Looking into the Abyss of Space

http://powerlisting.wikia.com

“Space, the final frontier,” the famous words Leonard Nimoy, or better known as Spock. At first, space was nothing, but then began the Space Race. We strode forward to the skies, overtaking them, and claiming our prize on the moon. Since then we have kept our gaze at the stars, and many movies have been created about space: A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. But we must ask ourselves, what benefits do we get from space exploration? This question I strive to answer in this blog post, and my answer is that not only does space give us fundamental benefits, but it also gives us indirect and direct benefits, and I’ll be addressing all three and what they are  from a paper by NASA.

The fundamental benefit is split into three categories: innovation, culture and inspiration, and new means to address global change. Space affects innovation because of all the things space applies too. “Space exploration has contributed to many diverse aspects of everyday life, from solar panels to implantable heart monitors, from cancer therapy to lightweight materials, and from water‐purification systems to improved computing systems and to a global search‐and‐rescue system.” Space exploration will further innovation because it will cause more technological advances so we can go deeper into space. “This will return immediate benefits back to Earth in areas such as materials, power generation and energy storage, recycling and waste management, advanced robotics, health and medicine, transportation, engineering, computing and software.” From exploring space, we receive many benefits immediately.

The second benefit is culture and inspiration. Culture and inspiration is more so the address of space exploration, and the unanswered question we have. “Everyday, space exploration missions fulfill people's curiosity, producing fresh data about the solar system that brings us closer to answering profound questions that have been asked for millennia: What is the nature of the Universe? Is the destiny of humankind bound to Earth? Are we and our planet unique? Is there life elsewhere in the Universe?” To answer the questions, we continue to go to the sky, to unlock the secrets of what space has. We will continue to explore the depths of the empty space in an effort to find something.

The last fundamental benefit is new means to address global change. From exploring what’s in space we can actually predict events before they happen. “Enhanced global partnerships and exploration capabilities may help advance international preparedness for protecting the Earth from catastrophic events such as some asteroid strikes, advancing collaborative research on space weather and protecting spacecraft by developing new means for space debris removal.” A benefit of seeing asteroid strikes is that we could send something to change the course of the asteroid. These three fundamental benefits are some of the main benefits we derive from space exploration.

The next two are direct and indirect benefits, which is just a smaller branch off of fundamental benefits. Indirect benefits are taken from direct benefits. Three direct benefits would be that people are inspired, scientific knowledge is generated, and national technical competence is improved, as well as many more. Three direct benefits that branch from the direct benefits would be economic prosperity, health, and environmental benefit. The direct benefits will benefit us directly, while having indirect benefits that also help us sublimely.

My opinion on this is that I haven’t really found all that I wanted to know, so I may have a change in plans from what I initially wanted. I covered only ground topics, not completely deep space exploration. Although this is interesting, it just doesn't fully appeal to me. I want to know more about what is in space, what benefits we can take from space, and not how space will affect and advance technology. I may do another space blog post for further research. However, I do think it’s fascinating that we can have so many benefits, just by thinking of exploring of space.  

Middle Child Syndrome

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  www.huffingtonpost.com

  
  

  I am a middle child.  People make fun of middle children because they say they are the least loved of all the children.  I went on to look up if birth order actually makes a difference in your personality and it does.  This is called the Birth Order Effect.
• An article by Joclyn Voo talks about psychologist Alfred Adler and his findings on birth order.  He found that firstborn children, because the parents are also new parents, are more reliable, conscientious, driven, cautious, controlling, and achieving because the “parents are more attentive to them because they do not know what the baby is supposed to do”.  First borns have to be the best.     Middle Children are people pleasers, rebellious, has good people skills, and are peacemakers.
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• Adler found that “middle children to make their mark among their peers, since parental attention is usually devoted to the beloved firstborn or baby of the family.”  The youngest child is fun-loving, uncomplicated, manipulative, outgoing, attention-seeking,and Self-centered.  Adler found that the “youngest children tend to be the most free-spirited due to their parents' increasingly laissez-faire attitude towards parenting the second (or third, or fourth, or fifth...) time around”.  

