Sunday, February 27, 2011
Current Event for 3/4
Happy March! Now march your way through another fantastic current event post on the same topic of your choice. :) Even if you are not covering the Middle East/North Africa or world events, make sure to check out some of your classmates' posts. There is some MAJOR stuff going on abroad in the name of democratic freedoms. Stay informed! Happy posting.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/science/01obchild.html?ref=science
ReplyDeleteTopic: science
On February 25, archaeologists discovered the remains of a child cremated in central Alaska about 11,500 years ago. The child's remains are the earliest known human remains from the North American Subarctic and Arctic region. The child was found in a fire pit that may have been an ancient dwelling and provided new insight into the burial practices of ice age people. Only 20 percent of the child's remains were discovered, and so the sex is still unknown, but the teeth indicated that the child was about 3 years old. After the death of the child, the scientists concurred that the house in which the cremation was held was never used again.
I think this article was fairly interesting, hopefully the scientists will be able to retrieve DNA samples from the child's remains for more research. With the child's remains we could investigate genetic links to other ancient and living communities, maybe we'll be able to find various genetic human traits that has disappeared. History had always been full of blanks, hopefully in the future we'll be able to answer many questions that we have, and this discovery is only the beginning.
Leila Doerfer
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
Topic: Science
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/science/01obwhale.html?ref=science
Pilot whales are very social creatures that communicate greatly with one another through tonal calls. However their ability to make calls is largely reduced when the whales dive deeper than about 260 feet. Until this point, as the whales dive deeper, their calls grow louder, but beyond this point they become softer. The whales often dive almost 3,000 feet in order to capture their favorite pray, large calories-rich squid. Frants Jensen a biologist at Aarhus University in Denmark says that if the whales wanted to be heard, by other whales at the surface,
it seems like they would just make their calls louder. However this is not the case. Dr. Jensen and some colleagues attached tags to 12-short finned pilot whales off the Canary Islands. They recorded the depth, sound, and location of the whales. Despite the hearing problems caused by depth the whales continued to make tonal calls at a lower volume, until they reached about 2,600 feet. Researchers believe that the whales lungs collapse when they dive so deep. This greatly reduces their air volume and restricts their ability to generate sound. Yet after every dive they can find their social group again. There is one concern, which is that motorized vessels, like boats, could possibly mask the low volume sounds that the whales make to communicate.
I think it's really cool that whales can communicate from so far away. It's really interesting that they never lose the members of their social group. They can dive thousands of feet and still know where the other members are. I think it would be really sad if boats were masking the lower sounds because that could separate the whales from each other. I can't believe that whales can swim 3,000 feet down in the ocean. I think it would very plausible for their lungs to be collapsing when they swim that deep because of the pressure. I hope that scientists can find out if boats are louder than the whale calls because maybe then they could make a difference.
Public broadcasting has had to deal with potential cuts many times in the past, but it has so far been able to withstand the majority of such threats. For example, in 1995, the Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, hoped to get rid of funding but was prevented by a barrage of petitions and support from concerned citizens. Now, however, the threats are worse than ever. NPR’s vice president of policy and representation, Mike Riksen, claims that a combined series of recent events have led to “the most determined, organized and sophisticated challenge to federal funding for public radio — ever.” On February 19th this point was backed up by the House's approval of a bill that cut all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the year 2013. While the public media broadcasters are prepared to deal with budget reductions, they will do all they can to fight such a massive blow to their funds.
