ENG 316: Travis Celebrates 25 Years in Durham

Photo: Chris White

Country superstar, Randy Travis, celebrated 25 years in the music business by making a stop for a concert in Durham.

The 7-time GRAMMY winner performed in front of an almost sold out Durham Performing Arts Center Sunday night. He sung many of his hits, including "Forever and Ever Amen," "Three Wooden Crosses" and "I Told You So." At the end, Travis stayed around, shook some hands and even signed a few autographs before exiting the stage.

Reflection: Unfortunately, the only article I could find on this concert was a press release from the Durham Performing Arts Center on Yahoo! announcing the concert. However, the rest of the information came from my own experience.

This was the first time I had seen Randy Travis in person and I was not disappointed. He performed a wide range of his songs and made the concert feel like we were just sitting and chatting with him in the living room. It was a very unique experience to see a legend like him in my own hometown!

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Incompetence Tour: Ann Coulter

You know I can't go through an election season without talking about one of my "favorite" people: Ann Coulter. The Conservative columnist is up to her usual, no good tricks again.

This time, she appeared on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" seeming as defiant as ever making statements that are low, even by her standards. 

When asked by Morgan on why she called President Obama "the retard" after the third debate on her Twitter account, Coulter gave a haphazard response, claiming she was not calling the president a "Down Syndrome child" and claimed that the "R-word" is now synonymous with "loser." 

Since when and on what planet?

As far as I know, people have (and always will) use the "R-word" as a derogatory term toward people with disabilities.

John Franklin Stevens, a Special Olympics athlete and global messenger who has Down Syndrome responded by saying:

"I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow.  I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you.  In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.”

What was Coulter's response?

“It would be one thing if I said in my tweet a joke about Special Olympics, a joke about Down Syndrome,” she said. “No one would call someone with Down Syndrome ‘retard.’ I call you a ‘retard.’"

And to her critics, or "word police" as Coulter harped on, who had the audacity to make a true comparison of calling a black person the "N-word" and calling a disabled person the "R-word:"

“Oh, screw them. That’s what they feel I do? I feel they’re being authoritarian bullying victims.”

Yes Ms. Coulter, these people are just "victims." Give me a freaking break! 

In my opinion, Ann Coulter is a pathetic person who obviously has nothing better to do with her time than bring people down with her highly offensive comments.

Not to mention, she obviously has zero respect for the president so I have zero respect for her, to put it nicely.

Here is the video of her discussion with Piers Morgan...

UPDATE: According to my news writing professor, the historical, medical term "idiot" actually meant someone with mental retardation. Just an interesting fact!

Next Stop: Richard Mourdock

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NMM: Never Gone

Colton Dixon made it pretty far on the previous season of "American Idol" before being let go. That didn't discourage him as he has jumped into his music career by releasing a couple new singles.

One is an amazing Christian song called "Never Gone." I won't explain it anymore, just listen to it!

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Icompetence Tour: Facebook

Over the course of this political season, there are three friends on Facebook who I have become very disappointed with.

One of my friends decided to "mute" me (however you do that without unfollowing) just because we didn't share the same political beliefs.

Another friend decided to take it to the next level by actually unfriending me because I had too much political stuff on my timeline. What makes it even more ridiculous is I had seen a fair share of political mumbojumbo on their timeline in the past as well.

I used to have good, wholehearted conversations and debates with my final FB friend but now it's getting more and more heated. In a particular discussion last week, this person basically said I was an ignorant student who didn't have enough "real life experience" to know the ins-and-outs of politics. Then, in a response to a video I posted the other day, the person decided to make false claims without any evidence about how President Obama will turn the country into a socialist nation.

After I pressed the person into explaining why they said that, they went on to say I was "so blinded by my allegiance" I didn't even recognize that the president was turning the country into a socialist nation. All this happening when I didn't insult them in return. I simply asked questions and addressed the issues.

Look, I know I'm only twenty years old and I may not have enough "life experience" but I'm smarter and wiser than you think I am. I watch the news, read many news publications and I watched all the presidential and vice-presidential debates. Contrary to your belief, I know which direction I want this country to go in and it is not that of the party you pledge your allegiance to.

