A little thing we all call News

The news. Is it a source of information, or just a means of massive mind manipulation? When should we listen and when should we click the off button? Does it truly do the function it is meant to do: inform, and allow for a democratic society, or is it just a mask behind a homogenous group of control? Does the news stimulate positive reactions full of hope, joy, and happiness, or does it stimulate fear? Fear as the perfect weapon for control. Who is behind this massive mind control?

These are questions I have posed again and again. I am befuddled, till this day. I turn on the television and read the newspaper and all I see and all I hear is a repetition of the same events again and again and again, events that always seem to evoke all fear possible within my veins. A fifteen year old girl raped and killed, a seventeen year boy holding the gun, an old man strangling his family, a young baby dead on the floor. If it does not involve kidnapping, killing, rapping, drugs, and crimes the news would be no news at all.

Is what is truly happening in the world this devastating? Has the world always been this violent? I seem to think it has. But why does it give the impression that the world is always about to fall into a deep black whole? If it is not global warming, if it is not war, if it is not oil availability and prices of oil, or if it isn’t this talk of recession, we would have little to look for in the future. Is the truth that humans seek conflicts and need such conflicts during the entirety of our existence? Do we get excited in the name of conflicts? Or is the true nature of our species one that seeks to find the conflicts in order to fix them? Are we killing gorillas or are we saving them? Do we pollute the world or do we invest to save it? Do we destroy or do we heal?

The truth is, that it is neither. News tells us it’s both, in very appealing ways making us believe it is the same non-controversial idea. The news maneuvers our mind to think about all these things and join causes. Save Darfur. Save the environment. But does it make a difference? Did we in fact land on the moon? Is the United States going to launch a mission to mars soon with actual human beings or is it a preparation to continue “news” after this political surge ceases in a few months following November?

Is there an actual war? Or is this another 1984? I could have sworn we were against terrorism here. And wasn’t there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Or was that Iran? Sorry, I forget it’s the same country, and Afghanistan the capital. And while we think and wonder about the success of the war, and protest against it while others praise it, and while men die in battle and failure of establishing a stable democratic political system, the “news” is going and going and going. Shut it up. Shut it up. But then again, who to shut up? Who is behind this homogenous spread of “truth”?

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Yummy Protein Bar Recipe: Make Protein Bars on the Cheap

Protein bars have to be one of the most expensive things I buy at the super market. Here is a nice video teaching us poor college students how to make our own protein bars. You can make a bunch and eat them in between classes. Plus, by her accent, I think that girl is Brazilian. Note, however, that you will have to stop by a nutritional health store to pick up some of these items, but at least you will be healthy.

Here is what you need (makes 24 bars):

  • 2 cups raw oat meal
  • 1 cup protein powder (e.g., soy protein powder)
  • 1/2 cup flex seed
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ
  • 2 cups trail mix or other form of nuts you prefer
  • 1/2 cup ground walnuts
  • 1/2 cup coconut
  • 1 cup honey
  • 2 cups peanut butter

[2008-05-15]
Mix all of that together and then place it in an oiled container. No need to bake and you get 11 grams of protein and 4.2 grams of fiber per bar!

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    Fun Things to do with Extra Condoms

    Condoms. I get them from everywhere. From Student Health Services, to people running for student council. Heck, even my mom gives me condoms (don’t even get me started on that one).

    There is only so much sex someone can have in a day, so here are some helpful things you can do with condoms to help you get rid of some before their two-year expiration date:

    1. Have a tasty treat – No, I’m not talking about flavored condoms here. I’m talking about condomsicles. I don’t personally recommend this for condoms with lubricants or if you are allergic to latex, but then again, we’re college students and can’t be too picky.

    2. Play God and create your own world – I personally have a high need for power. Or at least that is what my psychology teachers keep telling me. Now that I am too old for Sim City 3000, I can just make my own personal condom world.

    Click to continue reading…

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    College Cybersecurity Tactics – Get Educated, Not Hacked

    Going to college is your time to start learning about the world. One of the things that you should learn about the world is this: people are going to steal from you. In the digital world that we live in this theft occurs online, necessitating the need for cybersecurity.

    You don’t have to going to college for any sort of IT related education in order to follow the cybersecurity tactics I will be covering in this article. Keep reading so that you don’t get hacked while you get an education.

    Cybersecurity for college: Device location

    The typical college experience shares a room with a roommate, that room is shared within a dorm, and that dorm is part of a larger campus. Each of these settings allows the opportunity for other people to access your devices. The very first thing that you need to do is know where your devices are, and to secure them physically.

