Griffin Johnston, 4th period, Alabama kicker receives death threats via twitter for missing three field goals in loss to Auburn

            Bernie Augustine, writing for the New York times, reports on the barrage of hateful tweets the Alabama starting kicker received for missing the three field goals in their loss to Alabama Saturday, November 30. Multiple tweets included death threats towards the kicker, in addition to insulting messages filled with four letter words. Alabama, was ranked the number one football college football team in the nation for most of the 2013 season until their loss to Auburn Saturday night. The game came down to the last seconds with a 56-yard field goal attempt by Alabama. The starting kicker, Cade Foster, who had missed the three previous field goal attempts, had been taken out and replaced by a freshman kicker. With Alabama’s loss to Auburn, they also lose their chances at playing in the National Championship.

            With the countless amounts of money and expenditures associated with college and professional sports in America (and the world) as well as the massive popularity and spectators of these sports (especially football), we sometimes lose sight of what is most important in these sporting events. People have lofty expectations, and when those expectations are not realized, anger and, in this case, hate, can sometimes enter in on our thoughts, words, and actions (and tweets). Also these people who tweeted these horrible messages are ignorant to the immense pressure put on the players in this game. Games are meant to be fun to both play and watch and, while competiveness and the drive to achieve in these games and sports makes them even more enjoyable, the desire to win should not overmaster our thoughts. Everyone makes mistakes and Cade Foster’s mistakes in this game were, fortunately, trivial and minor in the grand scheme of his life. Moreover, his three field goal misses could be the best thing to ever happen to him in his career, for it is through our struggles that we are made better. Lastly it is encouraging to hear that the Foster’s teammates and other fans have made a Facebook page in support of Cade Fosters.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/irate-fans-hurl-death-threats-bama-kicker-article-1.1534107

Paul Walker death investigation: Police rule out second vehicle, focus on speed Ilana Lemack

Investigators have been unable to find evidence of a second car in the accident that killed popular "Fast & Furious" actor Paul Walker on Saturday in Los Angeles, California. The 2005 Porsche Carrera was being driven by Walker's racing team partner. Police are now focused on the speed the car was going when it crashed. Authorities received a phone call tip Sunday suggesting that another car was at the scene when the Porsche slammed into a light pole and burst into flames, but investigators have since ruled out the presence of a second car. A car enthusiast at the charity event Walker was at said he heard a blast in the distance before the car slammed into a light pole. Tire skid marks on the asphalt near the crash site, which indicate a car was doing doughnut spins, also are being looked at. It has not been concluded that they are related to the Walker wreck. Walker and Roger Rodas, who was believed to be driving, died in the wreck on Hercules Street. The autopsies on the remains taken from the wreckage are scheduled for Tuesday. Speed was definitely a factor in the crash. 

This is a tragic story, however I find it a little weird that all of the attention is going towards Paul Walker when there was another driver in this particular accident and there are also many other fatal car accidents that go on every day that go unnoticed because the victims were not famous. I am sure that Paul Walker was a very good person, although I have never seen any movies he was in. I think that we need to be more considerate to other people that have lost friends or families in similar accidents. 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/02/showbiz/paul-walker-death/index.html?hpt=us_t2

Paul Walker by:Taylor Grant-Gates

On Saturday we lost a good soul. Paul Walker died at the age of 40. He and a friend Brian were coming from a charity event that was being put on to raise awareness and hope for the many people 

who were affected by the disaster in the Philippines. The driver if the car Brian was speeding and collided into a pole. It is speculated that the two were killed on contact. When authorities arrived to the scene all that was left was mangled and burned metal. Both parties leave behind families and loved ones. 

This is truly tragic. I am sad for the families that are left with only memories. I know that the topic is still fresh and what I am about to say is insensitive, but why was this Brian guys speeding. I am sure that the acceleration was fun but look were it has caused. We need to take this as a warning not to accelerate. Paul Walker will definitely be missed. He was the Fast and Furious guy along with Vin Diesel, now there is only one. Prayers are sent to both families.  

