To Be... Totally and Utterly Confused?

By Jen Paolino



The critically acclaimed 2008 breakout hit Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Irish film director Danny Boyle, seems to push the idea of coincidence to the very extreme. Is there any other way to explain how an uneducated kid from the slums of Mumbai answers every single question on a game show correct? Oh wait, I know: D) It is written.

Jamal Mailk, (Dev Patel) is an uneducated 18-year-old from the slums of Mumbai searching for his one true love. In an attempt to “reach out” and find her, he tries his luck on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in the hopes that Latika (Freida Pinto) will see him.

The film is told primarily in flashbacks, giving new meaning to the phrase “a lesson lived is a lesson learned.” Each flashback, a little too coincidentally, helps Jamal answer all of the questions posed to him by game show host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor). But, for some viewers the flashbacks may be the downfall of the film.

It isn’t until close to the end of the film that you find out that Jamal is using the game show in the hopes that Latika would be watching. Prior to Jamal actually admitting this, you may find yourself utterly confused as to what Jamal and Salim’s struggle to grow up in a world of hate and despair, with battles raging between the Hindus and the Muslims, which is so prevalent in India at that time, have anything to do with the game show itself.

It took me a minute after the conclusion of the film to blink away the stars I was seeing from the rapid back and forth camera movement, the bright colors, and the slightly out of place dance sequence, to realize exactly what had just happened. I found it totally unbelievable to think that a person could have a life experience that pertained to each question on a game show.

I’ve watched Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? many times, and let me tell you, if I were a contestant, I’d leave just as broke as I started. Could it be that my life is just not as adventure-filled as Jamal’s? Maybe. But I’d be willing to bet that it might be that the concept is just a little too far-fetched to fly in the real world.

I did, however, feel for Jamal when he watched his mother get beaten to death over her religion, and I did cringe at the thought that my bottled water might not really be all that purified. But aside from a few moments where I felt as if I really connected with the film, I mostly just felt ignorant; ignorant because it seems that I am the only one who feels more perplexed than moved by this film.

For people who might have been left just as confused as I was, I might suggest, first, standing a little closer to the television: it may aid in being able to read those incredibly tiny subtitles that pop up sporadically throughout the film. If that doesn’t work, watching it a second time might.

While I wasn’t a fan of the rapid camera work, or how long it took to actually convey the purpose for Jamal being on the game show, I am a sucker for a good love story, and once I figured out that underneath all of the confusion and strife, that really was what the film was all about, I saw it in a slightly different light. The light was still dim, mind you, but at least by the end it was burning even just a little brighter.



To read what others had to say about the film, I've provided the following links:



Rotten Tomatoes

Rolling Stone

Practice Column

We've been writing a lot in class lately, which I've really enjoyed. I like getting practice in class and receiving immediate feedback from my teachers and peers.

Below is a column that I started in class on Friday and finished over the weekend:

Apology could have lessened the pain

William Adkins wasn’t upset that a woman who killed his 16-year-old son only received six to eight months of jail time.
He was upset that she didn’t offer an apology to him or his family.
The woman, Judy Earlene Stilwell, 60, pleaded guilty to passing a stopped school bus and striking his son, Nicholas. She received 36 months of probation and a one year suspension of her driver’s license along with jail time. She was a first time offender.
But she left the courtroom without offering any condolences to the Adkins family.
“She never even looked in our direction,” he said in an interview with the Greensboro News & Record.
Nicholas was days away from becoming a junior at McMichael High School when he died in January. He loved photography, and he had enrolled in a journalism class last semester. He covered his room with information on the solar system and was already making plans for college.
His parents called him their “buddy” and “angel.” They documented his progress in school on a calendar on the refrigerator where they wrote, “We are very proud of you, Nick!” when he was promoted to 11th grade. They loved him.
But living without him is almost unbearable for Adkins and his wife, Lynn.
“I don’t know if I’m coping very well,’’ he said in the interview. “It’s too raw, too fresh. It feels like it happened a few days ago. But it’s almost April. And it’s still hard to believe.’’
Maybe the immense pain that they felt could have been lessened, the edges softened just a little, if Stilwell had bothered to look across the courtroom and mouth the words, “I’m sorry,” to the Adkins family.
In fact, a simply apology can relieve years of pent up anger and resentment when offered to someone who has been hurt, according to Psychology Today Magazine. It can greatly improve the healthy of the one who has been hurt by ridding them of great emotional pain and distress.
That would be helpful for Nicholas’ parents right now. It might not bring their son back, but it would be something.
It would also be helpful for Stilwell.
That’s because an apology not only benefits the person receiving it, but it greatly benefits the one who is offering it. By saying, “I’m sorry,” the person acknowledges that they’ve done something wrong, whether intentional or not, to hurt another. Once they have recognized they’re actions as a mistake and wish to correct them, only then can they move on with their life.
The police report lists no reason for Stilwell to pass the school bus that Nicholas was trying to board at 45 MPH - the speed limit on that road. Maybe she didn’t see the flashing lights and the extended stop sign of the bus. Maybe she was in a hurry and thought she could make it past without hurting anyone.
But she didn’t. Now healing can only begin for Stilwell and the Adkins family once she says two simple words: “I’m sorry.”

slumdog millionaire

I love the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" but I feel like I'm going to run into some issues when writing the review. There is so much that goes on in the movie that I think it will be difficult to summarize and know what to include and what to not include. Writing this review will be a definiate challenge.