    The next thing that you need to do is to make sure that they’ll have some sort of lock screen turned on. If you get up from the study hall to go to the bathroom you don’t necessarily want to take your computer with you. A lock screen can protect you. The lock screen on your phone can protect you if you happen to put it down at a party.

    Making better password choices

    This applies to both your devices and your accounts. The time to use your dog’s name as your password, or your birthday, is over. Here’s what you should do: Click to continue reading…

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    5 Scholarship Websites Every College Applicant Should Be Aware Of

    What is the most vital part of the process of applying for college? Some applicants would say it is passing all exams or making sure that your high-school transcript looks good. Others may state that the most important part is preparing all the needed documents and selecting the institution. 

    Each of these answers is true. However, there is one more thing that you might be missing out. Let’s discuss scholarships.

    With tuition costs going up by leaps and bounds, an awarded scholarship can become a lucky ticket for many high-school graduates. College scholarships and grants can give you a good kick-start into adult life and help cope with a variety of financial issues.

    Unfortunately, many young people are ignoring this opportunity, thinking that obtaining a scholarship is extremely hard or even impossible for them. 

    This judgment is not always true. Of course, it may be hard to find the right opportunity and prepare all the documents. Presenting a top-notch essay isn’t easy as well unless you turn to a professional write my essay online service. However, all it takes is a bit of dedication and work. 

    Besides, if you know exactly where to search for such opportunities, it is already halfway to success! In this article, we have prepared a list of top five scholarship websites that will help you get the financial help you need. Let’s dive in!

    College Applicant’s Toolkit: Best Scholarship Sites to Keep at Hand

    Despite a common belief, finding scholarships can be easy as A, B, C! Just a few decades ago, this process used to be much more complicated and time-consuming. Times have changed, and now, students can do the same quickly and easily.

    The easiest way to discover available opportunities is to use specialized websites that have a database of various grants and scholarships. As a rule, applicants can search through a base with the help of multiple filters such as gender, country of origin, academic level, special interests, etc. 

    How to pick the right website? It could be hard if you’d have to do it on your own, but we’ve got you covered! Below, we have collected some of the best sites to help you fund your education.

    1. Fastweb

    Even if you haven’t heard of it yet, trust us, Fastweb is one of those must-have tools for all college applicants! This resource features a convenient tool for finding funding.

    Also, here, you can discover tons of internships and jobs. Finally, at Fastweb, students can research different colleges and find up to date information about each institution with ease. Therefore, if you still haven’t used this platform, be sure to give it a try!

    2. FinAid

    Our next top pick is a widely known online resource for university applicants. Here you can find comprehensive information about different types of funding, including grants, financial aid, scholarships, and more.

    One of the most significant benefits of FinAid is that it makes finding opportunities simple and helps you determine which ones are the right options!

    3. CollegeBoard

    For those of you who have never heard of it before, the College Board is one of the oldest educational organizations in the world. Thus, it is fair to say that the resources offered by this community are reliable and helpful.

    The same applies to their extensive database of funding opportunities called CollegeBoard, where students from all across the globe can discover a variety of options.

    4. Chegg Scholarships

    This platform’s database contains over 25,000 options, so the chances that everyone will find something suitable are pretty high! The reason why we like this platform a lot is that Chegg Scholarships features an extremely intuitive and convenient searching tool. At the same time, it provides quite accurate matches based on the details you type in.

    5. Peterson’s

    The last but not least handy option on this list is Peterson’s. It is a smart online platform created to help young people find funding for their education quickly and easily. 

    The searching tool used at this service has pretty high filtering capabilities, allowing you to find a perfect match based on your needs!

    Final Words

    If you are starting off to university, be prepared to face a handful of various challenges daily. In most cases, life in a campus becomes a transition point from a teenager into an adult. 

    Clearly, this transition can’t pass unnoticed. You can’t avoid some hardships in the studying process. However, one thing you can do right now is to make sure that financial issues won’t be among those issues you may face!

    Although obtaining high-quality education is much more available today, it is still expensive. And the cost keeps growing with each year. Applying for grants and scholarships, you can ease the financial burden and get more of your campus years.

    Hopefully, this article will help future students find just the right opportunities for them. Using any of the websites mentioned above, you can save plenty of time and discover the most exciting scholarships available out there. 

    Now, all that’s left to do is to believe in yourself and do your best to get the funding you need!

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