Coffee: The Silent Killer

Coffee is many things to many different people. Coffee is how some people wake up in the morning. Coffee is a swear word to others. Personally, I don't like coffee. Drinking it, smelling it, looking at it ... it's just not my thing. For most, a steaming hot cup of coffee is like Heaven to them in the morning. It is for this reason that I write this blog post.

Coffee can kill you. It's an official fact now. Having a few cups of coffee a day is linked to chronic illness and organ failure, not to mention obesity. There is an element in a typical cup of coffee (Chlorogenic Acid) that was associated with health benefits but is now seen as something that builds up fat instead of getting rid of it. This Chlorogenic Acid stuff is now the leading cause of organ failure in coffee drinkers.

Now, this doesn't mean if you have one a day you're going to die. It doesn't even mean if you have seven a day you're going to die (although, that sounds about right). It means that coffee isn't as innocent as it once was. Coffee used to be that brown liquid stuff that you'd pour into a mug and sip slowly as you read the newspaper in the morning. Now it's a mysterious substance that you carry in a take-away cup, sculling it on the way to work or university, drinking another cup at work or university, stirring a third or fourth one at night to stay awake to do your work or assignments, and possibly having a few during the day with friends. It's now a social drink. One of the most common invites nowadays is having a cup of coffee with a friend. This is the real factor behind the dangers of coffee, not the content.


Coffee hasn't changed much. It may have different labels or have been brewed differently or in different places, but not much has changed. You may add milk or sugar, you may have it just with boiling water, but it is still coffee. Cappuccino, latte, and espresso are just other ways of having coffee. Foam, no foam, skim, half and half, grande, tall. They're all labels. Having three lattes in a day versus three espressos just changes the ratios. 1 coffee to 3 milk. 3 coffee to 1 milk. In any case, each is as dangerous as the last.

To those who believe they need coffee to survive, I have prepare a few options you could take to at least decrease your daily intake of coffee.

Option One: Discover why you believe you need coffee.
If you think you need coffee to wake up in the morning, get a good night's sleep and set multiple alarms with annoying ring tones. If you need to, put your alarm system on loud and put it across the room so that you have to get up to turn it off. This gets you up in the morning, and alert enough to get ready.

Option Two: Find alternatives to the perks of coffee.
Coffee makes you alert and awake. Apples do the same thing. As does tea. There are many options you can research that provides you ways to get the same alertness without the dangerous substance.

Option Three: Avoid going on coffee dates.
If you have been invited out to a coffee date, try and get something other than coffee. Get a soft drink. Get a cup of tea. Get a hot chocolate. These are less harmful and are still acceptable in social situations.

If you feel the need to have multiple cups of coffee a day, let someone who cares about you know. Maybe they could help. Having someone who you're accountable to often can help people when they need to quit something.

I tell you this because I care about you readers.
Even those I have never met.
Even you.
You. Sitting behind the computer screen, possibly even sipping at your coffee right now. How many is that today? Three? Four? Have you felt the need to stop drinking coffee? How about you try it for a day. Don't quit cold turkey. Just try it. Try one of the options. You never know. This could save your life.

You're welcome.

For more information about the Chlorogenic Acid and the effects it has, check out this link: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health-fitness/coffee-linked-to-deadly-fat/story-fneuzkvr-1226650453552

Stop Acting Like Garfield On A Monday

Raise your hand if you like Mondays. Good. Now take that hand and slap yourself in the face for lying. No one enjoys Mondays. It's the beginning of the work week, it signifies the end of the weekend ... this is us on a Monday:

Face the facts. If you don't like Mondays, you suffer from Mondayitis. If you actually like Mondays, you are one of the annoying people who we Mondayitis victims hate. We may not hate you on any other day; just think of it as the Mondayitis talking.

However, there is hope. For those who don't like Mondays, continue reading. If you do like Mondays ... well, continue reading anyway. I will walk you through some steps of how to overcome Mondayitis.

Step 1: Don't become a 'quit-stay'.
A 'quit-stay' is a person who only shows up to their job for the paycheck. They don't enjoy what they do, but they won't quit because it's a source of income. Being a 'quit-stay' can force a negative attitude to latch on, showing up every Monday. If every Monday you feel like you don't want to go to work because you don't enjoy it anymore, try and find something interesting about what you do. This could stop you from becoming a 'quit-stay', and could eventually cure your Mondayitis.


Step 2: Don't prolong the small things.
There's people out there who spend 20 minutes to put their shoes on, half an hour to find their keys, and take the long route to their work place - of course, after stopping for breakfast. This is bad. If you start off the day slowly, the day will go slowly. Get stuck into your day quickly and efficiently and you'll surprise yourself.  Your attitude will dramatically change and you'll feel a lot better towards Mondays.


Step 3: Find the root of the problem.
What is it you don't like about Mondays? Is it your workmates? Is it your job? Is it the fact you're waking up early or late? Do you have specific things you do on a Monday that you don't do any other day? Find what's causing your hatred towards Monday and sort out why you don't like doing it. If it's people, learn to appreciate them. If it's a specific thing you have to do, try to think of something funny while doing it. Therefore, the laughter will be associated with the job and it will be funny every time you do it.




Step 4: Try something fun.
If you schedule all your enjoyable things at the end of the week, the beginning of the week will look pretty dull. If you yearn for Friday to come quickly, you won't enjoy any of the days on the way. Mondayitis is a mental game. If you think, "I can't wait for Monday!" then Monday will seem more enjoyable.

Step 5: Eat a good breakfast.
Try to avoid sugary and high energy foods and drinks because that will give you a kick for a few hours. Living off sugary foods and drinks if not only unhealthy, it can also cause damage over time. Although it may feel like you're curing Mondayitis with a can of V, but it's only temporary relief. Have some food with protein and vitamins in it.

