Different takes on the tragic event.

Morgan Freeman's take on the shooting - went viral on FB:"You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.

It's because of the way the media reports it. 

Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine Disturbed
people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

UPDATE:  Morgan Freeman's take on shooting is a fraud.  This raises some of the major issues as to the use of social media in reporting "news" - some of which I have been watching evolve over the past few years much to my dismay.
See source below which claims it was a fraud:
http://www.contactmusic.com/news/morgan-freeman-newtown-shooting-comments-a-hoax_3423917

UPDATE 2:  See comment #1 from matt below for the link that suggests the response to this shooting is to have more access to guns - that's right.
An interesting write-up for those of you keen on linking this thread to the socially responsible investing thread: Go through past shootings in the U.S. and tell me how the stock prices of major gun manufacturers reacted initially, and in the six months following.

Our thoughts and prayers

go out to the families of yesterday's victims.  Two events, one in the Connecticut; the other in China.  Be sure to tell your loved ones today that you love them as we know how fragile life can be.

Egypt

The president attempted to pass a bill that would give him absolute power.  Feel free to expand on what happened this week and/or the events leading up to the week.  What was the response of the public?  What are they asking for?  What is the president's plan for that country?

North Korea

Launched a missile this week.  Dig in, find out the details, find out the implications.  What will this mean to the rest of the world going forward?

Northern Gateway Pipeline

We discussed in class yesterday - be sure to check out the Tipping Barrels surf video if you were away in order to get an overview of the beauty of the area. 

Hearings (government) are resuming today.  Read article first, then comment:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/cullen-not-easing-up-on-northern-gateway-pipeline/article6222403/?cmpid=rss1

Also see 2nd film for a brief overview.

Video Thread (from last week)

Two video requests came to me last week a tad late (ahem), but I feel they should both be heard out or at least viewed.

No marks at stake here as you already have your assignment for the week laid out, but feel free to watch and comment as you wish.  The first from Laura and 2nd from Benji.

This week's assignment....

...is awesome.  Really.  I've been thinking/scouring the net for the right idea for us this week.  Taking your feedback from the video suggestion this is our final for this week.

Click on this link.
http://www.filmsforaction.org/walloffilms/

From here you can access nearly 400 videos for social change from the films for action wall of films.  Watch one and comment on it.  If you want to "claim" the movie before another person does, then simply post your movie title in the comments section on our blog, then watch the movie, then edit your comment and you will be first - no harm done eh?

This week will be different in that you will not require external references.  I want to give you a breather in this aspect (it will never happen again for the rest of your educated life) so you can feel free to reference the film itself to support or refute your opinion on the film you choose to watch.

Ontario Ministry rubric is posted on our wall which we will use in lieu of our standard rubric (unless you have an alternative suggestion).  I will allow a bit of a "film critic" slant to your writing that hopefully encourages classmates to select the same film as you; so go ahead and put out a good sales pitch if you enjoyed it, if not, then be honest and stop me from spending time watching something that won't benefit me.

Most of all, understand that what you have done these past few months is absolutely awesome and I hope you enjoy gaining education in a variety of issues.