Media Convergence Initiative

Review of “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Posted on April 21, 2014 by laurentm

About 2 weeks ago I saw “The Wolf of Wall Street”. I know that it is extremely late since this movie has come out last year. For those who haven’t seen it, it is about the rise and fall of a man named Jordan Belfort who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The character’s goal is to become rich, you see that in the movie as a recurring theme and it ultimately becomes his demise.

Overall the movie was very graphic, showing a lot of sex scenes and drug abuse because they show them doing drugs all the time. However it felt very natural to the story telling, it didn’t feel pornographic although it was borderline to me. The movie does represent the problems with abundant wealth and the the change of personality that it ensues. The film shows how greed and addiction take someone’s life and completely ruin it.

The only critique i have for the movie was that it was very long. The film was about 3 hours long. Although i was entertained for most of it I felt there were scenes that could have been cut to make it shorter, but to be honest I’m not going to say that it wasn’t enjoyable. Martin Scorsese who directed the film really knew what he was doing because if my only complaint is that it was too long then that means it is quite a good movie. I loved the acting in it especially Leonardo DiCaprio’s and i would like to see him in more comedic roles in the future.

Posted in Audio/Video, Entertainment | Comments Off

Zimbabwe Elephant Population In Extreme Danger: How Will The World Act?

Posted on April 21, 2014 by marcelle.turner

As the world’s population grows, more space is needed for people to live. What is to happen to all the wild animals that humans claim to love so much? Where are they supposed to live?

Asia and Africa alike have suffered a large loss of the animal population. Tigers are among the most sought out wild cat to protect because Asia is so over populated and the tiger species has become extinct.

The diverse populations of animals that reside in Africa are slowly dwindling due to poachers and the development of the continent. As more and more people struggle for food, money, and a place to live, the animals are suffering.

Military and political leaders have recently seized protected parts of Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party has been in search of ways to make money in order to pay off economic penalties set by the United States and Europe. In turn, the elephant population is more than likely to suffer due to ivory poachers who will have access to the land.

Ivory sells for $1,500 a pound, which is more than double what it cost five years ago. The ivory is used to make trinkets and carved ornaments. In Central Africa around 23,000 elephants were killed last year.

China, the world’s largest ivory market, has recently won profitable contracts for development in Zimbabwe close to remote elephant habitats.

How is this ever-present problem going to be fixed? Will it take the loss of another species for the world to understand that we need to protect our animals?

Posted in World News | Comments Off

Tampa Bay Rays Decimated With Injuries

Posted on April 21, 2014 by raymond

As we all know, injuries are very common in the game of baseball and can alter a team’s season drastically. You can’t predict them, you can only try to prevent them. Injuries are costly and change a team’s direction. So far in this young MLB season, the Tampa Bay Rays have suffered two key injuries that could possibly hurt their playoff chances.

For the past six or seven years, the Tampa Bay Rays have been known for their pitching. They have always had great pitching, which many believe has been the reason for their success. With that being said, the Rays took a major hit when they lost Matt Moore and Alex Cobb due to injury. One was more serious than the other, but both may have long term effects on the team.

Matt Moore is an incredible young starting pitcher. He has been an anchor for this Rays rotation since debuting late in the 2011 season. A couple weeks ago, he suffered a torn ligament in his elbow on his throwing arm which required season ending surgery. Losing him for the season is huge because no one can quite duplicate what he does. Alex Cobb is another young starter who caught the injury bug recently. He has been very consistent and posted some great numbers until suffering his oblique injury about a week ago. He will miss about a month and a half which feels like forever.

These injuries are huge because there are rumors that if the team has a poor year, They may think about trading superstar ace David Price. Rays fans want him to stay long term but know if they don’t perform, he may have to go. Hopefully their offense will pick up the slack and guys will step up and carry the load.

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Poisoned Meatballs Found in a Colorado Dog park

Posted on April 21, 2014 by brittany

Animal cruelty has reached a new level. Dog owners in Boulder, Colorado are being warned of poisoned meatballs at the very popular Gunbarrel Dog Park. The Anger and frustration of Dog owners is surrounding the dog park on Buckingham Road. Animal Control was called to the scene after several dogs who had reportedly been playing at the park began feeling sick Monday night. Animal control found several, raw meatballs with poison mashed in them at the popular dog park. At least three dogs ate them, and many others could be sick as well.

Gibbs, a 6-year-old Lab, is one of the dogs who ingested the poison. His owner noticed him panting heavily. He didn’t seem well, so he was taken to the vet. It’s a good thing he went. Many Owner Like Keith Norman are disgusted by such an unmoral act and are frightened that their dogs could be at risk “It’s frightening, it’s scary, it’s sick. It’s really sick,” said dog walker, Keith Norman. Animal Control has placed several notices around the park warning of these poisoned meatballs.