Hopefully this has helped my fellow sufferers of Mondayitis!

War Correspondents. Thank You.

War. In all honesty, the first thing I thought of when reading that word is the song. What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING! However, for those who have covered stories in war-covered nations that one word could mean so much more. It could mean tragedy. It could mean Post-Traumatic Stress. It could mean physical, mental and emotional pain. This is the reality for those who have seen what no one should. 

Previously I posted about investigative journalism. This subject extends into covering war, tragedy, and disaster. Those journalists who have either willingly volunteered or have been offered jobs covering such things often aren't prepared for what they see or hear. Statistically, more than half of the journalists who have covered war or disaster stories suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (which shall henceforth be referred to as PTSD). This disorder renders some victims sleepless, helpless, and sometimes injured. If basically is a disorder that makes you relive what you saw or heard. This can happen when one shuts their eyes or finds themselves in a similar situation to the experience. PTSD can be seriously ... well, traumatic for those who are unprepared. 

Journalists who find themselves in the midst of war or disaster are very brave people. I personally would not be able to report on anything traumatic, let alone continue on in that career. Journalists like Daniel Pearl and Michael Kelly were people who gave everything for their job and their passion. They lost their lives in the pursuit of a story that would affect the people they loved at home. These people were so courageous and so passionate about what they did that they did not think about the consequences as they jumped into the fray, hoping to just get a glimpse of a news-worthy story. 

Daniel Pearl, died in 2002, was a passionate journalist who sought out the information he needed for a story in Pakistan. Once he gathered the information he needed he was quickly kidnapped and beheaded by Al-Qaeda. He risked it all just to get to the bottom of a story, and it cost him his life. This is the type of journalism that hold the greatest risks but produces the sweetest fruit. Daniel Pearl was on the way to interview a source of information but was abducted under the impression he was delving in too deep. Daniel Pearl just wanted to get to the bottom of it, but he was punished. He lived a full life and did not die in vain, as his death sparked a revolution in the American government to get the journalists out of that area before anything else could happen.

Michael Kelly, died in 2003, was a war reporter in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He had just finished his articles and journals before heading home with his fellow journalists. His car was shot down by soldiers. He was so dedicated to his job as a journalist that he traveled from America to Iraq just to get the scoop of the war. He gave his life for his career and his passion of writing. This is the dedication of investigative journalists. 

You see, my dear readers, investigative journalism is not for the faint-of-heart. It is not something to be taken lightly. I mentioned in another post that it is a gift to be able to write like an investigative journalist. To be a war and disaster journalist takes a whole lot more. Courage, tenaciousness, a passion for what they love to do, a stomach of steel, a strong heart to be able to witness what they do and still give their heart to those affected by tragedy ... these are just a few characteristics of war and disaster journalists. It is outstanding, the work they do. I would never be able to stomach writing about the terrors that I would witness in a war zone. 

For all those who have died giving us the real stories from the war zones, we thank you for your commitment. Without your sacrifice, we could not become the journalists we strive to be. 

More information about war and disaster journalists who have fallen in the field below:

http://jacksonville.com/slideshow/news/journalists-killed-or-seriously-wounded-war-zones#slide-2

Get To The Bottom Of It

Investigative journalism. Wow. Those who are brave enough to practice investigative journalism have my respect. Investigative journalism is, in essence, a form of journalism in which you give everything just to get the truth. It often covers a lot of scandals, cover-ups, and lies in the media, meaning investigative journalists get the real information from scandals, cover-ups, and lies in the media. The stories that are classified as 'investigative' are usually hard-hitting, passionate, and revealing. This form of journalism is an effective but difficult one to master.

An investigative journalist must be courageous, persistent, and truthful. It isn't enough to just want the facts; you have to dig deeper to get all the facts. You need to be able to fight until the very last bit of information is yours. Although it may be tiring or difficult at times, investigative journalism bears very rich fruit.

There are many reasons why investigative journalism is awesome and needed nowadays. Firstly, there are too many people in the public eye who try to hide information. The information they hide is information that the public wants to know, but the public doesn't know they want to know the information until they learn the information. You following me?
Secondly, people with the power to hide information often abuse this power. Even if there is nothing to cover up, the thrill of having the ability to be in the public eye as 'suspicious' is too tempting for many. Politicians, celebrities, and other groups in society have the tendency to try and stay popular for as long as possible; scandals are one of the most effective methods of this.
Lastly, it is a journalist's duty to report the information that the public needs. If there is some investigative journalism to write, it should be written, printed, and published for all to see. This is the responsibility - and the right - of a journalist to make sure that the information they produce is correct, logical, and is needed by the audience.

Although it is a spectacular form of journalism, investigative journalism comes with a price. Most investigative journalists aren't liked by the celebrities in the public eye. People don't really like others who reveal their secrets and call them on their bluffs for the whole world to see. This, however, just adds a level of challenge to getting the information. It is the equivalent of playing on 'Extreme' difficulty, only not in a game.

My dear readers, to be able to write investigative journalism is a gift. Not only must you be persistent and adopt a 'never say die' attitude, you must also be able to put that into practice with the writing half of it. You cannot have one without the other. I believe that I happen to have the latter: a way with words, if you will. However, I seem to have a hesitancy towards pushing a point further than intended. I over-analyse, don't get me wrong, but that is only half of investigative journalism. I can determine whether or not someone is hiding something, but getting it out of them is the trick. That's the gift. That's the heart of investigative journalism.

Again I must say that those in this field of writing are talented indeed, and at times I admit I envy their tenaciousness. However, I should be suited fine to a life of reporting basic information that the public wants to hear. The information that the public knows they want to hear. That life will be my life.

Investigative journalism. Some are born investigative journalists, some achieve investigative journalism, some have investigative journalists show up on their doorstep and demand information. That's just how life goes.