I think that parts of this topic is true and parts of this not.  In my family, the oldest is a leader and driven and reliable but is not cautious.  He works hard but does not have to be the best.  I am the middle child and I would like to believe that I have good people skills and I am a peacemaker but I am not rebellious.  I do not break the rules very often.  The youngest in my family is fun loving and uncomplicated but not self centered and manipulative.  She also has the most freedom while my brother doesn't.

FUTURE RESEARCH: Does being an only child or twin make things different too? Are there different styles of parenting?

The Interview

In this post I will show an interview I completed with personal friends of mine. They are teenage boys and girls who often eat mean from fast food restaurants, e.g Mcdonald and Chik Filet.


Me: How often do you eat meat?
Everyday

Me: Where do you usually eat it?
Mom buys it from the grocery or I go out with friends.

Me: When you go out, where do you go?
McDonalds, Chik Filet, Chipotle.

Me: Do you know where they get their meat from?
The commercials for McDonalds say that the meat is from organic farms.

Me: What would you do if I told you this wasn't completely true?
I'd probably still eat the meat..

Me: How would you feel if you knew that the burgers you are eating from McDonalds come from cows that are trapped in cages just large enough so they can stand and are force fed chemicals everyday to make their meat taste better?
1: It's sad but it tastes so good.. I'll still eat it.
2: I'd probably look ore carefully at where I'm eating but I dont' think I could ever go full vegetarian.


These have just been a couple starter questions in my interview. I hope to further my interview by finding actual facts and statistics to show my interviewees and see if I can alter their opinions any mroe than I already have. So far I can conclude that people do not know exactly where their meat is from and it is worrying to them that companies lie to their consumers. I want to further my research by finding out exactly how much each company lies and specify the differences between each fast food restaurant.

The Beatles Biography

https://rockhall.com/inductees/the-beatles/bio/

Analysis: In this article I decided to cover one of the most influential British invasion rock bands, The Beatles. I believe The Beatles' special ability to explore new ground while staying connected to their roots was to their success. The Beatles’ music - with its simultaneous refinement (crisp harmonies, solid musicianship, canny pop instincts) and abandon (energetic singing and playing, much screaming and shaking of mop-topped locks) – ignited the latent energy of youth on both sides of the Atlantic. They helped confer self-identity upon a youthful, music-based culture that flexed its muscle in myriad ways - not just as music consumers but also as a force for political expression, social commentary and contemporary lifestyles. I learned about their success and how they rose to the top of the charts and remain the favorite of many people today. With a combination of musical superpowers and the best managers in the business, The Beatles focused on the music and kept making masterpiece after masterpiece.

This Article helped me with my project because it showed me the components to a successful music group. I also find it very interesting how the Beatles remain so timeless today 50 years later.  

Tulsa Tornadoes Kill One, Leave Massive Destruction in Oklahoma

(godheadpost.wordpress.com)

This article is from NBC news by Alex Johnson, destruction of a recent tornado that hit Oklahoma.  It caused a lot of destruction and lead to 1 dead and a few injuries. Many electrical companies lost power for a while.  Ten schools were closed.  In one gymnasium, “with 60 to 70 people inside also collapsed in Sand Springs, but no injuries were reported”.  There were more than one tornado. These tornadoes continued through the whole state of Oklahoma.  Many towns were reported to have house and vehicle damage.   This storm was so large that the tornadoes that “the storm system that spawned the twisters was racing toward Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, parts of which were under severe thunderstorm watches through 3 a.m. ET”.  The tornado hit right in the middle of Tornado Alley, a place where more than half of the nations tornadoes occur.  This area is always under dangerous weather situations.  

I think it is interesting that so many storms go through this area so many times a year and cause so much destruction.  I think the government should invest on making these dangerous areas more safe.  I know you cannot stop a tornado from happening but I do think it is important that people stay safe.  By making investments on this, the government can save a lot of money on reconstruction and you will save lives.  

