Over 123,000 people in the United States are currently on the waiting list to receive an organ transplant; an average of 21 people of these people die every day because they are waiting on a life-saving transplant that never comes. The sad reality is that these deaths are very preventable; every organ donor holds the potential to save or drastically change dozens of lives.
There are countless misconceptions regarding organ transplants. Many people choose not to become organ donors because of an underlying distrust of medical professionals; there is an untrue speculation that if a doctor or emergency responder knows you are an organ donor, they won’t work with the same urgency as they would someone who is not a donor. This is flawed logic; the purpose of organ donation is to save lives, not let them go to waste.
The fear that donating organs after death could affect religious standing is a major concern for many people who are strong in their faith. However, according to the DMV, many major religions such as Catholicism, Mormonism and Judaism all support the practice. Before assuming that your religion forbids organ donation, check with your religious leader.
Another myth is that you cannot have an open-casket funeral after donating your organs. Transplantation does not result in any type of disfiguration; your loved ones will still see and remember you exactly as you were.
Overall discomfort with the concept of death and disgust at the idea of transplantation is another major factor in the choice not to become a donor. Even if the topic is something you would rather not discuss, it is something worth talking about because it could potentially save the lives of others.
If you are interested in becoming an organ donor you can register with your state donor registry, designate your decision on your driver’s license and talk to your family about helping you carry out your decision.
Have a Heart
By: Maddy Hanton
Staff Writer
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only one,” said George R.R. Martin in his book A Dance with Dragons. To all those that would say “YOLO,” to this quote or say that reading is only observing what is happening, remember any book where you felt personally or emotionally connected to the story. Whether it was “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” where you laughed because you did all the things that mouse did after getting a cookie or “Harry Potter” where you read it and then waited for a letter to Hogwarts on your 11th birthday, almost everyone can identify with some character or story and truly feel immersed in a different world.
Reading is the one thing that lets one see while only using the imagination, feel through words plastered on paper, and experience something in a whole other world. Imagination allows the reader to create the character as they see them. Therefore, it becomes a connection on a more personal level as one can see and incorporate themselves or others close to them and their experiences into the story. Sure, movies make words and worlds visible to everyone, but they do not leave as much room for interpretation or imagination as reading does. It is only one version of the thousands of things a book can be in each reader’s mind. Maybe you see your own father in Atticus Finch, and Gregory Peck does not have those same characteristics. When you read a book, you get to know the characters on a personal level, you can read their every thought and know their true emotions. Even if the movie gets the character’s hair color wrong, it can change the way that the characteristics are portrayed.
Plopping down and watching a movie always has its appeal because of the spectacle and emotions that come with it. Some people like to make the argument that movies also take less time than reading; However, with movies it is easy to miss out on the little details that make books so intricate and exciting because they're restricted by that time allotment. Every metaphor, simile, use of irony or imagery brings a different meaning to each reader. Losing all of that can change the story or the characters that people have come to know and love.
Storytelling is one of the oldest traditions in history, whether it was orally or through the written language. It is a tradition that is fading away because of the constantly moving world we live in and should not be lost.
Reading helps to reduce stress, expand vocabulary, improve memory, enhance writing skills and explore other cultures and time periods. The benefits are all there, so why not sit down, enjoy, and learn?
Point-Counterpoint:
Books vs Movies
Movies sell billions of dollars in tickets alone, and gain many fans because of the success of the films. Books including “If I Stay”, “The 5th Wave” and “The Maze Runner” got little attention until they came out as movies. Movies capture the attention of viewers and bring them into fandoms they didn’t know existed before.
One reason why movies are better than books is because it’s visually appealing. Watching the plot unfold is much more exciting with actors acting out the scenes than having to read pages and pages of text. It’s a lot more convenient too because it could take hours to get through the pages in a book, but it only takes a couple minutes when it’s on screen.
The visuals are a key part when it comes to the success of a movie, especially when it is an adaption from a book. In the Hunger Games trilogy, it is hard to imagine what the various districts look like because it is set in the future. The futuristic shots of buildings, homes, clothing styles and characters would be difficult to visualize without the movie. In addition to this, special effects and CGI are huge factors to making the visuals better.
Some examples of movies being better than books are with “The Great Gatsby” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Both of the two in their story forms are endlessly long and particularly boring. People with short attention spans are not too fond of these books. With both “The Great Gatsby” and “Lord of the Rings”, the films were better for many reasons. In “The Great Gatsby”, the A-list actors, music, and digital effects are bringing an enriching quality to the movie. “The Lord of the Rings” movie turned thousands of pages into an exhilarating adventure that can be watched over and over because of how classic it has become in pop culture. When people think of “The Great Gatsby” and “The Lord of the Rings”, almost everyone immediately thinks of the movies rather than the book, which shows that people prefer the movies instead of the books.
In general, movies are much more enjoyable than books. The fast-paced action and adventure is much more exciting to watch rather than read about it for hundreds of pages. There are plenty of books that are portrayed incorrectly on film and because of that, fans tend to hold the text closer to their hearts. However, the actors, music, and special effects can turn an 800 page book into a two hour life experience that people will remember for the rest of their lives.
Chances are that everyone has seen at least one superhero movie, and chances are that people have seen the same movie: one where a white guy discovers or obtains some power, goes through a training montage, and saves the day by defeating some other white guy with very similar powers. This mold has had very little change in the modern days; it’s why Batman fights his mentor, Ra’s al Ghul, in “Batman Begins” and why five of the six main characters in “The Avengers” are white men. However, this world is full of more than just white men, and it’s about time that our heroes start reflecting that diversity.