The Boulder County sheriffs department is investigating the incident. So far we have learned that rat poison was laced with the meatballs and were placed in the park with the intention for pets to eat them. Over Easter weekend five more meatballs were found for a total of Nine. The Meatballs are now being tested for traces of human DNA but suspects have yet been identified. A $4,500 reward has been offered for information on the poison meatballs found. A similar case was seen On February 22 in San Fransisco California when Thirty Five meatballs were found in a local dog park.

Posted in Crime, Environment, World News | Comments Off

USA struggling to keep the death penalty alive

Posted on April 21, 2014 by jfishpaugh

Capital punishment is still legal in 32 American states. Although there has been a new setback recently which doesn’t include protesters, activists or state governments repealing the death penalty.

Because they’re running out of the legal injection drugs.

As the death penalty is considered barbaric by many, manufacturers in Europe are cutting off supplies to the drugs needed for lethal injections. This has led to a number of death row inmates having their execution postponed.

CBS News reports that the European Union rarely agree on anything. But what they do agree on is that the death penalty should be abolished.

Many US states use a three-drug protocol. Without any of the three drugs, the execution cannot take place. Officials are now discussing alternative sources, trading drugs between prisons, or privately ordering the drug through pharmacies. Some states, including Missouri, Virginia and Wyoming, are now reconsidering old-fashioned methods such as gas chambers, electrocutions, and firing squads.

This issue has had further complications because some prisoners are appealing the death penalty or lodging lawsuits. They argue that the private arrangements with pharmacies encourages the production of impure drugs that may cause pain during the execution process.

In Ohio last month, a death row inmate took 26 minutes to die painfully after previously-untested drugs were administered to him. Prosecutors argue that the Constitution doesn’t state that prisoners are entitled to a pain-free execution.

There is still 3000 inmates on death row in the US. It is unknown when, or how they will die. Or if they will be in any pain.

Posted in Crime, General, Health, Odd News, Politics | Comments Off

Two Clergymen form a friendship amidst a denomination in dispute

Posted on April 21, 2014 by brittney a. mckinney

Back in the 1990s, the Episcopal church had a major schism. Up until that point, there had been tension between congregations with different views. But the moment that brought the tension to its climax was the ordination of an openly gay man. Afterwards, many congregations left the Episcopal Church and began identifying as Anglican. (There is no difference in doctrine between the two. “Anglican” is the name that the Church of England identifies with. However, they have separate jurisdiction from the Episcopal Church in America.)

I grew up in an Episcopal Church during this schism, and mine was one of many churches that left the denomination over the dispute of homosexuality. Ironically, as a grown man, I came out of the closet–not only as gay but–as a gay Christian. However, my church ended up joining a smaller, newer denomination that was more popular in Africa called the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

Ever since that fateful day of ordination, those in support & opposition have been at each other’s throats for 20 years! Many congregations that left the denomination refused to leave their buildings, which the Episcopal denomination owns, resulting in million-dollar lawsuits.

In the midst of that dispute, 2 clergymen from opposite sides of the argument of homosexuality & same sex marriage have reached, what could easily be called, an impossible friendship. Rev. Tory Baucum leads a Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia, which left the Episcopal denomination. He & his wife drove to Richmond to initiate a friendship with Shannon Johnston, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia (the most populous in the United States) & his wife in the spring of 2011. Since then, the bishop has agreed to allow Truro Church to operate its building, which the Episcopal Church owns, rent-free, as long as they clean & maintain it.

Posted in General | Tagged Anglican, Christianity, Church, Episcopal, Religion, Virginia | Comments Off

Local Earth Day Festival Teaches Orlando Communities About Sustainability.

Posted on April 21, 2014 by jsjones

Last Saturday, Lake Eola was a gathering place for many environmental activists when a special Earth Day festival was held.

Earth Day, celebrated on April 22^nd, is not only recognized on one day, but during the whole month of April. To honor what is known as “Earth Month,” many festivals and events are held in order to bring awareness to some of the most pressing environmental issues.

The Central Florida Earth Day celebration was presented by the Vegetarians of Central Florida, a group formed in order to educate the local communities about how to maintain a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Throughout the surrounding grounds of Lake Eola, many similar environmental organizations set up booths in order to teach those visiting the festival about such issues as sustainability, climate change, and deforestation.