Writing a letter to the editor

This past week we had to write a letter to the editor at the Washington Post about a story on the University of Maryland wanting to show a porno film. I found this to be real hard because I had no idea where to start. After seeing some of my peers letters in class it helped me some to see what maybe to write, but I thought that it was real difficult because before we had to write this I don't remember seeing any examples of letters to the editor.

Letter to the Editor

This past week we learned about writing letters to the editor. I always thought this to be a rather easy thing to accomplish. I was wrong. Just like with anything else in life, there are rules to writing letters to the editor. For one, writing a brief statement under 150 words is something I have never had to do. Usually, I have to add more to my story to make it longer. It is extremely hard to get your point across and still make it short.

When I wrote my letter to the editor on the Washington Post article, Mrs. T said that I didn't get to the point fast enough. This is frustrating since I thought I got to the point too quickly.

Like I said, writing letters to the editor isn't as easy as I once thought.

Writing reviews, writing letters...

Last week, I was lucky enough to persuade the class to watch The Office so that we could review it. It was amazing, and I think I should start every morning off with an episode of The Office...

My review began to hurt at the end, though. I think I got a good start because I was familiar with the show and I knew that I liked it, unlike others who may have never seen it before. But I think my ending could have been stronger. Sometimes I'm confused as to how to end reviews...Do I give them a grade? Five stars if I liked it? I guess it depends on the publication.

On to the letters...The Web site that we read about writing letters to the editor was pretty helpful. It's interesting to me that there are people who write multiple letters to the editor rather than just one on a special occasion. I'm glad to know that people stayed involved with their local papers. I also gathered these three things as a summary: 1)Write about one, timely subject. 2)Write clean and organized. 3)Write a shorter letter rather than a longer one.

The Office Review

I also had some trouble writing the review last class. However, I think we have some good sources to help us with our review assignment. The packet we received spells out the exact criteria to use in each specific type of review.

Unlike many others in the class, I did enjoy The Office. Some call it stupid humor, sure, but people like that. I always thought The Office was liked by the majority but I guess not. Either way, I had a bit of trouble. Mainly with my conclusion. I think it could've been stronger.

Thoughts from opinion writing class this week...

Thursday in class we had to write a review of an episode of The Office and I found that really hard to write. I guess to begin with I am not really sure on how to begin a review and then go from there. I tried watching The Office and didn't like it at all. And with this episode of The Office that we had to watch in class for the review, I found it really hard to back up my opinion with scenes or quotes from the movie that showed how I just didn't like the show and thought it was such stupid humor. I think that the movie review we have to write for class will be the struggle point for me.

Peer Editing

This week in our Opinion Writing class, we peer edited other people's stories. For me, peer editing is extremely tough. I feel bad if I peer edit too much, considering that the story I am looking at is written by one of my peers-- I do not want to hurt their feelings by marking up their paper too much.

I also do not like other people peer reviewing my stories. I feel so nervous and exposed. It is hard to accept their criticism as a positive thing. I usually feel bad with my peers comments that are left on my paper.

Overall, peer reviews are good for the feedback that it brings. It will just take some getting used to.

Second Editorial Piece

Mother Breastfeeds and Talks on Cell Phone While Driving

By Emily Scott

Seventy-seven percent of mothers in the United States breastfeed their newborn babies.
While some states have outlawed breastfeeding in public, most places you will still find mother's nursing their babies in stores, parks and other public facilities. But have you ever seen them breastfeeding while driving the car? Such was the case with Genine Compton, an Ohio woman who was caught both breastfeeding her child and talking on the phone while taking her other kids to school.
Another driver spotted Compton breastfeeding and talking on her cell phone and called police, according to a story from Dayton Daily News.com. The driver “reported that he also witnessed the woman driving a Honda minivan into the parking lot of a local school and saw some children get out of the van. The man then got the van's license plate number and called police," Dayton Daily News. com.
Compton admitted to police that she was breastfeeding her child. Compton said, “She doesn’t deprive her child when the child is hungry,” according to a story from Dayton Daily News.com.
Compton has been charged with first-degree misdemeanor of child endangering and minor misdemeanor for unlawfully restraining her child.
If found guilty Compton could face up to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $1,800.
When I first read this story I couldn’t believe it and started laughing. I thought how stupid could you be to know that you don’t breastfeed while you drive.
First of all if this stupid lady had any sense at all she would have fed her child before she left the house or would have waited until she got back home. If she knew she was going to go gone for longer then she should have packed a bottle. Where is this mother’s common sense at? Any normal parent with common sense would know to feed their child before leaving the house. The child would not have starved to death in the short amount of time it takes for parents to get their kids to school and back home.
Second of all, this idiot lady should have pulled over her car if she was so persistent on having to feed her child right then and there. It is so dangerous out on the roads today as it is with drivers talking on the cell phone and texting while driving and not paying full attention to the road much less having some crazy lady out their trying to breastfeed while driving.
This is just flat out not acceptable. This lady doesn’t seem to realize that she is not only putting her child’s life at risk, but her life and the lives of everyone else around her on the road at risk. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

Reviewing while eating...

In our last opinion writing class, Mrs. T talked about reviews. She wants us to do a mock review for our next class. The way she talked about restaurant reviews clicked with me -- or maybe I just wanted an excuse to go out. So I then preceded to grab a friend of mine and set off for Chili's. I thought Chili's would be a good place to test how hard reviewing a restaurant would be. When we got there I wrote down opening and closing times, which made the hostess look at me weird. :-/. It seemed pretty easy...until near the end of our meal when I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten the reason why I was at Chili's. I was socializing so much that I hadn't written down all the details of our meal that I would need in order to write a review! So, I hurriedly wrote down everything---which unfortunatey made our waitress look at me weird. The waitress even asked if I worked for a publication-- which I was flattered by. All in all, I wouldn't mind being a restaurant reviewer, you get to eat out, try new things and have fun while working. Just make sure you remember that you ARE working not just having a fun night out. I learned that the next time I venture out to do a review, that I should probably bring one of my boring friends along (ha) or maybe stay focused on my topic.

