Saturday, December 31, 2016

Course Evaluations

Please don't forget to take the course evaluation.

Once you have completed it, comment below and I will throw a few points of extra credit your way.

HTTP://SIRII.CLIKSONLINE.COM/SIRII/CLIKSLOGIN

Remember: I cannot see WHO does it and your comments remain confidential. I don't even get access until after grades are submitted.

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Half-Marathon Journey

A man had been slacking off when it came to his health, and knew he had to find a new hobby to exercise. His mother and uncle were avid runners and since he had run cross country in high school, he thought he would join them.

They told him they were training for a half marathon.
"Easy," he scoffed. He had done one in high school with minimal effort, but he forgot that was after an entire cross country season. The first one was done in great shape, and he only had six weeks to get back to the great shape of his high school days. He bet his mother he could beat her, and finish in under two hours.

He trains hard, fighting the exhaustion and soreness of running. His body withered and training had to stop for weeks at a time because of injuries. His body was fragile; both legs had been broken at one time, his shoulder was severely injured, his back in pain, but he pushed on. As race day approached, he started to worry. His body was starting to give out more often, his knees would struggle to finish five miles, and he wondered how well they would fair against 13.

Despite his worries, race day came. He decided he would at least attempt the run. Thousands lined up around a small Missouri lake as they prepared to run the grueling course. He blocked out the people, focused on his drive to finish the race. The first five miles flew by, a small downhill road that he flew through, while still keeping a steady pace so not to exhaust himself.

Before the race, he had heard horrors of mile five. "The Mountain" they called it. A mile long "hill" that was nearly 45 degrees the entire trek. After just a quarter mile he could feel his legs giving out, his knees struggling to hold him up. He slowed his pace to a slow jog and nearly collapsed as he reached the top.

He smiled to himself, I've just finished mile five, then reality struck him. I'm only at mile six, he staggered, struggling to believe he wasn't even half way. The rest of the race was a blur, a slow jog, a stabbing pain in his knees until mile 10.

As mile 10 arrive he felt  his right knee give out. He fell, rolled to the ground as his body failed him, but he would not give up so close to finishing. He brushed the dirt off his short shorts, stretched his shaking leg, clearly the race had taken its toll on his body. Again at 11 his knee gave out, once more at 12 and twice in the final mile. To everyone's surprise, the man sprinted the last hundred meters to clock his time just over two hours.

Car Burgled at Night - Revision


 On the night of Oct. 21, a burglar vandalized a young woman’s car.

The woman was always proud of the fact she remembered to lock her car, but on this day she was in a hurry, her tired limbs and foggy mind let slip the thoughts of locking the door.

The next morning she arose to start her car so it was warm for her drive to class. She paid no attention to the empty backseat, forgetting her jackets that usually sat in the back seat. She slowly realized what happened as her phone charger and an old GPS were missing. She then remembered a new shirt, not a week old, that she was waiting to return in the back seat that was missing as well.

She took inventory of her car, assessing the damages. Fortunately there was no damage, the burglar had found a way in without damaging the car.


Regardless of her relief, the woman still felt violated as a stranger had rifled through her belongings. She wondered how someone could go through with such a thing. She also wondered if this were just a one-time occurrence or if her car was checked multiple times a week to see if it were unlocked. Since the incident, the woman has double checked to make sure her car was locked.

Student Media Hours!

Please create a paragraph after each production shift you work. Briefly summarize your experience. What did you do? What were your overall editing observations?

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Society pressures millennials to pursue college education (edited)

Our current society is so immersed with the status quo of graduating and going to college, then finding a job and having a family. What about taking an alternative route to what the  evolution of life is?

Many young adults are contemplating instead if college is for them. They consider if they should continue to pursue their four-year degree and incur a large amount of debt, or carve their own way to success by becoming an entrepreneur or pursuing a trade school.

Students in school are feeling the pressure of pursuing an education. Recently, with the end of the semester approaching, many students  have been sprawled out in the library with papers scattered all over the table, and study rooms are booked up and many students are starting to pull all-nighters in the library.

What if all of these efforts are in vain - after all, are we really promised we will find a job after college? Society pressures us to go to college, incur debt and then make us work like a slave to pay it off and still manage to live our daily lives.

The pressure of achieving a college education is definitely on and at its peak. Only in due time will we see if our college education will continue to be the route many millennials, or the next generation, pursues. 

End of semester drawl

Somewhere between a good cup of coffee and a cramped place in the Mabee Library on Washburn campus, Lisa Herdman toted an array of papers along with a laptop.

