Week 3 EOC: Rolling Stone Magazine

The recent Rolling Stone article entitled Jahar’s World about the Boston Marathon bombing was an amazing in-depth article.  The article went into great depth and managed to create an almost three dimensional picture of the bomber himself, delving into almost every aspect of his and his family’s life.  The cover, on the other hand, managed to cause some very negative feedback. Many thought that the image was glorifying the bomber, saying that they posed him like a rock star. Never mind that the image was the same one that was used in an article by the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/us/dzhokhar-tsarnaevs-dark-side-carefully-masked.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 ), because it was used by a “popular culture” based music magazine, all of a sudden it is a huge controversy; one that caused several businesses, like CVS, to take Rolling Stone off of the shelf for that issue.

While the article had an amazing depth to their insight into the life of the Boston Marathon Bomber, one has to wonder not only how accurate all this information is, but how will this affect the trial, once things reach that stage. It seemed that quite a bit of the article was based on second-hand knowledge, which can be quite distorted by time and other factors. Is it possible that if the article does get things right, that this information, coming from one of the larger pop culture and music based magazines, might have an adverse affect on the trial? And with all the media reports and updates about this tragedy, how hard will it be to actually fill an impartial jury for the trial, should things finally come to that end?

Week 2 EOC: Stand your ground

Recently, the death of Trayvon Martin in Florida has shined a spotlight on the Stand Your Ground laws that over 30 states have enacted. The law gives the ability for a person to use deadly force when defending themselves in a dangerous situation, without the need to retreat. Unlike the different Castle Laws, which allow a person to defend their home, this law allows lethal force outside of a person’s home. Many see this as a reason for more gun violence, while others see this as a necessary means of self defense.

“Normally, a citizen has a duty to retreat when confronted with what they perceive to be deadly force. The Stand Your Ground doctrine mostly removes that...” US News

 This has sparked a very large and sometimes very heated debate between those who see this law and the right to self defense as an extension of their 2^nd amendment rights, and those who support gun control laws, who have viewed the Trayvon Martin case as yet another reason that there should be even more control over where and when guns should be allowed.

"The attorney general fails to understand that self-defense is not a concept, it's a fundamental human right," he said in a statement. "To send a message that legitimate self-defense is to blame is unconscionable, and demonstrates once again that this administration will exploit tragedies to push their political agenda."  FOX News

 In Florida, many are calling for the “Stand Your Ground” laws to be changed, if not completely removed.

“Florida Gov. Rick Scott met with protesters who have been camping out in the state Capitol on Thursday night, but he said he will not call a special session to change Stand Your Ground laws in the state.”  Politico.com

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

I have always been interested in art since I was a small child. It has been a part of my life and has helped shape who I am. After working in several non-creative fields for a number of years, ranging from casino dealing to Computer sales & repair, I decided to make a career move to one of my longest passions, Photography. With the coming of the digital age of photography, my background in fine arts and photography helps to give me a unique perspective and vision. The ability to see things around me, the unusual and odd, helps fuel my vision and the direction in my work. My current scholastic goal is to broaden my skills as a photographer, learning everything I can about the different styles and techniques available. Currently, I am working with both HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, creating and morphing it into a personal style that is unique to me, and Studio Photography, learning how to properly light and position everything from crystal glass to people. With my vision and talent, I am able to create images that are exciting and enjoyable to look at. I excel at landscape photography and still life photography, while bringing new and interesting outlooks to both.