Group 2 (Krista Lefflin on the Writer's Strike)

The article “Screen Writers Dig In for an Extended Brawl,” discusses the continual struggle between the Writers Guild of America and the big companies in Hollywood. The struggles have become much larger than just negotiations for pay; it is also about respect for the writers. The writers are who make a television show come together and they feel very undervalued and underpaid. The writers feel that if Hollywood could do business without them that they would, and by this strike happening and all the TV shows stopping it proves the point that Hollywood does need them. While the writers feel that they should be paid more, the big corporations feel that the writers are demanding more than just pay. The writers also want authority over the writers in reality and animated shows, they want to eliminate the no-strike clause and many other things. All these demands are showing that the television business is in for some big changes. This strike has affected televisions shows a lot because they are a lot more sensitive to short-term disruptions. People thought that an agreement might be reached soon but it is evident that the strike is in no way close to being over.

I think that writers in Hollywood are very undervalued and that the strike is a good idea because they do need to be paid more. I love television series and the writer strike is compromising the shows but I do think that they have a point. Do you agree with the strike, do you think it will be resolved and when do you think there will be a resolution.

Group 3 (Bryanna McCarrell on Obesity Rates)

In the article, Study Sees Signs of Obesity Rates Stalling (November 29, 2007, New York Times), researchers say that obesity rates in women have leveled off and obesity rates in men are showing signs of the same. Since 1999, the obesity rate in women has remained steady at 35 percent. The rate in men has remained at 33 percent since 2003. However, obesity specialists are not satisfied with the recent findings. They find it discouraging that levels have yet to decrease. One expert even claims that there was a slight increase of 2 percent from 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 showing that the rates have in fact not completely leveled off. Madelyn Fernstrom, the director of the weight management program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says the national goal of maintaining obesity rates at 15 percent is unrealistic. She says, "When the bar is set too high, people do nothing." Instead, she encourages maintaining weight as a more reasonable goal.

I don't see how a 15 percent obesity rate is an unrealistic goal. Dr. Fernstrom is only giving the obese an excuse to be obese by encouraging maintaining a very unhealthy weight. They should at the very least be trying to lose weight to stay healthy and alive. It doesn't seem right that a doctor is telling them that it's fine to be obese as long as you don't gain more weight, rather than finding ways to improve their health and help them live a better life. In time, the steady obesity rates we are seeing may begin to decline simply by doing what we are doing right now to level them off.

Group 1 (Beau Dobson on Bacteria)

In the article titled “Man Beats Flesh-eating Bacteria: Janesville Man Survives A Frightening Battle With The Often-deadly Disease,” the author Marcia Nelesen describes Dennis Cormier’s near encounter with death. The article traces Cormier’s scare from simply feeling ill, to having to be operated on in a matter of hours.

Cormier first started to feel ill while he was on a business trip with his fellow employees. Eventually, his symptoms worsened and he was taken to the emergency room and treated. “There, staff diagnosed cellulitis, a potentially serious bacterial infection - but not, it turned out, what he had.” Cormier returned home, and then was taken to a hospital once again. There he was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis. This is a bacterial disease that often results in death.
Cormier had surgery, and still has side effects from the bacteria which was operated on August of this year. The bacteria could possibly have been avoided if better hygiene was practiced and Cormier said. "I am a lot more conscious of washing my hands than I ever was before."

After reading this article, and thinking about my current environment where bacteria spreads rapidly, I was debating on whether or not I think that the University of Wisconsin-Madison takes enough precautions against deadly bacteria such as the one mentioned in the article. Some things I considered are fitness areas, food commons, bathrooms and other public areas here on campus and the access to products that would improve my hygiene. What are your opinions regarding this issue?

Group 2 (Jimmy Luccas on the BCS)

In the article, Still a Bunch of Losers, Josh Levin argues that there should not be a champion in college football this year. If everyone remembers Mike's presentation about the BCS, he argues that the BCS was not a legitimate way to rank football teams in college football. The article talks about the major loses just this past weekend and how they prove that there is no single champion in college football this year. Every week since October 1st, a number one or number two team in the nation lost to another unranked team. The playoff idea just seems not to work because there would have to be so many extra games played, and will all the upsets that have happened this year, nothing could be accomplished.
This article is very critical about the thought that all the ranked college teams have lost big games and have proven that there is no true champion. I totally agree with his argument, and I think it is absurd to name a team a champion after not truly proving it. Some kind of system needs to be worked out so that this cannot occur anymore.