Friends waited inside the library, conveniently watching her from the windows. Herdman was walking like a deer with two broken legs - a snowman, round and cold and teetering - and in a bout of fate, her coffee levitated out of her hand and spilled to the ground in a caffeinated, ineffective explosion.

She was used to mild disasters, however. Adjusting the laptop strap she effectively dipped down in an unknown dance to pick the cup up. Then her paper, eight pages and marked up, ready for corrections, landed as a porous paper boat into the dark coffee.

In a matter of moments, seven hours were lost. A wounded deer - Herdman, herself - waited for consolation. The friends approached her gently, soft-eyed and ready to help in pack formation.

Herdman groaned in agony, but, attuned to healing due to assignments afflicted on her, she slopped the paper into her hands and nursed it in some napkins.

As an English major, and as a wild college student, you must learn to adapt. The rewriting and peeling apart of the pages is necessary for evolution. A digital age must save us all. Learn to order coffee after you've settled at your desk. The future is near.



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

"Hamilton" bootleg sparks controversy-Revision

Early morning Dec. 5, a bootleg copy of "Hamilton: An American Musical" was uploaded to YouTube. The recording features the original Broadway cast in a high resolution film. It was broken into two parts because of its length; both parts were removed from the website within a few hours.

While there is no question as to the legality of the post (no word on what happened to the YouTuber who posted the videos), some Washburn students have dared to question the morality of it.

A student managed to download the bootleg before it was removed, and has offered to share it with his friends. While many of his peers are excited at the prospect of seeing the Tony Award winning show, it has a sparked a controversy. Most of the students have great respect for Lin-Manuel Miranda, the playwright of "Hamilton," so they are hesitant to do anything that could offend or financially hurt one of their living idols.

On the one hand, the students have been taught to respect artistic license and integrity above all else as many of them are theatre and art students. They understand how difficult it is to make a living in the arts, and how much of himself (Miranda) was put into the show.

On the other hand, the students know realistically that they will likely never have the chance to attend a live show, unless it comes on tour near Topeka. As theatre students, who would love to see the live show, and who do appreciate the difficulty of writing and producing a show at the caliber of "Hamilton," they are not trying to hurt Miranda or any of the other artists involved with the production by watching the bootlegs. They accept that this may be their only opportunity to see the musical, so in fact, the bootleg is actually an educational opportunity.

The students continue to debate the morality of the choice in front of them.

"Hamilton" opened in New York 2015. It was sold out for over a year. There is a production currently running in Chicago, with two more productions scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles. There are also plans to open a production at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London’s West End next year.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Revision: Unexpected Russian experience

Student discovers Russian appreciation

The University of Kansas offered a three-part lecture series on contemporary Russian culture in Henderson room 008. It was attended mostly by non-traditional students and Arturo Benza, senior computer science major.

“I was not expecting to see a classroom full of older people,” said Benza. “I had to be the youngest person in the room by at least 35 years.”

Vera Kononova Brown, a professor at KU, lived in eastern Russia until she was 18. She participated in many traditional activities and still practices the religion of her childhood. 

Brown explained her traditional garb, although the focus of the presentation was on two important aspects of Russian culture: tradition and religion.

The lecture was the second of a three part course being offered by KU. However, Brown offered Benza the opportunity to attend the third installment as her guest.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Mixed messages delivered (revised)

A lone black man paced up and down the sidewalk on the northeast corner of 10th and MacVicar exercising his First Amendment rights. Propped up against a street sign was a white piece of bulletin board attached to a large wooden frame. In blue letters, the sign read, "God is Good."

"Yeah, I said it, God is Good," the man said as he paced back and forth on the sidewalk.

Another sign, built identical to the first was propped against the street light. In red letters the sign read," The Devil is No Good."

"It isn't God giving us grief today,” the man said, “God is good.”

Across the street at a Kwik Shop, customers walked into the store, but paused to look at the man across the street.

“He is so loud,” an onlooker said while at the Kwik Shop. “It makes me a bit nervous.”

In a country that protects freedom of speech and religion and in city home to Westboro Baptist Church, residents of Topeka have become accustomed to displays of religious speech.

However, even though the message the man on 10th and MacVicar is not one of hate, he attracts many awkward glances and maybe even sparks fear.

“I think that people are scared because he is tall, black and loud,” said Tiffany Melendez. “He just looks like the type of person that can knock you out.”


Edited by Derek Richardson

Seniors loaf over the end of their basketball term (Group 5 Revision Alyxis)

Many seniors are feeling he sorrow of this being their last season of basketball at Washburn University.  Playing basketball is more than the sport, its a bond and camaraderie that is formed with the teammates that makes the sport even more enriching.