I raise a glass and tip my hat to all those investigative journalists out there, and I encourage you to do the same. If any of you readers know any investigative journalists, give them a high-five from me and congratulate them on their outstanding talent. Please.

If you wish to ... investigate this further (see what I did there?), below are some links to the information about investigative journalism. Enjoy!

http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_39.htm
http://theconversation.com/wikiworld-the-future-of-investigative-journalism-13284
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigative_journalism

The Journalist

Okay, so I have been doing Journalism since the beginning of this year and only now, a good five months in, have I realised that being a journalist actually means writing articles. I know that I had to write them (obviously). But I only just began to understand that I could write for a difference.

Originally, I chose to study Journalism because it would give me an opportunity to further my skills as a writer. I always used to write about life events and the like, but I always wrote them as stories for me to read later on and laugh/cry at. Now, thinking about some life stories, they could be used as articles for others to read. Others reading my stories. Except, they aren't stories. They're articles about real things that have happened or are happening. That may not seem like a big realisation to most people, but that's revolutionary for me. 

For example, I've been writing stories about my family for years. I might post one some day, but the point is that I write them. I've written many stories about my eldest brother because he's a musician. He has a passion for music, he writes, sings and plays multiple instruments. He has been in bands, performances for school (both as a subject and the annual variety concert they hold), he's organised gigs for himself and for others that he performs with ... he's a news-worthy guy. And yet, he's been sitting there under my nose for almost eighteen years. 

In class, we learn a lot about how to write effectively and how to reach the public with words. Journalism gives me the chance to actually put that into effect. I feel that being a journalist could give me the opportunity to make a difference in the world. I could write to influence. I could write to raise awareness. I could write for any reason I desire.

Journalism can change lives.

Bullying: A Physical or Mental Game?

At university, we were given the task of creating a story idea to give to a board of directors. It had to be a legitimate story and we had to treat it as if we were actually pitching the story to the company of our choice. I knew a few people who were terrified of public speech and they dreaded this assignment, but I love public speaking. I talk too much in person anyway, so I treated the assignment like I was getting marked for doing what I do every other day. 

Below, I will post my speech. Granted, I was a little bit sick the day I presented so I generally made up most of the information. The joys of having pretty much no immune system. 

"Good morning, board members of The Australian and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to listen to my story pitch.

Recently a thirteen-year-old took her own life in New South Wales in relation to the bullying she was receiving, raising the question of punishment for bullies in schools. Many articles accent the need for harsher punishments for these bullies, but I wish to publish an article from another angle. Bullies statistically are either a victim of bullying themselves, are jealous of the victim in some way or a socio/psychopath (which is a slim chance). In any case, the punishments set for bullies are not appropriate, seeing as most bullies see suspension/detention as a reward. No doubt, the bullies still need to be told that what they do is not acceptable in society. Children who bully others should not be receiving harsher punishments, but be approached from another angle and they should be put through counselling.

This article should be run through the online page of The Australian. This is because the target audience  (teachers and the like) are statistically more likely to read online versions of The Australian than print versions of any other news outlet). I chose to reach out to teachers because they are the ones who can actually make a change in the punishments of bullies. The teachers have the inside track, being the guardians of children while at school. The news values I find in this story are relevance due to the recent death, continuity, proximity, and it has the beginnings of ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ due to the harsh topics of violence and deaths.  The angle I wish to take is that bullies should be treated as victims because they are in some form or another. The approximate length of the article will be a minimum of 500 words.

The media that I chose to incorporate will be a link towards the end of the article to this video. In this video an infamous bully is actually shown to be a victim himself and only acted in anger that he had stored for so long. If teachers had addressed that before any of the bullying started, a lot of anger, injury and regret could have been avoided. Within the article, I would hope to have a quote or two from either/or a bully or parent of a bully, explaining their side of it, or possibly a professional point of view from a psychologist who deals with bullied kids.

I really believe that The Australian should publish this article because although bullying is finally being taken seriously, only the degree of punishment seems to be changing. If the public, mainly teachers, were to become aware of another way of approaching bullying, the cycle of bullying.

Thank you for bearing with me. Any questions?"

The video that I showed them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Noe8nvREE

I chose to report on bullying because I was greatly affected by bullying throughout primary school, and most of high school. In primary school, I was bullied by a lot of people but when I got to high school it wasn't that much of an issue. Growing up in a situation that bullying was considered to be normal, I developed a mentality that made bullying a necessity in any situation. When I got to high school and I found no form of bullying in my immediate area, I began to create it. Thankfully, I had friends around me who called me on what I was doing and corrected me, but not everyone is that blessed to have those sorts of people. 

Bullying is a serious problem, but it's mainly a mental game. 

The Ethics of Ethics

Ethics.  Tricky business isn't it? For a journalist, ethics are very important. We must know the line when reporting. Journalists are meant to be the voice of the people, but what if the people have stories that they'd prefer to be a secret? Where is that line between getting the story and stealing the story?

In class, we discussed a case study: if a candidate for Prime Minister was gay but did not wish to be seen as gay, should the story continue? It would be a great interest piece and would give some positive publicity to the gay community, but would it be worth it if the candidate eventually did not win because of his sexual preference? We may show integrity and not judge the candidate by his sexual preference but the rest of the voting world may not.

A second case study: a person who was sexually abused by a serial rapist decided to share his story with a journalist, but soon after wanted to cancel the story. When denied the opportunity, he threatened to take his own life due to the fear of being found by the abuser. Let's discuss the pros and cons of running the story.
Pros:
- other people who have been sexually abused can relate to the story
- other victims may get a boost of confidence and could also share their stories
- possibly could help the people trying to find the rapist
Cons:
- the guy would kill himself. We'd lose a life. A valuable life, even if he didn't think so.
Now just think about that. If you were in that situation, what would you do? Would you sacrifice one life in order to save thousands of possible victims, or would you put that victim in a situation that results in him taking his own life in fear of being found by the criminal again?