Not as easy as I thought

I thought that maybe I could make up for having to write my religion article for Journalism by ranting about how I had to write my religion article for Journalism for my Opinion column. Turns out that it wasn't as easy as I thought. Mr. Gaspeny told me to just write how I was feeling and to see what came out. Apparently too many different things came out because I definitely had more than one focus, which I have now learned is not a good thing. It took a little time to rework the article so that I was basically saying the same thing throughout. Hopefully this is a better version. Well, it better be a better version because it's already been turned in and if it was still a piece of junk then I guess I'm screwed.

Steroids in Baseball

I'm afraid my column is based on too broad of a subject. I may need to narrow it down. I have chosen to write about the use of steroids in baseball but there are just so many ways I could go with it. I wanted to focus on Alex Rodriguez and how he has been the face of steroids over the past month expecially. But I'm unsure of how to express my opinion, or if my opinion even matters. I don't know if anyone out there is really happy to hear A-Rod's breaking news. I think I need to get a little more specific on the issue. Possibly, how I think steroids have effected people's feelings towards baseball players, or the game of baseball in general? Or other sports for that matter. Hm.

Second opinion writing assignment

I have been thinking about what I know a lot about from our class discussion and well I know a lot about jewelry cause I use to work in a jewelry store and I know a lot about tv stations, but I am uncertain what to write about for our next editorial. Are there going to be guidelines for us for this next editorial?

Column Ideas

The past few days I have been thinking of ideas for our next assignment: column writing. I answered the questions from class on Thursday and the majority of my interests seem to surround the world of sports. Surprised? I think not.

But, I'm just not sure what aspect of sports I would like to cover. Gaspeny suggested sports fanaticism (something I certainly can relate to). Or I could write a column that mirrors Boston Globe columnist, Dan Shaughnessy. Maybe choose a current sports news story and reflect on that?

Steroids in MLB- past, present, future? Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots recent trades? No Garnett but star Rajon Rondo and the Celtics? Lakers/Celtics rivalry continues? Bruins leading NHL?

Whatever I choose... I think this is going to be fun! :)

College Students and Their Economy

Many college students are concerned with what is turning into an increasingly grim outside world.
Debt is no longer the only downfall students face after graduation.We find in front of us the dreadful combination of tuition, housing, and textbooks.
It is reported that 66 percent of college seniors have to find work off campus to prevent their bank accounts from running dry, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement. Many students find themselves running back and forth between class and work.
"Everyone thinks that you just graduate, and go out and get a job. It's not that easy. I know a lot of people who are struggling to find work, and I know a lot of people who are settling for anything they find,” said Paige Kimbro, a student who worked two jobs to pay for schooling.
Strewn across newspapers and websites are the names of well-known corporations that find themselves on the verge of bankruptcy. To avoid going out of business, many companies have been cutting hours and freezing salary increases.
The unemployment rate has sailed to 7.6 percent, a record 16-year high. Additional job cuts are expected after the stimulus package is passed.
We don’t have the slightest clue what it must be like for someone struggling to work two jobs, barely making enough money to pay a mortgage and support his/her family.
Morgan Smith, a sophomore at High Point University, is worried to return home to Vermont for Spring Break. “Things just can’t be good with both my parents out of work,” said Smith.
With tuition on the rise, many families have already made immense cutbacks at home. Since private lenders are tightening eligibility requirements, it has become harder for students to find a lender. Sallie Mae, one of the biggest student lenders, reported a massive $1.6 billion loss in its fourth quarter.
Because of this, more and more students are choosing the cheaper way to live; remaining on-campus even though off-campus sounds much more appealing.
We are no longer filling shopping centers and movie theaters like we used to, throwing around all that extra cash lying around. Some students are keeping a closer eye on their account balance, shopping for only the necessities. Closing our wallets is no hard task.
Although a struggling U.S. economy has dramatically changed the lives of those around us, some students remain clueless. They are more concerned about their plans for the weekend than their plans for the future. They are ready to take their degree and run as far away from Mom and Dad as they can get. For many, it is the freedom they long for. But, freedom has a price.
An article written by Christine Cunningham, published in the Tennessee Journalist in December says, “Some students have never owned a credit card, a house or a car, but the constant downturn of the economy is affecting everyone, even those with the best credit, the best financial history and essentially, the best jobs.”
Before you know it, it will be that time, time to say goodbye. You will find yourself seated among fellow classmates, taking in your last few moments as a college student. Those same people you cannot wait to get away from will be surrounding you with their contagious smiles and endless rolls of film.
Then it happens—BAM! Welcome to the real world.
First thing is first. Get a job.
Preparation is key. Unless you want to continue living in the same house you have for the past twenty years, now may be a good time to get the ball rolling.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), students who have participated in an internship or something similar have an advantage over those who lack such experiences. Interning could be the determining factor whether you get the job or not.
With no source of income if sure won’t be easy to maintain a house, a car, and a cell phone bill (not to mention money for groceries, gas, bills and taxes). Oh and that chunk of money that disappears from your bank account to pay off college debt seems like it will never end.
We have never seen anything like this. Who knew it would affect so much? What can we do to help ourselves?
As the future of this country, it is our duty to improve the current state of the economy, however possible. It is time to face the fire because the transition from “college life” to “real life” is closer than you think.

