Monthly Archives: April 2019

‘Heartbeat bill’ passed in Ohio

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

Gov. Mike DeWine signed an ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Thursday afternoon, which banned the abortion of a five to six week old pregnancy in Ohio, even though it was considered unconstitutional in other states. The bill was expected to take full effect in the next 90 days which inevitably invites many who are unhappy about its passing decision.

The state’s government believed that as their duty to protect the citizens of state, they also needed to protect those who were not given the choice to have a voice. The only exception to the bill would be if a woman was in imminent danger due to her pregnancy and as a resulted needed to terminate it.

Many angered organizations joined forces to show their lack of support toward the bill and voiced many of their opinions toward it.

“This legislation is blatantly unconstitutional and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that this bill is permanently blocked,” said Freda Levenson, ACLU Ohio Legal Director, in an article for NPR by Gabe Rosenberg.

Some of the groups who plan to use were Pre-Term Cleveland, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and the Women’s Med Center of Dayton.

As the political battle enraged the dislikes of the business community and those who believed in a women’s right to chose what she does to her body, the rest of society was left to consider the consequences. Would this law benefit the upcoming future or would it continue to tear society apart?

Pete Buttigieg rising in latest polls

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By EVAN SIEGAL

Despite being the mayor of a city of under half a million people, Pete Buttigieg continues to be among the hottest names in the presidential race thus far. Among a very crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primaries, the previously unheard of mayor now sits squarely in fourth place only behind Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke and Bernie Sanders among likely caucus goers in Iowa.

Buttigieg’s stances include a firm promise to tackle climate change as well as raise taxes on the top one percent of earners in the country. In a town hall last night hosted by CNN, Buttigieg promised to restore civility to American politics. Vice President Mike Pence said of attacks made against him that he is bringing “attacks on my Christian faith.” Defenders of the mayor says Vice President Pence is simply attacking him because he is openly gay, but Pence has denied this.

Buttigieg would be by far the youngest president in American history should he win. At just 37 years old, he is a long shot to win but at the very least has cemented himself into several firm positions going forward. Many in the Democratic party have suggested him as a potential candidate for governor of Indiana in the future and perhaps the Senate. Indiana was, of course, once considered a swing state, as Barack Obama carried the state in 2008 and Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly served as the senior senator from the state until this past election cycle.

Ex-NFL player charged with murder

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Cierre Woods, a California native that was once a member of the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Houston Texans, appeared in court on Thursday in Las Vegas. He is facing first-degree murder charges after a five-year-old girl, whom he was accused of abusing, died.

Authorities said the 28-year-old was initially arrested on Wednesday at Summerlin Hospital on suspicion of first-degree child abuse. But then on Thursday, the first degree murder charges were added because La’Rayah Davis, the little girl, had died.

The girl’s mother, Amy Taylor, is Wood’s girlfriend and was also arrested and charged with firs-degree child abuse. However, it is not confirmed whether the 25-year-old will be charged with first degree murder as well.

According to the Associated Press, Las Vegas Metro police reported that La’Rayah had bruises on her abdomen, legs and torso. Prosecutors added in court that, while the cause of death is yet to be determined, an autopsy had revealed the existence of a large liver laceration.

La’Rayah’s father, Danaun Davis, traveled from California to be in the courtroom Thursday.

“She had so many people she touched, and she was only 5,” he said. “[The] most tragic thing is [that] I can’t call her. I just spoke to her on that Monday before. ‘Dad, I’ll see you in two weeks.’ The next day, I get a call that she’s gone.”

Woods was a former student-athlete at the University of Notre Dame and ran for almost 2,500 yards there and 16 touchdowns. He also appeared for three games in the NFL in 2013 and two games in 2015 for just five carries. According to Yahoo Sports, he most recently played in the Canadian Sports League, but is now currently a free agent.

