Rachel Byer - The Dundalk Eagle

Ever since I can remember, The Dundalk Eagle has always been present in my home. I recall many mornings eating breakfast and seeing my mom flip through the local paper. I think it's safe to say that The Eagle has become a reading staple in my household. For those who aren't aware, The Dundalk Eagle is a local newspaper that covers a multitude of topics, from daily news and sports, to things happening with residents in the community. Though I don't read the paper on a daily basis, I am aware that the content is really great if you want to be more involved with what's happening in the community.

Now like I said, I don't typically go out of my way to read a newspaper, since that's what the internet is for...right? My point is, even though reading newspapers isn't my cup of tea, I would really hate to see this form of media disappear and transform to something more "modern." Nowadays, people turn on their televisions or use the all-mighty Google if they want to know what's happening in the world. People even use their Facebook page to see what's happening in the community by simply posting, "What's going on in Dundalk?" The harsh reality is since people are relying so heavily on their computers, the need for a physical copy of the daily newspaper is no longer there.

The thought of all physical copies newspapers and magazines does leave me with some conflicting emotions. On one hand, I don't necessarily see everything becoming digitally accessible a "bad" thing. I'm pretty sure everyone would agree that the internet is so convenient to access, so it would only make sense to provide things such as the newspaper in an online format. On the other hand, the thought of everything becoming digital does make me a bit sad. I'm a huge advocate for owning physical copies of whatever it is I choose to read. I just love flipping through the pages of a book, magazine, newspaper; it leaves me with a sense of completion when I'm finished reading. Ultimately, whether newspapers continue to stay in print, or become strictly digitally accessible, I know that the content provided in the papers will always be there.

The first edition of this local paper was in 1969, and only cost 10 cents a copy

A link to The Dundalk Eagle's website, where you can subscribe to both physical and digital copies:
http://www.dundalkeagle.com/home

Airbrushing Sells

Whenever I go shopping at a grocery store or Target, I'm pretty much focused on what I'm there to buy. However, when I go to checkout, I find myself distracted by some of the magazines at the end of the counter. People, Seventeen, OK!, Cosmopolitan...the list could go on for days, and I'd rather it didn't. The first thing to stand out on the cover is the flawlessly attractive celebrity, usually attracting more attention than the article headlines. Generally, many people define these celebrities to be "perfect" or "flawless", but all I can see is airbrushing and overly-provocative posing. It's giving people this false sense of beauty and it's really unfair.

Recently, I stumbled upon this month's issue of Cosmopolitan, featuring Nina Dobrev as the cover girl. Dobrev is best known for her leading role in the popular show "The Vampire Diaries." Now, I've never seen the show, but I'm aware of who she is, and she is a very beautiful person....however, the cover of this magazine does Dobrev's natural beauty no justice. 

As you can see in the image below, Nina looks borderline flawless. Her skin is perfectly smooth, her hair is perfectly tousled, and her dress is perfectly fitted...sensing a trend yet? She's posed squatting down, ever-so conveniently flaunting her very noticeable assets. Let's be real for a second; no one actually looks like this, yet the media leads us to believe if you want to be beautiful, you have to look like this. It's rather sickening  because even Nina Dobrev doesn't look like the girl on the cover of Cosmopolitan. 

In my opinion, she's even more beautiful without the airbrushing and skimpy clothing. What's so wrong with displaying the more natural side of beauty? Are we all really so unattractive to the point in which we need airbrushing and sexy clothes to be deemed as "good looking?" I honestly think not. I feel that the media is set in their "airbrushing and sex sells" mindset. With that being said, I don't even see the point in having headlines on the cover of a magazine if the selling point is going to be the "perfect" person on the cover.

September 2013 Cosmopolitan
**Notice how the text curves with her body**

Nina Dobrev in a more natural state