Media Convergence Initiative

Melissa Harris-Perry show is canceled after tensions rise at MSNBC

Posted on February 28, 2016 by steven_bardsley

Instead of hosting her show the week of the Iowa caususes, Perry was introduced briefly as a side by MSNBC’s legal correspondent, Ari Melber. Perry has felt increasingly pushed aside by the network for a long time, which was eerie and unknowingly noted by Melber, when he said on air, “That’s what we call proof of life.”

For weeks, her show of her own name had been pushed aside in favor of covering other news and she felt “worthless” to the network. An email went public describing her feelings of the situation. She complained in a letter to her staff that they weren’t supporting her as they should. Perry says that int he four week stretch of stress, she was told to cover things that wouldn’t have normally been covered on her show. In favor of covering race related topics or hosting her own show live at various locations, she was told to cover election topics.

In efforts to jump their ratings to compete with other networks, MSNBC has been trying to steer their programming towards political issues and heavy on the election coverage. Recently, the network has announced that they are parting ways with the former MSNBC host. Perry noted that is was “terms of severance, not reconciliation.”

Perry went to twitter and posted a picture of “#Nerdland” and said, “inviting diverse new voices to table was a privilege. Grateful for years of support and criticism.” With an interview with The New York Times, Perry noted how upset she was that the network had sidelined her.

Perry noted in her email to her colleagues, “I know who I am. I know why M.H.P. Show is unique and valuable. I will not sell short myself or this show. I am not hungry for empty airtime. I care only substantive, meaningful, and autonomous work.”

Posted in Entertainment, General, Politics | Tagged MSNBC, News | Comments Off

Scott fights through adversity to win the Honda Classic

Posted on February 28, 2016 by College of Sciences

Hole 15, Saturday evening, Adam Scott finishes the par 3 hole with a 8(4+) and so begins the talks of collapse. Followed by a almost out-of-bounds drive on the 16th, the skeptics started to confirm their doubts. Far removed from his 2013 Masters championship, Scott was forced 3 starts ago to change putters, from the now-banned anchored putter, to a more traditional putter. Scott, like many other golfers, trademarked anchoring long putters to their bodies in the PGA in the past decade. Until complaints, as well as lobbying for a rule change prevailed, ultimately banning the putting stroke Scott captured the Masters with.

Going into Day 3 in Palm beach, Fowler, Walker, Garcia, and Scott were all names in contention for the Honda Classic victor. Walker, started off the day awkwardly, after the announcer on the first hole announced him as “Jimmy Fowler”, shortly after Ricky Fowler tee’d off. Walker performed 8 over par on day 3, and Fowler followed suit by virtually falling out of contention.

Sunday was all about Garcia and Adam Scott. Scott’s follow up performance on Day 4 hole 15 (nicknamed “The Bear Trap” )a vicious water-ridden par 3, was nothing short of brave. Considering the two balls he sunk in the water the day before, Scott kept his tee shot on the grass, solidifying a 1 shot lead over Garcia.

Scott would eventually come out of top, recapturing another victor with a short putter. Scott hadn’t used a short putter to such success since the Singapore open in 2010. But prior to that Scott had success with the short putter, winning 18 times total with the short putter, in comparison to 7 with the long putter. But will controversy eventually surround that 2013 Major win with the long putter, along with the evident dominance of players who used anchored putters around that time? Only time will tell as Adam Scott moves back into the Top Ten World golf rankings for the first time in a year.

Posted in Entertainment, Sports | Tagged Entertainment, Golf, honda, Sports | Comments Off

Long Term Study Finds No Real Link Between Gaming and Sexism

Posted on February 28, 2016 by theblacklink

A recent study out of Germany has come to the conclusion that playing video games has no association with sexism. A seemingly odd comment given the recent online media storms about the alleged sexism in gaming.

