North Carolina Death Row Inmate Writes Letter About Life of 'Leisure'

http://news.yahoo.com/north-carolina-death-row-inmate-writes-letter-life-152637993--abc-news.html

 Danny Robbie Hembree Jr. is on death row in Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was convicted of murder of a 17-year-old girl in 2011 and has been accused of two other murders. He wrote a letter to the Ganston Gazette telling how he lives such a “luxurious lifestyle” on death row. He explains how it is truly not that bad and that he “spits in the face of the justice system” because he probably won’t even be executed.

Choose at least one question to analyze:

 1. How does the reporters’ tone and wording choice affect viewer’s take on the story?

2. How does Hembree’s letter convey his lack of fear towards the death penalty?

3. How may this letter affect people’s opinion about the death penalty in North Carolina?

4. North Carolina State Representative Paul Stam calls the letter “a travesty of justice”. How does this reflect his opinion of the justice system?

The Story of Ben Breedlove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw5HLT-TyRs

Born with a serious heart condition, 18 year old Ben Breedlove shares his experience "cheating" death 4 times, before finally succumbing to cardiac arrest just one week later. Ben tells of the emotions he faced during these experiences, how it felt to face his own mortality multiple times, and how it has fortified his belief in God and angels.

1. How does the way he decides to tell his viewers his story effect the mood of this video?

2. How does Ben's use of repetition impact the story?

3. What role do the background music and facial expressions play in the telling of the story?

4. How does Ben's story telling appeal to the different generations?

5. Does the absence of words make the message more powerful?

Controversial Video Addresses Growing Skepticism

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/under-god/post/why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-goes-viral/2012/01/18/gIQARzXp8P_blog.html

The YouTube video, Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus , went viral on the internet one week ago. It got 10 million views in the first day. It is a poem which highlights why the speaker thinks religion and Jesus are very different. Elizabeth Tenetly, of the Washington Post, interviewed Jefferson Bethke, the author and speaker in the poem, to find out what he thought of the overnight success of the video and to discover his reasons for writing the poem.

Consider these Questions and respond to one of them:

1.     How does the music and rhythm affect the feeling of the poem?

2.     Though many people would find religion and Jesus to be similar, this clip portrays these two as opposites, explain.

3.     Do you think the commenters respond more about Bethke or the poem? Why do you think they chose one over the other?

4.     What binary stood out the most to you in Bethke’s poem? Why?

5.     Even though Berkthke said he was not trying to “bash religions” do you think he did? Why?

Unsavory Culinary Elitism

In a TV Guide interview, No Reservations host Anthony Bourdain called Food Network chef Paula Deen “the worst, most dangerous person in America” and criticized her for “telling an already obese nation that it’s OK to eat food that is killing us.” In response, Deen said, “You know, not everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine. My friends and I cook for regular families who worry about feeding their kids and paying the bills.” Frank Bruni talks about this feud in a New York Times op-ed piece. 

Consider these questions and respond to at least one.

-       How does Bruni’s use binaries in his argument about food TV programming? About America’s obesity crisis?

-       How do the commenters respond to Bruni’s use of binaries when discussing Bourdain and Deen?

-       Analyze this sentence:  “You can almost imagine Bourdain and Deen as political candidates, a blue-state paternalist squaring off against a red-state populist over correct living versus liberty in all its artery-clogging, self-destructive glory.” What is interesting about this sentence? Strange? What does it reveal about Bruni's argument?

News Update: It turns out that our discussion of this op-ed is very timely - it's rumored that Deen has diabetes. This Huffington Post article links the latest news to a prior HP article covering the Bourdain vs. Deen feud, Bruni's op-ed, and responses to Bruni's op-ed from The Atlantic and the Village Voice.