ReplyDeleteI think that public media is one of the most important things out there. I was a kid raised on PBS and now I listen to NPR every morning as one of my main news sources. These are gems of our massive media overload, accessible by almost anyone and full of quality programs. Cutting funding for these broadcasters would be, in my opinion, a much bigger detriment to our society than a benefit. The money these cuts would save couldn't possibly be enough to make any real difference, so it is in essence just a way for people to think they're doing something when really they are just getting rid of the backbone of the industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/business/media/28cpb.html?_r=1&ref=politics
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/24/oklahoma.abuse.case/index.html
ReplyDeleteLast week, a couple from Yukon, Oklahoma, John Kluth, 50, and Sonja Kluth, 57, were charged with three counts of child abuse, and three counts of child neglect. The Kluths adopted three children ages 15, 11, and 9. These children were originally foster kids in Wisconsin, but when adopted by the Kluths they moved to Yukon. They were receiving $1.500 per month, per child from the state of Wisconsin for child support. However, the Kluths were not using the money on the children. Reports say that Sonja Kluth tortured the children severely. She allegedly beat the children with her fists, broom sticks, mallets, and a soup spoon, can opener, and the buckle end of a belt. The abuse, however, did not end there. They were choked, had their tongues burned with hot spoons, and their head smashed into the floor repeatedly. These beatings left their bodies scared and broken. The Kluths also locked them away in the storm shelter for days on end with just a chair to sit on and a bucket to use the bathroom in. They were also deprived of food, or sometimes given cat or dog food to eat. These children were injured so badly that their growth has been stunted and they are currently in very bad health. The couple’s biological children, who are now grown, said they too experienced abuse while living there and that they were not surprised by the allegations. They also said the reason for this abuse is that all the Kluths were interested in was money and they had no real intension of taking care of the children. The children are now safe in the custody of the Department of Human Services, and have begun to recover.
I have never heard of an abuse to this extent. I can’t understand how anyone can treat children so horrendously. I hope this couple gets put away in jail for life because they don’t deserve to be out in the world if they treated children this badly.
Laura Musalem
6th period
Julie Wulforst
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
Topic: Middle East
President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, blames the US and Israel for all the chaos in Egypt. On February 28th, thousands of Yemenis marched in an effort to remove Saleh from office. Saleh claims that President Obama is over stepping his boundaries and is trying not only to be the President of America, but to be the President of the Arab world as well. Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, claims that Saleh needs to look inward rather than lashing out. Saleh's been in power since for 33 years, and already explained that he will NOT be running for re-election.
I think Saleh is wrong for trying to blame the U.S. for their problems. Since World War 2, when a chunk of the Middle East was carved out and designated specifically for Jews, the Middle East has always had tension with America. I think that although I see why countries like Yemen ARE mad at us, but I don't think it's appropriate for them to blame every one of their problems on us, when they have the ability to better handle things themselves. I think that America HAS been to involved in other countries business and I disagree with being at war, but Yemen and other countries under chaos have to take responsibility for their own mistakes.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/01/yemen.protests/index.html?hpt=Sbin
Jay Htut
ReplyDeletePeriod: 6
Civics and Economics
Topic: Justice
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/01/arizona.sweat.lodge.deaths/index.html
James Arthur Ray, founder of the "James Ray International Company," is being charged with reckless manslaughter. Ray held a ceremony at a five day retreat costing $10,000 at Sedona, Arizona. This ceremony was centered around an extreme sweat lodge that consisted of 8, 12 minute rounds in which participants were encouraged to stay the length of each round, but were permitted to leave during the breaks between each round. The Sedona facility warned its participants of the risk, and required for them to sign a release form. Nevertheless, three people died from dehydration and heat stroke, while many others became ill due to the extreme heat and the confined space of the sweat lodge. Ray is a well known author. If he is found convicted, he will be sentenced to 10 years for each death.
I think that it is ridiculous that they are charging him with reckless manslaughter. Ray cautioned his clients and informed them of the risks involved. In addition, we made them sign a release form. These participants knew what they were getting into, and chose not to opt out. Therefore, the responsibilities of these deaths should not be placed on Ray. After all, accidents happen. Its called life.
