Colorado Student Protest http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/colorado-students-protest-proposed-curriculum-changes/

I disagree with the proposal made by school boards around the country. The school board wants to change the curriculum of AP U.S. History by changing the facts that are being taught in schools. It is felt as though the U.S. was made out to be an aggressive society that started out religious bigotry, racial inequality and discrimination against women's rights.  Schools feel as though these facts are not needed to be taught and feel as though citizenship, patriotism and other positive ideas about the United States would help students think more critically on essays and tests. In retaliation, Colorado students decided to protest against these proposed changes and claimed that such changes are "unbiased" and "against basic constitutional rights."
    for most kids, school is a place where they find themselves and discover their true passions for the future. By changing the curriculum, more students lose the able to free think about issues that occurred in the past history of the United States and be limited to just factual information the U.S. wants students to learn. In a way this can be considered manipulation because the U.S. wants people to know what the government wants them to know, and not allow people to truly think and imagine what life was like.
     During the protests, students chanted "my school, my voice," to voice their oppinion about the way they want to earn their education. They want to take U.S. history to stay the same, and feel like changing the curriculum will make students lose interest in some aspects of history.

Neshaminy Student Newspaper Protest http://articles.philly.com/2013-12-25/news/45541924_1_playwickian-student-editors-student-newspaper

Based on this article, I felt like the Neshaminy newspaper escalated the situation too far instead of agreeing to take out one single word. In the NFL, the debate came up about the NFL football team, the Washington Redskins, changing their trademark name that would be more appropriate towards the Native Americans. Many Native Americans view "Redskin" as an offensive word, but the name has been in existence for over 30 years. In the Neshaminy case, like the NFL team, is facing a possible court charge after declining to leave out the word "redskin" from the local newspaper. It's a simple fix in my opinion, but I still feel like the Neshaminy High School did not justify their actions by putting the word in the newspaper. In a way by putting it in the newspaper, its violating basic humans rights towards Native Americans, and could be considered equal to coercing someone. By adding in the word, you are basically saying something very egregious to the Native American population, and the Native Americans would have no way to protect their reputation when the word is thrown out for the world to see.
     According to officials close to the Neshaminy case declared, "The students will proceed in accordance with their published policy and, if disciplined for doing so, will take action to defend their rights" (Levine Sullivan Koch &Shultz, 1). According to our constitution, the freedom of speech is granted in writing as well. The rights of the journalists writing the article shouldn't be be punished for exercising their right to free speech for one word. By pursuing what they believe, the journalists should not be sued but should erase the word out of the original context.

Devon Still and his Ailing Daughter

Last week, Devon Still found out that his daughter became seriously ill after it was discovered that she had a cancerous tumor in her brain. He was completely heartbroken that he was given this devastating news, but he decided to stay positive and not allow his child to see the emotions he was truly fighting. He is a warrior, and by going on the field to play each week, he is sending a message to everyone that cancer will no beat his daughter Leah.

     As a response to this devastating news, fans bought over 10,000 Devon Still jerseys this past week which in part raised over $100,000 since each jersey sold for $100. The Bengals as a franchise also donated $1,000,000 to the CincinnatiChildren's Hospital Medical Center, to help children battling cancer. This small act by the fans and the NFL franchise makes an impact on the lives of those faced with cancer.

Free Post 2 Derek Jeter http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2211989-where-does-derek-jeters-hall-of-fame-career-stand-among-his-peers

As the season withers away, Major League baseball remembers one of the true faces of the sport in Derek Jeter. After announcing retirement in February, Jeter played his last ever game with the franchise he called home. For 25 years Jeterwith the New York Yankees, and stuck with the team no matter the standings. Some years were horrible for the Yankees and other years were truly remarkable with winning the World Series as an added incentive. The most recent World Series for Jeter came in 2009, but his career, Jeter managed to win a total of 5 World Series.

     No doubt Jeter is a Hall of Famer and he even has the stats to back up a possible ballot in the next few years. Jeter ends his career with a .309 batting average, which is considered near the top of the Hall of Fame batting category. Shortstop has always been known to be the least productive position on the baseball diamond but is now considered false since Jeter is among a few players that made it into the 3,000 hit club. He is now the 28th player to ever get 3,000 hits in a career. This feat is incredible considering that he is now in the club with Pete Rose, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, Ricky Henderson and Roberto Clemente just to name a few. These players have revolutionized the sport of baseball with their handwork, dedication and passion for the game.

     Off the field, Jeter was known as a humble man, who just wanted to be normal like everyone else and put fame aside. He currently contributes to 4 charities that include StandUp2Cancer, Soles4Souls, Turn 2 Foundation, and Entertainment Industry. In 2009, Jeter received an honorary Doctorate for his charity work from the Liberal Arts College. According to the vice president of the school, "Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation encourages our youth to remain in school and to stay healthy." There is no doubt that Jeter has made a positive impact outside of baseball, and donating is just one small part of the overall work he has done for the community.