The study, which was conducted by Johannes Breuer, PhD, Rachel Kowert, PhD, Ruth Festl, PhD, and Thorsten Quandt, PhD, looked to ascertain whether or not playing video games could be connected to sexism in players themselves. The study was empirically longitudinal, meaning data was gathered from a group of subjects over long periods of time, over the course of three “waves”. Initially, the researchers identified 12,587 gamers out of an initial survey of 50,012 people age 14 and above. A random sampling of 4,500 was taken for the first wave, the second wave had 2,199 gamers, while the third wave had only 902 in its sample group.

Respondents were asked about their regular gaming habits like how often they played (per day, per week, per month, etc.) and what genres of games they preferred. They were also asked about their gender, their levels of education and subsequently read statements regarding greater society and gender roles to gather information on sexism in respondents. Answers were based on a five point scale, with 1 representing “strongly disagree” and 5 representing “agree completely”.

The overall conclusion drawn by the study is that much like video games and violence, there is no statistically significant association between video games and sexist attitudes;

“More interestingly, however, there was no cross-sectional association between sexist attitudes and overall video game use for both men and women. On the longitudinal level, the only statistically significant finding was a negative association between video game use at time 1 and sexist attitudes at time 2 for males ( p = 0.027). However, the size of this effect (b = –0.08) can be considered negligible. All other longitudinal associations were both small and nonsignificant (b < 0.13).”

The study goes on to say that while in this case the theory that media can cultivate negative attitudes in consumers was not supported, there “might still be merit in applying a cultivation perspective to the effects of video games on sexism, especially if the focus is more on particular sub-genres or individual games (series) and, ideally, multiple dimensions of sexism pertaining to gender roles, image, and sexual harassment” but that “this study clearly shows that overall exposure to video games or preference for specific genres are not predictive of player attitudes toward real-world issues.”

So in short, this study makes the point that despite some media narrative assuring you otherwise, evidence shows that videos games in fact may not inspire feelings of sexism in gamers after all. If you’d like to see more of the study, the full version can be found below:

http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cyber.2014.0492

Posted in Science and Technology | Comments Off

KKK Attempt To Rally Goes South With 3 Stabbing Victims

Posted on February 28, 2016 by cevans37

The themed rally “white lives matter” was intended to unfold on Saturday at Pearson Park in Anaheim, Calif. Ku Klux Klan members attempted to rally against immigration but at their arrival, protesters raged and attacked. According to Sgt. Daron Wyatt of the Anaheim Police Department, the KKK guys were attacked as soon as they got out of the vehicle and the counteract broke into several fights along the city block. Three klansmen, dressed in all black with confederate flags stitched on them, were the knife-wielders that stabbed three counter-protesters during the attack. One victim was stabbed with the end of a potential Confederate flagpole, another stabbed in “self-defense”, and the last was found stabbed in a vehicle nearby.

Now, there is no debate in that the klansmen have the constitutional freedom per the first amendment to say whatever they’d like. But to what extent should such a controversial group protest without expecting retaliation from other constitutionally protected counter-protesters? By no means, am I condoning the violence that took place but I think there is a reasonable expectation for people of the public to be offended and express their positions. I think it’s sad that anti-racial groups still drive such a strong force in a time when we really can’t afford any more racial volatility. I believe that since it’s their given right to rally and protest as unagreeable as it may be to some, there should be more precautionary measures set up for these types of events. There were police on site to monitor the Anaheim rally on Saturday, but they were said to be totally caught off guard with the retaliation. Therefore, I think they should have a more reasonable expectation for this in the future and plan accordingly.

Posted in Crime | Comments Off

Homosexuality, Is it a Sin?

Posted on February 28, 2016 by ashley riordan

Shawn Presley

In lieu of the campaign trail and political sentiment in regards to liberal and conservative values, the topic of homosexuality is bound to make a drastic appearance on the stage of office. However, although the argument for or against homosexuality in the political spectrum has been pretty much settled with the Supreme Courts decisions of a 5 to 4 vote to make Gay marriage legal, the topic is still up for much debate in the religious spectrum.