Editorial

This is a request to you High Point basketball fans to back away from the ledge, take a deep breath, and realize while this season has been the worst in recent history, the future is as bright as it has ever been for the Panthers.
With the Panthers holding a record of 9-18 and 4-12 in the Big South, it is easy to look at all the negatives. As fans, however, you need to take a step back and look at the storm that led to the struggles this season. First and foremost Arizona Reid is no longer on the court; any time you lose one of the best players in conference history and statistically one of the top players in the nation, not to mention the heart and soul of the team, you are going to take a step backwards. Lost in the hype over Reid, the departure of point guard Mike Jefferson was huge. Jefferson finished the season 4th in the nation in assists per game and provided stability at the most important position on the court. In contrast, only one player has started every game for the Panthers this season, freshman point guard David Singleton. No matter if you are High Point Duke or UNC making the transition from one of the top point guards in the nation to a freshman is not going to be easy and it has showed as Singleton averages nearly 4 turnovers a game.
Reid and Jefferson weren’t the only two important pieces to leave the High Point program. Bart Lundy’s top two assistants both left for head coaching jobs. Don Burgess is the head coach at Bridgewater College, and Josh Schertz is the head man at Lincoln Memorial University.
Most teams would take a step back with those losses. Even with a nucleus of upperclassmen, it would be difficult to have continued success. Toss in the fact that the Panthers are the 2nd youngest team in the nation with only three upperclassmen, only one of whom is a senior (who doesn’t see the court much at that) and the Panthers were due for a long season.
The future is bright, however; the Panthers have six freshmen and two guys red-shirting. Nick Barbour, Steadman Short and Singleton have combined for 57 starts this season. Sophomores David Campbell, Ibrahim Appaih, Jourdan Morris, and Earnest Bridges have combined for 26 starts. Sixty percent of starts this season have come from underclassmen.
If there is one definite reason to be excited about the future of Panther basketball, just look at what Barbour has done over the last seven games. After being inserted back into the starting line-up against VMI on Jan 24, Barbour has averaged 25.4 points per game, including performances of 32 against Coastal Carolina and 31 in a home win over Winthrop. The victory over the Eagles gave the Panthers their first ever season sweep over the much-hated Eagles. Barbour, a known scorer out of high school, chose the Panthers after only being offered a walk-on spot at Virginia Tech. He struggled early while coming off the bench, battling injuries, and only playing around 20 minutes a game, but has gained confidence in himself and earned the confidence of Coach Lundy as his minutes have increased.
Next season the Panthers will also have a couple of solid seniors. Eugene Harris has struggled finding his grove this season but has proven in the past that he is a very capable shooter and shut-down defender on the perimeter. Down low the Panthers will have the Big South’s leading shot blocker Cruz Daniels back. Daniels who is the favorite to win the Big South Defensive Player of the year this season is having his best season of his career so far averaging 7 points, 7 rebounds and nearly 3 blocks per game.
Head coach Bart Lundy will also be looking to rebound next season as this year will go down as his first losing season. Lundy feels that this season has been humbling and has made him a better coach, “As a coach I have never been through a losing season and first of all I is a very humbling experience but also it has been rewarding and presented different challenges than I have ever faced. I have been forced to stay very positive and use a different style of play than I have in the past. We traditionally have been all man to man but we have been forced to play the majority of our games in a zone this year because it gave us a better chance to win. This is one example of many things that have happened this season that have made me a better coach. The biggest thing is that I know I never want to experience this again.
Improvements are already starting to show for the Panthers who have won four of six. The team is maturing as a group and is becoming more unselfish and willing to sacrifice one another for the good of the team. According the shooting guard Eugene Harris, “great things are starting to be done.”
These are just some of the reasons to believe that the future is as bright as the morning sun. “I believe we have pieces in our program to be a dominant Big South team. I expect that these hard times will pay huge dividends in the future and we will see these young players become the stars of this league and High Point University become the team to beat year in and year out,” said Lundy.

Column

running a little late but I finished up my column and I wrote on the High Point Men's basketball season and future. It was a fun article to write as I was able to talk to guard Eugene Harris and head coach Bart Lundy to help me out and give me some quotes. I basically talked about all the reasons that led to the troubled season that High Point is having on the court and why there is hope for the future due to the youth and experienced gained throughout the season. I'm hoping to get this article published in the chronicle.

Editorial - It's About Time.

It’s about time.

High Point University faculty voted in a new four hour curriculum on Jan. 22. that will differ from the current academic structure in four major ways including four-credit-hour classes instead of three, the creation of an in-depth freshman seminar that will help students decide upon a course of study, a May semester that would be used for internships or study abroad opportunities and a complete overhaul of every major.

It’s a change that will put High Point University on the same academic system as Elon University, Davidson College and Greensboro College. According to Dr. Dennis Carroll, vice president of academic affairs, the curriculum will “take us to the next level academically.”

And it’s about time.

That’s because the decision to change the school’s curriculum came almost four years after the university began the initial stages of a $110 million (eventually increased to $225 million) transformation that included single-bedroom dormitories, a Slane Student Center with a swimming pool and a hot tub, and the University Center that includes a steakhouse and a movie theatre under construction on North College Drive.

Five buildings and two stadiums were constructed within two years alone. Construction began on the first new building, a dormitory named Blessing Hall that contains all single bedrooms for freshmen, in spring 2006 and was completed when freshmen arrived in fall 2006. Several more dormitories have also been constructed in a matter of months since then. Numerous new buildings have sprouted up like plants across the university since the transformation began.