Addiction Sam Smathers 4th

"Why I Keep Coming Back to Smoking"

by: Kelly Quirino from The Atlantic 

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/why-i-keep-coming-back-to-smoking/281938/

   This article is about the author and her journey through how she started smoking to now. Kelly started smoking at 14. She dressed like a lot of kids that go to Booker T., only with more of a nineties grudge feel. She used to smoke just to look cool, but then it became more than that, smoking became a part of her identity. Her dad found her smoking at a concert and he was very angry, and in response she said she would quit, but then walked back to her room and smoked another cigarette. When she got pregnant she easily stopped smoking, but soon afterward found herself starting again. She finds that when she is not smoking she has nothing to do with her hands, she gets bored and anxious.  

    This article is more about how we are all dependent or addicted to something. Even though smoking is really bad for you, basically like buying lung cancer, the author needed to smoke like people need video games or other people. She could not see the negative repercussions of her actions because she was blinded by the ways smoking helps her. Smoking created her, she started smoking so early that now it is so embedded into her that a life without smoking wouldn't even be a life. Everybody has something like smoking in their life, and we only see the positive of it. I have been drawing since I was a kid, but does that mean that drawing is good? What constitutes something being "good"? Who would I be if I did not draw? What would I do instead of draw for all those hours? I think that if we would all sit back and think about the things we spend the most time doing, and think about the things we actually care about in a comparative way we could easily see why people are so unhappy. Instead of doing things that we love we end up doing things we don't care about because we are told to, and in turn end up wasting so much time doing stuff that doesn't matter. Until we recognize the cycle we live in, we can not escape the slippery slope that ends with unfulfilled adulthood. 

Sam Smathers 4th 

Light Poles - Zane Mallett 5th

Summary:

Paul Walker died in a car crash in Southern Carolina. It was reported that he slammed into a light pole (while speeding) and the engine burst into flames. After the fire was extinguished by locals, fans gathered around the crash site to mourn over the actors death.

Analysis:

In the past 2 days, I have seen over 20 Facebook posts of people sobbing over Paul Walkers death. They've said things like "but he was such a good actor" or "The whole worlds going to miss you."
Although every single death, including one of an actors is tragic, it saddens me when I think about the thousands of lives lost in battle, fighting for our country. Or the men and women who die trying to save people in fiery buildings or sinking ships, putting their lives on the line for others, receive  little to no remembrance or gratitude for what they've done. They certainly deserve much more thanks.



Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/30/showbiz/actor-paul-walker-dies/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Bride loses her groom and her leg, but not her faith by Joi Ware

Summary: Tasha Bradford made her husband, Sylvester Storey, wait two years before going on a date. All of their friends knew it was instantly meant to be and they married after one week. Their relationship went from happiness to tragedy after Tasha lost her husband, one of her legs, and some of her colon on the way back from their honeymoon. After all she endured she didn't lose faith. She had just turned 31 the week before, it had rained the day of her wedding, her grandfather was the first to arrive, and her bridesmaids and herself prayed before she made her debut down the aisle. The day after they got a head start on the drive back to make the evening church service. Bradford went to sleep on the way back and woke up being airlifted to a hospital where she learned her husband had been pronounced dead. Their car had turned over, but no one knew why or how. So many people had came to her aid, two women men and their wives pulled her out, and two women kept her warm and called peers. Bradford mourned for her husband but knew he was going to a better place.
Analysis: I truly envy this women, its amazing after all she endured that she can keep her faith strong. She can be thankful that she survived, that she is still alive. Although her husband didnt make it she still has a lot to live for. She didnt give up on life and for her to do that is truly amazing. For her to go from something so happy such as her wedding day, which a women waits for her whole life to her honeymoon then to a car crash and losing her husband. It take a special strong woman to endure all of the above.
For the full story visit, http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/28/health/newlywed-tragedy-irpt/index.html?hpt=us_c2

"Latest SpaceX Launch Called Off" - Camille Farrar

            This article, by Greg Botelho, profiles the newest mission of SpaceX, a company that launched in 2002 in order to perform research to allow humans to, ultimately, live on other planets. One of their newest spacecrafts, Falcon 9, was supposed to be launched on Thursday. The company became nervous and decided to check on a few more things, so the craft will not be launched for at least a few more days. As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry.”

            I think it’s truly incredible that there are companies devoted to finding ways to develop technology to the point that we would be able to thrive in another place in the universe. I hope all goes well with the mission once it gets off the ground. The article didn’t specify what Falcon 9 will be doing, but I’d like to do some research to see what the plan is for the craft.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/28/us/spacex-launch-called-off/index.html?hpt=us_t2