When many people think of thunderstorms and tornadoes, they do not think they are in that much danger.  Tornadoes are very dangerous.  Do you think that US citizens should start worrying more about them?

WHat are some other ways people could try to be safe from these types of storms.  

Origins of Electronic Dance Music

Every generation has a musical genre that is the new hit controversial sound from the 1900’s till today we have had jazz, blues, soft rock, hard rock, punk, metal, rap, and now we have electronic music.

            No one is sure where exactly electronic dance music came from, but according to an article by CNN, an interview with some of today’s top dj’s (disc jockeys) they say that it evolved from disco music. During the fall of disco in the 80s dj’s would take the old disco records and modify the sound by changing the speed or the direction at which the record spun. Along with this they would play simple beats over the music with drum machines (devices that digitally play drum tracks/ sounds), in order to change the overall sound of the song to one that is recognizable, but not enough to be classified as disco. Unknowingly these people were listening to the same music that they had abandoned, and they loved it!

As technology improved so did the quality of the music. People could now use computers to mathematically create tones and edit them to meet their demands. This led to creating the ‘perfect song’. People could now create music without the human error; they could sit at a computer for hours trying to get it right without ever having to worry about an instrument messing up. The computers never complained, never wanted to play a different song, or threaten to quit the band. It was and is the perfect band mate. This new ability led to many people, especially of the younger generation to start experimenting with electronic music. 

EDM is the perfect dance music. It portrays heavy steady beats, usually without tempo changes or key changes. Unlike rock or jazz or blues, which shift tones often, the electronic music stays constant. This allows dancing to the music to be easier. The simple beats allow for unskilled dancers to more easily find rhythms and figure out how to move, which in my opinion is why it is more popular at dances or clubs.

 However people, I feel don’t have the energy to keep up with the music. With EDM the music can go as long as it wants. Dj’s can use the same beat for hours on end with just several modifications to the harmony/ melody. In comparison musicians on stage will fatigue and grow weary as the night goes on due to having to play actual instruments. Along with the musicians the crowd grows tired from dancing and singing and need rest. Clubs remedy this with high priced caffeinated drinks in order to keep the party going as long as possible, all while filling their pockets.

The American Dream's Future

SOURCE: ____

                                
In an article written by  The Nation, a magazine that focuses on American progression, It talks about  the future of the American Dream. The Author says that the dream isn't what you own, or how high  quality it is, it is the memories and the happiness that you have instead. The author also believes we  need to redefine  "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

We live in an age where everything is at  the power of our hands and  the speed of it all is getting faster day by day. Not to mention, people are  getting things with much more ease than ever before. People today are also very power hungry, and will do whatever to keep it no matter what the cost. Which is also making  more people isolated and unified.  But there is a way to change this. 

 The author asked  "Instead of asking what will be good for the economy, government should start by asking what will be good for our people and society?" I believe that this is what we need to do continue the dream. If you look back 60 years, it is a completely different society; everyone had the same opportunities, the country was unified, the war was over, and everyone seemed happy and peaceful. Like I said before, the country is very different today. The only way it seems that we can continue the dream is not to continue to evolve it, but to make things more like the late 40's- 50's, more simplistic.  Along with that, we must also have a bigger need to be more social. Do things like be more active with one another, create memories, and have experiences that can't be bought. Like the old quote says "You can't buy happiness" (But you can buy Jet Skis and that's pretty close). 

Do you think that the American Dream should change with time or be the same?
Do you think the American Dream will still be around in the future?


FUTURE RESEARCH: How does the American Dream compare to other countries? What is the distribution of opportunities to move up social classes in America---is it a myth that everyone can or is it reality? 

Are College Athletes Already Being Paid?

Pay College Athletes? They're Already Paid Up To $125,000 Per Year

In an article I read from Forbes Magazine, they talk about how much each athletes receives from the university and really what it is worth. The athletes receive “free professional coaching, strength and fitness training, and support from athletic trainers and physical therapists”. Also beyond that the author says that the average athlete receives a package of education, room, board, and coaching/training worth between $50,000 and $125,000 per year depending on their sport and whether they attend a public or private university. The author also makes the argument that the top two or three sports that even make money are: football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball. The other remaining sports are just not as big money generating sports. He also says that only 23 of the 228 Division I Athletics made surplus amount of money.