But what about academic programs? Unfortunately, they haven’t sprouted as quickly.

While new buildings were being constructed, Dr. Carroll says that the four hour curriculum was first considered two years ago by the administration before it was proposed to faculty in November 2008. Now that it has finally been proposed and accepted, the curriculum won’t be put into effect until fall 2010.

And while it may be true that some of the new curriculum can’t be taught without new buildings like the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication that contains the latest technology, many new classes could have been created long before new buildings began to pop up on campus. Curriculum could have been improved much sooner.

For example, HPU once had a student radio station that broadcasted around the city until the school forgot to renew the station license in spring 2005. This past January – four years later – the school began an online student radio station that is operated in the Hayworth Fine Arts Center. It is broadcasted from a makeshift studio that won’t compare to the facilities offered by the new School of Communication, but it is at least a radio station. It’s giving seniors hands-on experience before they graduate without the opportunity to take classes in the new building. It’s something.

There are other changes that the university could have added sooner as well, like a sports writing class that was taught for the first time in fall 2008 though the journalism program has existed since spring 2005. While this might seem like a small change, the addition of courses that are significant to a student’s education have a greater effect on their lives than any new building.

It’s true that some academic improvements have been made. Dr. Nido Qubein created an entrepreneurship major not long after his arrival on campus, and the Department of Political Science was established. But the amount of new programs only serves as a tiny fragment of the transformation that is dominated by immaculate architectural structures.

That’s not to say that the buildings aren’t important, either. Sure, we need a place to house students. Of course, we need facilities with the latest technology. But academic programs could have been significantly improved before the physical transformation of campus took place. New programs could have been added sooner and the four hour curriculum could have been proposed before swimming pools and steakhouses began to take form.

“It takes due process for faculty to explore, study and approve matters such as this,” said Dr. Nido Qubein, president of High Point University. “I think it took a normal period of time to approve.”

But we disagree. Curriculum should always come before buildings, and those took little time to approve.

After all, this is a university. It’s about time that the administration began to treat it like one.

Should Texting Whiling Driving Be Banned

Imagine riding a bike and being struck from behind. Imagine finding out the driver was texting.

A Julian motorist struck UNCG professor Mark Schulz from behind on his way home from work on the night of March 26, 2008, knocking him unconscious, breaking his ribs and sternum, shattering his kneecap and crushing his vertebrae, according to the News and Record. The crash left him with a concussion and ongoing physical therapy. He started physical therapy in the hospital seven days after the crash and is still having to do physical therapy today.

The crash has changed Schulz’s life in a few ways. “It has made me grateful to be alive and able to walk, more committed to remain physically fit, more of an advocate for wearing bicycle helmets and for laws banning cell phone use of any type while driving a motor vehicle,” said Schulz.

There are at least two versions of a bill to ban texting while driving that have been introduced in the House and Senate that now await committee hearings.

Under these bills it would outlaw texting or using other auxiliary functions on a mobile phone such as e-mail. Drivers would be fined $100 and court costs under one version, according to the News and Record.

It is bad enough being out on the road with drivers talking on their cell phones and not paying attention to driving. It is much worse with drivers who are texting and taking their eyes completely off the road for a couple of seconds.

“An estimated 20 percent of drivers are sending or receiving text messages while behind the wheel, according to a Nationwide Insurance study in a U.S. News and World Report.

Texting while driving is 50 percent more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving, according to a University of Utah study.

In 2006, there were more than 158 billion text messages sent, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association in a USA Today story.

Something needs to be done to make it clear to drivers that texting while they are driving is not good driving practice. It will be difficult enforcing this if the bill passes, but having a ban banning texting while driving is a step in the right direction.

Housing Pricing-

Welcome to High Point University where each student receives an extraordinary education, in a fun environment, with caring people. The living conditions are exceptional and are numerous in options, however make sure you are prepared to shell out a pretty penny, especially if you are an upperclassman.

There are a few pluses. First there are several housing options open to upperclassmen. They include all three 6th Street Apartment Buildings, Millis, Wilson, University Village, York, Finch, Yadkin, both Village’s at High Point University, and York.

The negative is that for some of these options there are certain stipulations that a student needs to fit.

For example, Millis is only open to upper class females involved in Greek life. Two of the three apartment buildings are reserved for upper class men who are Greek affiliated, leaving only one apartment building up for grabs, and majority of those rooms are filled with Greek women. And oh, if you are lucky enough to score one of these limited apartments, it’ll cost you and additional $2000/year.

If you are a student involved in many things on campus living in either University Village or the Village at High Point University just doesn’t seem practical, especially if you don’t have a car on campus. Valuable time would be lost waiting for and riding the shuttles to and from campus. If you do have a car you get spend money on the extra fuel burned at all of the red-lights and the starting and stopping of your car, not to mention the extra mileage it takes to get to campus in the most round a bout way. So take the cost of your fuel money and add it to the cost to live in these halls, which is $1400 for U-Ville and $2000 for The Village.

The likelihood of an upper class male getting housed in Finch is slim to none. Leaving males with few “standard” priced housing options. Because of the increase in housing and the limited availability for males, many are looking to move off campus.

“High Point University housing is not competitive to the price of outside housing,” says Keith Brinsfield, a rising chemistry senior and Presidential Scholar. Even with the scholarships he is receiving, paying the price to live on campus isn’t affordable and doesn’t seem reasonable to him.

Upon the completion of York residence hall, students were told that the building was going to be the upper classmen version of Blessing Hall (the only all freshmen hall on campus). York is apartment suite style and can contain two, three, or four people. Just like in Blessing there is a kitchen equipped with a full microwave, refrigerator, and two-burner stove. Upperclassmen were excited to finally have a living option as nice as the one that freshmen get.

