Solomon/BlogLink/Nov.28

A 1-year-old elephant is separated from mother and must defend himself again 14 lions! Watch this video!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6143390

Check out the latest WATC webcast from @BigCatDerek !

Krimmer/Nov. 26/Visual Post

Lately I have been OBSESSED with this Rescue center that cares for tigers, lions, cougars, etc. one of the directors actually posts webcass via YouTube  - about two- three per week - and the latest has just been posted. Go check it out!

Warning: super cute big cats

Link to the webcast: http://youtu.be/RrzqMS67iXQ


-Kelsey Krimmer

The Gift of a Lifetime - Crystiana Schlitz

Recently, a California couple faced a terrible tragedy. Their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Savannah Carolls, died from Sudden Unexplained Death in Children. In the those few precious years that they had with her, Savannah's parents, Larry and Carrie, took advantage of every moment they could with young Savannah. They called these moments, "stolen moments." They could be anything from a cookie to a trip to the play ground. These moments served as inspiration for the campaign titled Savannah's Stolen Moment.

After seven months, the campaign raised over $96,000. Out of that money, $10,000 will go to creating the recipient's families own stolen moment and then the rest into the child's college fund.

The Carolls got on a plane to Savannah, Georgia on Sunday. They visited all types of places from parks to museums to try and find the right family to give the money to. Finally, they visited Jumping Jacks, where their son Jack, met a girl named Isabella.  Larry and Carrie got to talking with Isabella's mother Sarah Williams and found out that she was the single mother of five children. They instantly knew that this girl and her family would be getting the money.

When the Carolls offered Williams the money she was shocked. Everyone started crying. Isabelle said that is is now her goal to go to college twice. As for her stolen moment,  Isabella wants to go somewhere with water so they will be going to a tropical island soon.

Check out the full story here: The Gift of a Lifetime

-Crystiana Schlitz

BEYONCÉ [Platinum Edition] (More) - EP

Taha/Nov. 24/Visual Post

Beyoncé released a reissue version her self-titled album with two new songs and four remixes. Personally, I love the two songs 7/11 (Video) and Ring off. I've been jamming out to them since they got leaked last week!

Check out what USA Today had to say about it on spotify: BEYONCÉ [Platinum Edition] (More) - EP

Bill Cosby is a Rapist?!

Hi Classmates,

If you have not heard the recent Bill Cosby accusations, you should seriously check them out! There have been multiple women coming forward saying that he sexually assaulted and/or drugged them! So heartbreaking to hear... and saddening since he was a part of our childhood.

See one of the recent stories, in this current Yahoo post:

https://tv.yahoo.com/news/bill-cosbys-1980s-co-star-claims-sexually-assaulted-074400620.html

-- Cortney McCarthy

Michigan Woman Arrested Near White House...

A woman from Michigan was arrested near the White House when she was participating in a demonstration while holding a gun. 

April Lenhart, only 23, of Mount Morris was walking up and down the property line of the White House while holding a pistol. There was no reason as to why Lenhart had been doing this. Secret Service arrested Lenhart due to safety precautions. 

Lenhart's weapon was not registered and either was the ammunition.

Lenhart was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition and carrying a gun without a license. 

It is extremely insane that someone would have the guts to even to do something like this especially near the White House. Also not having a license or anything registered is very risky especially in front of the White House which is constantly secured 24/7. People like Lenhart make this world a scary place to live in.

Here is the link to the full story:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/woman-with-gun-is-arrested-outside-white-house/ar-BBf0c4K

Lynch fined a total of 100k for silence.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11904067/nfl-takes-100k-seattle-seahawks-marshawn-lynch-media-silence

Malcolm B

Above is a link that may offer more clarity, but essentially Marshawn Lynch of the returning Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks (NFL), choose not to make himself availble for media comments during the week. The NFL has a media policy which "mandates that players must be available to the media during the practice week at the team facility and in the locker room after all games." Violating this for the second time has resulted in another 50,000 dollar fine totaling 100k over the last two seasons. This biggest issues is when you look at how Terrel "TO" Owens and Chad "ochocinco" Johnson destroyed the end of their careers because of all there media antics and were label as team distractions and many other negatives, why fine a man who is trying to do the exact opposite and exploit him for for choosing to be silent. Yes he is a star and major part of their team but when you look at how Sean Taylor of the Redskins was shot in his home and killed because of his fame, you can understand why a star may not want all the limelight when it can be avoided. It sad sometimes how the media wants to build these athletes to a godly pedestal only to bring them down the second they show a bit of humanity. 