Basketball is more than making a 3-point shot, or more than making the final score before the buzzer rings. It encompass  a lot of preparation. The majority of basketball athletes have specific assigned  times to hit the gym,  as well as study sessions all while maintaining their daily lives.

As players reflect on the their last few months as a Washburn athlete, "This will be the first and my last basketball game..my soon to be last game. It's very much sad when you think about it" said Alyxis, senior starter on the women's basketball team.

This has become a pivotal moment for many senior athletes who will be graduating this year. It's very much clear that we will be losing some of our best athletes, but the memories and legacy will remain on the court and in our hearts.

Society pressures millennials to pursue college education

Our current society is so immersed with the status quo of after graduating you must go to college, then find a job and have a family. What about taking an alternative route to what the  evolution of life is?

Many young adults are contemplating rather if college is for them. Considering if they should continue to pursue their four-year degree and incur a large amount of debt, or should they carve their own way to success by becoming an entrepreneur or pursuing a trade school.

Yes, well students in school are feeling the pressure of pursuing an education. Recently with the end of the semester approaching, many students  have been sprawled out in the library with papers scattered all over the table. study rooms booked and either many students are starting to pull all-night-er's in the library.

What if all of these efforts are in vain, after all are we really promised we will find a job after college. Society pressures us to go to college incur debt and then make us work like a slave to pay it off and still managed to live our daily lives.

The pressure of college education is definitely on and at its peak, Only in due time will we see if college education will continue you to be the route many millennials, or the next generation pursues. 

Brazilian first division soccer team plummets to ground. (Charisma's Revision)

On November 29, 2016, the world was devastated with the alarming news that hit the air waves. A chartered plane  was carrying 77 passengers. The crash occurred right near the Medillin, Columbia.

The plane crashed due to an electrical malfunction, which caused all electrical outlets to lock up and shut down.

Before the plane plummeted to the ground, a 12 minute video was captured disclosing the captain saying the plane has received an electrical error and was going down.

The soccer team was heading to the finals, held in South America.  This soccer team wasn't any soccer team. They were considered the underdogs, and wern't expected to make it to the finals.

They dispelled the rumors of their ability to make it to the finals. However, the chance to see them play in it will now be obsolete.

The crash had six survivors,  three players, two crew members and one journalist.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Car burgled at night

On the night of Oct. 21, a woman’s car had been entered by burglars while she slept.


This woman is adamant about locking her car every time she steps away from her vehicle, but this day she must have forgotten. Saturday Oct. 22, she used remote start on her car because there was a chill in the air. As she locked the door to her house, she used the remote to unlock her car. The woman went to the back seat to put her bag and drawing pad there for transport to the Washburn Campus. She didn’t think anything of it when the back seat was empty, but when she closed the door she noticed the papers and napkins on the front passenger seat. She instantly knew what had happened; someone broke into her car in the middle of the night. Then she remembered the two jackets she kept in the back seat, they were no longer there. She took inventory of the rest of the cars’ contents, the only other things that seemed to be missing were a charger converter and an old Magellan GPS device. Then she remembered she had a new t-shirt in the back seat, which she had intended to exchange for a larger size. With the missing contents tallied she searched the car for damage. The front passenger door was not closed all the way, but other than that there were no damages to be reported. This led the woman to believe she might have forgotten to lock her car the previous night. While there were no damages, the woman felt violated because someone had rifled through her car. She thought, how often do strangers walk up to her house to check if her car is unlocked for an easy thieving? Or was it a one-time coincidence that the one night she forgot to lock her car, someone stole her belongings? Since the incident she double checks her car to make sure it’s locked and she no longer keeps anything in the back seat.

"Hamilton" bootleg sparks controversy among students

Early in the morning of December 5, a bootleg copy of "Hamilton: An American Musical" was uploaded to YouTube. The recording features the original Broadway cast in a high resolution film. It was broken into two parts because of its length; both parts were removed from the website within a few hours.

While there is no question as to the legality of the post (no word on what happened to the YouTuber who posted the videos), some Washburn students have dared to question the morality of it.

A student managed to download the bootleg before it was removed, and has offered to share it with his friends. While many of his peers are excited at the prospect of seeing the Tony Award winning show, it has a sparked a controversy. Most of the students of great respect for Lin-Manuel Miranda, the playwright of "Hamilton," so they are hesitant to do anything that could offend or financially hurt one of their living idols.