All the reports I read on Woods were detailed with facts of the event and his former career. Likewise, most reports included a timeline of how the events transpired in the past week. It’s unfortunate that the La’Rayah passed and so I hope she gets justice.

Weatherman swears on live TV

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BY: Gianna Sanchez

When watching the “Today Show,” most people expect a fun, bubbly morning show to help them wake up and have a good start to their day. While this is usually how the show may be, things took a turn for the worst Thursday morning.

Al Roker was tossing from the show to a weather forecast for the weekend. The meteorologist, Chris Cimino, must not have realized that he was live. When the camera cut to Cimino, he was featured saying “It’s just a weird f–ing thing, it’s just strange. Um, but I think if I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have allowed myself.”

That’s all the audience got to hear until the mic was cut off. After, the 20-second silence, the show pictured a 10-day forecast on the screen with Roker going back on the screen. While some people, like Twitter user JDocMartin, found the mistake amusing by saying “Did I imagine it or did Chris Cimino accidentally drop the F bomb? #YourMicisHot,” others like Renny Hurst believe this “is not acceptable when my 6 year old is setting next to me watching the news.” An NBC spokesman issued an apology to all their viewers later that day.

How did this happen in the first place? Was it the fault of a producer for not telling Cimino he was about to be live, an audio board operator who lazily left on the mic for too long or was it Cimino himself? Regardless of whose fault it is, this type of behavior is unacceptable, especially for a show that is marketed to be for a family-type atmosphere.

NBC and Cimino definitely learned their lesson and it will probably come at a hefty price from the Federal Communications Commission. Cimino might be joining George Carlin for his colorful language on the popular morning show.

Dwyane Wade’s last game memorable

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

Miami Heat star and shooting guard Dwyane Wade finishes his NBA career with a triple double against the Brooklyn Nets with good friends and NBA stars Chris Paul, Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony watching court-side. Wade capped off the night with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

It was a story-book ending to the “One Last Dance” tour for Wade: He secured his triple double after long-time teammate and close friend Udonis Haslem knocked down the shot off of Wade’s assist.

“For me, I wanted to make that night memorable for him,” Haslem said. “What other way than to be the guy that knocked down that last shot to give him the triple-double. I shot the ball, it felt like a game winner. I felt the pressure, I felt the pressure of a game-winning shot.”

Watching the game on TV, it seemed like a home game. As Wade dribbled the ball as time went out, the Barclays Center erupted into cheers. Fans were decked out in Wade gear. It did not matter who won this game. It was about honoring an NBA legend.

Wade finishes a 16-year career as a three-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star. The American Airlines Arena will definitely not feel the same next season with Wade on the bench. Not only was he an incredible player, but also, a great leader that touched many lives that was best captured in the recent Budweiser commercial.

Miami-Dade County will always be Wade-County. Wade’s legacy will forever be remembered as he helped transform the Miami Heat franchise and the city of Miami.

Was Washington a real estate mogul?

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By LIAM FABRE

One year ago this month, President Trump and the First Lady, accompanied by French President Emanuel Macron and his wife, visited the renowned Mount Vernon estate. Mount Vernon, located 13 miles south of Washington, D.C., was the historic home of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

So why are we talking about a story that took place a full year ago? The answer is a Politico article that was published yesterday about the visit.

According to Politico, the visit was, “truly bizarre.” The tour guide assigned to the Presidents was none other than Doug Bradburn, president and CEO of the Mount Vernon estate. Bradburn told reporters that President Trump knew little about American history and struggled to keep him interested in the tour.

Bradburn piqued President Trump’s interest when he told him that Washington was an 18th-century real-estate titan.

“That is what Trump was really the most excited about,” said an inside source.This led the president to ask Bradburn if Washington was “really rich.” He was pleased to hear that Washington was in fact, really rich. Sources also stated that the president didn’t understand why Washington had not put his name on the building.

“If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it,” Trump said, “You’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you.”