Ebola Reaction-Localization

Oct. 31/LocalizationStory/Loewen

            Ebola is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with a strain of Ebola virus. The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa.

            The United States is currently dealing with the issue of Ebola, which many U.S citizens believed would spread nation-wide and the outcome would be catastrophic. The issue here was that many people were not properly informed of the virus. Those who contracted the virus did so in Western Africa where the virus originated. People believe that all you need to do is come in contact with a person who has the virus and you will ultimately contract it as well, not true.

            The CDC provided information for the country stating that, “Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood and body fluids of a person already showing symptoms of Ebola. Ebola is not spread through the air, water, food, or mosquitoes.”

            Jeremy Wade, 20, a student at the University of Wisconsin- Parkside who is currently pursuing an accounting degree had this to say when I asked what his initial reaction to hearing of Ebola was, “Man, I thought it was going to be like the Swine Flu pandemic in 2009 all over again.” He went on to say that, “I thought for sure it would be faster spreading and it would not be controlled like it has been so far.” The conclusion of the interview focused on whether or not government and health officials handled the outbreak in the proper manner. Wade had this to say, “I was happy that they provided statistics on who had contracted it in the U.S and their location” and “Quarantining victims and being strict on people who were entering our country, I felt was the most important thing they did.”

            

Diem Brown Dies at 32 from Colon Cancer

         Kohel/Nov.19/Blog

        Growing up I have watched reality star Diem Brown star on MTV's Challenge series.  For the last 10+ years I have watched her beat cancer twice, remain strong, passionate, driven, and fight through all the obstacles cancer has forced her to face. She is also the co founder of a non profit foundation called "MedGift" which is a website that allows people to donate their money to support others going through medical type issues.  Struggling with high medical bills herself with battling cancer on two occassions previously, it inspired her to start this organization in order to assist others going through what she has experienced. 
         Sadly, this past Friday Diem Brown passed away at 32 from her third battle of cancer, this time colon cancer which spread to her liver and lymph nodes.  She took to twitter to reveal to her fans that she was still fighting to stay alive until the very end.  Cancer seems to be spreading like wild fire in today's society.  Some people feel its the food we eat, or the air we breathe. Whatever it is, it is taken way too many people way too young. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/diem-browns-death-sheds-light-on-young-adult-cancer/


-Stephanie Kohel

Meanwhile in Buffalo....

The light dusting of snow we had this week in Kenosha is nothing compared to the amount of snow some of the country has seen. Buffalo, NY already surpassed their average snowfall with eight feet of snow in three days. See this article from USAToday.com, complete with video, for more information.


Above: A photo of a Buffalo, NY resident trying to find his driveway under all the snow.

Below: A vehicle in Buffalo, NY after the snow storm.

Blog 4--Brianna Morgen

Jerusalem Synagogue Sadness--Brianna Morgen

On Nov. 18, two Palestinian cousins approached the Jerusalem Synagogue during the morning prayers and unleashed multiple rounds onto all the fellow people praying. In result, four rabbis, two police officers, and multiple innocent people were killed in this form of terrorism. It's shocking to me how mentally unbalanced some people are really be.

Following is two links that explain the story in full detail and included on both sites are a short video from the incident.


 http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/18/world/meast/jerusalem-violence/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/18/deadly-attack-in-jerusalem-synagogue

Pictured are the two Palestinian cousins who attacked the synagogue.

Blog 4- Devon Hickey

On Nov.18, 2014 I attended the Milwaukee Bucks basketball game against the Knicks, which they won. It's been great to watch their season this year, it's been a huge improvement compared to last season. 

Kenosha Sees and Smells the Overpopulation of Skunks

Strauss/Nov. 11/Localization

Kenosha may be getting stinkier. CBSNews.com reported that there is a nationwide overpopulation of skunks. Kenosha is one of many suburban cities that has been seeing the effects of these stinky critters.

Skunks are a nuisance because of their smell and for the trouble they can cause homeowners. Every morning, long time Kenosha resident, Bruce McCurdy, walks outside and inspects the damage caused by skunks digging for grubs in his front yard. McCurdy said skunks have been increasingly causing damage in his neighborhood over the last two years. “When I see ‘em digging, I try to stop‘em with my slingshot” said McCurdy.

