https://www.vox.com/recode/21454529/voter-fraud-trump-qanon-conspiracy-theory-2020-election

This article talks about how QAnon is not the only dangerous conspiracy floating around about this year’s election.

I find this article very interesting for multiple reasons. First, I like how it is longer and more in-depth than other articles that I’ve seen in the past, and secondly, I like anything to do with conspiracies.

The only thing I think this article did a bad job with is that the whole premise behind the article is how the conspiracy about election fraud is bigger and more dangerous than QAnon, even though QAnon seems to be getting more publicity. This article does a mediocre job of explaining what QAnon is. It just mentions it in passing a few times and relies on the reader already knowing what it is otherwise.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/9/19/21446826/senate-republicans-floor-vote-trump-supreme-court-nominee

This article talks about how senate Republicans are trying to fast track a vote for the new Justice of the Supreme Court after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

This article does a good job of being objective, even though with an article this politically charged it would be extremely easy to be subjective. It does take a few digs at Republicans but it always backs it up with something that the Republican said that proves there hypocrisy.

I found it annoying how there were a couple of times that it would say something and then it would say the exact thing again as a citation.

This whole ordeal is rather worrying because as stated in this article if the Republicans can get a Conservative Justice appointed by November they could mess with the election results.

I find it sad at how much hypocrisy there is in the American political system. This article only lists Republicans but I have seen the same type of things having been said by Democrats before as well.

Due to the 2020 pandemic, all collegiate sports had to be shut down due to worries about athletes contracting the coronavirus. That is, all except for esports.

Even though all other Spring sports had to be canceled in March, esports were still able to compete because the players don’t have to be in the same place as each other to compete. Esports is unique in this way because teammates can be on other sides of the world and still be able to play with each other because of the wonders of the internet.

This year most colleges are going to be online so that means that a lot of colleges aren’t going to be competing in other sports, which means that colleges can now focus more on esports than they have previously. Nowhere can this be seen more than Brown University. “Brown recently added more than 300 students to its roster of esports players—about a 50% uptick since March—bringing the total to over 900 players.” (PitchBook)

Esports was always going to become more successful someday but there is no denying that the pandemic helped it on its way. Over 170 schools have joined the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) which is the largest conference for collegiate esports.

The transition to playing online can be difficult though. While larger division I schools were able to outfit their players with PCs during the pandemic smaller schools with emerging esports programs weren’t so lucky, but in this case, the colleges promoted esports as more of a communal activity instead of a competitive one. “The emphasis is on community and play, rather than competition,” Joe McAllister a learning environment adviser at CDWG says. (EdTech)

Esports has always served as a powerful recruitment tool. By offering competitive esports teams and scholarships, small and midsized colleges have had success using esports programs to help their schools stand out from the competition. And during a time when enrollment is dropping due to COVID-19 uncertainties, esports is becoming more important than ever for higher ed institutions. (EdTech)

Although it seems as though the coronavirus has helped collegiate esports it still has taken its toll on professional esports. Last year esports was a $1 Billion industry but this year it won’t be making as much money for the same reason as other professional sports. Even though the players can still compete fans won’t be able to go and cheer on their favorite teams in person. “Esports, with its reliance on live events, has been one of the first parts of the gaming industry to be affected. Most esports events have been canceled or postponed, though some are taking place without audiences.” “We have directors, producers, broadcast engineers, and professional gamers all working remotely to recreate the excitement and quality of a live event,” says Mike Sepso, co-founder and CEO of Vindex, an esports infrastructure platform. “Esports has been able to continue while traditional sports have not because the playing field is virtual and can be replicated online; however, nothing can truly replace the social richness of the live experience.” (World Economic Forum)

The Informal in Roadman Hall is a large rectangular white room just to the left of the lobby. The room has chairs and couches around the perimeter. There are a billiards table and a Foosball table in the middle of the room but both are covered right now due to Covid-19. There are pieces of abstract art along all of the walls. The informal is typically used by students to hang out with each other or to do homework in an environment that isn’t as quiet as their room.

During my time in the informal today the only person that was in there was a German soccer player who was talking on the phone in German, the only thing that he said that I was able to make out was “what the fuck,” and “that’s dope.” Later on though after he got off his phone a female German soccer player came in and they started talking about soccer and what the other person’s soccer schedule was like. Other people walked through the room either to leave Roadman or to go back to their rooms after getting back, but they didn’t ever stop or say anything.

A gasoline truck was overturned today at 48th Street and Correctionville Road. Gas from the truck flooded sewer lines for two blocks around the accident. The gas also covered streets and ditches.

During the accident 4 families were evacuated from their homes and traffic had to be rerouted.

The accident was only serious for two hours, until the fire department was able to flush the gas away. Fire Chief Charles Hochandel says: “The firemen followed catastrophe and hazmat procedures set up beforehand for just such an occurrence.”

Firefighter Bob Woodward broke his left leg while rescuing a cat. Harwood was injured after falling 15 feet after a dead branch gave way on his way down.

The cat belonging to Suzanne and Samantha Decker was stuck 50 feet up an Oak tree at 102 11th Ave.

Harwood is doing “just fine” at St. Luke’s hospital. The cat is also doing fine after Harwood broke its fall.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pressure-grows-moscow-navalny-becomes-latest-opponent-be-allegedly-poisoned-n1239160

This news story is okay but it has a few problems. First, what it did well, it has an intriguing headline that makes you want to read it and it actually talks about what the headline says. The problems with it though are that the lead is too long, it reiterates parts it has already talked about, and it goes on for too long, the headline says that this story is going to be about Navalny’s poisoning and then goes on to talk about other political opponents to Putin that were also poisoned.

Update: The autopsy of Moyer shows that he suffered a heart attack which may have caused the accident. Dorothy has been released with Maxine being scheduled to be released. Radin is still in critical condition

A South Iowa City Man was killed in a car crash 2 miles east of Sioux City. Moyer Quick 65 died when his vehicle collided with a truck driven by Randy Radin, 17, at 11 A.M. yesterday morning.

There were 3 survivors of this crash Quick’s wife Dorothy, 61, is listed in “good” condition, Maxine Steuerwald, 43, listed in “fair” condition, and Radin who is listed in “critical” condition with a fractured skull and internal injuries.

South Iowa Highway Patrolman, Patric Stewart, said both vehicles were westbound on the two-lane highway. Quick passed the Radin vehicle but his rear-end struck Radin as he completed the pass. The impact sent both vehicles into the ditch on the north side of the road with Quick’s vehicle rolling once. The accident, which is still under investigation, occurred under cloudy skies with rain in the forecast. The road was clear and dry.

Yesterday the South Iowa Highway patrol banned the use of radar guns due to concerns over long term exposure to the radiation emitted by the guns. Further studies will be performed to find links between cancer and the use of the guns.

Highway Patrol spokesman Adam Smith said “The feeling here is to err on the side of caution until more is known about the issue. The whole situation is still under review.”

The ban affects 70 guns currently in service but the Highway Patrol. The Highway Patrol will still be using radar units attached to their cars to continue monitoring speeds.