Top 5 Informational Sources

    In today's day and age, finding reliable sources of information is becoming an essential part of living. People and organizations are constantly pushing their own agendas through trusted informational sources, so it is essential that we take the time to become informed and involved in our world and government's decisions through research.

1. Wikipedia

    Wikipedia's reliable because it is made up of individual writers who summarize a subject to the best of their ability, which is then peer reviewed with a multitude of references and citations to create a reliable and relatively accurate source of information. Wikipedia is useful to me because it has a vast range of subjects regarding information and is generally easy to understand and interpret. It is also made by regular people and not some professional team of writers with their own agenda. I feel there is much value in using it as it can help introduce you to a subject you find interesting and offer surface-level understanding, while also providing related sources and subjects to dive deeper into. The articles are written by regular people and can be edited by anyone, but it is still updated regularly and kept in professional shape for the public. Wikipedia doesn't have many biases but can have inaccurate information, so it is important to fact check some of the information you receive from it with another trusted source.

2. Instagram

    While Instagram isn't a typical source for reliable news, lots of its creators are actually posting news and other content for their job, so it can be trusted for certain types of information. I like to use Instagram because it is constantly being updated with new posts and it allows me to make sports news and updates a priority. I'm able to constantly check the app for new posts or headlines which are consistently up to date. I also learn about new subjects I didn't know I'd be interested in thanks to its algorithm. While certain users are given favor in terms of where their content appears on a user's timeline, anyone can post anything, so there is usually lots of propaganda or content posted simply for engagement instead of purpose. This makes it important to be able to identify real posts with purpose-driven creators and trains us to keep an eye out for fake content.

3. New York Times

    The New York Times is a nationally trusted source because it is run by a team of professionals who take their job extremely seriously and are paid to inform the public. I often use this source because they are a reputable news outlet with lots of history and engagement, meaning I'm staying up to date with many peers and like-minded people. The New York Times brings value to myself and countless others through its headlines and reporting of worldly issues that we can discuss and congregate over as one.  Obviously it is funded and connected to wealthy benefactors so it has certain biases when it comes to headlines or even the news its reporting on, so it is important for us as politically active citizens to read through different reputable news outlets to ensure we are being told the truth and train our eyes to catch these biases when present.

4. BBC

    The BBC, based in London, England, is another reliable news outlet with lots of history and reputation. I like to use them because of their coverage of issues worldwide and location outside the country, which brings me an outside perspective and gives context to many stories that can be perceived completely differently outside the US. This forms a broader and more complete perspective of my own country as well as the world, which will help me to converse and empathize with more kinds of people. The BBC has many biases and control over the media due to its massive scale and power, so it is important that we as the viewers account for this when receiving its reports and keep an open mind.

5. The Plain Dealer

    The Plain dealer is a dependable source of news because of its commitment to fact-based reporting and team of professionals to ensure its reliable writing and publishing. I like this source because it is based in my hometown city of Cleveland, and helps me to be involved in the news around my home and family to ensure we are safe and updated. The Plain Dealer can't report on everything in the city, so obviously some reports are being left out or missed by their audience, so its important for us to keep this in mind and make sure we discuss what's happening around us and act as one united community of people.

Supreme Court Video Refelction

 

The U.S. Supreme Court resides in D.C.

The U.S. Supreme Court plays a much larger role in American life than I previously realized. One of the most interesting things I learned is that it is considered the most powerful judicial system in the world, handling cases involving everyone from prisoners to presidents.

What stood out most to me was how much the Court's authority depends on public trust. While its legitimacy comes from the Constitution, it also relies on the public's belief in its independence and impartiality. That idea changed the way I think about the Court because its influence is not based on force, but on confidence in its decisions.

The video emphasized that the Supreme Court safeguards liberty, preserves the union, and upholds the rule of law. It also draws the boundaries of government power, making it one of the most important institutions in the United States.

Supreme Court Justices

I was surprised to learn that just over 100 Supreme Court justices have served throughout the Court's history, with an average tenure of about 16 years. I also learned more about how justices reach the bench through presidential nominations, a process that gives each appointment lasting significance.

Another major takeaway was the importance of John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice. Under his leadership, the Supreme Court gained respect as an equal branch of government. Before watching the video, I did not fully understand how much one leader could shape the role and reputation of an institution.

Not everything I learned was inspiring. I was disappointed to hear that the Supreme Court upheld slavery in the Dred Scott case, which was described as one of the Court's greatest self-inflicted wounds. Learning about this decision was a reminder that even important institutions can make serious mistakes.

I also found it interesting that the justices see the Constitution's age as both an advantage and a disadvantage when interpreting it. The Court must balance a document that is more than 200 years old with the realities of modern society.

One of the more human details was the tradition of every justice shaking hands with each other before taking the bench. I also learned that some justices may enter a case with a preliminary opinion but remain open to changing their minds, showing that deliberation remains an important part of the process.

AI Disclosure: AI was not used in the research and information for this blog post. All information came from notes that I took while watching a video titled "Supreme Court of the United States." I then prompted Microsoft Copilot Pro to help me shape my notes into a blog post of between 300-350 words written in a smooth professional style. I then added links to online sources that the reader could pursue for more information. Finally, I added appropriate images and captions to help break up the type and give the post a more professional look.