The reason that superhero movies star almost exclusively white men is because that is what producers are comfortable with. The producers feel that casting white men will create a larger box office draw, which will make them more money. However, this gives the audience the impression that only white men have the ability to save the world, which is a horrible message to send because it makes it seem like being a morally good person and changing the world is exclusive to the genetics you’re born with. Being a hero is not exclusive to one race or gender, and if Hollywood is too afraid to show that, it will end up being the death of the superhero movie franchise.
While there have been female and minority characters in superhero movies, they’re too often delegated to sidekick roles. One of the most well-known examples is Black Widow, who is played by Scarlett Johansson. Originally appearing in “Iron Man 2”, Black Widow has since gone on to become part of the Avengers, as well as lend her talents to Captain America in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Fans of Black Widow have demanded that she get a solo film, but even though Marvel Studios plans to release 11 more movies through 2020, a solo movie for her is not among them. Black Widow deserves to have her own solo film because she has already proven she is a strong character and she can become an inspiring role model for people to look up to.
Adapting more diverse characters may help out Hollywood. After the hashtag “OscarsSoWhite” started trending again after the second year of all-white nominees in acting categories, people are hungry to see a great non-white actor. If these superhero movies can capitalize on this, not only will their talent grow, but their reputation will become stronger.
There is still some hope for a greater diversity in superhero movies. Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, will appear in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, which is due out in March. She will star in her own movie coming out in 2017. Other female superheroes to look forward to are the Wasp, played by Evangeline Lily in “Ant-Man and The Wasp” out in 2018 and Captain Marvel, who hasn’t been cast yet, in “Captain Marvel” due out in 2019. If you can’t wait that long for a headlining superheroine, you can catch Marvel’s “Jessica Jones” currently on Netflix.
There are also some minority superheroes to look forward to. T’Challa, aka Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, will appear in “Captain America: Civil War” out in May, and will have a solo movie in 2018. Netflix will be releasing “Luke Cage”, who is African-American and played by Cheo Hodari Coker, later this year.
It is important that these projects get some support. If we don’t give these characters the attention they deserve, then we may never get another opportunity to explore their awesome backstories, their struggles and their triumphs, simply because they are not white men.
Saving the World: a Diverse Job
By: Hannah Saad
News Editor
BOOKS
By: Ashley Hegener and Genevieve St. Jean
Editor-in-Chief and News Editor
MOVIES
By: Alec Middleton and Miriam Sponsler
Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief
OPINION
10) What Do You Mean?
By Justin Bieber
Bieber's first of three songs on the charts is “What Do You Mean?” Bieber said, “Girls are often flip-floppy. They say something, and then they mean something else. ‘What do you mean?’ I don’t really know, that’s why I’m asking.”
9) Like I’m Gonna Lose You
By Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend
Meghan Trainor seeks the help from multi-talented John Legend in this heartbreaking single. Both sing about knowing how their love won’t last, and how they’re holding onto their last moments with their loved ones.
8) Stitches
By Shawn Mendes
Mendes reaches the charts at number eight with his 6th single off his debut album “Handwritten.” The song Stitches is about loving someone so much you can’t live without them, despite how much they hurt you.
7) Hotline Bling
By Drake
Hearing the single released by Drake you can't help but jump to your feet and show off your best dance moves. “Hotline Bling” became Drake’s highest peaking single reaching number 2 on the billboards. The song is mostly about Nebby, his old flame from Toronto.
6) Here
By Alessia Cara
Remember the name Alessia Cara as she is on her way to the top. Cara releases her first single “Here” prior to her 2015 EP, “Four Pink Walls,” and it reached the charts at number six. ““Here” is a song for all the antisocial, awkward, and miserable party-goers of the world. “This one time I went to a party and while there, I realized how much I hated it, along with every other party I had ever gone to. We wrote about it the next day.” Cara told THE FADER in an interview.
5) Same Old Love
By Selena Gomez ft Charli XCX
Selena Gomez coming a long way from where her career started with Disney, reaches the charts at number five with her song “Same Old Love” that shows off her versatility with sounds using: snaps, piano and a reggae guitar
4) Stressed out
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots reaches the charts at number 4 with their popular hit that was released back in April. The song alternates between a representation of Tyler Joseph’s, the writer of the song, insecurities by using a character named “Blurryface,” which is also the name of their album that featured this hit. The song also alternates to the anxious Joseph feeling intense nostalgia about his childhood
3) Love Yourself
By Justin Bieber
Again Bieber reaches the charts, with a not so energetic, but still nothing short of a great song. Although many assume it is about his ex Selena Gomez, Justin answered the rumors admitting there are three songs on the album about Selena, but this isn’t one of them.
2) Hello
By Adele
Reaching the charts is no unfamiliar place for Adele, seeing as to how she makes it looking easy releasing hit after hit and when people think she’s gone away, she amazes us with another hit like “Hello”. Adele revealed the inspiration for the song saying, “No, it’s not about anyone specifically. It’s about friends, ex-boyfriends, it’s about myself, it’s about my family. It’s also about my fans as well.”
1) Sorry
By Justin Bieber
Bieber finishes off his three appearances in the top ten with his hit song “Sorry”. The number one catchy tune has yet to knocked off the top spot, racking up 12 weeks of being the number hit song of 2015.
Top 10 Songs of 2015