Finally, we looked at a third case study: a man on fire was filmed and not helped. Seriously? Why would you film a man on fire? Granted, the man was protesting. He was protesting against something important and threatened to set himself on fire in order to be heard. Two journalists, watching the ordeal, began filming his protests. They never thought he'd actually do it though. When the man lit a match below himself and caught on fire, he began screaming in pain and terror begging for help. The two journalists, hopefully in shock, could do nothing but film. Finally, one of the two dropped his camera and ran to put the man out. The real shocker I found in this case study was the fact that this was a public area and this man wasn't going to protest with no one around. There was bound to be people looking on to see what he was doing. Why did they all just stand there and watch? These journalists caught a lot of flack for filming the whole thing without doing anything, when all around them were onlookers who watched as well.

Where are the ethics in ethics? Many years ago, none of the case studies we look at would be considered to be unethical. For example, ten years ago if a school child fell over and scraped their knee, a teacher could give the child a hug and send him off to nurse. Nowadays, the teacher would get fired for some type of sexual assault or something stupid like that. The teacher's method of teaching (not to mention the school's methods of hiring people) would be under question because of that one incident.

Personally, I think ethics need to be reconsidered again.

Ignorance > Knowledge

I am shocked.  For so many years I've been brought up in a situation that I quite enjoy: ignorance.  The phrase "Ignorance is bliss" springs to mind.  I have grown up with blinders over my eyes, saving me from the disgrace of humanity and the degrading nature we have fallen into, but I have been awaken (quite rudely, I must add).  While reading an article on news.com, I must admit I shed a tear for the victims in this news story.

"Mother in UK forced 14-year-old to get pregnant."
A divorcee living with her three adopted children was denied the right to adopt another child, so she resorted to forcing her eldest child to fall pregnant with a sperm she bought online.  After seven miscarriages the daughter - seventeen at the time - finally gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, but her mother told her not to breastfeed him because "... we don't want any of that attachment thing."  The mother was taken into custody, charged for child cruelty for a five year sentence.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/mother-in-uk-forced-14-year-old-to-get-pregnant/story-fnet08ck-1226631901344

Now this story is very alarming to me.  This woman has three adopted children (from not being able to have them or personal choice, I am unaware) and was seeking out a fourth, but being an only parent I doubt they were allowed to give her another child.  This woman was so determined to have that fourth child (again, it is unknown why) that she must have told her fourteen-year-old daughter what she desired.  What really shook me was that the daughter said that she wasn't forced.  The teenager agreed to the bizarre plan because she thought that if she went through with the pregnancy her mother would love her more.  It can be seen that the mother obviously did not show her love for the children very well.

It is my perception and my perception alone that the woman in question adopted the children with the now-ex-husband.  Here's the story (COMPLETELY hypothetical of course):
A woman and man were married but unable to conceive children of their own.  They decided they would adopt because they had that urge to take care of children.  After taking care of one child, they decided to adopt a second child.  Then a third.  This is where the story gets complicated; they could not handle the stress of the three children (perhaps due to money reasons) and they grew apart, eventually divorcing.  Distraught by the lack of a husband and not wishing to seek out another man (possibly she'd reached a certain age where she could not handle another man), she desired to adopt one more child.  Perhaps this child could fill the hole that was left in her heart, seeing as the other three children she won custody over weren't working.  Their faces just reminded her of the good times she used to have with her husband, so her love corroded and twisted into regret and denial.  Denied the right to adopt once again, she lost her mind.  Nothing could fill the void, so she threw all caution (and sanity) to the wind.  She had developed a fool proof plan ... or so she thought.  She approached her daughter, fourteen at the time, and begged her to go along with the plan, not expecting to actually get a yes from her.  While browsing online she found a website that sold sperm for a reasonable price. It looked legitimate enough.  Attempt one ended badly with a miscarriage.  Attempts two and three didn't work either.  Four, five and six showed no light at the end of the tunnel.  Slowly her sanity, or what was left of it, withered away.  All the money she had wasted on the faulty sperm was starting to agitate her and she began targeting her second-eldest child, who had recently turned fifteen.  Perhaps it's not the sperm that's faulty, she began to think.  Perhaps my daughter has inherited the horrible curse of not being able to conceive.  She began consulting her next option (for she did not consider her children to be actual children, only means of income or breeding) but was stopped by the eldest child once again, now seventeen.  The daughter begged to be given one more chance.  This baby was the only hope of earning her mother's love once again.  Granted one final shot to impress, the daughter tried her very hardest to fall pregnant ... and succeeded!  However, the outcome was anything but desired.  The mother sought a girl, but a baby boy was given life that day.  Not only was the daughter not allowed to breastfeed the boy, she was also not given the love she thought she deserved.  Knowing that nothing good would come from what she had done, the daughter consulted the midwives and alerted them of the situation.

That was entirely my perception of the news article, but it still makes me ill to think about that family situation.  A broken marriage, adopted children, forced teenage pregnancies, a loveless home, a boy brought into a world where it all made sense to the family ...

It's stories like this that make me wish I could live in ignorance.

The Slippery Slope Of Humanity

Tragedy struck the beautiful town of Boston yesterday. Everyone woke up that morning thinking that they were either going to win the marathon that they had been training for or were going to watch they friend or family member win. One particular man believed he was going to turn his girlfriend into his fiance. Another young man of eight years was going to walk the marathon, raising money for charity. Little did they know that yesterday would be the most impacting life of their lives.