Bradburn pointed out that after all, Washington was successful in getting the nation’s capitol as a well as the Washington Monument, named after him. “Good point,” replied the president.

Though this story should not surprise anyone, it is nevertheless, disappointing. The president represents the United States and it is quite embarrassing to know that Macron was a witness to all of this behavior. It makes the president look foolish, but more importantly, it makes the United States look foolish.

Snarky article slams black hole image

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By RYAN GRILLE

Yesterday saw one of the greatest scientific achievements of the decade: the first direct photograph of a black hole. Specifically, the photograph showed the supermassive black hole located in the center of Messier 87, a galaxy 53 million light years away from Earth. Previously, any representation of black holes were artists renderings. This photograph, taken by a network of connected telescopes entitled the Event Horizon Telescope, represents a major breakthrough in the history of astronomy.

However, not everyone was impressed by this new photograph. One journalist in particular, Heather Schwedel of Slate, wrote an article entitled “We Need to Admit That the Black Hole Photo Isn’t Very Good.”

In the face of an extremely important moment for cosmological studies, Schwedel complained that the photograph is “too blurry” and “just not that aesthetically pleasing,” Apparently, she is unaware of the amount of painstaking work that went into trying to capture the photograph in the first place. An excellent video by Vox explains all the variables that went into this groundbreaking project. It shouldn’t come as a purpose that the result isn’t perfect since it is the first of its kind.

These kinds of snarky and cynical articles anger me because they undermine genuine human achievement. Its possible this article was intended to be deliberately infuriating as a way to increase clicks. Clickbait journalism is not just annoying for not providing genuine news, but for undermining it. The black hole photograph should be considered an accomplishment. Maybe more reporters like her should be able to show more respect.

Man arrested for three church fires

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By CAMILA MUNERA

CNN posted an article Thursday evening entitled, “Suspect in Louisiana black church fires is the son of sheriff’s deputy, officials say.”

The article summarizes the story of Holden Matthews, a 21-year-old that recently just burned down three historically black churches in Louisiana including St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, which burned on March 26. This was followed by Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2 and, two days later, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the same town.

The article notes that Matthews may have been influenced by black metal music and its associated history with church burnings, mentions the state fire marshal this past Thursday.

Matthews is currently being charged with three counts of simple arson on a religious building. Each charge carries a penalty for over 15 years. The most ironic part of this devastating matter is that Matthews has no previous history of violence or prior arrests, officials noted. 

Matthew’s investigation is still ongoing and federal officials are looking to see whether or not the fires were meant to represent a hate crime. 

To add more irony, Matthews is the son of a local sheriff’s deputy. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz who is reportedly very good friends with Matthew’s father broke the harsh news to him. Guidroz  mentions how the father was shocked and hurt as any father would be.

This breaking news is a reflection of the racist behaviors that continue to happen around the world. It is a sad reality but it needs to be dealt with as it is completely unfair to the African Americans who consider their church to be a safe place.  

Archeologists find related species

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By KARLI FEINSTEIN

Archeologists have discovered the bones of a distantly related species called Homo luzonensis in the Callao Cave on Luzon Island in the Philippines. The fossils of the species belonged to two adults and one child.

According to researchers, the extinct human species lived on what is now the island of Luzon around 50,000 to 67,000 years ago. This time period concludes that the Homo luzonensis lived throughout the same time as the Denisovans, Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and the small-bodied Homo floresiensis.

What makes the Homo luzonensis different from other species is their distinct premolar teeth. The teeth are said to be unlike any other species belonging to the Homo genus.

Seven premolars and molars were found to be minor and more simplified than those of other Homo species. Even though some of the attributes can be compared to Homo erectus and Homo sapiens, both the teeth and jaw characteristics abide distinct as far as the peculiar features they synthesize.

“These adult teeth are smaller than any hominin known,” said Debbie Argue, a paleoanthropologist at Australian National University.