On the one hand, the students have been taught to respect artistic license and integrity above all else as many of them are theatre or art students. They understand how difficlut it is to make a living in the arts, and how much of himself Miranda put into the show.

On the other hand, they realistically know that they will likely never have the chance to attend a live show, unless it comes on tour near Topeka. As theatre students, who would love to see the live show, and who do appreciate the difficulty of writing and producing a show at the caliber of "Hamilton," they are not trying to hurt Miranda or any of the other artists involved with the production by watching the bootlegs. They accept that this may be their only opportunity to see the musical, so in fact, the bootleg is actually an educational opportunity.

The students continue to debate the morality of the choice in front of them.

"Hamilton" opened in New York in 2015. It is sold out for over a year. There is a production currently running in Chicago, with two more productions scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles. There are also plans to open a production at the Victoria Palace Theatre in Londom's Weat End next year.

Revision-Waiter finds $50 tip hidden


Server Finds $50 Tip

Sunday evening a Texas Roadhouse server cleaned his tables and found a $50 tip.
A server at Roadhouse had one table that sat for hours, drinking and conversing. When the doors locked, the group stayed for an extended amount of time. They didn't realize the restaurant had closed and they had been there for three hours. To compensate the server for his time, they had wrapped a receipt around a $50 bill. They saw the server cleaning his other tables and assumed he would find the tip while cleaning their table. The bill was a mere $40, but they had taken up one of the server's three tables for so long they felt as though they cost him tips throughout the night. They placed the tip under the table where only someone cleaning would find it. It was still easy to find, but hidden so they wouldn't find it until later. The server had only made $40 that night and his spirits were down. As he went to clean the table, he thought they had stiffed him. He cleaned off the empty beer mugs and wine glasses, scrubbed ranch from the peanut bucket and wiped steak sauce off the menus. When he started sweeping the booth he noticed the folded receipt. He reached down and to his surprise, a crisply folded $50 bill sat before him with a wink drawn on the receipt. He casually finished sweeping, feeling as though his luck had just changed. He had hope in humanity again.

Fear of the future (Rizzy Revision)

The infamous second presidential debate aired on television Oct. 9, 2016. This debate has caused much controversy on which candidate voters will stand behind. Throughout the debate, we witnessed a shouting match of the two blaming and low-balling each other.

They were mainly just trying to point out each other’s flaws and weaknesses in order to win the crowd over instead of speaking on what they plan to do to build this country up.

Well, some innuendos were more relevant from one candidate than the other. But still, little to none questions that were asked were answered by either candidates.


This situation does not help undecided voters choose a candidate. They are still left with unanswered questions, which then can cause either a loss of vote or uneducated selection of a candidate.

Aldi expands natural grocery products to their shelves (Revision Alyxis Post)

Recently the popular cost efficient grocery store is now expanding their grocery products.  Aldi is known for having some of the best deals that any grocery store can compete with. However, in the past they have not had the most healthy selections of grocery products to choose from.

With healthy being the new trend, they up the ante to compete with stores like Whole Foods and Fresh markets. Aldi is considering to stocking their shelves with more  fresh natural organic products, still keeping them at a reasonable cost.

This would mean Aldi would remove some of their detrimental products that contain some infeasible products such as ingredients that are included in the same products that are harmful to individuals  autoimmune system.

Presidential debate leaves voters dissarayed (Jordon Revision)

The infamous second presidential debate aired on television Oct. 9, 2016. This debate has caused much controversy on which candidate voters will stand behind. Throughout the debate, we witnessed a shouting match of the two blaming and low-balling each other.

They were mainly just trying to point out each other’s flaws and weaknesses in order to win the crowd over instead of speaking on what they plan to do to build this country up.

Well, some innuendos were more relevant from one candidate than the other. But still, little to none questions that were asked were answered by either candidates.


This situation does not help undecided voters choose a candidate. They are still left with unanswered questions, which then can cause either a loss of vote or uneducated selection of a candidate.

Millennials succumbed in pop culture (Jordon Revision)

Pop culture has been infused into millennial. But are millennial heavily consumed by it?

There is a constant buzz of “who is wearing what” or “dating who.”  Pop culture is defined by music, fashion, celebrity and technology. Let’s be honest, with the release of the iPhone 7, millennial will more than likely be the largest consumer.

Some stars have taken advantage of their position in pop culture to widen their business ventures. You can see Kim Kardashian has taken advantage by promoting her raunchy KIMOJI’s and Kanye West releasing his clothing and shoe line. They know in this age and time, they have a lot of followers.


Pop culture is additive and mesmerizing for the egotistical, tech savvy generation. It may have abducted our millennial!