About half an hour after the first person crossed the finish line, a bomb exploded in the middle of the crowd. Panic struck the hearts of everyone who heard or saw the bomb go off. However, they only had 15 seconds to think about it before a second bomb exploded further into the crowd. Another two bombs were found, but they failed to explode. No one cared about the actual race. Everyone was too shocked about the fact that people were limbless, faceless and lifeless around them.

The death toll is up to three. There are so many people in hospitals with limbs needing treatment or amputation, faces with parts missing and for some people, brain damage. One person who died was a twenty-two-year-old woman, Crystal, who's boyfriend was running in the marathon. He was going to propose to her after the marathon. The second was an eight-year-old boy, Martin, who was walking for charity. His sister lost her leg in the explosion and his mother is in hospital with brain damage. The third deceased victim has been unnamed. This could be because they haven't contacted the family yet, or the person was too disfigured to identify.

Many more victims are left in hospital with unnatural injuries. No person has been found guilty, but there are a few suspects of the Boston bombings. There is only one question that everyone is asking ...

What is this world coming to?

Taylor, The Bookworm

In our most recent tutorial, we were asked to create an article about the person sitting beside us.  I was placed with a charming young lady by the name of Taylor.  This is half of the interview ...

Curled up in a dark, quiet corner, snuggled up with her most recent David Eddings book, Taylor seems at peace.  No one would ever expect that she would be heading off to football practice to mix it up with boys twice her size in just a few minutes.  To her close friends and family, she is a bookworm.  She is always seen clutching her copy of The Mallorean, mumbling to herself that the story wasn’t going to plan but was still enjoyable.  To her football mates, she is a rough-and-tough chick, not afraid to get her hands dirty.  Sure, once in a while her two worlds will collide.  She may be reclining on her bed wearing her football gear or smuggling her books into her gear bag, but she tries desperately to separate her two worlds from fear of ridicule.  When she is not at football practice or reading, she spends time and earns money at a small café by the name of Brumbies Go.  Even her workmates know that if she is in a bad mood it will be because her favourite character died or she lost a game. 

One fateful day, her coach shattered her world by announcing that she would have to change from football to netball.  Taylor, distraught by the news, demanded why he would make such a call.  Due to her female development, it was considered to be a health and safety risk for her to continue.  Taylor tried it out for a month or so, but netball could not match the excitement and passion that she felt with football.  Surrendering to the side of her that call loudly, she became the person she was meant to be: Taylor, the bookworm.  

The rest will remain a secret.  The tactic we were asked to use was to create a story almost.  Have a beginning, a middle and an end in that order, they told us.  Well, this is my attempt.

'The Norm'

Browsing through some news sites, I feel a deep saddening because I don't see anything warm or positive.  I see death, destruction and disease.  I will provide for you readers a few examples from FoxNews, ABC News and USA Today ...

"New York professor under fire over 'hypothetical' questions about rape"
This story explains that a professor at the University of Rochester thought that the rape of women who are unconscious should be considered to be legal.
http://www.foxnews.com/

"New York man says he was fired for having HIV"
This guy was fired from his workplace (a car dealership) because he told his employer he was HIV-positive.
http://abcnews.go.com/

"Teenage girl lied about gage rape"
A 17-year-old girl bravely approached the police and confess that she had been dragged into a car by five men and sexually abused, only for the police to say she was making it all up.  Legitimately.
http://www.abc.net.au/

"Officer and suspect dead at police headquarters in Mississippi"
A suspected criminal was being interviewed when suddenly everyone heard gunshots and the officer and suspect were dead.
http://www.usatoday.com/

These are all legitimate and a little bit scary.  In the world today, these stories are considered to be 'the norm'.  No one would bat an eyelid at them.  It was things like this that made me doubt my journalism career.

Being the person that I am comes with some pros and cons: I care a lot about a lot of topics and people. This is both a pro AND a con, because I won't be able to report on stories like rape, death or discrimination.  This provides a challenge in a way to find a source of journalism that I can further my career in.  Radio would be difficult because my speech isn't good when it comes to scripts or organised speechs (which eliminates the possibility of being an actress).  News papers have hard-hitting news that I wouldn't be able to handle.  Television is DEFINITELY out of the question, as I am camera shy.  This leaves ... magazines.

Most magazines like Woman's Day, TV Week or Famous would be excellent for me because they provide what most people would consider to be fluff pieces, but I would see it as an opportunity to meet famous people and tell the real stories behind their famousness.  That's where I see myself in five years.  Hopefully that will be my 'norm'.

Agendas

In journalism, there is such a thing as an 'agenda'.  Unlike the normal definition of an agenda, an journalism agenda basically means that a journalist would focus on a story or angle that is more likely to be sold or read.  If a story isn't relevant to something recent, most people aren't going to read it.  However, if a journalist wrote a story about something that happened the day before, more people are going to pay attention to the story.  This also works with content.  When the new Pope was elected, any story that didn't mention the Pope wouldn't have sold as well as ones that did.

With this in mind, consider today's news.  How many stories go unnoticed because of more relevant articles? What important issues have been pushed to the back, only to be overshadowed by a famous pregnancy or a television series drama?  Agenda setting is a real issue, even though most people don't realise.

In a poll, it is more likely that you are going to find people who would rather find out what's going on in Kate and Will's life than in the life of people starving in Africa.  It gives them a taste of knowing the 'issues' of the world.  They feel famous; wanted; important.  When learning about the less-fortunate, they feel sad and useless.  They can't do much to change most of the problems, so they feel helpless.  It's such a contrast.

Agendas tend to highlight the more important stories and shadow those not classified as sellers.  It's up to the journalist to define the sellers and separate them from the rest.

RIP Richard Griffiths

Today is a sad day. Not only is it a sad day because it's Good Friday (the day Jesus died on the cross) but because we have lost a great man. Mr Richard Griffiths, known to most young people as Uncle Vernon Dursley from the popular book and movie series Harry Potter. This is especially heart breaking for someone of my age because I have grown up with the Harry Potter series.