Researchers haven’t found enough bones to estimate how tall the Homo luzonensis would have been. Besides the lack of knowing how tall they would stand, the Homo luzonensis display their own mix of different traits and characteristics. For example, one toe bone looks practically identical to early hominions living in Africa more than three million years ago. 

The discovery of these distinct species is growing speculation of the story of human evolution.                         

“The more fossils that people pull out of the ground, the more we realize that the variation that was present in the past far exceeds what we see in us today,” said Matthew Tocheri, a paleoanthropologist at Lakehead University in Canada.

Hearing about discoveries like this really make a person think about how humans ended up on earth. With the help of scientists and researchers, information about our world and the species who used to walk among it provide vital insight in the ongoing discovery of evolution.

Life after death on Facebook

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By LESLIE ANNE DOMINIQUE

Have you ever wondered what happens to an individual’s social media account after they pass away? Well, Facebook has generated a new system to handle the deaths of social media users.

On Tuesday, the social media giant announced that legacy contacts would be given majority of control over a validated deceased account on Facebook. There is also a new “Tributes” section on the network that will allow loved ones to honor the deceased person. Legacies will be permitted to manage this “Tributes” page as well. In continuance, Facebook has made changes to assure that profiles of dead people will not show up in unexpected places on the website.

This new system is in response to Facebook’s 2015 project to allow people to assign a legacy contact to manage their social media account in the event that they passed away. However, many legacies and loved ones made complaints about finding the deceased accounts in invite recommendations or even birthday reminders.

For the past few years Facebook has been struggling to devise a solution to the problem of deceased user accounts but now they believe they have found a solution. With the new system deceased accounts must be memorialized.

Essentially Facebook must confirm that the account at hand belongs to a dead person. Accounts can only be memorialized by friends and family of the said user. In continuation, only users 18 and up can assign legacy contacts, but parents with young children are now permitted to apply for legacy contacts to control their children’s account.

Memorized accounts can be controlled by legacies in the sense that profile photos and posts can be edited however, private messages cannot be read and no past posts may be deleted. Rather than old and new posts being merged together, there are separated sections between deceased and alive, serving as a digital memorial.

While Facebook has offered a number of solutions to this perplexing issue, there are still a number of questions being asked. Many are concerned at the fact that users are only permitted one legacy. The questions is: What happens if the user and the legacy die either in the same incident or in two different scenarios, who will manage the account? Facebook administrators have recognized this issue but have yet to find a solution.

As social media networks continue to rule the internet, the issue of deceased accounts and what happens to digital footprints is still a question at hand. Facebook promotes the idea of users using the network to share influential milestones, including the death of loved ones. According to Facebook, 30 million users view memorialized profiles per month. The social network is doing all this in an effort to continue life after death and let people’s legacies live on, connecting people dead or alive.

This story has been reported by a number of sites such as, NBC and WIRED. Both articles provided relevant information about the subject. This is a very relevant story as many social media users are concerned of digital footprints after death.

‘Endgame’ tickets selling rapidly

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By LESLIE ANNE DOMINIQUE

The blockbuster motion picture event of the year is arriving on April 26, with the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” However, if you want to get tickets, get in line.

Earlier this week “Endgame” tickets officially went on pre-sale. Due to popular demand of the coveted tickets, movie websites such as Cinemark and AMC crashed instantaneously

According to Fandango, in a matter of six hours, Marvel’s most recent project broke the record for highest pre-sale tickets purchased in 24 hours, a record that was held briefly by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” But it doesn’t just stop there, Marvel fanatics are offering to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars to get their hands on “Endgame” tickets.

Tickets for the movie have been appearing all over the internet on websites such as eBay. There are nearly 400 listings currently on eBay ranging from $100 to $15,000. In fact a pair of tickets was sold for $15,000 in New Jersey.