Emma Reed, a Kenosha City worker, said “We were receiving complaints about foxes near homes, so we dealt with the foxes, which are a natural predator to skunks. Once we got the fox population down, the skunk population started to rise.” Reed said she lives by the lakefront and has seen, and smelled, her fair share of skunks.

Aaanimalcontrol.com suggests calling a trapper to rid your neighborhood of these stinky critters. A local Kenosha and Racine trapper company, Able Animal Removal, can be reached at http://www.ableanimalremoval.com/, or telephone number 262-308-1959.

State Of Emergency Declared in Missouri.

Erik Skaarnes.

     On Nov. 17 Missouri Governor Jay Dixon issued an executive order activating the National Guard to assist local law enforcement agencies during any possible period of “civil unrest.” This declaration comes as the Grand Jury nears a decision regarding the fatal shooting of 18 year-old Mike Brown. According to witnesses, Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed the unarmed teen on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Missouri. The shooting sparked endless protests both peaceful and unruly from the outraged citizens in Ferguson and the surrounding areas. The frustration, tension and anger in Ferguson is beginning to have a feel similar to that of the L.A riots which followed the Rodney King beating.

As the National Guard puts boots on the ground in Ferguson; citizens are become more worried about what is to come after the Grand Jury announces their decision regarding Darren Wilson. Civil rights leaders persistently preach peaceful protests. Others in Ferguson and the surrounding areas, however, are fed up with the government and threaten violence if Wilson is not indicted.

The incident in Ferguson has become much more than just a police officer shooting an unarmed citizen. It has become a race war brought to our front steps and thrust into our living rooms. Mainstream media, in a way, has glorified the happenings in Ferguson, Missouri. News outlets constantly address many of the protesters as thugs, violent and unruly. The media will not come out and say this, but the reason is that the majority of protestors are black. Mainstream media is painting an unfair picture for the nation to see on the nightly news to divide us. I see white citizens, especially on social media, restlessly trying to find a reason to call Mike Brown a thug; while Black citizens, in Ferguson, have been threatening the safety of other white citizens.

From what I have watched, read and heard; it seems a majority of the nation shifted their focus from a police officer fatally shooting an unarmed citizen, to finger pointing and idiotic rationalizations for their wrong doings. Will the events in Ferguson, Missouri go down in history as a show of the people's strength in numbers; or as another national tragedy only spoke of during Black History Month? My eyes have been opened to the true racism and oppression in our country throughout this three month stand-off and I do not want to imagine the inevitable atrocities to come in the next three months.

Webster/Oct. 29/Localization Story

Webster/Oct. 29/Localization Story

As everyone knows this Ebola crisis is starting to get out of hand. It has been all over the news and seems as if there are two different opinions as to what we should be doing about this and no one is really choosing.

 Sarah Pritchard, a student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, claimed, “This Ebola crisis is out of control and I am very concerned for U.S. citizens and this disease spreading rapidly.”

 She is a germ freak and is very scared of any kind of illness whether it is just a cold or the flu. She specifically stated, “I believe for this to stop spreading, we need to close the borders and not let anyone in until we have controlled and got rid of the cases already in the United States.”

 She also stated, “I understand we are the only country that has the technology and is the most medically advanced to control this sickness that is spreading, but I think it is going to sneak up behind us and infect more people than we are going to be able to keep up and cure.”

 There is definitely a make or break decision that needs to be made and we will have to wait and see what the public decides to do in order to stop this from becoming an epidemic

 

-Mel

Condé Nast Settles With Unpaid Interns for $5.8 Million

Perez/ Nov. 13/Blog Post

Condé Nast agreed on Thursday to pay $5.8 million to settle a lawsuit brought by 7,500 former interns at the publisher who said they were underpaid for work at the company's high-end magazines.

Last year, two former interns at magazines owned by Condé Nast filed a class-action lawsuit for underpaying them and thousands of other interns, dating back to 2007, in violation of labor law. The lawsuit was filed just two days after a judge found that Fox Searchlight Pictures violated labor laws when it used unpaid interns for production tasks. 

Condé Nast reacted to the lawsuit by revamping its internship program in order to meet legal requirements. This move was complicated by the fact that they had recently stopped giving stipends to their current interns. The publisher ultimately cancelled their 2014 internship program.

