Blog Post #3: The Founding Era

After watching the History Channels documentary on The Supreme Court, I learned that Supreme Court met for the first time in New York City, which I found very interesting because I always assumed that all three branches of government had continuously resided in Washington D.C. I found it very interesting that the court originated in my home city. The most important takeaway about the Supreme Court was that the Supreme Court has the final say in what is considered constitutional and what is unconstitutional. The court has had some landmark cases over the years, like Roe v Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States, and Brown v the Board of Education, where the supreme court overturned past rulings and ended segregation in America. 

The most surprising thing I learned about the Supreme Court was that it did not intend to have as much power as it does now. When our Founding Fathers framed the Constitution and our three branches of government, they made the court the weakest. Chief Justice John Marshall established Judicial Review through his ruling in Marbury v Madison; this ruling gave the court its power and is now considered the most important branch of government. This video changed the way I view the Supreme Court because it made me realize how important the Court is and how influential Earl Warren was to American society. In his time as Supreme Court Justice, he ended segregation, legalized interracial marriage, and created Miranda Rights for the accused. These landmark cases help create the more inclusive society we live in today.

Blog Post #2: Privacy, Online and Off

                                        

Throughout history, advances in technology have made the lives of humans easier. Strides in technology have brought the world closer and have connected people in a manner that, at one point, was indescribable. For example, with the invention of the airplane, the speed at which one can travel from location to location was immensely improved, but there was also a downside. Countries turned airplanes into weapons of war when equipped with weapons in which a bomb could be dropped and kill mass amounts of people.  We see this repeatedly; technological advances can advance society, and it is terrific until it is not. 

Technology affects the daily life of the average citizen in many ways. For example, one can share information with relatives and friends who live far away. Pictures of essential family milestones can be quickly disseminated to others with a click of a button. At the tip of our fingertips is information to access and share. Connections are to be made and new bonds to be formed, but this also has a negative side. Personal information is not personal and private. Due to user agreements that are incredibly wordy and difficult to understand by the average user, many companies own the rights to any and all information an individual posts via an app or site. 

Governments throughout the world are having difficulty keeping up with ever-changing technology. Currently, the technology industry has the power and ability to make the rules in which users can engage. For example, if an individual disagrees with a portion of the user agreement, the technology company will not grant him or her access to the technology. Furthermore, the laws from country to country vary as to what is or is not permitted when using technology. What may be considered a crime in one country may be perfectly legal in another. It would be recommended that governments throughout the world attempt to create consistent laws. If something is illegal in one country, it should be the same in all. There are international summits on issues such as climate why not technology? Nations can agree with each other when it comes to nuclear energy; can they not do the same for technology?    

As citizens, there are a few steps we can take to protect ourselves from invasions of privacy. First, one needs to keep in mind that our activities via apps and various websites are not private. Once an individual accesses a website, one immediately loses any privacy. Secondly, as digital consumers, we, the users, hold the power. We need to demand more of our government and digital companies. Citizens need to demand better from our government by holding elected officials accountable to protect the average citizen by creating digital regulations and laws to protect individual privacy. As citizens, we also need to demand that from the technology industry. If companies do not protect the citizens, the citizens need to stop using the technology. Companies will pay attention when they start losing money. 

Blog Post #1: Top Five News Sources

In the age of information and technology, the average citizen has many avenues to access information. Gone are the days when the world gets its information from the evening news or needs to wait for the morning paper to be published. Newspapers have adapted to remain up to the minute in their reporting via websites. In addition to having access to up-to-the-minute reporting, citizens must determine the best sources for information and news. For many people, not all news sources are created equal. CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and ESPN are five sources where one can access information.

 

The Washington Post

 

The Washington Post is a world-renowned newspaper that was founded in 1877. They have years of consistently reporting the truth and breaking major news events. Their investigative journalists have been responsible for uncovering some of our nation's most important historical events. Their report about a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters in Washington, DC,  led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com

 

 

CNN

 

The Cable News Network (CNN) is a widely recognized news network and website. CNN was the first-of-its-kind 24-hour news network established in 1980.  It provides news coverage at all significant events, both domestic and international, from political campaigns to natural disasters. They have global correspondents, which allows them to provide news coverage from various parts of the world. CNN is known for breaking news stories and being first on the scene.  

 

https://www.cnn.com

 

 

The New York Times

 

The New York Times is widely regarded as a reputable news source. It was founded in 1851 and is one of the country's oldest and most respected newspapers. The New York Times covers news stories worldwide and reports on various topics such as business, politics, and cultural events. Their investigative journalists have been responsible for exposing corruption and bringing to light major news stories. It has received numerous awards and recognitions for its outstanding journalism, including multiple Pulitzer Prizes. It is available in print and digital forms for easier accessibility. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com

 

 

 The Wall Street Journal

 

The Wall Street Journal is an American newspaper known for reporting on national and international business, finance, and economics. Although perceived as favoring the interests of businesses, the Journal’s opinion and editorial pages reflect a wide range of highly informed business, political, and economic opinions; readers’ letters; and reviews of and comments on the arts. The long-established structure of the Journal includes complete tables reporting all financial and stock markets for the preceding day and thorough reports and analyses of current business topics.

 

 

https://www.wsj.com

 

 

ESPN

 

The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) is an American international basic cable company owned by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communication. ESPN reaches approximately 76 million television households in the United States. It has seven related channels in the United States and ESPN broadcasts in more than 200 countries. It operates regional channels in Africa, Australia, Latin America, and the Netherlands. In Canada, it owns a 20% interest in The Sports Network (TSN) and its five sister networks. ESPN broadcasts professional sporting events such as the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA. Additionally, ESPN broadcasts numerous college sporting events. The flagship program is Sports Center, a daily sports news television program. The show covers various sports teams and athletes worldwide and often shows sports highlights from the day. 

 

https://www.espn.com/