SOURCE:
http://b-i.forbesimg.com

In my opinion I think that the author does make a very strong point that now a days college athletes are receiving free things as in an education, housing, clothes/gear, food, etc…  He also points out the most colleges can't’ even afford to pay other sports let alone even one sport. I think that the only way (just opinion) that you could be able to pay athletes you would have to only pay players for the sports that really bring in a great revenue like football and both men’s and women’s basketball. I also think that athletes don’t need to make an absurd amount of money like a million dollars but instead like a minimum wage salary. I think by giving athletes something like this it can help with problem outside of basketball. Most athletes don’t even go pro so by doing this it can help them save money and can fill in that job that they might have had if they didn’t play Division I Sports.

FUTURE RESEARCH: Injuries? Professional athletes?

No Singles, No Features

No Singles, No Features

How is the hip hop industry growing and changing through the work of individual artists?


http://www.complex.com/music/2014/11/j-cole-announces-forrest-hills-drive-album

On December 9, 2014, popular hip hop artist J. Cole released his third studio album, nostalgically titled after the address of his childhood home, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. The release of the album was uncharacteristic of typical rap releases, as J. Cole announced the album three weeks before its release simply by tweeting, "My new album. 2014 Forest Hills Drive. 12/9" with a trailer for the album. Atypical to the industry, J. Cole insisted on dropping no singles before the album's release, choosing instead to drop the album as a total package.

Generally, artists drop singles before the album because it generates hype for the album and encourages album sales. In my opinion, this breeds an industry focused only on monetary growth and numbers, and distracts from the artistic expression of the artist and the album's greatness. Showcasing the work as a whole contributes integrity to the piece as well. J. Cole stepping away from this single-releasing tradition shows that he is willing to take financial risks in order to focus the attention on his art, rather than his monetary success.

J. Cole's risk paid off, as he set the highest mark for Spotify streams in a week, with 15.7 million recorded at the time, and he sold 371,228 copies in the first week. J. Cole responded to the success by tweeting, "The #'s are humbling, It's a win for all artists and fans and a clear message to the industry. No singles no features. Stop serving trash."

I personally thought the album was amazing and I appreciated its value as a complete piece more because I knew that that's what J. Cole intended it to be heard as. As far as what this means to the industry, I expect to see more rappers focusing on their art form rather than dropping the cheesy singles that get radio play and garner attention for the album release. As exemplified by J. Cole's albums, fans will pay for and appreciate good albums in their entirety without artists practicing the current norm of sellout singles and financial focus.

Future Question: How and why have hip hop artists become so influential?

Diving Into the Deep Sea

http://goldendaniel.deviantart.com

Mostly everyone’s gone to the beach, swam, or had fun in water. We fish, we scuba dive, we go whale watching. There are hundreds of activities that we do in lakes and seas, being only one of the few benefits that it provides to us. I will mainly focus on the deeper parts of the ocean for this, seeing what benefits we can reap from there. The website is from the United States Department of Commerce, known as the NOAA, the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. My thesis question I will be addressing is: What would we gain from deep sea exploration? My answer to this is: We gain many beneficial things from deep sea exploration, such as increasing our knowledge of what is in the sea itself, more about resources in the ocean, and even gaining more jobs due to ocean exploration.

Firstly, one of the main benefits we receive is just simply knowing what exists. This may not seem like a major reason but it has it’s own many benefits. “Findings made through ocean exploration are fundamental to reducing unknowns in deep-ocean areas and providing high-value environmental intelligence needed to address both current and emerging science and management needs.” Just be exploring the seas we learn about things that will help the new up and coming fields of study. Not only this, but exploring the ocean will make us more attentive to the resources we have. “Exploration helps to ensure that ocean resources are not just managed, but managed well, so those resources are around for future generations to enjoy.” By becoming more aware of what little ocean resources we have, or on the contrary, how much we have, we’ll be able to determine how much of the resources to use, so that our future generations will also have the same resources as we did. It could also help when a deep sea disaster strikes, and how to respond to the situation. “This same knowledge is often the only source for basic information needed to respond appropriately in the face of deep-sea disasters.” By gaining knowledge of the deep sea, we learn a variety of things that will help us later in the future.