The first book was released when I was two, but I had been reading dictionaries and encyclopedias at the young age of five. My parents, annoyed at the fact I would insult my older siblings with large words that they didn't understand, decided on a whim to give me the Harry Potter series to read. I was addicted (and I proceeded to calling my siblings 'muggles'). Nervously I would wait at the front of the line of book stores, waiting for each new book as they were released. Suddenly, they were turned into blockbusters. Being the massive fan I was, I created an image of what the main characters looked like in my head as I read the books. However, when I went to see the very first movie in 2001 none of the male characters seemed to match. Harry wasn't lanky enough, Ron wasn't nearly dorky enough, Quirrel was too attractive (not in a OMG HE'S SO HOT way ... as in his skin was clear, he had a good smile and his eyes sparkled, which isn't something that you'd see from someone who was sharing his soul with the Dark Lord). Nothing seemed to be clicking in my head. The only person who really represented his character was Richard. It was as if the part was written for him specifically. Most people would look at Harry Potter and find hope. I would look at Vernon. It would reassure me that the producers were semi-competent. I mean, they did mess up some details like the fact that the Durleys moved to a hotel to avoid the Hogwarts letters, but they tried their hardest.

My obsession only got worse as the years went on. I grew into a young blooming fangirl, still madly crazed over Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the producers just seemed to go downhill. Rejecting the entire concept of Peeves, leaving big areas of Rita Skeeter's true identity out of the movies, and so many misquoted lines just infuriated me, but the one thing that remained was that they portrayed Vernon almost perfectly to the book. Sure, there were moments when I wanted to throw something or scream, but I held it in.

My point is, watching Richard play Vernon kept me sane (as sane as I could be) when everything got switched around. But just like the Harry Potter books and movies, they may have ended but the memories will continue for years to come. He is legitimately the reason why I know there are no posts on Sundays.

Most people wouldn't know, but both of his parents were deaf so he learnt sign language at a very young age. He dropped out of school, but eventually went back. He had a rough beginning, but he represents everyone who has come from a difficult parental situation. He was a Shakespearean actor (pretty deep for someone who gets excited over no posts on Sundays), starred next to famous people in movie after movie, but was always overshadowed by more successful actors like Adam Sandler, Daniel Radcliffe, Danny DeVito and Johnny Depp. He was even considered twice to be the Doctor in the famous British television series Doctor Who, but unfortunately was unavailable for such roles.

He lived a good life. Let's leave it at that. Richard Griffiths, you will always be like an uncle to me.

*raises wand in remembrance*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Griffiths

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/harry-potter-actor-richard-griffiths-dies-aged-65-after-complications-following-heart-surgery-8554281.html

JCU Library: Is It Just A Library, Or Heaven In Disguise?

For all those who thought that the library is just a place with a lot of books and an old lady walking around telling you to be quiet if your chair squeaks, you are sorely mistaken. In the James Cook University library, there is indeed an abundance of books for many different areas of study, and sure if you're speaking too loudly someone is bound to point it out. But that's not all the JCU library has to offer!

If you feel a little too lazy to actually go into the library, they have online sources (e-books) that can give you the information that you require. This is a general assumption, because most of them are just snippets of the full book. There are so many technical terms I could go over like LibGuides, phrasing and such, but if you weren't in that tutorial then it's your loss. The main point I'm stressing is that the library is a cool place online.

However, if you wish to actually experience the library in all its glory by walking through those hallowed electrical doors, you will not only get the rich ancient book smell from the floors and floors of books and a friendly smile from the staff behind the counter, but you will also get the privilege of finding a small quiet spot in which you can relax with a good book or study privately surrounded by all the resources you could ever need.
On the ground floor you can find an entire room dedicated solely to the use of computers, a cheery staff member ready to help proofread your assignments and even a couched area labelled "The Quiet Spot". Does that not sound like Heaven to you? No? Well, let's move on to the second floor.
Ah, the second floor. This is where it begins to feel like a library. Row upon row upon row of books just waiting to be read. Peaceful corners in which you can study with no distractions. Computers placed conveniently near the books when you need that little extra something in your referencing. As if that was enough, there's even a THIRD floor of the marvelous tower of knowledge.
Because the library holds so many books, they just had to contain them somewhere. That somewhere, if you haven't guessed yet, is the third floor. This is where the good stuff is. If you need to get away from someone, no one is going to bother walking that far just to annoy you. The quiet zones are larger, as not many people wish to study further up. The books, rich in their words and scent, surround you, almost giving you a comforting hug.

Now if yo say you don't like libraries, you obviously haven't set foot upon the ground that is the Eddie Mabo James Cook University library.

If not, go! Now! Right now! I'll be watching.

Well Played

So if you didn't know that Kevin Rudd was rumored to challenge Julia Gillard for prime minister-ship, you were living under a rock. At about 9am on Thursday morning, one of Kevin Rudd's assistants said that he was going to try and become prime minister again, pulling down Miss Gilliard in the process. This was splashed across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and so many other social media sites, proclaiming he didn't approve of Miss Gillard's tactics when it came to her representation of the Labour party. It was later recorded that Mr Rudd did not wish to challenge the current prime minister and that it was misunderstanding. He wished to "keep his word" in reference to running for prime minister, choosing to close the door on being the leader of the Labours. No hard feelings between Mr Rudd and Miss Gillard. However, Tony Abbot stood in the background smirking, watching himself earn more support from the masses.
If the Labour party wanted a running chance at keeping their prime minister on top, they pretty much sabotaged that. No one wants to have someone representing their voice if they can't even control their own party. Personally, Tony Abbot is starting to grow on me. Sure he's done some wrong, but he is able to have the FULL support of his team without extra payments salaries, physical or verbal abuse or begging them to stay. They're staying on his team because he represents what they want. What they need.
In the Liberal versus Labour fight, Liberal seems to be pulling some right hooks and really hitting the right areas. However, the big surprise in this battle is the friendly fire that the Labour party has been suffering. It's almost as if they're kicking themselves in the groin.
Is this self-sabotage, or is it a clever rouse to make sure they have the 'underdog' status?

