MM 2003 - Taylor Rich

BBC News-  Hundreds of sea turtles wash up dead in Mexico Today, on Morro Ayuta beach in Oaxaca, about 300 sea turtles washed up dead on the coast of Mexico. Sources confirmed that all turtles found, were female. This beach is a popular nesting areas for Olive Ridley turtles to lay their eggs, and is also one of the last available places for turtles to nest.  This tragedy is not the first time these beautiful creatures have been found on the beaches of Mexico. In 2018, fisherman found 300 sea turtles caught in illegal nets. According to an official in Mexico's environment ministry, sea turtles are commonly caught in abandoned nets called "ghost nets".   In 1990, Mexico banned the capture of sea turtles and have since listed Olive Ridley sea turtles as "vulnerable".  Mexican officials stated that they plan to join Mexico's navy and environmental committees to further the investigation of the turtles' deaths. Locals are also encouraged to educate themse...

  If you're anything like me, the idea of math or numbers makes your mind instantly shut down. Math has never been my best subject, which is why I chose the major furthest from it.  Even though numbers and statistics are not my favorite topic of discussion, growing up is understanding that you cannot necessarily escape it. Numbers have power. They can be described as "persuasive pieces of evidence". But even though these facts look good to verify a paper, it's important to confirm  your sources and their reliability. As a writer, to maintain power through words and numbers, there must be a reliable primary source to begin.  As much as I do not want to admit it, numeracy is an essential part of news delivery. Numeracy is described as, "the ability to understand and work with numbers". For the past year and a half, we as a population have depended on the newest updates of statistics concerning COVID-19 cases. These numbers mean something to a worldwide audie...

Theodore Roosevelt described the responsibilities of American citizens best,  "the first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight".  This quote accurately represents the standard that American citizens are held to, and their civic duty to vote, obey federal, state, and local laws, as well as attending jury duty. While being an American citizen accompanies these civic responsibilities, the U.S. Constitution provides American citizens with protection by the government, ensuring freedom, protection, and legal rights. The purpose of civil duties is to uphold the democratic values demonstrated in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights . The patriotic symbolism behind civic rights/duties/responsibilities, demonstrate the foundation of a successful democracy, to build a balance between freedom and allegiance.  Although civics provide us with freedoms and protection we take for granted everyday, it ha...

  Whenever I began this assignment (late I may add) I was completely dumbfounded about what a listening post even was. A listening post to my common knowledge just sounds like a podcast almost, just listening to updated news, gossip, or ideas from any person you may intentionally or accidentally listen to. But once I devoted myself to research, I understand listening posts as a comfortable and safe space for a student or any person, to share their thoughts in a welcoming environment at their school. While I may not go out of my way to approach others and force a conversation, I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by a community of extroverts, who are willing to approach me and begin a friendly conversation, welcoming me to this campus and community.  The first "Listening Post" began in 1979 at Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado , by Mabel Barth. Mabel was interested who talked to the students on campus and there the first of many listening posts was established. ...

  The Flag of Scotland     Why do we need public records? This is a commonly asked question, but thankfully Google has the answer. Although we may not think about public records and their significance that much, Google assures us there is a need for these detailed government documents, available to the public. While this public records encouragement is prevalent in the United States, this same push for public involvement is common in other countries around the world.      Across the pond, our friends in the United Kingdom (specifically Scotland ) share this same patriotic enthusiasm about public records access. While Scotland is under the constitutional monarchy and Queen Elizabeth II, the Scottish government is led by the First Minister of Scotland and the Scottish Ministers. This devolved government is responsible for the economy, health, education, justice system, and housing of Scotland. One of the ways the government provides to their peopl...

       A public record refers to "information that has been recorded and/or filed by a public agency". These records include: census data, criminal records, court records, property information, and bankruptcy rulings. Many of these examples are available to the public for free at federal, state, county, and city level. While I have never considered looking into my local public records, I learned that people generally view the public records to monitor the government and to simply learn about the place they are living in.      Growing up in a small town in Texas, I never had to leave my house (much less my town) to know everything about my neighbors or people I see around town. Gossip and news travels faster than a wildfire in a small town, which makes the idea of purchasing or searching for public records seems comical. But even in my small town, there is still countless documents about the town and county for available for public access at the Bell Co...

  Nowadays, it's almost too easy to get caught up with the constant release of "bad news" on a college campus. People generally focus on the bad, which makes it the most popular news genre. Whether it's articles over new COVID-19 cases on campus or a tragic death of a peer , it seems that every news headline features a devastating story.  Today, I will not be focusing on the "hard news" stories that flood your notifications everyday, instead I will be discussing a lighthearted point of view for feature news stories , which will hopefully shine a positive light on college campus news stories around the country.  In a state where "everything is bigger" , Texas A&M University ranks as the 9th largest college campus in the United States, which is home to over 70,000 students (second-largest student body in America). While the size of Texas A&M is impressive, it does not compare to the community that surrounds the student body. From freshman t...