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Chris Hemsworth and Chadwick Boseman, “Avengers: Endgame” is set to break box office records. Latest projections estimate that “Endgame” will bring in at least $250 million in revenue its opening weekend. If “Endgame” meets these expectations, it will beat “Infinity War” sales as well as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” making “Endgame” the biggest domestic opening weekend in history.

“Endgame” targeted anticipation from audiences for an entire year. After the intense cliffhanger at the end of “Infinity War” and the introduction of a new superhero in “Captain Marvel,” fans will definitely be showing support for the movie event. Truth will be told when the Avengers unite to save the Marvel Universe on April 26.

This story has been released by multiple entertainment news sources such Wired and ForTheWin. Each website is reporting with the numbers to provide evidence of how influential this movie will be. “Endgame” is predicted to be the biggest movie money maker this year so, it makes sense for this story to be reported.

UNC coach accused of racist comments

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By LAUREN YELNER

A recent report in The Washington Post uncovered that Sylvia Hatchell, University of North Carolina’s women’s basketball, has made racist remarks directed at her players.

This discovery comes after the coaching staff for the team was placed on paid administrative leave after players raised concerns about how they were being treated. The university is conducting an investigation to further prove or deny these claims.

It is alleged from players and staff that Hatchell told players they would be “hanged from trees with nooses” if she did not see improvement in their skill. This also comes with allegations that Hatchell made her players continue playing despite having serious injuries that required medical attention.

These comments have opened up talks questioning Hatchell’s character and her views on race. Various stories have reported her use of the words “noose” and “hanged,” which have a clear racist connotation.

Reporting on this story has come in waves, but it is clear that there would be more coverage if this was the men’s basketball. Women’s sports often get underrepresented, and in times of a controversy, it is easier to brush things under the rug.

Further reports say that Hatchell also tried to get her team to engage in a “war chant” that was supposed to honor Native American assistant coach, but clearly just made her uncomfortable.

North Carolina’s women’s basketball team went 18-15 overall this season. It is difficult for many to see that this scandal is the reason they are getting attention, rather than for their talent and the games that they play. Many hope that this will open people’s eyes to women’s athletics and what they have to deal with playing at their high level.

Avicii’s final album coming soon

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Avicii’s family and friends are making sure fans get to hear what Avicii was working on prior to his unexpected death.

Tim Bergling, a.k.a Avicii, was a Grammy-nominated, genre-defining dance-pop songwriter and producer. He performed around the world at sold-out venues. Some of his most famous hits were “Levels” and “Wake Me Up”. However, Bergling died on April 20, 2018, near Muscat, Oman, when he was 28.

In a statement by his family and close collaborators on Friday, Avicii was close to completing his new album before he died nearly a year ago.

“He left behind a collection of nearly finished songs, along with notes, email conversations and text messages about the music,” read the statement. “The songwriters that Tim was collaborating with on this album have continued the process to get as close to his vision as possible.”

His new single “SOS” will be released on April 10 and will be the first off of the album, titled “TIM,” which will be released on June 6. It is expected to have 16 tracks on it.

Avicii’s team also added that “Since Tim’s passing, the family decided not to keep the music locked away — instead they wanted to share it with his fans all around the world.”

The statement also included a heartwarming video featuring Avicii in the studio with tributes from his family.

Proceeds from the upcoming album will benefit the Tim Bergling Foundation, which raises money to support people and organizations in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention.

I reckon that his untimely death sparked more conversations about mental health and I appreciate that most of the reports mention this. Likewise, I find it equally as important that the outlets mention that the proceeds will benefit the foundation that his family started a month ago.

Rapper Nispey Hussle killed

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

Nipsey Hussle was an American rapper and song writer from Los Angeles who was killed on April 3, creating an uproar in the black community.

His caused of death was as a result of obtaining gunshot wounds to the head and torso. According to Stacia Brown who wrote an article to The Washington Post, the conspiracy theory of Hussle being killed due to his connection with Dr. Sebi and HIV, proved to be false.