MULTIMEDIA Journalism

During the tutorial that I attended on Thursday, I was taught a valuable lesson. Print journalism and multimedia journalism are very different. In the tutorial we were given the simple but meaningful task of converting a printed story from a newspaper into one that would be considered appropriate for a television news station or this new-age technology called the Internet. I found this a bit of a challenge because I had not known the difference between the two. Did I have to add a moving picture? Should it be under a different production company? I just didn't know.

Then it hit me. Reading a paper, all you generally want is the news. Just straight hard-hitting news. You might be searching for a catchy title or a bit of humour somewhere, but mainly you're looking for a news hit. However, if you're watching the television and the news comes on, you're looking for something that will keep you on that channel. Entertaining story details, captivating videos and pictures ... something that will peak your interest, and then keep it! If you're surfing the net and you stumble upon the Townsville Bulletin webpage, you want to embark upon a journey similar to that of a YouTube adventure. You want to be hooked on a headline, captured by the content and engaged by the entertainment value.

These methods seem similar in the fact they provide facts, but converting print to online media is actually a challenge. But once we found one option, the rest started to flow. You could add a section where the audience can interact and give their two cents like having a Facebook/Twitter feed. You could elongate the story with statistics and facts that relate to the story in question.

It was an awakening to me. I realised that the course that I am taking (Multimedia Journalism) is exactly that: multi-media. Over multiple medias. Online, television, radio AND print media. That's a lot of planning for separate medias.

I have a long three years ahead of me.

Pope Francis ... What's Your Opinion?

The one thing that I've seen plastered across multiple media sources (including print, social media, radio and television) is the new pope.  Pope Francis.  Now he is a strange choice for pope (apparently ... I have never really followed the news in Rome) because of many reasons.  Instead of taking the royal transport after he was selected as the new pope, he hopped on the public transport and rode it to his hotel.  He then proceeded to pay his bill and pack up his things.  What was odd about this was once he was chosen for pop he technically owned the hotel in which he was staying.  He didn't have to pay anything.  He also wanted the money paid for the royal transport be given to a charity.  It seems we have a charitable and down-to-earth pope on our hands.  I believe this could be considered as good, but hopefully he'll know the extent at which he can go.  Let us gaze into the possible future ...

Say Pope Francis finds a new charity in Rome that needs large funds.  He decides that the needs of many outweigh the needs of the few, so he gives most of the money from church (and a bit extra) to this charity.  What he doesn't know is this charity is actually just a scam and Francis has just unknowingly given all the money that he has to this fake charity.  Now he has the experience of giving money to the wrong people and is a bit more hesitant to give more money away.  This can cause even more problems with things like sketchy-looking-but-sincere charities being turned away.  (Keep in mind, this is purely hypothetical and probably unrealistic ... but not completely ruled out.)  With this considered, Pope Francis could charitable but without a leash he could be dangerous.

This is just one possibility however.  Pope Francis could be the best person in the world.  Say he gave the exact same amount of money from the above scenario to a legitimate charity.  This charity goes on to save thousands of lives from some unknown disease that has not yet been discovered perhaps.  Pope Francis is recognised as the founder of that cure for being the the financial stability for the company.  He is then offered a title or global recognition, but of course turns it down because he is noble and humble.  This makes him charitable, generous, helpful, kind, caring, noble, AND humble.  Suddenly, he was the best choice of all the pope-applicants.

The point is, I have not met Pope Francis (nor have I been anywhere near the Vatican), I cannot tell the future, and I haven't been paying attention to any of the popes over the years.  This gives me absolutely no opinion as to what kind of person Francis is, what kind of pope he is and will become, and I CERTAINLY have no right to slander him over social media.  However, this seemed to be a common thing for many young adults these days.  Most young people think that they know everything there is to know about everything in the world and that their opinion is the only opinion that can be voiced.  Although they have nothing to stand on (or possibly a little bit of fact that's been blown out of proportion) they still stick to their beliefs and opinions stubbornly.

My opinion of this?  Take a leaf out of Pope Francis's book.  He has been given great responsibility but is still human.  He can relate to the people when he is considered to be much more than a common man around Rome.  Now this is just my opinion and I'm not saying you should take it to heart ... but there's some people who should just consider it.  That's all.

This is what got me thinking about Pope Francis in the first place.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/9931413/Pope-Francis-20-things-you-didnt-know.html

What's Next?

So I was reading an interesting article this morning (well, it was less of an article and more of an information sheet) but it was all about the back story of some famous psychopaths. People like Leonard Fraser, Raymond Garland and Robert John Fardon who were proved to be legitimate psychopaths and put away.

But what really got me thinking was Leonard Fraser's background. He was sentenced to twenty years in prison in the 70s for being a serial rapist, but as soon as he got out he strolled through his new neighbourhood, automatically getting the attention of the policemen in the area. He poked his head through their car window and asked them what the women were like around there. That man had guts; to be able to walk up to the people who represented the very institution that had kept you caged and trapped for a full twenty years, only to pretty much let them know that you were up to your old tricks takes a courage that is considered to be unnatural. However, in Fraser's case it is not considered as courage. This 'bravery', coupled with his complete lack of respect for women, creates the beginning of a psychopath. His rapist stature increased to murderer in 2000 when he was found guilty of the murder of three women. The strangely curious thing was when they convicted him, he yawned and shrugged. Yawned. And shrugged. He had spent most of his adolescent years in prison due to the fact he raped women habitually, then got let out and murdered another three women and sentenced to the rest of his life in that same prison, only to treat it as another day.