However that changed this year. With the increase in incoming freshmen and the over booking of Blessing Hall, two floors of York Hall were taken away to accommodate freshmen.

Next school year there are only two floors that will be available for upperclassmen. One floor for upperclassmen Honor’s Students and another floor for the average upperclassmen. The other two floors now belong to freshmen. What was once promised as a strictly upperclassmen residence hall is now being split up into three sections to serve three different groups of students.

Administration could argue that instead of York Hall, upperclassmen have the ability to live in the University Center, High Point’s newest residence hall. However when comparing the cost to the amenities provided, it just doesn’t seem logical. To live in the University Center it costs $2000/semester. The same it costs to live in York. Except that by living in the University Center you get to have a roommate, share one bathroom with three other people, and lose a kitchen and a living room, totally worth the money right?

Rising senior, Benjamin Tutterow doesn’t think so.

“The Multiplex (University center) charges the same amount of York without all of the amenities. It really seems like for upperclassmen there’s no way to cheaply live on campus. It’s like the school will not allow upperclassmen to live on campus without extra cost,” claims Tutterow.

It’s hard to disagree. It makes one wonder, is living on campus and having convenience worth the extra money?

Bills to ban texting, driving introduced

I was having trouble coming up an idea to write my editoral on, but when I saw this article in the News & Record this past week a light bulb went off and I thought that this would be a great editorial. Through the News & Record article I was able to find a college professor to make my editorial around because this professor was seriously injured when a driver texting hit him. I have an interview with him Monday morning.

I think this is a good topic to right about, but I am just worried about me writing an editorial because I haven't written one yet.

The Villagio

I'm having a lot of fun writing my editorial about the Village especially because I live there and have experienced the problems first hand. I emailed Nido and asked him a few questions about the constructions itself, but I don't think he knows what I am writing about because he probably won't answer if he knows. He already dislikes me anyway because of another article I wrote that didn't show HPU in it's best light. Hopefully I can get all the information I need, and if I don't get it from the man himself I can get it from someone else!
Things are going well so far.
Also, Dr. E if you are checking these, hope everything went well with the delivery and see you back soon! Let us know how you're doing!

First assignment

I'm writing about the new four hour curriculum and how I agree with it, but there's also a twist.

The twist is this: Yes, it's great that a new, more in-depth curriculum has been passed. But shouldn't that have been done long ago before fancy student centers and dorms started to go up?

I've ran into a few problems already. For example, HPU has grown and we obviously need more dorms to house the students. Also, some of the curriculum opportunities wouldn't be possible until new buildings are completed. But I believe that much of the new curriculum could have been passed long ago.

This is the first year that opinion writing has been offered at the university since the journalism program began in 2005. If a school has a journalism program, they desperately need an opinion writing class. Also, HPURadio.com just launched without the Nido Qubein School of Communication being opened. The school hasn't had a radio station for four years, yet we've created a make-shift radio station that runs just fine out of the Fine Arts Center. This is giving students experience in learning how to use microphone and promote the station.

I've gathered some quotes and information from Dennis Carroll about the new curriculum, and I've gathered some information about the university's transformation from the website. My next task is to interview students and faculty on campus to see what they think.

I also need to pick and stick with a structure, but that's been hard at the moment since I still need to get more quotes and more sides of the story.

Report, report, report.

Report and talk to people in your community.

This message is clear in most every chapter of "Writing Opinion for Impact." The book advocates talking to every day people who can tell you what's on their mind. This will give you ideas and sources that you can't get while sitting in front of a computer all day.

In class on Tuesday, Mr. Gaspeny mentioned a columnist who, when out of ideas as to what to write about, would jump on the subway and head to the poorest area in town. I'm guessing that this habit lead him to some pretty interesting stories.

I love the fact that this book advocates reporting. One of the Campus Chronicle staff writers, Bryan Rothamel, did just that and broke a major story in the Chronicle before any major media outlet. He started out by going to the mall. While he was making a purchase, the cashier noticed his HPU attire and said, "Oh, so you go to High Point. Did you know they bought the mall?"

This single sentence lead Bryan to investigating this story which broke in the Chronicle Jan. 31. The News and Record, the High Point Enterprise and local television stations didn't run the story until Feb. 11.

Of course, the claim that the cashier made only turned out to be a rumor. But it was a rumor that Bryan investigated and cleared up for the student body.

And he started by talking to a cashier.

first assignment

I think I'm going to do my first editorial assignment on the housing options available on campus and the prices. I know that a lot of people aren't happy with the housing options and also that the prices have gone up. It seems like the upperclassmen miss out on housing because the university wants to cater to the incoming freshmen. I think if I talk to enough people I'll be able to see all sides of the situation.

Editorial Assignment

I am still having trouble coming up with an interesting topic to write my editorial on. Nothing that I am thinking of right now really strikes me. I had thought of writing an editorial about a group in Greensboro hoping to place homeless people in shelters in 10 years, but I am somewhat uncomfortable going up to a homeless person and doing an interview.

Editorial Assignment

It has taken me some time to come up with a topic for my editorial. For some reason my mind went blank as I tried to brainstorm ideas. I want to make sure the issue I choose is something I want to write about. Obviously, in an editorial, it is important to have a strong, powerful stance on the given issue.