Former interns who worked at Condé Nast as far back as June 2007 should receive payments between $700 and $1,900.

Kim Kardashian "Breaks the Internet" - Matt Kelly

Kelly/Comm255/Blog

This week, Kim Kardashian attempted to "Break the Internet" by releasing a photoshoot with famous french photographer Jean-Paul Goude. In the shoot Kardashian bares her notorious behind for the world to see. Although she did not break the internet, Kardashian certainly set it abuzz with tweets, posts, and video responses. The responses were varied from comedic to outraged. No matter what your opinion on it Kardashian's famous backside can certainly create media attention. 

Solomon/Nov.11/"About a Week Ago!!"

Solomon/Nov.11/”About a week ago!!”

“About a week ago!!!” These are four words I will never be able to say without singing. They are simple, contagious, catchy and a prime example of how music has become less about content and more about gaining popularity. This quote comes for the popular song by Bobby Shmurda. If you take the time to watch his music video for “Hot N*gga,” which got over 34 million views on YouTube, you’ll hear catchy lines about using guns as well as a reference to a day that happened the week before; you’ll also see his ever popular “Shmoney” dance.

Although entertaining, this type music allows many individuals to get a negative connotation about the African-American community. I grew up in neighborhoods where violence was seen as the only way to handle problems, but this isn’t something that we should teach to the future generation. I can honestly say that I have tried to do the “Shmoney” dance, but the meaning behind the lyrics of the song is disheartening.

When Nas, a multi-platinum rapper, released his 8^th studio album titled “Hip Hop is Dead,” he recalls receiving backlash. He later said in an interview, “I am someone who cares about Hip Hop music that much… I wanted a reaction… that statement was needed.” This goes along with the Rap vs. Hip Hop debate. Many see the two as the same, while others like Nas feel that Rap artists need to step it up. You may ask, “What is the difference?”

Well……. Hip Hop is about expressing hardships. The artists may have catchy lyrics, but the words always tell a story about the neighborhoods they grew up in, the households they were raised in, as well as ways of coping with loss. Rap music, on the other hand, is about being flashy. Most rap music revolves around topics like popping bottles (expensive), making money, and laughing at those that aren’t doing the same.

There is a difference! If you don’t agree, have fun doing your “Shmoney” dance; I’ll be more focused on the current week.

Last Season for Keno Drive-In, Again?

Strauss/Nov. 10/Blog Post

The last local outdoor movie theater, the Keno Drive-In, may finally be closed for good.

Rumors have been circulating about closing the historical Keno Drive-In for the second year in a row. This season has been particularly poor for the Keno Drive-In, according to the Kenosha News. Spreading the word that the theater is closing could be a tactic to attract more moviegoers to their theater.

However, there may now be something officially in the works.

The Kenosha News stated that Pleasant Prairie Community Development Director, Jean Werbie-Harris, met with property owner and president of Bear Development, S.R. Mills, to discuss a plan that calls for development of the land which is currently home to the Keno Drive-In. The plan is in its preliminary stages, but is in the process of being firmed up.

Whether or not the theater is actually going to close, we will have to wait and see.

How to Make Interviews A Little Less Scary

As college students, the goal is to graduate and get a job. Graduating, while tough, is the easier goal of the two especially in this day and age. Soon we will be embarking out into the real world and trying to find jobs for ourselves. Once the resume is down pat and you land an interview then what do you do? How do you make an impression in the interviewer to stand out against all of the other people sitting in your same seat? Jon Youshaei from Forbes magazine has some tips.

The first is to make sure that you know about the company the interview is with. Never go into an interview without having background knowledge on the company. It is suggested to research earnings calls, quarterly reports and blog posts by outside research and stay up to date with a service like Google Alerts. Also it wouldn't hurt to take a social sweeper app to your social media to remove any less than ideal pictures or statuses. Craft a story statement before hand so when you are asked the age old question of "tell me about yourself" you do not sit there and silence. After you have that answer down, prepare for sharing what your weaknesses are and a few instances that you solved problems. During the interview, be sure to have intelligent questions ready to impress your interviewer. After the interview be sure to send a thank you email or card to show you appreciated the experience.

