casey's (not the gas station)

Turns out rejection is just as hard in the animal kingdom as in real life. Female frogs in particular have developed clever strategies to escape the relentless advances of male frogs during the mating season. A recent study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science reveals their tactics, which include evasive maneuvers and even faking their own deaths to avoid mating.

Carolin Dittrich, a postdoctoral researcher at the Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology in Vienna, discovered the phenomenon while studying European frogs’ mating habits. These frogs typically lead solitary lives, except during the two-week period in spring when they gather for an intense mating event known as explosive breeding.

Male frogs may sometimes grab onto a female already with a partner or multiple partners, creating a chaotic and potentially dangerous “mating ball.” While researching, Dr. Dittrich observed female frogs faking death during mating encounters. These frogs would go limp, splay their limbs out, and appear lifeless when a male grabbed them. After a few minutes, the male would give up and move on, at which point the “dead” female would revive and swim away. Approximately one-third of the females employed this tactic.

The female frogs also rolled in the water to shake off their male suitors and mimicked the calls males make when grabbed by other males to divert attention away from themselves.

The strategies proved effective, with 25 out of 54 females successfully escaping their persistent suitors. These findings challenge the perception that female frogs are passive in breeding events. Furthermore, the research dispelled the notion that male frogs use body size as a criterion for mate selection, as they seem to “grab whatever they can” in their frantic pursuit of mating partners.

This article was about “The Exorcist”, a 1973 film. The article highlights the dispute between the director, William Friedkin, and the screenwriter, William Peter Blatty, over its meaning. Blatty, a devout Catholic, wanted to emphasize the religious aspect, while Friedkin preferred ambiguity and cut out some scenes. Blatty was upset, but the changes were implemented anyway. Later, the director restored the cuts as a gift. The original version is scarier and more thought-provoking, as it keeps things mysterious. The article then describes the film, saying that it deals with various fears, including the supernatural, medical issues, and faith. The clash between Blatty and Friedkin’s visions added to the film’s power, it says. It shows that sometimes, great art comes from compromising one’s original vision. I would say the article is pretty unbiased considering it shows both sides of the story. I also didn’t know all the interesting reactions to the movie when it first came out.

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/17/movies/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary.html

At 5 p.m. yesterday, Richard Brunson, 50, allegedly fired a .22-caliber handgun, striking his wife, Laurette Kenny Brunson, 38, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The incident unfolded from a confrontation ignited by a plate of wedding macaroni salad thrown by Mrs. Brunson. By the time the police arrived on the scene, Mr. Brunson had fled, and his whereabouts remain unknown at this time. Mrs. Brunson was swiftly transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, where she is currently in satisfactory condition as per hospital officials. Listen to neighbor Walter Corse’s recollection: (sound byte). Walter’s mother, Marilyn, offers her thoughts on the incident: (sound byte).

Morningside’s Spanish Club saw an increase in participation at their 2^nd annual “Morningside Se Mueve” dance, the last of its kind held on campus. The event was held last week, November 28th at Buhler Rohlfs Outdoor Performance Center.

While last year’s dance was successful, there were many positive tweaks and changes this year. One change was the timing of the event. Stephanie Meza, Spanish Clubs’s president, said, “Last year’s dance was at the end of February, and it was on a Friday, meaning it was very cold and lots of people either already had plans or were going home.”

Another change from last year’s dance was the location of the dance, moving from Yockey to the outdoor performance center. Both Meza and Jennifer Morales, the Vice President of Spanish Club, said they believed this was a positive change, reflecting that it promoted better visibility for the event and that the club was also able to sell concessions.

Senior Emily Chicoine validated this point, noting that the first thing she noticed was the liveliness of the event and the music. She said that the people and the overall vibe looked encouraging and inclusive. She noticed the music when she came out of the library after studying for a bit.

The result of these changes led to an increase in participation, with both Meza and Morales saying that there were definitely more people in attendance than last year, with Morales adding that, “…this time there were more students than staff.”

Even with the increase in attendance, the dance didn’t come without some setbacks along the way, in this case, rainy weather. Rain earlier that morning put puddles all over the outdoor area.

The rain setback was difficult because it forced the club to decide whether to risk low attendance due to poor weather circumstances or risk low attendance due to last-minute changes in plans. Meza mentioned, “We deliberated as a team with our advisor, and all came to a final decision of postponing.” Morales added that with the extra week of time, the team was able to have “a little breather” and “gave them a bit more time to organize it [the dance].”

Meza and Morales also mentioned future changes to next year’s planning, including the ins and outs of the photo booth and concessions as well as planning better for attendance and weather. Timing has also improved from last year but still has a lot of room for improvement.

Another thing I wanted to ask passersby is if they knew that the dance is currently the last remaining dance event held on campus. This was a fact that I was not aware of either, but something that the Spanish Club mentioned during their allocation meeting for Student Government. Chicoine, as well as many other attendees, mentioned that they were not aware of this fact. After thinking for a bit, Chicoine said that she couldn’t think of another event like that that’s held annually.

In this way, the annual dance seemed to function as something greater than just a get-together for the Spanish Club. Morales mentioned that her main inspiration for the dance was to create an event that is “able to have people from different backgrounds to enjoy music.”

Meza added to this, saying,

“The inspiration for the dance was the dances I would go to with my family because I was homesick then and wanted to have a prom-like dance in college.”