I have decided to focus my editorial on the struggles college students will face after graduation. It is hard enough to enter the real world right out of college. Interning and/or job searching is already a difficult task in itself. With the recent struggles in the economy, students are facing more troubles. The reason we are here (at a university/college) is to further our education, which in turn will earn us a higher paying job in the future. These days we are bombarded with breaking news informing us of this company or that company going bankrupt. Circuit City, Starbucks... the unemployment rate is simply unbelievable. I don't think any of us thought it would get this bad, or how it could affect so much.

Most of us aren't paying a mortgage or supporting three kids, trying to feed a family. We aren't being laid off from companies we have been a part of for five years. As college students, many of us aren't directly affected by this economic downfall. It hasn't hit us yet and many don't even know what's coming to them. Before we know it, we will be let go into this world, on the search for a job, degree in hand. But these days a college degree simply won't be enough. And in my opinion, that's a scary, scary thought.

First Editorial Topic

I am begining the work on my first editorial piece and I am planning on writing about the High Point Men's basketball team. I am going to write a piece regarding how even though the team is going through struggles on the court this season, the future is bright. I've already done some research and found out that High Point has the 2nd youngest team in the nation as far as underclassman (High Point has 13 Freshman or Sophmores on the roster). I am planning on setting up some interviews with the head coach Bart Lundy and a couple of the players (freshman and one of the juniors). I also plan on looking up some of the other young teams in college basketball and look to see what kind of success they are having and compare it to our team. I'll also provide what I would do to help the team the rest of this year and into next season.

first assignment

For our first Editorial piece about what is happening in and around High Point, I think I am going to write about the structure (or lack there of) of the new buildings on campus; particularly the Village.
There was a section about this in our reading, however, I thought of this idea as I was sitting in my apartment looking at the crack from floor to ceiling before I even opened the book. I think this is a good idea because 540 kids live in the Village so it will reach a lot of people on campus.
Also, I think I will be able to get a lot of good interviews from administration on campus because they are so proud of that building they will be more than willing to tell me how much it cost to have it up in three months and destroyed in a year. I look forward to starting my research.
I really enjoyed this chapter of the book because I think the tips will help me in writing my first editorial. I was really surprised at how little time some writers spend researching their editorials... such as 50 percent of writers spending one to two hours researching their opinion piece.
Another important thing I took from this chapter is that a reporter should never believe the first version they hear of something. They should always always always double check information.

Ideas for critical editorial

I am having trouble coming up with ideas to for what to write my critical editorial on. I have thought of one idea, which is of a new way for us to get taxed in North Carolina by how many miles we drive, but I know that isn't a local issue. And, I have also thought about a local issue where some volunteers went around in Greensboro counting the homeless people to see about placing them in shelters, but I am not sure if this would work for my editorial or not. Does anybody have any ideas of where I could look for more ideas?

Adding Value in a Hurry

Maria Henson's series on spouse abuse was time consuming to say the least. She spent almost two years on research for her editorial while others tend to spend between one or two hours. The results to a nationwide survey by Dr. Ernest C. Hynde of the University of Georgia found that almost half of those surveyed felt that lack of time to write editorials is a major problem. It is important to remember "Henson was reporting on statewide spouse abuse in Kentucky writing nearly 30 editorials in a series published over 13 months." This was obviously not a simple task. Also, Henson had to be sure not to bore her readers since it was in the format of a series.

I agree with Conrad C. Fink, author of Writing Opinion for Impact, when he says in-depth reporting should follow three guidelines. I learned that readers on average spend 26 minutes reading a newspaper proving that there is a lot of competition for your writing. "True added value" is needed to catch and keep your readers attention. Fink writes, "Don't let your reporting stray into matters of secondary importance." It is simply not good enough to use only an anecdote in your reporting; factual substance must be included to help build credibility between you and your audience.

Writing your opinion certainly doesn't mean you can take the easy way out. I see now that opinion writing takes just as much research as news reporting.

Both sides of the story.

After discussing the editorial page in class on Thursday, I realized that my favorite thing to read on the opinion page is a point and counterpoint response. The topic can be about anything, but as long as I have two opposing views, I feel I have learned more about the issue than I would have if I had only read one view.

USA Today does this with every editorial page. They publish a large editorial giving one view of an issue along with a smaller, opposing view of the same issue below. This is one of the best ways I know of to reach the diverse audience that reads today's newspaper.

The Campus Chronicle will be using a point and counterpoint argument for our first edition of the semester. Our topic is global warming. One staff member wrote about how global warming is seriously affecting the earth while another staffer wrote that they didn't believe in global warming at all. I think it's one of the best things that our Op/Ed page has done in a while, and I hope that our readers will feel more informed about global warming after they read the articles.

"In Ink, On Newsprint"

For those of us hoping to work for a newspaper, magazine, or something similar in the near future- read On Campus: How It's Done- and read it carefully. I find that the most important advice author Conrad Fink gives the reader is: "No clips? Forget It." The main thing job interviewers want to see is "the published proof of your committment to journalism, the track record -- in ink, on newsprint -- of your progress from faltering beginner to accomplished campus journalist." If you can't cover the news on and around your campus, how do you expect to cover the news around your city/town? Without examples that show your ability (or lack there of) to write an acceptable article, it is unlikely that a simple resume will be enough to prove you are the one for the job.

I am currently in the process of filling out internship applications and many businesses require clips to be considered for the job. Knowing this day would someday come, I have been a part of the Campus Chronicle staff for some time now. They do not expect perfection. They want to see where you started and what you have become. Sure, the application process is tedius work and takes some time. But there is no need to stress. The moment you are accepted as a new member of the company, the feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment takes over. But I'm warning you --walk in to an interview with no clips and don't expect a call back.