Shane Sater
ReplyDeleteTopic: Domestic News
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/us/02wisconsin.html?ref=us
On Tuesday, Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, set out a new budget plan that slashes $1.5 billion to local governments and the education system. Mr. Walker insisted that his budget was a better choice than an increase in taxes as a solution to the state’s budget deficits. Gov. Walker, a Republican, was given a standing ovation by the Republican majority in both houses, while the Democrats looked on in disapproval. The budget plan is surrounded by a fierce divide in opinions, and protesters have been demonstrating for more than two weeks near the capitol building in disapproval of Mr. Walker’s budget. Although the capitol building is customarily open to the public, police kept protesters outside by requiring identification prior to access to the building. This move, of questionable legality, has sparked a court case that is so far unresolved.
It is unfortunate that, due to economic downturn, states nationwide are facing tough budget decisions. Although I think it is commendable that Mr. Walker is so opposed to raising taxes, cutting finances to schools and the local government poses a dilemma. It is obviously detrimental to the quality of education that Wisconsin students receive to cut school funding so drastically; in fact, some people assert that these cuts could result in classes of 60 students. The reduced quality of education in Wisconsin with this new budget is arguably a violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause: students are not given the same quality of education state to state. I think that a far more acceptable alternative would be to cut the salaries of the state legislature. Reducing not only the salaries of politicians, but also the salaries of clerks and state lawyers, would undoubtedly resolve the state budget issues. In addition to the central issue, I think that Mr. Walker’s exclusion of protesters from the capitol building violates the 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech within a legislature that supposedly represents the people.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/02/budget.vote/index.html?hpt=T2
ReplyDeleteTopic: Politics
Today, Wednesday March 2nd, 2011, President Obama has signed the bill that would extend the funding of the federal government until March 18th into a law. This law will also cut $4 billion from current spending levels. This bill was passed by the House yesterday, passed by the Senate earlier today by a 91-9 vote, and it has been signed into a law by President Obama. This legislation would allow for the legislators to have more time to develop a spending plan for the rest of the fiscal year which ends September 30th. This bill is a necessity because without it, the government would have to shut down on Friday of this week. Although this bill has been successful in passing through Congress, top Democrats prefer that it is a month-long extension so that they could work on a more comprehensive plan. President Obama agrees with them. He says, "We cannot keep doing business this way. Living with the threat of a shutdown every few weeks is not responsible, and it puts our economic progress in jeopardy." Vice President, Joe Biden, is expected to talk with the Republicans tomorrow. Americans are very divided in their opinion regarding this issue. About 46 percent say that it is good that the government is shutdown, and 44 percent say that it would be bad.
I think that it is good that they decided to extend it even if it is for a short period of time. Especially in these times of economic hardships, I don't think we could afford to have our government shutdown. I'm sure that if our legislators work diligently and try to set aside their differences, they would be able to come up with a better plan that would benefit everyone within the two weeks. If they get that done, they wouldn't have to worry about having threats to shutdown the government every so often. But it would be nicer to have a longer extension so that they could dig deep into our economic issues and come up with the right solutions to it. I also like that both parties are trying to cut spendings although they cannot agreeing on what they will cut. It still shows that they are trying to make our economy better.
Jenny Jin
3/2/11
7th period
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/business/28patent.html
ReplyDeleteTopic: Legislative Branch
On Monday, the Senate debated a new bill that would cause a reform in the patent process. This has caused much heated discussion in and out of the senate floor as it would affect who gets credit for inventions. The federal bill proposes that inventions are not credited to the person who first invented them, but to the first person to file the patent. "This bill would be death to innovation in America," said one angry activist. Especially for small business owners and those starting their careers, this bill would make it easier for large corporations to "steal" their inventions and ideas. However, some people support the bill. Not only would it reduce conflict, law suits, and confusion, the bill would add transparency and a clear outline of priority. There is also a section in the bill that will allow set fees on how much each invention would cost. It would allow the patent office to make many convenient changes to their system, including letting people pay extra to have their invention be moved to the front of the line and avoid the backlog of more than 700,000 patent requests waiting in line.
