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.