Many people believed that the documentary Hussle was working on with the herbal doctor, would prove that he was killed by government officials, for having the cure for HIV aids. A claim that would have dismantled the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical empire that ran the country.   

She explained in her article that this type of response from the black community was a form of grief where many were bewildered by his death as they searched for a deeper explanation. Hussle quickly moved from a hero status to a martyr. The murder suspect Eric Holder, Hussle’s best friend, was arrested and charged for his friend’s death and attempted murder for bystanders who got injured. However, Holder pleaded not guilty on Thursday to these charges with a $5 million bail.

Pilots not to blame for 737 Max 8 crash

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By OLIVER JIA

According to CNN, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed a few months ago. The plane is a Boeing 737 Max 8. This incident killed all of the passengers and crew, 157 people were dead.

The Ethiopian aviation authorities reported this week that the pilots of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 did everything they were trained to do, but they still could not prevent this incident. Boeing 737 Max was not safe anymore.

The biggest problem is the automated anti-stall software called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). This system can keep the 737 Max’s nose from pointing up at too much of an angle, called “angle of attack.” High angle of attack (AOA) could cause a plane to stall and crash. Right now, only Boeing 737 Max has this MCAS system.

Boeing said it is currently developing a new version of MCAS and executives hope the Max can return to service soon. The improved MCAS system will be provided by data from two AOA sensors on the jet’s exterior rather than one. The improvement also includes a cockpit indicator to alert the pilot when something wrong with the sensors.

All in all, Boeing faces the most pressure to make sure the 737 Max is safe.

Victim’s family speaks to Uber, Lyft

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By PAIGE FLANNERY

Last Friday, University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson was found dead in a field 14 hours after she got into a black Chevy Impala that she thought was her Uber.

Over the past week since her passing, there have been many services held in both Columbia, S.C,, where she attended school, as well as in her hometown in Princeton, N.J.

The story of Samantha’s death has gone viral, and people everywhere have been speaking out about the topic. Samantha’s family has called on companies such as Uber and Lyft to take action to make their rides safer and for the companies to hold themselves accountable. A petition was made for these companies to implement QR codes to verify both the driver and passenger’s identity before getting in the vehicle.

On the other end of the spectrum, the hashtag #WhatsMyName has been trending, which is being used to spread awareness about ride-share safety by urging any Uber or Lyft customers to ask the driver who the car is for before getting in the vehicle.

Although everyone would benefit from companies like Uber and Lyft taking action to make their rides safer, it is really the customer’s responsibility to keep themselves safe. In Samantha’s case, she didn’t realize that the car she got into wasn’t her uber until it was too late. However, she and other ride-sharing customers should always confirm the driver’s identity as well as their license plate before entering the vehicle.

Even if Uber had already put the QR code initiative in motion, there is still the possibility that customers don’t use it and still get into the wrong car. In this case, it is on the customer rather than the company.

As tragic as Samantha’s death is, if she had looked at the license plate before getting in the vehicle, she would still be alive today and Uber could not have done anything to prevent that.

Teen found may be boy missing 8 years

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By CAMILA MUNERA

CNN posted an article titled, “Teen found wandering in Kentucky says he escaped kidnappers after 7 years,” written by Faith Karimi and Holly Yan.

The article summarizes the story of Timmothy Pitzen. A 6-year-old that disappeared almost eight years ago after his mother committed suicide in a motel room. She left a note saying her son was with people who loved him. “You’ll never find him” she noted.

The article notes how the mother struggled with depression. Her marriage was failing and her biggest fear was to have her son taken from her due to her mental health issues. One can assume this is why she didn’t let the boy stay with the father, maybe in a way she was jealous. 

Now years later Timmothy has possibly appeared again. The article explains how police in Illinois are currently waiting for DNA test results to see if this teenager really is Timmothy Pitzen.