Secondly, we gain more resources from deep sea exploration. There is a wide variety of life under the surface of the water. “Unlocking the mysteries of deep-sea ecosystems can reveal new sources for medical drugs, food, energy resources, and other products.” As said, there are many products we can derive from the sea, and by searching the sea, we can find more and more new resources. Also, resources from the ocean aren’t all physical. From studying the sea, we can gain more knowledge about environmental change, an important resource that will help us. “Through ocean exploration, we can establish the baseline information needed to better understand environmental change, filling gaps in the unknown to deliver reliable and authoritative science that is foundational to providing foresight about future conditions...”If we can foretell what weather patterns there will be in the unforeseeable future, we can clear the obscure vision and be able to tell what climate will be like. There are far many more deep water resources that are possible to find, for this is only the tip of the iceberg in deep sea exploration.

Lastly, deep sea exploration will actually bring more job opportunities for people. Studying the ocean isn’t just one field of study, but many more than a person may think. “It is disciplined, systematic, and includes rigorous observations and documentation of biological, chemical, physical, geological, and archaeological aspects of the ocean.” There will be many more opportunities for people interested in biology, chemistry, geography, and archaeology. Next, is that not only will ocean exploration inspire more jobs, but make people develop better technology. “Ocean exploration can improve ocean literacy and inspire young people to seek careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The challenges of exploring the deep ocean can provide the basis for technology and engineering innovations that can be applied in other situations.” People will be more motivated to look for jobs in areas concerning the ocean, and they’ll try to overcome the challenge of exploring the deep sea by improving the technology. The sea holds an abundance of treasure for us, and it’s up to us to find the key and unlock its secrets.

In my opinion, I think it’s fascinating that how the sea provides us with all of these resources, and how not every resource the sea provides us with isn't physical. Job opportunities for one would help a lot, since when people are more motivated to get in a field of study, especially one like the ones associated with ocean studies, they can become successful. People will gain more money and make an effort to be successful because they want to be. When I started this project, I actually didn't know what resources the sea could provide us with, and now it’s overwhelming. In my next post, I’ll address space exploration, and the next one after that, I’ll address sunken ships, treasures, and things like that.


Finally, as my last blog post, I’ll compare both of them again, using the information I've learned to compare and contrast them. I’ll derive an answer of which has more worth in exploration- sea or space?

Military charges Bergdahl with desertion

http://www.nbcnews.com

Summary:An article from CNN talks about how Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is charged with desertion and can be facing life in prison, or for the alternative, forfeit pay and be stripped of his rank. He had deserted his post when he was taken captive in Afghanistan and held for five years. He returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange program. The Army became suspicious of his disappearance from his unit that he was in and decided to investigate back in June 2009. They discovered that he had deserted and had been held by a terrorist group known as the Haqqani. It wasn't clear whether he was forced or not, which brought up some debate. However, something that brought up more debate was the fact that President Obama released five terrorists so that they could bring back Bergdahl. It gave testimony from the own members of the unit Berdahl was in, criticizing Obama's decision. He was meant to return to his hometown in Hailey, Idaho, and they planned to throw a celebration, which was later delayed, due to the complications of his disappearance. As the article progresses, it talks about the detainees released for Bergdahl's freedom. Their names are Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Mullah Norullah Nori, Abdul Haq Wasiq and Mohammad Nabi Omari. All of the five were people  captured during the early war in Afghanistan, and they were ranked as mid to high level officials in Taliban.

Analysis: I'm still unsure whether he deserted or was told to desert by the terrorists under threat. If he deserted by himself, then I think he deserves to be punished. I feel as if a life time in prison is kind of a harsh sentence because he was captured by a terrorist group after doing so. Deserting is a huge offense, but he was captured. Also, I don't think Obama should have gave up five terrorists for one person that deserted, especially if the terrorist had important positions. That, and five people for one person seems like an uneven tradeoff.

