Group 1 (Tyler Tiede on Brett Favre)

A hot topic for many “Wisconsinites” is the prospect of the Brett Favre led Green Bay Packers going to the playoffs this year. The NFC North 1st place Packers have a record of 9 – 1, which makes them tied with the Dallas Cowboys for an overall 1st place in the NFC. The Packers have already virtually knocked off the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, both division rivals, leaving only the 6 – 4 Detroit Lions standing in their way. A win on Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions will basically bury the hatchet and lock up first place for the Packers, preparing them for the for another Thursday night game a week later against the Cowboys.

This blazing start is the third best start in franchise history; behind Curly Lambeau’s 1929 team, which won ten straight games and eventually winning the NFL championship, and Vince Lombardi’s 1962 team that also won ten straight games and the NFL championship. A continued winning streak could set the Packers up to be a number one seed in the playoffs, with homefield advantage and a first round bye. I know the team consists of many players other than three-time MVP Brett Favre, but my question is: could the Packers have reached this feat under the leadership of Aaron Rogers, instead of the veteran Brett Favre?

Group 2 (Erin Banco on Why to Go to My Office Hours)

We all know how annoying parents can get, especially when they try to nag you about every little thing. In The Washington Post’s article, “New Study Gives Hovering College Students Extra Credit,” those nitpicky parents are actually praised. The article discusses the National Survey of Student Engagement. The NSSE collected data from over 24 colleges around the nation in which around 9,000 students had to answer questions about their parents engagement with their academic activities. According to the survey, students whose parents “helicopter” or “hover” over their activities actually engaged in ‘…frequent use of deep learning activities.’ These “deep learning activities” include TA office hours, writing exercises, and meetings with professors. According to Lynda Hitchcock, a career and college information coordinator at a high school said that most parents that intervene or take an interest in their children’s studies have an effect on their kid’s academic success. The “helicopter parenting” stereotype is usually negative. Most people think of hovering parenting as a nuisance and proof that the parent has issues letting their children grow as individuals. However, the NSSE has argued against the normal stereotype and put a positive spin on “helicopter parenting.”

This article can relate to each and every one of us. How much do your parents intervene in your studies? Do you need their help? Personally, I do not frequently rely on my parents for academic help, but when in a bind, their advice and guidance can be extremely helpful. How does “helicopter parenting” effect you?

Group 4 (Dylan Van Lith on Clutter)

Have you ever wondered if it was bad to have too much stuff in your house? Could it lead to damaging health conditions or could it even lead to your death? “The shock behind closed doors can be fixed with treatment” talks about how hoarding too much stuff in your house can lead to detrimental effects. This article takes place in our own backyard Madison, Wisconsin. The example in this article revolves around a 76 year old woman that just suffered a massive heart attack in her home. Once the paramedics reached her home, she was lying in the bathtub, unable to move because of the amount of clutter in her house. The article stated how this woman was forced to sleep on her couch because it was physically impossible for her to reach her bedroom because of all the clutter. The Madison Health Department commented to the fact that they receive about two calls a month from concerned citizens reporting the fact that they have seen an obsessive, even unhealthy amount of hoarding in their neighborhoods. Doctors have now found out that this hoarding might be related to the psychological disease Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so that would be positive because there is treatment for this disease. The treatment is help from community or family members that will help the patient deal with their obsessions. My question for you is whether or not it is unhealthy for people to have too much and if it is unhealthy what other methods can be done in order to decrease the obsession? I feel that it is important to find multiple methods of treatment in order to eliminate the hoarding because if it is leading to health issues, than it should be dealt with. Also, think of all the dirt and grime that must be filling that house and I believe that it is safe to say that the more stuff you have, the more dirt is collected. This affliction usually only affects the elderly people, so what should be done with these people if the treatment is unsuccessful? Should we put them in a n
ursing home or under guided care, or should we let them live their life to the fullest even under the clutter?

Group 5 (Luke Ehlen on the State's Health)

The article by Anita Weier, on http://www.madison.com/tct/news/255208, covers Wisconsin's decline in health rankings. Although the Badger state is still near the top, it dropped from 10th in the nation in 2006, to 12th in 2007. There are many reasons for the decline. The top include increased obesity, increased violent crime, and a rise of children living in poverty. Others include an increase of binge drinking and smoking. It also uncovered the interesting fact that African Americans in Wisconsin are much more likely to have premature deaths or die from cancer. The top three healthiest states are Vermont, Minnesota, and Hawaii. Mississippi and Louisiana were the least. As a trend, the national health rating decreased by .3%. The majority of the decline is due to the increase in obesity. Does something need to be done to restrict unhealthy foods to stop the increase of obesity?

Group 3 (Mike Preisler on Yuot)

After Walking Hundreds of Miles for Survival, a Refugee Turns to Running

Macharia Yuot will be running in the New York Marathon against our English 100’s own Matt Hooley this weekend for a chance to compete in the Olympics. Yuot, a senior at Widener, has won six Division III titles for track and cross country. But Yuot’s does not come from a running background. Actually he is more use to walking. Yuot walked an estimated 500-700 miles from Sudan to Kenya in order to stay alive. He is apart of what we know as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”. A group of 25,000 children who had to flee Sudan to escape from Arab Muslims who were murdering tribes they came across. Throughout this strenuous journey, half of the children died. Yuot found temporary shelter in Kenya until the US government decided to take care of numerous “lost boys”. Yuot moved in with a family in Philadelphia and began to run track in high school. He started to have success with running in college, and then started competing in marathons. The article talks about a trip Yuot made back to his ol
d home in Sudan and saw his family. Yuot talks about how he can see the world in a different view, and realized how well he has it in America. Yuot is not expected qualify for the Olympics, but he will be satisfied just to meet the goals he has set for himself.

This is a truly amazing story of how one’s life can change so drastically. Yuot had to sacrifice everything he had in his old life. One day he just had to pick up and leave it all behind. I could not even begin to fathom having that kind of courage. Not knowing what each day will bring, whether or not you will starve to death, be murdered, or killed by animals. I also cannot imagine how it would feel to come to a place that is everything your old life was not. I think the hardest part would be knowing that I was in a better place while my family was suffering. But on the other hand, If I was the family members I would want my son, or brother, or whatever, to be living the best life possible. The most moving part of the article is the description of his trip back home. I wonder what is was like for the family, who probably did not know if he was even alive, to see him in the shape he was in. He must have seemed like an entirely new person. I am sure he will never forget the
horrible events of his past, but now he can try and focus on a future that is bright and promising. I hope he does well in the marathon on Friday, even though Matt is going to kick his ass.