Category: general news

Stuff having to do with the news in general.

Trump’s First 100 Days

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During the election, one of President Trump’s big promises to his voters was his “100 Day Plan”. He vowed to do quite a few significant things during his first 100 days, and even released an outline of what those things would be. This Saturday, the 29th, will mark the end of Trump’s first 100 days, and though he stated that his presidency has accomplished more in the first few months of office than any other, that’s probably (definitely) not the case.

These are a few actions Trump promised he would accomplish by Saturday:

  1. Propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress
  2. Instate a 5-year ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service
  3. Cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure
  4. Suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.

Now, did he fulfill these promises? Promises 1 & 2 go hand-in-hand with his “draining the swamp” initiative. However, his cabinet is full of billionaires and business moguls that have no experience in terms of politics, and are at risk of making political decisions based on how they’ll affect their businesses. That seems pretty “swampy” to me.

For promise #3, THE ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A REAL THING, DONALD. Though Trump believes climate change is a falsehood made up by the Chinese, it is actually a reality, and a dangerous one. Also, he said he was going to fix America’s water infrastructure but I’m pretty sure the people of Flint, Michigan are still drinking contaminated water, soooo.

And for the 4th promise, yes, Trump did ban many people from certain primarily Muslim countries from entering the U.S., for, about, a day. Then, everyone realized it is was incredibly stupid and awful and goes against literally everything America is supposed to stand for, and blocked the ban.

So, no, Donald, you really didn’t accomplish very much.

Photo Credit: The Washington Post

So, good job, Trump! Though I hope they won’t be, your second hundred days will probably be as shi**y and backwards as your first!

Why Can’t Boys Have Long Hair?

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Photo Credit: Pinterest

If you read almost any dress code guideline, whether for school or for the workplace, an everlasting rule is that males must have short, groomed hair.

But why?

Obviously there are many double standards, both in the dress code and the real world. But many of these double standards apply to females, policing how much skin they can show or how much makeup they can wear, making sure they don’t “distract” others. These must be addressed, and they often are, even if no changes come from it.

But, many don’t address the fact that males aren’t allowed (whether in society, school, or work) to express themselves, and this goes much farther than just hair. It is considered outside of the societal norm for men to have long hair, earrings, wear “girly” clothing, or express themselves emotionally. If they present themselves in an effeminate way, they are considered inferior or mocked – called “girly” as though that’s an insult, or told that only females can only act certain ways and wear certain things, and vice versa. The reality is, both men and women have emotions and feelings, both want to express themselves, and they should be able to express and present themselves in any way they want. This something that society as a whole has to address and accept.

The Power (Rangers) of Representation

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Over the weekend, my friend dragged me to a Ventura movie theater to watch the Power Rangers. Yes, Power Rangers. I remember walking into the movie theater wishing I could go get my nails done instead. I sat down and prepared myself to fall asleep.

Right when my eyes started to flutter, Billy Cranston, the soon-to-be blue ranger, admitted he had autism. Not in an embarrassed or comical way, just simply put. Jason Lee Scott, the red ranger, responded with sarcasm, which Billy said he didn’t understand.

While this scene may seem insignificant and random to most, it is just the kind of positive, informative representation that people with autism need. Billy’s autism isn’t made to be the punchline, the means of a joke. Billy is a valuable member of the team, just as strong as the others. He was even the first to morph, something the entire team struggled with.

billy Cranston
Photo Credit: comingsoon.net

This moment is joining the many moments in media embracing autism. Sesame Street is introducing its first character with autism, Julia. She’s afraid to shake Big Bird’s hand when she first meets him, prompting Big Bird to get upset. However, Elmo explains to Big Bird that it is harder for her to come in contact with others. By the end of the episode, she is playing tag with the group and is jumping with excitement.

These moments are so momentous because they’re bringing awareness to a larger audience. They’re informing the public through interesting storylines and complex character developments. They’re also bringing much-needed representation. Now, little girls and boys with autism will believe that they can be superheroes. Preschoolers will learn about their best friend’s disorder, and these successes will pave the way for new stories to be made.

World’s First Head Transplant Surgery

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Photo Credit: CBS

It has been announced that the world’s first head transplant surgery is scheduled for December of this year, a surgery that could be a turning point for modern medicine and people alike. The surgery is set to be preformed on Valery Spiridonov, who has Werdnig-Hoffmann disease which leaves him unable to stand or walk.