Chris Herron

Chris Herron

Chris Herron was a man who made many mistakes in his life. His drug addiction inspired others to not take drugs and follow their own path to success. I felt that Chris Herron’s speech struck close to home and makes me realized that drugs can be found everywhere. He started his alcohol addiction back in freshman year of high school, which led to a cocaine problem in college. He also tried numerous other drugs as well. His stories horrified me when I read. He described Acid as the devil that causes organs to burn inside. His friends took their lives while on Acid and that is when Herron decided to stop Drugs for the time being.
After hearing his story, I was emotional attached to Chris Herron and his fight against drug addiction. His addiction controlled his life and crushed any dreams he ever wanted. He gave up basketball for his drug addiction and never made any attempt to fix his problem. He relied on the help of other people to assist his drug addiction, instead of looking into the mirror and questioning himself for the stupid, lifechanging decisions he made to his life. I thought that his presentation helped others realize the severity of drugs and made them understand that drugs aren't simply a one time thing. He relied on drugs to solve his problems in school, at home, and on the basketball court. After deciphering his body language, I realized that Chris was not a trail blazer, he didn't mark his own path on the choices he made, and relied on peer pressure to make the decisions for him. He didn't care what consequences came with the peer pressure, as long as he felt included, he was ok on the actions he committed.     
I can personal connect to his story. I currently have a friend who is battling an addiction with Acid. He and his brother were projected to get drafted into the MLB right out of high school, and established themselves as a clear cut favorite first rounder in the next few years. But one brother's decision to take acid cost him his chance of getting drafted because nobody would tolerate that kind of behavior. 

Political Prejudice http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20140923_Political_party_prejudice_on_upswing_in_U_S_.html

My first reaction after reading this article is ashamed. I feel ashamed because society is so quick to judge people, with so little knowledge of what that person brings to table. It's a disgrace that human beings put other humans down just for an improved self esteem. In relation to this article, Republicans and Democrats often feud over how the United States should be ran but over the years, its not fighting over the direction of the U.S., its the way of life. Politics over the years have been blown out of proportion and the views of politics aren't always on political relations, it's on internal relations as well. In other words, Republicans and Democrats are now worried about the future of their family because they fear their child would grow interested in the competition and marry the person from the opposite political party.

     I also didn't like the part of the article that compared whites against African Americans. The author stated that, "Many white people quickly associate joy with the upper left corner when it says white and good - but have a harder time associating joy with the left corner when the words there are black and good. So too, many white people quickly associate terrible with the left corner when it says black and bad, but go a lot more slowly when the left corner says white and bad." (Sunstein 1). The author views the same for Republicans. When Republicans marry other republicans, their social status is safe for a sense, because they are sticking to the norm and not standing out. Same goes for a Democrat. When a Democrat marries a democrat, they are ok but as soon as a democrat marries a republican, it is automatically deemed. Acording to a survey taken in 2010, 49 percent of  Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats say they would feel "displeased" 

Class of 20? Most Freshman Need More than Four Years

After reading this article, I was surprised that only 1/3 of the students that go to public universities actually get to graduate after enrolling in 4 years of college. One thing that stands out immediately is the education curriculum is simply not challenging or too challenging to pass a class. I'm not saying that Universities should change classes, but at least take statistics on classes that are giving kids a lower grade percentage.
     Another thing to consider is the difference between going to college for 4 years or 6 years. The major difference to going to college for 6 years is getting a better profession job right after college. It allows you to pursue a Master's degree, which is honored and rewarded by many jobs such as teaching. The only problem is a cost. An average public university out of state is on average about $30,000 plus a year and if you decide to attend college for the 6 years it is a hefty pay check. Considering it will leave you with over $180,000 in student loans. If you go to a university in state, the cost goes way down. On average the yearly tuition is about $15,000 a year, and for 6 years it is $90,000 per year.
      In New Jersey, statistics show the yearly drop off in those who graduate in 4 years compared to those who graduate in 6 years. At Rowan University, there was a 15 percent increase in graduation rate when students attended college for 6 years. I'm shocked by this number because if the NCAA is considering raising graduation to 6 years. If they ever want to change the limit, then the universities and private colleges consider the annual tuition rate. The prices are way too high, and can't be afforded by the working middle class.

Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks Week 3

Throughout this week, the NFL has received scrutiny over the domesticate violence cases, with Johnathon Dwyer being the last incident to surface. However, the only bright spot this week has to be the superbowl rematch from last year, the Denver Broncos versus the Seattle Seahawks, in a regular season test, which could very well impact the outcome of this season. Seattle is coming off a tough lose to the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers did play well behind Rivers' 4 TD passes, although Seattle was shell shocked. Going back to last season, the Seahawks have won many games consecutively. The Seahawks have not losed a game since Week 16 of last season. Not to mention the fact that the Seahawks had to live up to the hype of Richard Sherman's, "I am the best corner in the NFL" speech. On the other side, the Broncos are on a 2 game winning streak after defeating the Colts and Andrew Luck in week 1. The other win came against a slumping Kansas City Chiefs team. With Welker back this week, Peyton Manning finally has a full arsenal to throw to and the addition of Welker helps with touchdown production.
     The first half went well the Seahawks, who ended up with a commanding lead going into halftime. They scored from a receiving touch down from Ricardo Lockette and a 5 Yd. score from veteran running back Marshawn Lynch. The Broncos were not able to retaliate until the second half.  Denver's defense came up with a safety in the end zone, courtesy of  Nate Irving and T.J. Ward. They would get the ball back after a quick defensive stance against one of the toughest offenses in the league. Peyton Manning continud to stretch  out the field the rest of the game and connected with Julius Thomas for a 3 yard score.  For Thomas, that is his 5th Touch down catch of the early season, and now passes Antonio Gates for most fantasy points from a TE this season.  Stephen Hauschka, kicker for Seattle, would later extend the lead to 8 points, with a 28 yard field goal.
    The real excitement however came within the last 48 seconds left in the game. Peyton had the ball at their own 20 yard line, with no time outs available. Peyton was able to do the inevitable and tie the game at 20 aftter marching down the length of the field for the late score. He connected with Jacob Tamme, his long time teammate with the Indianapolis Colts, and forced the game to overtime. This game could easily make the cut for best finishes in NFL history. Not only is Payton Manning a hall of Famer, but he proves each and every day that he is hungry to avenge last season's super bowl loss. However, in overtime, Denver's defense was unable to stop the Seahawks charging offense and gave up a short 6 yard run to Marhawn Lynch. Marshawn destroyed Denver's defense and finished with 26 carries for 88 yards and a score. He also caught a short pass from Russell Wilson. The season outlook looks bright for both teams, especially for the Denver Broncos, who expressed the urgency to complete games strong and the aggressiveness to score the ball into the endzone. I predict that this years superbowl will feature the same exact teams, except this time it will be the Broncos who will dominate and claim the the title.

Jerry Sandusky

Jessica Dersham was just an average social worker who had her normal life impacted by the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case. She was the first person who learned of the report and immediately contacted state police after interviewing victim number 1. She had no idea who Sandusky was at the time, but realized that these accusations were worthy of some kind of consequence. I was really surprised when she said victim 1 held back when he was explaining the actions of Jerry Sandusky. I would think he would be up front and truthful about what happened in the lockerrroom on that day, but instead he just kept quiet.
     The actions of Jerry Sandusky were very crude during his days at Penn State. For years, he lied about the allegations and continued to serve as the Defense Coordinator. What is odd about this case is the fact that Sandusky was allowed to sexually abuse children on his off days, in his home, at his charity events and also on the campus of Penn State. I don't understand how Dersham was the first to report the abuse, as other people around him failed to recognize the whole situation. Everyone that knew covered it up, slid it under the rug, which predominately led to the death of Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno. It's a shame that the University gets a bad rap from just one person's actions, but its a consequence for not responded to the situation by contacting authorities. This case goes beyond football, which is all Penn State is worried about these days.
      The penalties that were handed down by the NCAA were very appropriate given the events that took place. I felt like giving Penn State strict penalties help deter them away from not concealing the truth, and be more truthful to the NCAA the next time. By handing down a reduction of scholarships, a 4 year bowl ban, and a hefty fine really sent a message to the program and its fan base that the NCAA is not playing any games when talking about sexual abuse.