I Guess I Have To Care

Campus Life, I find myself not caring about it. Most of my interests lye elsewhere. What am I supposed to be passionate about? The rising cost of tuition? The lousy cafe food? I'll pass. I think that's the problem, kids on campus don't really care about these "school oriented" issues either.

All I hear is to write what you are passionate about, but is that what people who write for a campus paper are doing. How much hard hitting research and passion can go into an article about how the cafe food sucks, or whether a bus should take us to Club Triangle or not. I know my opinion does not encompass the entire student body, but I think there is a big problem with forcing stories. Just because it is a campus paper does not mean it has to force articles that try to stir interest about an uninteresting campus topic.

Students are aware of other things going on in the world. We don't have to funnel our writing to such narrow topics. Most of the things students care about are issues everywhere, not just ones that take places on a small campus in North Carolina.

Campus Newspapers

I found the section we read on campus newspapers to be especially interesting because I have written a few articles for the Chron during my time at High Point. The very first section of this piece tells the reader that if they have any interest in joining the newspaper profession, you better have clips. Without them, you probably won't even get an interview but if on the off chance you do, you will be wasting both the interviewer's and your own time. I have kept my articles from the Chronicle in cause I decide to go into journalism or any aspect of writing because I think it could prove what writing I am capable of.
I also really enjoyed reading how different opinion writers on college campuses handle controversy and still manage to good unbiased reporting even if it does put them in an akward position with their peers. Many of the opinion writers that were focused on were writing on touch campus issues like racism and discrimination, which are sure to grab a reader's attention if the piece is effectively written.
From the reading, the most important lesson I felt was being courageous. If an opinion writer isn't willing to face the music when they are disagreed with, then they should probably find a different job because one of the aspects of this position is to push the envelope and elicit emotions from readers.

Responsibilites of Opinion Writers

In opinion writing, you must stay objective, dispassionate and neutral. Your opinions belong in your writing.

There are four important goals to help guide an editorial writer according to the textbook. The first goal is to serve your public. As an editorial writer you want to take a strong position. The second goal is to provide a forum for readers, community, nation. With this goal the editorial writer wants to make sure that their views are known. The third goal is to be society's watchdog. The fourth goal is to inform and guide your readers. As an editorial writer is important that you do your reporting and research; you immerse yourself into the facts and conflicting views; think through the issues at hand, and step forward with courage to write.

Opinion writers must make sure that they avoid any conflicts of interests and should serve the public's interest.

How It's Done: On Campus Today

I think that the chapter gave good advice to anyone who is serious about pursuing a career in journalism. The most important thing that you need to remember is to build a portfolio of your work; no one is going to hire you unless they can see what you are capable of doing. That was probably the most useful piece of advice that was given out in the entire chapter.

A lot of writers believe that they have their own, unique style of writing, and that that's enough to get them by in the world of journalism. Fink tells us that it's a good thing to have your own voice, because your style can set you apart from other writers, but he gives us examples from actual college newspapers, showing us what is, and what is not acceptable for print. Just because your voice is unique does not mean that it's what you should be in print. There is a way to use sarcasm and humor to get your point across and still seem like you know what you're talking about. Fink mentions that most people reading editorials are well informed, and that we shouldn't treat our readers like idiots. They'll pick up on your mistakes and won't be afraid to tell you about it, because readers have opinions too. As an editorial writer, you need to be open to hearing what your readers have to say; it allows you to connect with your audience in a way that you wouldn't be able to otherwise.

The chapter, overall, was very helpful in point out the things that you should, and should not in, when it comes to editorial writing. It spoke about college publications, which is something that we are all familiar with. And most importantly, it gave hints and tips that will prepare you for the future and for "big-time" publications.

It's Not That Simple

The majority of class on Thursday was dedicated to a movie that gave us a peek into the lives of many great editorial writers from the past decade. Movie critics including Siskel and Ebert explained what it was like back when they first started writing. As they reminisced about their trials and tribulations, they game some important suggestions which all beginner writers must keep in mind. Almost every person interviewed in the movie agreed, it is simply not possible to go straight to the top without any previous experience. I think this is very good advice for those who think becoming a columnist is a piece of cake. In reality, only a handful of writers make it to that point; sports writers like Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser were some of the lucky ones. Both have a section of the newspaper set aside for them and them only.

Sure, sharing ones opinion with the outside world seems to be the most exciting type of writing out there. (Not to mention, the easiest to write.) Who wouldn't want to do that- spread their words and feelings on to a piece of paper that others pay money to read? But it is important not to get ahead of yourself. Before anyone can is considered for such a position, it is necessary to learn the basics of reporting, down to the nitty gritty. One writer from the movie admitted how much he disliked the interviewing process. It was difficult for him to ask the personal questions many try to avoid. In the end, he understood that it's just something you have to do. You have to face the fire if you expect to produce a heartfelt and most importantly, an accurate story. It will take time but believe it or not, this type of writing will prepare you for that dream position. Simply understand that everyone starts at the bottom and it's up to each individual to climb to the top. The moment you see your first column published alongside your name and photo you realize it was all worth it.

Week One: Important points from handout

According to one newspaper survey, it found that readers followed the editoriall page to feel that they were participating in current events or to strengthen their arguments agruments on issues. Also, readers look to the editorial pages to help them make decisions on issues, to use in discussions with friends, to determine what is important, and to keep up with the latest events.

Editorial editiors must still decide whether to give readers what they want or what the editors think they should have. Also, editorial writers should generally come down on the side of facts and logics.

There are several qualities in which is required of an editorial writer. They are: having a wide variety of interests, being good reporters, writing good, the desire to express an opinion, and the ability to reason cogently.