Why do Squirrels Hate Full Moons?

So it has been a slow week for me trying to find some hard-hitting, non-depressing news, guess nothing too irrelevant happened. So I decided to look into something that has always riddled me. Something of little significance of course but something that has fixated me nonetheless. Before I get too much more into it I would like to take this to inform the reader that this is not a blog with results, I’m merely voicing a question I have to all you out there to comment on and discuss it along with me. With that being said, has anyone ever been driving around one day and noticed a lot more road kill than usual? I’m not just talking any road kill either like possums, raccoons, or even little baby kittens named Riley that decided to wake me up at 5 in the morning today. No, I’m talking about squirrels, an unusual amount of dead squirrels. I noticed this a couple of years ago and I also noted that these unusual squirrel death counts come a night after there is a full moon. Coincidence? I think not. Now there are only two rational explanations for a happening such as this, the first there is some kind of beast that transforms on the night of a full moon only to tear these creatures (maybe its related to acorns), and the second the moon has some kind of effect on these squirrels causing them to run out onto the road and get hit by oncoming traffic. For the sake of time we will go with the latter and try to prove or disprove it. It is known that the moon has a natural effect whether its shifts with the tide in the ocean or in this case an effect on animals. Someone once told me that squirrels have receptors in their tails that allow them to detect how fast an oncoming car was going and how much time they have to move out of the way. While this does seem plausible, I was not able to find any evidence to support that they have these receptors in their tails or that they even exist. Again I, have no answer for this question I’m posting, but please feel free to add your two cents and someone please tell me I’m not the only that has noticed this strange event. I’m starting to feel like the dead squirrels are following me…

Chapter Readings

Chapter 12 really drives home the importance of checking your sources and relying on credibility when it comes to journalism. It is easy to see how stories can be exaggerated and facts distorted when it comes to people trying to put their own spin on things. As a journalist it is our job to deliver the truth so I feel as journalist we should uphold that standard. We should not sacrifice it just for the sake of rating no matter how tempting it may be. With that being said, I know that it is easier said than done so after reading this chapter it really made me think, what if it was me? I mean if I am to sit hear and preach journalistic ethics I should at least be able to reflect upon myself and have confidence that I would uphold these morals. A section of this chapter I disagree with is the portion about using the right kind of language in journalism. Bullshit. Pardon my French but why use the term “climate change” instead of “global warming” just because the former is ‘less frightening’. If global warming sounds frightening that is because it is and the reader should not be sheltered from it like a baby. I understand the argument in the chapter is not to offend the reader but c’mon, grow a pair. Life is too short to be bogged down with censorship of any kind, anyone agree?

Flying Cars!!

      You read the title right, really no introduction required but I’m going to share a quick anecdote with you before getting much more into it. This is so you can share the feeling of utter excitement translating into epic disappointment along with me, which is exactly how you will feel after reading this blog. So I’m at a friend’s house on Sunday burying my sorrow into countless bottles of Bud Light while watching the Patriots lose to the Jets, when another friend of mine decides to lighten up the mood and informs me that there are flying cars being made in Massachusetts. For the moment her mission was accomplished, as I sat there humming the Jetsons theme song in my head and thinking about hopping in my purple Chrysler Cirrus to fly to Wendys for some spicy chicken nuggets (yeah my car is purple but it would still be badass if it could fly). 
       I came back down to Earth long enough to hear both of my friends still talking about the flying cars and how Massachusetts isn’t he first to start developing these magic machines. What?! How is this not on every news network every night? Next thing I think I am going to blog about this and here I am however I am not feeling as whimsical as I was upon first hearing about these flying cars and here is why. I had to know more about this so I went home and Googled my ass off to find out these “flying cars” are also known as personal planes. Well that doesn’t sound as cool or futuristic now does it?  Terrafugia is a four year old Massachusetts company that has developed these mini-aircrafts that have the ability to fold up its wings and store them while on the ground (okay so that part is still pretty cool). The Transition Roadable Aircraft is what they have been working on for the past two years and while they won’t share what the top speed is for it on the road they do inform us that it travels 115 mph in the air. Mind you most airplanes can travel at about 500-700 mph depending on the size. That's not all folks these so called flying cars also require a runway for take off which means if your stuck in a traffic jam and want to just fly away think again.
       Maybe I shouldn't bash these personal planes too much, I mean they are a step in the right direction. They are a step into the future. If there are companies out there producing these personal planes then sooner than later these engineers should find a way to make us like the Jetsons right? I don't know and to tell you the truth I'm impatient like the rest of my fellow Americans. I don't want to wait, I want my future now.

Say Grace Before Pancakes

Hey everyone (all ten followers, including myself). I have been slacking tremendously with the blog posts, for that I apologize and will attempt to make it up to you with some hard-hitting, non-depressing news and maybe add a badass profile picture. But before I get too far ahead of myself let’s talk about IHOP v. IHOP, the bout for the fluffy weight title. “What?!” you may ask yourself shouldn’t it be IHOP v. Bickfords, “No!” I reply indignantly to myself because Bickfords threw out its bid for breakfast supremacy when it became a bar & grille years ago and has been dead to this blogger ever since. This story right here pertains to something other than just the most important meal of the day, this story has to do with arguably a more important food, and that is food for thought. The International House of Pancakes has filed a lawsuit against the International House of Prayer? Which do you choose pancakes or prayer, isn’t that an interesting way of starting your morning as opposed to Folgers in your cup? The International House of Prayer is located in Kansas City, Missouri and was founded in 1999 where as the IHOP with about five different flavors of syrup has been around for over 50 years and has approximately 350 locations in the United States. Now I’m no district attorney but I think it’s pretty safe to say that the House of Pancakes has this one wrapped up. It’s not even fair really, I mean not only is IHOP a million dollar company, it also displays no fear in the face of God.

The church has yet to respond to the lawsuit, however pancake IHOP spokesperson Patrick Lenow has been quoted, “We are compelled to protect the 350 small-business owners who own IHOP franchises and the IHOP good name that's been around for 52 years” and when asked why it took them so long to take action he responded, “They've expanded - and now some of the branches are serving food”. Seriously Pat, that’s the huge concern? Maybe it’s just me and someone please correct me if I’m wrong but anytime I have had food in church I didn’t pay for it, unless it was some charity bake sale and even then the food sucked.

Really, I would have much rather paid the $10.99 for a Colorado omelet. Is this the case of doing something to help the franchise or is it the House of Pancakes just being a conglomerate bully and not playing well with others? Honestly I love everything about the House of Pancakes, especially how they are open at four in the morning when I am craving a Belgian waffle but guys you should have let the House of Prayer slide on this one.

First Blog!

Alright well I never thought that I would join the 21st century and create a blog but here it is, what I am sure you have all been waiting for you just don't know it yet. First and foremost I would like to give a quick shout out to Professor Dave Copeland if it wasn't for him this fascinating page really could not be possible. With that being said this blog was not created solely for the purpose of succumbing to a class requirement. This blog was created to reach out to my peers (and maybe even future employers *wink wink*) and share with them something other than the mundane news we hear every evening at six, or every night at eleven, or whenever it is that you watch the news, if you watch it at all. I wanted a blog that allows us to escape from the regular news and focus on what doesn't make the cut for 20/20 and 60 Minutes with a light-hearted approach. Confused? I know I am but with this being my first blog post ever that is to be expected and hopefully my skills improve as the ramblings go on in the upcoming weeks, months, or years (however long this things lasts). Thanks for reading there will be more to come.