The surgery, that is estimated to be at least $10 million, will last for approximately 36 hours. The condensed plan of the surgery from A Person Who is Not Very Scientific is that the doctors, Sergio Canavero and Xiaoping Ren, will cool Spiridonov’s body to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and cut off the heads of Spiridonov and the donor at the exact same time. Then the doctors will somehow connect the spinal cord and nerves from Spiridonov’s head to the donor body.

Many transplants like this have been done with animals, but most have failed and many are skeptical of the upcoming risky procedure.

The Alarming Amount of Missing DC Girls

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Photo Credit: Twitter

Recently, an overwhelming amount of missing girls in the DC area have been reported, and these reports are circulating through social media. A staggering amount of these victims are girls of color, and many are quick to dismiss girls of color going missing as “runaways”.

Chanel Dickerson, the Washington Police Department’s commander, has started posting these reports on their Twitter page in hopes of bringing more attention to these cases. Since then, the reports have gone viral and hashtags like #bringbackourgirls and #missingdcgirls have appeared.

However, many believe that the amount of girls going missing are increasing, when, over the years, the numbers have actually decreased (though only by a small amount). The new social media attention to these cases have made it seem as though there’s an increase, as now everyone is aware of these numbers. But, the astonishing number of minors going missing in DC has been present for a few years, and now, finally,  the reports in social media are bringing awareness to the victims.

These reports have also spurred others to report missing people via social media and post the dangers and things to watch out for, such as vague signs luring minors with the promises of travel or a job, and the new case of sex traffickers tying plastic bags onto cars windshield wipers in order to abduct the distracted victim while they untie the bag from their car. The use of social media for these horrific events is finally bringing these cases the public awareness they deserve.

#BringDCGirlsBack

mariethearistocatLeave a comment

While scrolling through Instagram, I came across a startling post. In the past 24 hours, 14 young black girls have been kidnapped in Washington DC. Even more astonishingly, it has taken an outcry on social media, not pure human concern, for media outlets to even report on this horrific incident.

When new Metropolitan Police Chief, Chanel Dickerson, was appointed two months ago, he pledged to find all the missing girls in DC. This statement comes at a dire time in our nation’s capital. Since Wednesday, 22 kids have gone missing, adding on to the hefty 501 case so far this year. Needless to say, these missing reports are nothing new.

What is almost more concerning than the sheer number of cases is the public’s lack of knowledge. When I asked my friends if they had heard about these cases, none of them knew. Whether it be lack of speaking out by major news outlets or seeing a headline and forgetting it, they had no idea that 14 girls our age have been taken from their families, friends, and homes. Even though media involvement can be dangerous in some cases, news about these girls needs to come out so that the public can keep a watchful eye and even protect these girls.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are appealing to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director James Comey to open a federal investigation. They call for help because of the fear of a deeper, scarier underlying agenda and the obvious racial stigmas present.

missing DC girls
Photo Credit: bbc.com

“(W)hen children of color go missing, authorities often assume they are runaways rather than victims of abduction,” the lawmakers said. This statement has been backed up with looming facts and other reliable sources coming out to make statements as well.

DC City Councilmen Trayon White believes that there is an underlying theme of racial prejudice involved. “We had a 10-year-old girl missing the other day, but there was no amber alert,” White said. “We just feel like, you know, if this was a white person or from another neighborhood, there would be more alarm about it.”

Especially in cases involving minors, it’s critical to reach out to the public for help, as most child abduction victims are killed in the first 24 hours.  White’s concern holds a lot of standing, because although some of the 14 new cases are adults, these people have been put in a terribly unsafe position.

In fact, many DC residents believe these kidnappings to be part of a human trafficking scheme. One would believe that this fact alone is enough to spark national outcry, but we still find ourselves missing 14 girls, with limited headlines and a lack of information on how to help them, before we hear their names in eulogies.

Get Out Makes History

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Three weeks after it’s release, Get Out has had its share of victories. From staying in the top three top-grossing films in the United States box office to getting a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s only fair to call this movie a huge success. Along with these triumphs comes an exciting new moment in history: Jordan Peele, the famous co-creator of the comedy show Key and Peele, has become the first black director to gross $100 million with a debut film.

This feat is especially exciting when you take in a few factors. First, this movie had a modest budget of 4.5 million, which usually makes it difficult to become popular in such a competitive movie market. Second, this is Peele’s first movie, as he has only dipped into television. Not only did he direct the movie, but he also wrote the screenplay. Finally, this is the second huge success for the Blumhouse Production company – known for making low-budget horror movies – this year. It also produced Split, a psychological thriller that made $250 million with a measly $9 million budget.