Discussion Questions: Do you think that Obama should have released the five terrorists for Bergdahl? How many should he have released? If none, why?

Should Bergdahl face life in prison? Is it too harsh, or do you think the punishment fits the crime?

Two Babies Found in the Ceiling of a Funeral Home

SUMMARY:

A funeral home in Gary is being sued because they did not bury a stillborn child, 19 years later. They found the bodies of two dead babies in the rafters of the funeral home. The babies were born to different parents at different times, but neither were buried, despite their parents wanting to do so. Apparently it was the former funeral owner who did this, who closed shop shortly after receiving the baby. The parents are, obviously, very upset.

ANALYSIS:

I am honestly very confused as to how and why this happens socially and emotionally. And how it was not discovered earlier. But I’m also confused in a more logic driven way. Funerals cost a lot of money. Burials cost a lot too. So it seems that this person is guilty of fraud with the money. And that isn’t weird, it happens all the time. But at funeral homes it’s normally about overcharging, not pretending to bury bodies and then not doing it.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

So what do they charge this person with? How does this get handled? Who should pay for the second burial? I mean, they paid once, they shouldn’t pay again, but at the same time, money needs to be spent. How do they decide these things? What are the parent's suing for? Shouldn't there be a criminal trial instead of a civil suit? How do they decide these thing? So many questions.

Life as a Student-Athlete

 

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” Said by the famous Wayne Gretzky. Student athletes are all around the world working hard not only for their grades, but for their sports as well. Being a student athlete can be very time consuming and the only way to stay on top of their game is working ahead of schedule. There are many different results that occur from being a student athlete such as the character traits, and the passion that are picked up along the road to success. In order to be a successful student athlete not only must a person be willing to spend a lot of time practicing, but that person must also be prepared for all of the obstacles that can come along the way such as; stress, character flaws, and even weak mental strength.

The most important thing to know about student athletes is that they are very busy people. Being a student athlete can be very difficult for people especially during school time knowing that they have to do both sports and class work. In order to forget about these obstacles one must be willing to work for that extra hour or two every day after both school and athletics. Here is a video to show the life of a student athlete in college and what they go through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0S6TnowGdw

From the video, it shows what a student-athlete really goes through and how hard it is. In my next blog post I will talk to Will Knable and try to help resolve the debate on whether these athletes should be paid. I found this video very helpful since I am planning on paying a sport. It shows me what it is really like to be an athlete in college and the challenges there are.

Image: http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/10/27/academics-arts-athletics-piles-pressure/

5 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Struggle

                  

                             

http://gradesfirst.com

When I sat down to write this blog post, my mind began racing through the different areas within athletics and academic support. With hundreds of articles to consider and as many opinions as there are people, I keep thinking of my experience as a student-athlete, the accomplishments, and the challenges which defined my journey. Let’s not forget that for most student-athletes, it is absolutely a unique journey. You know, the student who is primarily focused on the “being an athlete” part of the college experience. It’s with that perspective that I offer a bit of context supporting the struggles student-athletes face academically. From my personal experience, here are the top 5 reasons student-athletes struggle academically:

1. TIME MANAGEMENT https://ukstudentathletes.wordpress.com/time-management-2/

Student-athletes have a lot on their plate. Sure, we all have plenty to balance, but for an 18 to 22 year old, managing this “practice-class-life” balance can be more than a formidable challenge. Maybe it’s practice, class, a video game session with the roommate, or any number of other events college students pack into their day. Managing the pressures of athletics and being a normal college kid is plenty to distract your student-athlete’s academic focus.