Enough is enough. It's one thing to disagree with one's beliefs but it's an entirely different thing to unfriend, mute, or belittle someone because of his or her beliefs. There's this little invention called the scroll bar. If you don't like what I say, use it!

Next Stop: Ann Coulter

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The Incompetence Tour 2012

Courtesy: Reuters

For the remainder of the time until the election, I will be highlighting some people who have just been flat out incompetent and, quite frankly, have no idea what's going on or when to shut up.

Our first stop on the Incompetence Tour 2012 is Donald Trump. This guy has been weaving in-and-out of politics quite often over the past couple of years. He's also been trying to bring the Obama and Democratic campaigns down for about the same amount of time (to no prevail I might add).

Enter his "big announcement" that would apparently "shake up the election." Trump, not surprisingly, paraded around Fox News claiming it was "bigger than anybody would know." He made the announcement in a "ransom"-like video, as described by the Orlando Sentinel, yesterday making a proposition to the president: he would donate $5 million to a charity of Mr. Obama's choice if the president released his college transcripts and passport records in return.

Ok...WHAT?!?

I honestly don't get why (a) Trump would make such an "announcement" like that and (b) why anyone would give a rat's ass about Mr. Obama's college and passport records. What are those documents going to prove? That Obama was a partier in college? That Obama pulled all nighters to study for an exam? That Obama traveled outside the country on vacation? Yea those are big election shakers, people!

Trump's "announcement" sparked, well, a bunch of laughter and disapproval from both sides. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Conservative commentator, Michelle Malkin, cited Trump's past donations to Democrats and called him a "tea party pretender." Democratic senator from California, Barbara Boxer, said she would give Trump $50 if he would "stop making this election about himself."

I do believe that's all he's really doing. Trump is going back to his birther argument under the delusion that there's something in Obama's past that prevents him from holding the Oval Office. I'll revert to what my mom has told me time and time again when we've been discussing this: "if our system is that corrupted to allow someone not qualified to be president, we have a serious problem." Of course, it's not so The Donald should, once again, just go away. He will never get anywhere with this extortion and blackmail plot against the president!

That's all for this stop on the Incompetence Tour 2012.

Next Stop: People on Facebook

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ENG 316: Uphill Battle For Newsweek

Courtesy: Newsweek / Wikipedia

Newsweek, a highly popular magazine with a national and international audience, is bidding "adieu" to print and switching to an all-digital format in 2013.

The news magazine, which has been around since 1933, has become a staple for many if not all journalists and other consumers. The move stems from a recent report where IAC, which owns 80% of Newsweek, saw its losses rise to $13.2 million from just $2.8 million a year ago, according to The New York Observer.

The move to an all-digital format “would dramatically decrease those loses,” said Barry Diller, chairman and chief executive of IAC in a quarterly earnings call, reported by The New York Observer.

But now the real challenge is getting those loyal print subscribers to change with them. Newsweek realizes it is "easier said than done" in another article written by Chris O' Shea of Fishbowl NY.

As O' Shea later pointed out, although the whole iPad and tablet experience is great, "people who subscribe to a magazine do so because they love the printed version."

Only time will tell how this works out for Newsweek. But with a loyal print subscription it will only be an uphill battle.

Reflection: Both articles are written well and explain the challenges looming for Newsweek. Both used good quotes to explain and back up each authors' purpose. 

The New York Observer story

Fishbowl NY story

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NMM: Reed Deming

Courtesy: "The X-Factor"

You guys know from previous profiles on my blog of talented singers, Brendan Macfarland and Jacob Whitesides, that I love to showcase music from young, up and coming artists. This week is no different as I profile Reed Deming. 

The 13-year-old from San Antonio, Texas gained national attention on "The X-Factor" and made it all the way to the judges' homes round, ultimately falling short of the live shows.

Despite that, Deming's voice is incredible and many fans are calling for his return on the show as a wildcard. For his sake, I hope this happens because he has such a unique and powerful voice for his age. 

I would describe his voice as alternative pop/rock. According to his website Deming also plays guitar and saxophone, dances and acts making him a "triple threat" as an artist. Deming's songwriting and performance skills go well beyond his years and that will take him a long way.

Below is his cover of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" and check out Reed's Facebook and Twitter for more!

Video by Eduardo Guerra

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