If you want to read the full article check it out here: http://goo.gl/Hf3SrS

-Crystiana Schlitz

Solomon/Nov.3/ThePerfect'Body'

   Solomon/Nov. 3/ThePerfect'Body'Blogpost


      Great figures, little to no clothing, pretty faces, and perfect hair. What’s the first thing that comes mind? Victoria’s Secret, the most popular retailer of bras and underwear, has been receiving backlash recently. In order to advertise for their new bra, Body by Victoria, they created an ad, which showcased 10 models. The models were wearing nothing but undergarments behind large letters spelling out “The Perfect ‘Body’” If you have ever walked passed one of their stores, you would know that they only photograph models with a certain body type. Since Victoria’s Secret tends to use the same models in every catalog, where is this uproar coming from?

     It’s the play on words getting many women’s knickers in a twist. (tongue twister) ‘Body’ does have quotations, which shows that the ad is referring to the bra, but that doesn’t exactly mean the women aren’t included as well.  Everyday women turned to social media and created #Iamperfect. This hashtag, which gained a large amount of popularity in a matter of days, shows the responses of women that were offended by the wordplay. @Katdixon2012 wrote “@VictoriasSecret take responsibility for the damage you’ve caused. Women don’t deserve this disrespect.” There are also parodic pictures that showcase women of several different body types in their undergarments.

   The ‘perfect’ body in the 60s was curvy, but as time progressed, being very thin became the ideal.  There are so many crash diet, pyramid schemes, and surgical procedures done to make the ‘average’ woman ‘perfect.’ The meaning taken from this ad may not have been intended, but these ideals are very real.

     We are coming into an age where women of larger figures are beginning to gain acceptance. Songs like “All About that Bass” by Meghan Trainor and “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj have lines bashing skinny b*tches. Either way it goes, one body type is being ridiculed by the other.

The main thing all women, whether ‘skinny’ or ‘fat,’ should learn to accept is differences. Two women could wear the same pants size, but have a completely different shape. As the popular quote from “Mean Girls” say, “… calling someone else fat won’t make you any skinnier.” And calling someone a skinny b*tch won’t change the views you have of yourself!!

Rangers in Madison

Tomorrow is the big basketball game between the UW Parkside Rangers and the UW Madison Badgers.
       The game will take place at the Khol Center in Madison, Wi. It is the one of the first times in a long time that UW Parkside is playing UW Madison. UW Madison is a division 1 league and UW Parkside is a division 2 league, therefore it is not often that these two universities play one another.

Because of this exciting match the Parkside Student Government along side the Deans office and Athletic department are sponsoring a"Fan Bus" with free tickets to the game for students.

The sign up for the game was available last week tuesday and all 72 spots were filled within the first hour of the sign up being available. This was an exciting thing to see how students were so eager to cheer on their Rangers.

The Sign in for the Fan Bus will be in the Student Center Atrium at 4:00pm. The Bus will leave at 4:30pm, and tip off will be at 7:00pm. Students are expected to arrive back at UW Parkside around 10:00pm the same day.
Lets go Rangers !
~Gabrielle Krawczyk
Parkside Student Government-Vice President

Krimmer/October 31/Localization/Gas Prices

Krimmer/October 31/Localization

One thing that Americans can look forward to these days is the dropping of the gas prices. It seems as if gas prices haven’t been this cheap in quite some time now; it’s nice to see the price under $3 per gallon. This drop in price seems so prominent right now because it is such a steep decrease from what Americans are used to paying for gas.

Krisjan Aukland, Racine native, tells how this drop in price per gallon of gas is the normal supply-demand transition from summer to fall. Aukland says that the decrease in price seems like a big deal right now because the price hasn’t been this low in a while.

Gas prices will slowly creep back up once Thanksgiving comes due to the increase in travel, making the demand for gas a lot higher. As for right now, though, these prices seem like a luxury and should be enjoyed by all while they last.

Perez/Nov. 1/Localization Story

For the first time in a very long time, we have seen a drastic decrease in gasoline prices. Over the last couple of days, gas prices have fallen below $3 in Wisconsin.

When asked about the low gas prices, UWP senior Ruben Torres said, "I haven't seen gas prices fall below $3 in a very long time. It is exciting because I can fill up my tank for so cheap." Ruben, an Illinois native, went on to mention the price difference from Wisconsin and Illinois. "This past week I made sure to fill up my tank in Wisconsin before I went home to Illinois. Gas here is much cheaper than over there."

According to market watchers, gas prices are expected to lower a couple cents more across the United States and once they do, it is likely prices will stay this low for some time.