Peele revealed his motivations for making this hit in an interview with Fresh Air‘s Terry Gross as much more than just a typical horror movie. He classifies this film as a “social thriller,” which is extremely accurate with its racially charged plot during such turbulent times in this country.

Hero
Photo Credit: nbcnews.com

“It was very important to me to just get the entire audience in touch in some way with the fears inherent [in] being black in this country,” Peele said.

Award shows, such as the Oscars, have been criticized for their lack of diversity for years. This news shows that people of color continue to transcend expectations, which calls for even more recognition. Even though Get Out couldn’t be considered for many awards shows, as it is a horror film, it still is loud evidence of black excellence. In the future, I hope more diversity will show through in Hollywood, as it has been proven many times that people of color can be just as successful as anyone else.

Ignorant People Infuriated at Nike’s Plus-Size Line

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Photo Credit: Well+Good

Recently, Nike launched a plus-size workout gear line, and many “haters” have come forward voicing (aka Tweeting) their outrage. One user Tweeted, “Way to go promoting an unhealthy life style. If people have to go to the extreme to buy over-size clothes maybe it’s time for a wake up call and change their eating habits for the sake of their health.”

How is releasing a workout line that includes all the different body shapes and sizes “promoting an unhealthy lifestyle”? It’s workout gear, not Twinkies. And, for the record, anyone can be healthy at any size, and the same goes for being unhealthy.

First, people were mad at the new Nike campaign featuring Bella Hadid, arguing she wasn’t muscular enough to be a Nike model, and now people have gone to the other extreme, shaming Nike for a plus-size line. When will these ignorant people realize that people of all shapes and sizes workout?

Tale as New as Time

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On Friday, audiences will once again revisit the “tale as old as time” when the Beauty and the Beast makes its live action debut. The movie, featuring the amazing acting abilities of Emma Watson and other Hollywood veterans, has already been featured in many famous news platforms. Why? In an interview done by Attitude, a British magazine, the director, Bill Condon, revealed that LeFou, Gaston’s trusty sidekick, will be gay.

While he didn’t specifically say what will happen, this statement was met with many different reactions. To some members of the gay community, this was a breath of fresh air. Finally, Disney, a huge media influencer, has validated the gay community with its first “exclusively gay” moment. The fact that a character in such a beloved classic is out, or at least exploring his sexuality, is the representation that many wished they had when they were younger.

However, some members of the gay community were upset by this update. Ryan Houlihan, a Teen Vogue writer, states his ailments in the following, “They made the gay character a villain, relegated him to being a sidekick, gave this explicitly queer role to a straight actor, and then muddled the issue by making him sexually ‘confused’ – just to hedge their bets.” It’s also terrible that Lefou’s entire “gayness” is him pining over his unattainable straight friend. What the LGBT+ community needs is a gay character who gets his feelings reciprocated and a meaningful plot progression.

No matter the opinions, the media has gone into a frenzy about this new additive to the plot, making it a hot topic for new interviews of the stars. Emma Watson, the actress of the remade feminist Belle, made it quite clear that LeFou’s gay moment isn’t extremely pronounced, on the other hand, she called it “subtle.” Apparently, it’s a mystery whether he is in love with Gaston, as it isn’t written in the script.

Bill Condon thinks the attention is “overblown,” as Josh Gad’s character is featured in a background dance scene with another man. Condon’s response to this attitude surprises me. Saying that this movie will feature the first “exclusively gay moment” in Disney’s history is a pretty big deal, so being shocked by the media outburst seems a little odd.

Nevertheless, I’m excited to see this moment for myself, as I want to experience this revolutionary moment on the big screen this Friday. Watch a preview of LeFou’s famous “Gaston” here:

 

Psychic Experience

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Photo Credit: KQED

Last weekend I saw a psychic, because for one, she was having a $15 special, (which has been in effect for about as long as I can remember) and also out of pure curiosity. So, my best friend Leila and I walked into the little yellow house with a psychic sign out front.

When we walked in, there was quite a bit of commotion. A little boy had a chihuahua on a leash, the chihuahua was jumping up our legs, and the psychic brought a shirt to a mysterious man in the bathroom.

The $15 special gave me two questions to ask the psychic, and the answers she gave me were startlingly accurate regarding what was happening in my life. On top of that, Leila and I gave her no background information whatsoever. She did not know our names, or anything about us. The answers she gave Leila were a bit suspicious in her opinion, but every answer the psychic gave us was detailed and full of confidence. I’m still not sure if there are legitimate psychics, but this experience was quite interesting.