I find it really important for the news to share a story like this one because sometimes people don’t tend to take mental health seriously. These are some of the consequences when you don’t. Some people don’t understand that having a mental health disorder that is not treated will begin to consume and change you, the worst part is that you won’t even notice. 

I want to believe this teen is Timmothy and I hope to hear the rest of the story. His family never stopped looking for him for years.

Church changes rules for baptisms

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By RYAN GRILLE

CNN recently issued a report about the Mormon Church opening up baptism to children of same-sex couples. This marks a change from the church’s previously anti-gay policy regarding baptism from 2015. The article, written by Daniel Burke, is an excellent example of how to report on hot button topics.

First of all, the report involves a religious organization, namely the Mormon Church. Religion is a very controversial topic for many in the United States and it can be difficult to write about it without imposing personal beliefs. This article does a great job of writing about the issue without making a position statement. For example, it writes about the church’s policies and how others felt about it without the author making his own opinion about the matter known to the readers.

Secondly, it is a well-written article from a journalistic perspective. The author names his sources for his information and features quotes from various individuals. In addition, the author also includes several points to help readers who are otherwise uninformed to have a clearer idea what is happening and why.

For example, he clarifies the official name of the church, as well as establishing the background information regarding the change in policy. Specifically, he details the church’s previous 2015 policy and why the church decided to change its mind.

Overall, CNN has earned its reputation and one of the most reputable news sources in terms of the quality of its reporting. Anyone who is studying journalism should take time to read and study their article, and this report is a good example of why.

Fakebook takes another misstep

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By GIANNA SANCHEZ

Instead of commercials and print advertisements, Facebook has found a new way to advertise for their company.

Facebook has allegedly paid The Daily Telegraph, a U.K. broadsheet, to write articles that defend Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The articles have been put under a collection called “Being human in the information age.” 26 stories have already been published in the last month under this umbrella.

Facebook has made this move because of the negative press it has been receiving in the last few months. By using articles to publish this positive information, it can manipulate the public. This is not a true article, but rather an advertisement through journalism. But this is not the same kind of advertising most companies are using.

This is the exact opposite sort of advertising Facebook should be doing right now. They are constantly under fire for the spread of “fake news” articles being posted on the platform. This is a form of fake news. It’s different if these types of articles were deemed commentaries or op-eds. If they are regularly posted in the newspaper, then this is misleading for the public. Many would consider Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg to be untrustworthy, why would I trust them after they pay for positive articles to be written about them?

The company spokesperson said this would help with marketing, but I think once more people find out about this, it will look like bad news for the company once again. Facebook should be working more on their security and fact checking rather than their marketing for a better Facebook.

Loughlin, Huffman appear in court

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman made brief appearances in federal court on Wednesday in Boston, both facing mail fraud charges for their participation in the recent college admissions scandal.

Both allegedly paid a college prep company to cheat on standardized tests or bribe college coaches to get into top colleges. They are among dozens of wealthy parents accused of participating in the scheme.

In court, Huffman and Loughlin both waived their rights for a preliminary hearing and were free to leave. Prosecutors are seeking prison for the defendants and these charges carry a maximum of 20 years. While others entered plea deals, Loughlin and Huffman have not.

Loughlin’s fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, was in court with her as he is also charged in the scheme; however, Huffman’s husband, “Shameless” star William H. Macy, has yet to be charged.

In the immediate aftermath of the case, the Hallmark Channel dropped Loughlin and she will no longer have a reoccurring role on Netflix’s “Fuller House.” As for her daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella, they are still in enrolled at the University of Southern California despite their parents being accused of bribing the USC rowing coach to get their daughters onto the team even though they never participated in crew. However, USC officials said they are reviewing their enrollment.

The next court date has not been set, but prosecutors are going to make sure the defendants pay the price for what they did. Hopefully, the government can learn from this scandal and improve the college admissions process to ensure equality for all students. The amount of money one has should not be a factor in the college admissions process rather it should be focused on the students’ abilities.