Additionally, visitors were able to sample various vegan foods from different restaurants such as the Vegan Hot Dog Cart and the Dandelion Communitea Café. Local animal shelters also set up an area where people could visit with and adopt dogs without permanent homes. To round out the event, there were live acoustic performances by local artists as well as a children’s center, where the younger ages could learn about environmental concerns in a fun and understandable way.

The festival was a wonderful reminder of just how important maintaining the world is and served as a great educational tool by which the local communities could learn ways they could personally help the environment in order to keep it healthy for many generations to come.

Posted in Education, Environment, General | Comments Off

NBA Playoffs: Visiting Teams Set League Record with 5 Winning their Series Opener

Posted on April 21, 2014 by arlen spitalnik

The NBA Playoffs are back, and have not disappointed so far! The 8 teams from the Western Conference, and 8 from the Eastern Conference have gone hard at each other during the series openers. This year, a new record was set as 5 out of the 8 teams took game-one of their series on the road, these include: the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Portland Trail Blazers.

On Saturday, the entire city of Toronto, Ontario came together at the Air Canada Centre to cheer their No. 3 seed Raptors on as they battled No. 6 Nets. The young Raptors put up quite a fight; however, the experienced Nets outlasted them 94-87.

Immediately following that contest, the young squad of the No. 6 Golden State Warriors topped the No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers 109-105. LA Point Guard Chris Paul struggled down the stretch as he turned it over 6 times and missed a couple of costly free-throws, ultimately handing the game to the Warriors—who played without star Center Andrew Bogut.

Later that night, the top seeded Indiana Pacers fell to the bottom seed, the Atlanta Hawks, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Though it ended as only an 8 point victory for Atlanta, this game was never close, to say the least. Indiana trailed by over 20 points for most of the contest.

On Sunday, No. 5 Washington’s 102-93 win over the No. 4 Chicago Bulls. Nene had 24 points and 8 rebounds to lead the way for the Wizards.

The NBA definitely saved the best series opener for last, as the No. 5 Portland Trail Blazers knocked off the No. 4 Houston Rockets 122-120 in Overtime. Power Forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored a franchise-playoff high with 46 points and 18 boards, while Point Guard Damian Lillard chipped in 31 points, 9 boards, and 5 dimes for Portland.

These playoffs can easily become a classic with all the intensity shown this weekend.

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Facebook and New Plans For the Future

Posted on April 21, 2014 by kbowerman

When we look at the technology sector, few companies control more than Facebook. Looking at the future, Facebook in years past has settled down and not had the buzz that it has had in years past. With this comes new time for stride and innovation and Facebook as a result is adding a message app that would allow users to talk and communicate with their friends on a separate app all together. This new app allows users more functionality when it comes to the speeds of the messages going to and from. Users on the core app would experience slower times especially when trying to communicate with someone and this app now takes pressure off of the core app itself.

Facebook isn’t just a local company, it is a global force and a change like this, even though small, it is a big step for the tech company as they continue to try to be at the center of attention and be at service to billions of people. For people who are concerned with the having to switch between apps, Facebook has a feature in which it will automatically send you over to that new app with one touch and transition time will not hold you back from your conversation. This is a cleaner look that will in the short term save you time and increase the time in which your messages will be sent and received. Facebook is no stranger to being in the news, but, they aren’t looking at buying any messaging apps any time soon.

Posted in Economy, Education, Entertainment, General, World News | Tagged app, champ, faaster, FaceBook, mark, messages | Comments Off

A Mother Get’s Arrested After Her Child Is Found Alone And Digging In Trash.

Posted on April 21, 2014 by the one and only

A mother from Sanford, Florida was arrested on Monday April 21, 2014 after they found her daughter alone in a busy street. Her daughter was found across the street from the hotel where they were living, more than 100 yards away. The authorities said that the girl was rescued after a man had spotted the child digging in the trash.

According to an arrest report, the woman named Jessica Flores and her two children were living in a room on the Value Place hotel in Sanford, Florida on the third floor. The investigators said that a girl had walked to a nearby Sunoco gas station that was across the long parking lot and a street.

The child’s mother Jessica Flores was arrested on child neglect charges. Investigators had said that they found Jessica Flores inside her room hours after the child was discovered alone and digging in trash. In the arrest report, they wrote that there was trash all over the hotel room.

This woman is an unfit parent and doesn’t care for her children. I know that some single woman that are parents have a much harder life than most people but her child shouldn’t have been left alone and digging through trash. The child could have been kidnapped or killed by a car. This is the reason why Jessica Flores was arrested for child neglect. They are continuing to investigate the story to see why the mother of the child let her children be alone and why they found the child alone digging in the trash.

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