Most people would see Fraser as a loony. A freak. A murderer. A madman. However, I see his actions as that of a good crime novel's main villain. What he did was something I would find on a murder mystery television series. I would be very interested in reading the case notes and the court transcript, just to find out his reactions in certain situations. I, being desenistised to this sort of violence due to the books I read/write, consider this as something I could write into a best seller. I'm still unaware as to whether this is a bad thing or not ...

Anyway, I found it interesting.

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/inside-the-minds-of-pure-predators/story-e6freoof-1226593836778?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cmnews+%28The+Courier+Mail+%7C+News%29

Cough Cough

What a fun day. Wednesday night, just before I went to sleep, I planned the events of the following morning. I had a tutorial for one of my subject CU1010 (Effective Writing) and a tutorial following for JN1001 (Journalism). I was then going to attend a social gathering that a close friend of mine organised at the university Refectory, catching a bus back home after it was finished. In the afternoon I was rostered on at my workplace for a three hour shift. However my body had other plans, waking me up very early so that I could throw up everything in my stomach from the day before. Apparently I had picked up a stomach bug, causing me to miss both my tutorials and call in sick to my work (which my boss was not impressed with). And you know what? Being violently ill for an entire day makes you really start to think about hygiene and how important a strong immune system is.

Some people may not care about what they do to their body (or more importantly what they DON'T do), but as Newton clearly states in his laws, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Newton is actually referring to the laws of physics, but you can take it deeper into general laws of living. Think of it as every action has a consequence. So if you have a common cold and sneeze without covering your mouth, that action will result in the spread of your harmful germs, potentially giving your sickness to a perfectly healthy being. Depending on the state of their immune system, a simple cough could actually be dangerous for some people.

From a young age, I have suffered from a lack of iron pumping through my veins, more commonly known as 'anemia'. This causes me to faint at random intervals if I don't take my vitamins every day. I also start to turn blue in cold temperatures because iron helps your skin keep that pigment of pink in your face and body. This also creates holes in my immune system, giving simple things like a common cold or a stomach bug real consequences. If I hadn't taken my meaningless stomach bug seriously, it could have quickly escalated to something like organ failure, possibly a form of pneumonia or even some sort of internal poisoning due to my terrible immune system. All because someone in a lecture, tutorial or just around campus decided to sneeze without covering their mouth.

Now, this sad tale has a happy ending (and a point). It is rumoured that in the first few weeks of classes, JCU has a habit of being a breeding ground for bad germs. However, my experience could actually help enlighten other people with the same problems! My advice? If you feel like something is up with you and it's been going on for a while like feeling faint or your lips turning blue when you go swimming, go get it checked out. A blood test should tell you if something's wrong and what you should do about it. If not, the doctors will tell you what's up. Pretty simple really.

Crowd Surfing

A question for you all: what makes the Harlem Shake so attractive? Is it the repetitive nature? The fact it's so easy to replicate? The song? The funny dances? Studies actually prove that it is a combination of them all. Many people enjoy the simplicity of the concept, whereas others find happiness in the dances that people make up coupled with the song. Whatever you find attractive about the Harlem Shake, there is bound to be someone in the world enjoying the same fact. In any case, the Harlem Shake has become widespread, affecting the famous, the average, the below average and even the animals!

For all those living under a rock, the Harlem Shake is an internet sensation. On February 2nd this year, a group of people decided they would create a dance that their viewers would enjoy. It starts with one person dancing a repetitive dance move in the company of seemingly uninterested peers to repetitive music, usually wearing a mask or helmet. About 15 seconds into the song, the bass drops and all the uninterested people in the video get up and dance with the original dancer, doing repetitive dances of their own. These people may be wearing costumes or outfits that they wouldn't dare be seen in public with, but they find no shame in doing so on video. The concept, simple. The video, about 30 seconds long. The entertainment value, high. The shame, non-existent. Just 9 days after the original video was posted on YouTube, there was over 4,000 new versions and covers of the Harlem Shake ... and it's only getting bigger. If that's not an epidemic, I don't know what is.

So I read an article about this pandemic (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21624109) and it got me thinking: what makes an internet sensation? With the Harlem Shake, it's the replicability and the freedom to act like a fool for thirty seconds with no judgment. With 'Gangnam Style'*, it was the dance that everyone could do. With the 'Nek Minnit'** guy, it was the comedy value that drew in crowds and beckoned for them to mimic the man. But what attracts people to follow the crowd, go with the flow, and submit themselves to that sort of humiliation with pride? Let's break it down, shall we?

Subconsciously, people want to look like idiots. It provides something to laugh at, and when people are laughing they're happy. Deep inside everyone (maybe not so deep for some people), there is a need to be liked. Whether it be an inside joke like Nek Minnit or a dance craze like Gangnam Style, people want to make others smile. Now, some people may go to drastic measures and act like idiots if they aren't getting enough attention, but the problem is no one wants to look like a maniac by themselves. Well, MOSTLY everyone. Enter the Harlem Shake. The whole concept behind the Harlem Shake is that a GROUP of people act like mental patients and entertain millions through the internet. You're lying if you say you've never reacted to the Harlem Shake. Whether you laughed, cringed or danced along, you had a reaction.

Mission accomplished. Well played Harlem Shake. Well played.

Below I've just got some links to my personal favourite Harlem Shake videos, one of which was filmed at JCU a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95vZ0-C1Kho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS9z7rioauU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkNrSpqUr-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZ4FjlTPk8

Feel free to let me know your favourite ones because I always love a good laugh.

Also, if anyone is interested in creating a Harlem Shake video please let me know because that would be epic to be in.

*Gangnam Style, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangnam_style
**Nek Minnit, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nek_minnit