2. THE HERO COMPLEX

Many of you that work with student-athletes, are all too familiar with the ‘Hero Complex’. Student-athletes typically step onto the field or court in an athletic role which they are very good at. This confident preparedness – while beneficial to that role – fails to provide the mindset needed to surrender pride and admit that they aren’t good at something. When that “something” is academic related, a major problem is on deck. We all appreciate the confidence needed to hit that walk-off homerun, but the “I’ve got this” mentality doesn’t always translate into a B on a mid-term paper. I’ve seen too many teammates become ineligible because they were too prideful to seek out help. Sad but true. Being scared to ask for a tutor is a major reason student-athletes struggle academically.

3. MOTIVATION http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/12871067/effects-sport-motivation-academic-strategies-attitudes-among-high-school-student-athletes

This could have been number one on the list. Motivation can be an academic killer and sadly, some athletes look at academics as the necessary evil of being a STUDENT-athlete. While some manage to navigate through the fog of classes with enough focus to remain eligible, others forget or entirely fail to realize the true purpose of their scholarship. I’m not going to suggest you can easily change the outlook for this bunch, but short of intervention, this group probably won’t be on the field or court very long. The problem is not always a lack of care, but rather a lack of the background needed to understand the importance of their progress towards a degree. They aren’t a lost cause, just simply lack the necessary perspective to attack and excel in the classroom as they do in their sport.

4. LACK OF ORGANIZATION

The hardest thing I learned as a student-athlete wasn’t on the field or in the classroom. Interestingly, it was a combination of the small things contributing to my success in both settings that became my challenge. We often take organization for granted, as we understand its importance in doing things efficiently and effectively. Student-athletes, however, haven’t been exposed to the pressures they face at this level, nor have they experienced the relief that being organized can provide. For a student-athlete, this can be keeping notes in separate notebooks or simply knowing how many study hall hours they’ve completed this week. These small things pile up and become overwhelming for student-athletes who aren’t used to balancing the demands that come with the student-athlete title.

5. COMMUNICATION

This is probably the most obvious and definitely the most common reason. It’s last on this list because it affects each area in which student-athletes struggle. Communication, or the lack thereof, is a struggle every student-athlete will deal with at some point. “When is that meeting?” “What time is practice?” “Did I forget to email my advisor?” There are several channels of communication and multiple parties with whom student-athletes must communicate. This simple task can become hard to manage when any of the above struggles are present. Communication alone is a struggle that can knockdown even the most capable of student-athletes.

In conclusion, These reasons are why student athletes struggle. I feel that athletes should get some sort of benefits since it is pretty much a job. The hard work you go through hurts you and the should receive something for that. In my next post, I will show you what a Student athlete really goes through.

Discussion Question:

1.) If these student-athletes were to receive benefits, what should they get? In college, should they be paid?

14 going on 23

from The Express Tribune (Click for Link)

Summary:
 In the article by the Express Tribune (a spin off of the International New York Times), Shafqat Hussain was fourteen years old when he was sentenced to death. However, not to the Karachi police force. 

Shafqat was at the age of 23 when his date of execution was declared on March 19 and when (as his family came in on the final hour holding it out at the media) his execution was stayed for 30 days. The reason why this is an issue? Karachi police force stated that he was 23 at the time of incarceration and sentencing. And the fourteen year old was placed in an adult detention facility and received a punishment Pakistan does not allow to be given to minors, no matter the crime.

Police and Karachi prison officials are left at a loss. Admissions registers and statements from Shafqat say that he was 23 at the time of entering Karachi Center Jail. However, now not only is there the birth certificate causing concern, but also evidence has been released that Shafqat was forced to state his non-age under duress by jail officials.

A medical board is now being put into place to evaluate Shafqat Hussain's age.

Analysis:
A crime was committed, that is not what's in question here. There are however two other issues, the reliability of information received from torture, and the reliability of police forces themselves. Personally I believe that anyone has a breaking point to pain, and would say whatever they were told to under enough duress. That information just can't be proven to be reliable. As for the police, why didn't they see this birth certificate 9 years ago? A lot here just doesn't add up, but it's better to go through a month long medical board than be executed for something you did as a child.

Should new evidence be taken truthfully 9 years from the event?

To what extent or at all, do you believe that force should be used in interrogation?

Why do you think that America differs in Pakistan in allowing minors to face capital punishment?