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson was always known for his hustle on the field, to finish big plays and score touchdowns for his team. He is remembered for his comeback season in 2011, where he came just short of passing the all time record for most rushing yards by an NFL player in history. Likewise, he did after tearing his ACL in the second game the season before. Now, Peterson faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison if convicted in court. Although, 2 years is a lot, many people think that he should get a similar penalty to that of Ray Rice. As new information is getting leaked to the world everyday, many question the security taken around the NFL. For three events to happen, all announced within 3 weeks, many begin to question why the NFL hasn't handed down harsher penalties for offenses so they wouldn't be committed again. Each time, the situation gets worse and worse by the minute.
     As for Peterson, he claims that "without a doubt, he is not a child abuser." What I don't understand is why haven't the NFL suspended Peterson on the spot and not let him wiggle his way out of the situation. Perhaps Peterson is "a loving father," but you can't be respected for laying your hands and a child, for any reason. As society changes, more domestic violence is prevalent. It's a result of past dramatic experiences, which is what Peterson tried to state in his argument. Back then, harsh penalties were used as teaching devices to torture children and ridicule them so they wouldn't commit the same mistake again.
     I can personally connect to the methods used back then because my father was often beaten with a belt when he failed on a test. Although it didn't happen that much, he still left with numerous scars on his back. So I feel sorry for Peterson's son. Well now, son's. Both four year old sons were abused by Peterson with a switch and the bruises appeared more apparent.
      Every good parent knows controlling your temper is the first step before issuing any punishment, even if it is only to make a kid stand in the corner. (Jackson 1). I agree with this statement because Jackson is right. I feel if Adrian Peterson had controlled his temper the first time, before the first punishment, maybe he can avoid harming his son. If he would have taken a calmer approach and was not focus on punishing out of malicious intent, I'm sure that Peterson could have thought of a different alternative to punish his child. Now, Peterson must man up to his consequences for his actions and not hide behind his past. Just because he was beaten as a child at an early age, doesn't mean it is alright to strike a little kid.

Free Post http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-needs-to-pull-stars-from-usa-basketball--which-is-showcasing-only-duke-s-coach-044717393.html

Over the past couple of years, USA have won numerous championships overseas as well as each year in the NBA. The only problem is, teams in other countries see themselves getting dominated by team USA year in and year out. Likewise, television viewers and fans are beginning to stop going to the games because they know that Team USA is mostly likely going to win. USA is comprised of mostly NBA type players, that play at a higher level than other countries around the world.
     After watching USA win the FIBA World Championship, some fans are beginning to question if the tournament is even fair or balanced, to give teams an equal chance to win games. One alternative that was suggested, is to disperse NBA players around the world. Of course, this occurs every single tournament, but in order to balance out the teams, FIBA wants to trade players to other international teams. This is a similar method to pickup basketball, where guys get weeded out onto separate teams. Based on this article by www.yahoosports.com, I highly disagree with the reasoning behind the FIBA Tournament. I feel like Team USA gives the world a new taste of basketball and a reason to be a fan of the NBA. The league is expanding and in order to win over international players, the NBA wants to showcase elite players and recruit new players. Team USA each night performs at a high level and exceeds any expectations they had before. I can give them credit, because they managed to win a gold medal with out star players such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Lebron James. They worked hard in practice and also overcame extreme difficulties after losing star shooting guard Paul George to a horrific accident in a pre-tournament game. To my surprise, USA bounced back from the setback and won the Gold Medal despite losing George for the season.
     I also didn't like the response NBA officials gave to the head of FIBA basketball because USA seemed to disrespect the whole FIBA Tournament and league.

Ray Rice

Ray Rice has been indicted by the NFL yesterday following an incident at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City. This story seems so bizarre to me, as Ray Rice was not known to commit any crimes in his NFL tenure. After the second video surfaced, Ray Rice saw himself without a job and was immediately suspended indefinitely by the NFL and could face several more criminal accounts. I felt that Ray Rice deserves a full year penalty for the crime he committed because he covered up the original incident, claiming he hit his wife out of "self-defense." Of course, he hit her out of malicious intent. He knocked her out and she hit her head on the railing found in the elevator.
Ray Rice now sees himself as a job but honestly, I believed that Ray Rice should have been penalized on the spot after the first video was released. He was clearly seen dragging his wife out of the Revel elevator, and if I was a bystander why wouldn't you intervene with Rice and question why he was dragging his wife by the hair. She was clearly beaten, and the marks left on her face proved that her injury was more gruesome than hitting your head on the railing.
Based on other information released by deadspin.com, the argument can come up about a Revel security worker sold off the video, that eventually led to the Ravens and the NFL giving discipline. I could imagine since Ray Rice is a professional football player, in some trouble, was sold out by this worker. I don't understand how quickly a situation can go downhill and this event truly escalated after fans and other media outlets understood the specifics behind Ray Rice's malicious attacks.
For the rest of his life, Ray Rice will be known as a wife beater, perhaps maybe something worse. His wife did not need to attacked for any reason, but it was clearly intended. He now joins a list full of other notable athletes turned criminals. Among these athletes are Mike Tyson, Ray McDonald, Plaxico Burress, and Mike Vick. Like many others, Rice became too comfortable under the status of Pro Football player and failed to realize that laws still applied to his actions. When he got up to address the media after the first video was released, it was evident when Rice spoke that he was downplaying the whole issue. He felt too comfortable when he addressed the media and felt the assurance that the franchise had his back. It's not right, and players deserved to get punished equivalent to the seriousness of the crime.