One homosexual advocate brought up an interesting perspective in the debate, he stated, that all sin is sin and that the Church unjustly highlights and promotes homosexuality as the chief sin while not addressing other sins that are also prevalent not only in the community but the church as well (Divorce, adultery, fornication, etc.). Although I will refrain from picking a side and remain a neutral observer in the discussion, in this instance I must rebuttal on the basis that; In regards to sin and the church there seems to be a unanimous decision on the later sins while the topic on homosexuality there is much dissension. We can all agree murder is a sin, as well as fornication, adultery, etc., but for Homosexuality there are prominent religious leaders as well as a great following that believe this is a gross misinterpretation of scripture causing the echo of disagreement to reach the loudest corridors.

As stated earlier, I’m not necessarily for or against homosexuality but rather an interested observer curious to see how such a disagreement pans out in the future of the Church and its stance on such practices.

Posted in Politics | Comments Off

How Drinking Coffee can Positively Effect my Health

Posted on February 28, 2016 by brimacnaught

Is coffee even good for our health? Do I need to become an addict to be considered “healthy”? Every caffeine addict will praise coffee to no end. Their genuine love for coffee will eventually cause you to stumble upon the idea of possibly drinking some.

I, myself being an avid coffee drinker have always wondered what my life would look like if coffee was never introduced to me. Would I be more energized and accomplish more? According to the article “I Don’t Drink Coffee. Should I start?” by Daniel Victor, “Coffee has been linked to, among other things, reducing tinnitus risk, increasing driver safety, cutting melanoma risk, galvanizing workouts, surviving colon cancer, living a longer life and avoiding death.”

Let’s be real. If we didn’t even know coffee helped to this degree would we even care to drink it? It all boils down to the mere fact that coffee in excess can negatively affect us. However, it can help the human body prevent certain illness all at the same time.

My only conclusion is that moderation is key. Since drinking in excess can cause negative consequences we must regulate our intake. However, this does not mean we should cut it out completely if is does benefit us in some way.

Coffee can create serious addictions and if we don’t need or like it than it isn’t crucial, but to say it is entirely bad for us isn’t the case. All in all, how we regulate what we consume is key to living a healthy life.

Posted in Health | Comments Off

Baseball Is Back And Pitching! As Spring Training Hits Off

Posted on February 28, 2016 by shane sackett

Big week for Major League Baseball as spring training hits off, players will report and participate in their first full workout. The first team being the Miami Marlins hosting their first full practice Monday February 22, in Jupiter, Florida and the last team the Minnesota Twins reporting Saturday February 27, in Fort Myers, Florida. This will be the first time all the players will be back together since last season and also a first for the new players.

Spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games prior to the start of the season. Spring training gives new players the oppertunity to try out for their roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to the start of the season. Spring training is usually held at the professional teams minor league facilities either in Florida or Arizona. Nicknamed the grapefruit league (Florida) and the cactus league (Arizona) after the plants of each of the state.

Spring training is an exciting time for not only the fans but the players too. The games are entirely exhibition and have no affect on the regular season record. Even though the wins and loses don’t matter spring training is very important for the players and coaches as the players are assessed by their coaches and organizations on their performances. Based on the evaluations players are assigned to their appropriate teams either in the Minor Leagues or the Major Leagues.

The first spring training games will begin Tuesday March 1, with the Blue Jays, Braves, Indians, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Reds, and Tigers all competing. The Braves and Orioles will be among the first to play. Pitching off at 1:05PM at Champion stadium in Orlando, Florida. Tickets and schedules are available now at www.mlb.com

Posted in Sports | Comments Off

How Digital Streaming Will Continue to Shape and Change the Entertainment Industry

Posted on February 28, 2016 by dsarden17

In a recent article, UFC had announced that it’s next big fight will only be available online through its streaming service UFC Fight Pass. This is not the first example of an entertainment company to move out of the lucrative pay-per-view market and self-distribute. One of the most disruptive aspects of the internet has been the freedom it’s given to content creators.