On November 28^th, Morningside’s Spanish Club held its 2^nd annual “Morningside Se Mueve” Dance at Buhler Rohlfs Outdoor Performance Center. I interviewed both the Spanish club president, Stephanie Meza, and the club’s vice president, Jennifer Morales, to ask them about the origins of the dance, how this year’s went, and their plans for the future. I also interviewed a third source, senior Emily Chicoine, whom I hoped to gauge the vibe and effect that the dance had on random passersby.

While last year’s event was successful, there were many positive changes this year. One such change was the timing of the event. Meza said, “Last year’s dance was at the end of February and it was on a Friday, meaning it was very cold and lots of people either already had plans or were going home.”

Another change from last year’s dance was the location of the dance, moving from Yockey to the outdoor performance center. Both Meza and Morales voiced that they believed this was a positive change, saying that it promoted better visibility for the event and the club was also able to sell concessions.

Emily Chicoine validated this point, telling me that the first thing she noticed was the liveliness of the event and music and that the people looked encouraging and inclusive. She said she noticed the music when she came out of the library after studying for a bit.

All these changes seemed to have affected participation, with both Meza and Morales saying that there were definitely more people in attendance than last year, with Morales adding that, “…this time there were more students than staff.”

Even with the increase in attendance, the dance didn’t come without some setbacks along the way, in this case, rainy weather. Rain early that morning put puddles all over the outdoor performance area.

The rain setback was difficult because it forced the club to decide whether to risk low attendance due to poor weather circumstances or risk low attendance due to last-minute changes in plans. Meza mentioned, “We deliberated as a team with our advisor, and all came to a final decision of postponing.” Morales added that with the extra week of time, the team was able to have “a little breather” and “gave them a bit more time to organize it [the dance].”

Meza and Morales also mentioned future changes to next year’s planning, including the ins and outs of the photo booth and concessions as well as planning better for attendance and weather. Timing has improved from last year but still has a lot of room for improvement.

Another thing I wanted to ask passersby is if they knew that the dance is the last remaining dance event held on campus. This was a fact that I was not aware of either, but something that the Spanish Club mentioned during their allocation meeting for Student Government. Chicoine and other attendees mentioned that she was not aware of this fact, but after thinking for a bit she said that she couldn’t think of another event like that that’s held annually.

In this way, the annual dance seemed to function as something greater than just a get-together for the Spanish Club. Morales mentioned that her main inspiration for the dance was to create an event that is “able to have people from different backgrounds to enjoy music.”

Stephanie Meza added to this, saying that:

“The inspiration for the dance was the dances I would go to with my family because I was homesick then and wanted to have a prom-like dance in college.”

With Homecoming weekend ending last week, Meza is certainly not alone in feeling this longing for a dance on campus.

I liked this story because it covered something that happens all too frequently. Perhaps not on this scale, but many religious institutions pursue charity and medical work in underdeveloped countries as a means to end evangelization. I’ve seen it myself and this story presents both sides of the coin. The woman in the story, Renee Bach, was only 19 when she decided to set up this facility in Uganda. Is she responsible for the deaths of all these malnourished children when she had no permission to run the kind of care she was doing? It’s a fascinating prospect and I think the director makes it clear that she wants to tell both sides of the story, It’s how she got Bach herself to come and provide an interview along with footage from her first setting up the facility.

I thought the article was written well, it hooked me in, which was the main goal. I kind of want to watch it on HBO now. It portrayed the image it needed to and then got to the questions and responses in a timely matter. I think it covered the upside-down pyramid perfectly.

Link:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/arts/television/savior-complex-jackie-jesko-renee-bach-hbo.html

The evolution of the journalism industry has been shaped by the rise of social media. Thomas Ritchie, a professional with over 25 years of experience in journalism and corporate marketing, delved into the critical influence of social media on the industry.

Ritchie graduated from Mount Marty University and majored in Business Marketing and Journalism. He has had a diverse career spanning various industries, from healthcare to trucking, and even entrepreneurship. Currently serving as a Corporate Marketer at the Great West Casualty Company, he has been at the forefront of the industry’s transformation.

Part of illustrating the shifting dynamics of news offices is Ritchie’s involvement with a hybrid company. This model allows him to work both in-office and from the comfort of his home. When asked about his favorite aspect of this arrangement, Ritchie responded, “It’s never the same two days and always new, always learning.” He notes that the adoption of hybrid work arrangements was expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated layoffs, which compelled the company to adapt swiftly.

Ritchie’s transition from journalism to marketing was primarily triggered by the decline in newspaper circulation around 2012. Building websites and digital marketing proved to be more lucrative and offered better career prospects. However, he admits that he misses the journalism of the past, reminiscing about what it once represented. “Trucks still hold a lot of stories,” Ritchie mentioned.

Regarding the effects of social media, Ritchie reflects on the profound changes in the industry. He talked about the transition from Twitter being primarily used for “live” reporting to the rise of livestreaming, which had a transformative impact on events like the Arab Spring and the Boston Marathon. He also acknowledged the growing influence of platforms like TikTok and their potential for fostering short-form content.

When asked about the echo-chamber effect and the algorithms employed by social media platforms, Ritchie noted the shift from chronological content presentation to algorithm-driven suggestions. This has altered the way information is consumed and raises concerns about the ethical aspects of tracking consumer behavior, particularly in regulated industries like his job in trucking and insurance.