Celebrities & Politics

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by ashleytwigg on February 21, 2012

I don’t hate or even dislike celebrities. I value genuine talent in acting, music, crazy Youtube stunts- whatever propels people to earn fame. However, I also believe that people need to form their own opinions. It’s no secret that, these days, Celebrities use their platforms and status to promote political figures.

This is a free country and they are welcomed to do so, but if Lady Gaga tweets to her nine million followers that she’s going to vote for whomever, that doesn’t mean the rest of the “little monsters” should jump on that bandwagon. Anti-bullying bandwagon? Absolutely. Voting people into office you have no knowledge about? Please don’t.

Pro-Voting- YES:

When it comes to any type of power, people can use it for good or they can use it for evil. As much as I am not a fan of Puffy Daddy, P-Diddy, Shawn Puffy Combs- whatever his name is, he did a lot of work  with the Rock the Vote campaign and urged people to go out and vote. The celebrities involved in that campaign weren’t pushing youth in any political direction- they were simply promoting the importance of voting. Whether we like to admit it or not, a great deal of the population can be swayed by celebrities and the media.

For those of you who don’t think we live in a “monkey see, monkey do” society, you may want to take another look around. We all have minds of our own and I wish more people used them ALL the time, but if celebrities are promoting something GOOD- it will only benefit the rest of us “little people”.

Copy Cat Voting- NO:

People need to be informed on issues and about candidates. I’m sure some celebrities do take the time out to research and truly understand the candidates they support, however, just because you like their movies or music doesn’t mean you see politics on the same level. We are talking about celebrities with huge sums of money. How can we assume their political values would necessarily even compare to ours?  You are adults and I’m sure  (like me) you are more than familiar with our old friend Google. Learn about the candidates on your own and vote according to the TRUTH that you learned.

Welcomed Attention:

Now I don’t want to completely rag on celebrities because, like I said, power can be used for good. Instead of celebrities simply supporting a candidate, they sometimes use their power to support a CAUSE. The money celebrities have donated, the awareness they have brought, and the impact they have had on AIDS, cancer research, homelessness, and thousands of other causes in the past few years is incredible.

These are the things people should be jumping on board for and following. Politics and “your vote” should be a personal endeavor. Family members, celebrities, boyfriends, girlfriends- what have you, these people shouldn’t effect who and what you vote for! You are an adult, form your own opinion don’t take the easy way out by following someone else’s.

Do you vote based on celebrities? Do you gain political awareness from TV, Twitter, and the media? Do you think celebrities affect the way people vote?

 

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Between the passing of a music icon and all the craziness in the political world, this has been a wild week in the news. Here are a few things people have been chatting about this week.

Whitney:

Whether you were a die hard fan or you are simply sick of hearing old songs playing on the radio, the fact is, Whitney Houston was a legend. Yes, maybe she had issues with addiction or other problems, but that does not take away from her vast amount of accomplishments. She was a singer, an icon, and also a mother and, regardless of ones opinion of her, it is a sad event. Although her funeral was originally going to be an invite-only event, it has been announced that the star-studded memorial will also be streamed live online… which I think is in seriously bad taste. The press have field days with saddening things like this and, regardless of her stature, cashing in on a tragedy is never okay.

Poltical Mayhem:

I’m sure everyone is starting to get overwhelmed (or annoyed) with the political jargon and nonstop Republican media coverage.  Quite frankly, it is hard to keep up with. We still have a ways to go until the actual elections so I don’t feel compelled to get too involved just yet. However, between Romney and Santorum, the crazy seems to be enough to go around. I realize that people say we should vote on how candidates “govern” and not on their own personal beliefs.  HOWEVER, this is 2012. Gay people deserve to get married. Women should be allowed to choose if they want to take birth control or not, and while I personally am anti-abortion, no man should ever be dictating what a woman chooses to do with her body.

Grammy Buzz:

As many of you know the Grammy Awards were last Sunday.  Adele cleaned up at the Grammy’s this weekend bringing home SIX awards. The fact that she is ACTUALLY talented, not a super-stick thin celebrity, and seems to do what SHE wants in life and in her career,  is ridiculously refreshing. I think it is time that people value real talent without voices being altered, transformed and covered with loud background music and fireworks. Good for her.

 

What did you hear buzzing in the news this week? What are your thoughts on the trending topics?

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“Where am I gonna live?”

It’s probably the most important, yet most difficult parts of college life.. Most campuses have plenty of dorms as well as off-campus housing, but both options have multiple pros and cons. Dorms are the more traditional route, but apartments tend to have more appeal.

Where should YOU live? Let’s explore the factors.

$$$

Dorms:

  • BSU Room and Board for one year comes out to $10,367.
  • No matter what building you’re assigned to, all the rooms go for the same rate.
  • Simple, basic rooms- nothing fancy.
  • Financial aid is available, but you have to borrow a lot more money.
Apartments:
  • The average cost of an off-campus apartment in the Bridgewater area is about $700, therefore, the cost of renting a place for one academic year (roughly 8 months) is only $5,600.
  • Depending on where you live, your rent can vary.
  • You have to factor in gas, food, and other basic living expenses.
  • Surprisingly, financial aid is available for off-campus housing as well.

Space

Dorms are crowed and loud. Unless you are an RA, you’re going to be sharing a room which can be a lot of fun if you like your roommates, but if not, have a nice semester stuck in a box with someone you don’t like. In an apartment setting, while roommates help pay bills, they aren’t required. If you want a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen to yourself (I wish), go for it. Not to mention, apartments house all kinds of people- not just college kids.

So, if you like your space and quite time, an apartment might make more sense for your living arrangement. Then again, dorms provide a larger community, and if you’re someone who is very involved on campus and loves being around lots of people, dorms might suit you just fine. This category really comes down to your personality and what you are looking for.

Location

Dorms are, of course, on campus. Apartments (technically) are not. If you need to be in class at 8am it will help to cut down on the commute and the daily battle for parking spots. Obviously, dorms seem like the best bet to save time, money, and stress. Then again, if you wanted to stay in the nearby Waterford or Kingswood apartment complexes, you’re just as far as the residents are from school buildings. So, depending on how much traveling you want to do that could greatly influence your decision. This ones a toss up, basically which ever choice is closest to were you need to be is gonna be your best choice.

 

Do you live in a dorm? Apartment? Had the experience of both? Which do you prefer?

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