When digital streaming first came to the internet, the technology and infrastructure to broadcast live was limited. There were buffering issues, lost connections, and quality issues. Viewing was also restricted to those who had the equipment and software to watch the stream, and the stream was also limited to a desktop.

Now, many of these obstacles have been overcome. The general U.S. populace has access to high speed internet, wireless capabilities, and more integrated devices. We can broadcast the event on our television, if we have a Smart TV, Chromecast, or an HDMI cable.

What does this mean for the entertainment industry? More chaos. Broadcast, cable, and Pay-Per-View companies make large amount of money from advertising and fees from broadcasting live events. However, with a small investment, these event organizers and owners can easily broadcast their own events through their own digital channels.

Televised events aren’t disappearing, yet. However, a short way down the road, sports teams, concert promoters, and live attractions will see the advantage the freedom digital streaming can give them. These entertainment companies will be able to control advertising, keep more money for themselves, and create additional content specifically for fans. The list of benefits can go on. The real truth of the matter is not ‘if,’ but ‘when?’

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/why-ufc-s-next-big-fight-will-only-be-available-n5269

Posted in General | Comments Off

Worst Customer Service Experience.

Posted on February 27, 2016 by jsantana0410

I love online shopping. I take advantage of the technology available. Therefore, I appreciate the companies who have an easy return policy that allows me to return the item to the nearest store. I have been shopping at Forever 21 for years and never encountered any issues, until last Wednesday.

I had purchased a dress online. I had until the 23rd of February to send it back or return it. On this day, I went to the store and brought the dress with its tags attached as well as the receipt. The dress now has gone on sale at the store, and it is selling for half of the price that I paid for. Once I came in the store I started looking for items that I can exchange the dress for because Forever 21 does not give their customers their money back, only store credit. This process took 3 hours.

At the register, I was told that they can only credit me with the sale price because that is the store policy, even though the tag is attached and I have the receipt. I exchanged the dress anyway because it really just does not fit. I was so frustrated that I left the store in tears and called corporate, where I was told there is nothing they can do, and I find that unbelievable.

So the only way to get the full credit back is by shipping it back, which is not clearly explained anywhere. Nobody helped me with this situation, and I lost money. I was told that the district manager would call me, which didn’t happen. Making customers feel like they don’t matter is not the way to run a business. Their relatively low prices are not worth this kind of treatment, needless to say they lost my business.

Posted in Entertainment, General | Comments Off

Why The Republican Party Shouldn’t be Taken Serious

Posted on February 26, 2016 by v.king

After watching the Republican party debate on Thursday I learned that most of this party is a joke. The fact that Mr. Trump is running in it speaks volumes of not only the party but the voters itself. If you have time I encourage you to at least watch the highlights of the GOP debate this pass Thursday before you read this blog. I get it its a debate there’s going to be some heated arguments and points in the debate where you are going to try to get into your opponent’s head and cut them off. On Thursday night the Republican party debate went beyond that. As a matter of a fact it was more like a high school argument in class. If you look back you see Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz actually stoop down to Donald Trumps level something I honestly thought wouldn’t happen. I don’t know but maybe its me I actually thought Senator Cruz and Senator Rubio could bring down Trump by facts and keeping their composure.

The first part of the debate started it out alright but as we go on later in to the night Senator Marco Rubio and Trump go at it like a high school debate in class. Seeing who can get the loudest while trying to prove their point. It got so bad that they were told to simmer down and not only did they ignore that request but they proceed to keep arguing. A day or two after the debate Senator Rubio hosted a rally if you will and proceed to read the mean “tweets” from Mr. Trump while commenting on the tweets etc. This to me shows that Rubio got on his level not only once but twice. If this is what we have representing the Republican party then I am truly scared for America.