I am apprehensive about how this bill would affect people wanting to legitimize their unique inventions who have to compete with large, multi-billion dollar corporations used to adapting and discovering tricks and loopholes of the patent system. I feel like America is truly a country of innovation, and our imagination and credit to people who really invented something is what keeps other inventors ready to take on the American dream. Hopefully, the special interest groups with goals related to the patent office will influence the amending and passing of this bill so that small business owners and large business owners will get relatively equal access and equality in the new patent system. I think we should do something about the patent system to make it more efficient, but not at the price of potentially taking credit from those who invented it to those to filed the patent first.
Jessica Gao
6th Period
Mike Carney
ReplyDelete6th period
Topic: Justice
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/02/pennsylvania.abortion.doctor/index.html
Philadelphia prosecutors say they may seek the death penalty against abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, who is charged with murder after allegedly performing illegal late-term abortions at a dirty facility.
Authorities allege that some of the infants were born viable and alive during the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy and then were killed with scissors, which were used to cut their spinal cords.
Prosecutors "did preserve the right to seek the death penalty at a later date by giving a notice of aggravating circumstances in court today," said Tasha Jamerson, spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, in a statement released Wednesday. The circumstances in this case are the deaths of people under age 12 and multiple murder charges
Gosnell, 70, faces eight counts of murder in the deaths of seven babies and a 41-year-old woman.
Abortion is a major taboo in America today. Some are against it, some are for it. I do think that this doctor deserves a severe punishment, he should deserve the death penalty. His practices were completely savage. Not to mention the death of the woman. He probably knew that these abortions were illegal. We'll just have to let the law decide his fate.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/02/texas.rape.exoneration/index.html
ReplyDeleteProsecutors in Houston are formally requesting a court to exonerate a Texan man. The man, George Rodriguez, was freed from jail in 2004 after 17 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Rodriguez was convicted of rape in 1987 but DNA tests recently proved his innocence. State officials denied Rodriguez’s request for a pardon that would wipe the faulty conviction off of his record. District Attorney Patricia Lykos agreed to take Rodriguez’s case. Lykos has been praised for her work on her creation of a post-conviction review process which reviews new evidence after the conviction.
I think that the wrongful conviction of Rodriguez completely ruined his life. Rodriguez lost 17 years of his life that he can never get back. I also think that the state’s rejection of his request of a pardon was wrong. In criminal cases, the state prosecutes. This means that the state wrongfully convicted Rodriguez. The least that the state owes him is a pardon. Rodriguez has come back into a world that is very different than the one he left. With the 17 year prison sentence on his record, he will find it hard to get a job.
Zach Visco
March 2, 2010
Period 6
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/02/pennsylvania.abortion.doctor/index.html
ReplyDeleteKendall Simms 6th pd.
A doctor may get the death sentence for performing illegal abortions. Dr. Kermit Gosnell is charged with murder after performing late-term abortions at a dirty facility. Gosnell is facing eight counts of murder in the deaths of seven infants and one woman. The infants were allegedly born viable and were alive for the sixth, seventh, and eighth, months of pregnancy until a pair of scissors was taken to their spinal chords. The governor of Pennsylvania fired multiple heads and employees of the state health department. He felt that the fact that a facility performing illegal abortions was overlooked by the state was outrageous. Six other defendants are facing charges over the same practices as Gosnell. The grand jury that’s overseeing the case discovered that the health and licensing departments had been informed of Dr. Gosnell’s practices several times over the course of twenty years but had taken no action.
Knowing that this was an error on the part of an entire state department is bad enough in its self. This guy was performing illegal abortions in a city that attracts a lot of attention so I cannot understand how this was overlooked. I’m sure he did his best to keep his practice under wraps but isn’t that the health departments job to outsmart offenders such as Dr. Gosnell? Frankly, those people deserved to lose their jobs. You can’t receive information about a dirty abortion facility and not do anything about it and expect to keep your job when that kind of information comes to light. It really makes you wonder what other things get overlooked by state departments. Not a comforting notion at all.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/02/news/economy/government_shutdown/?npt=NP1
ReplyDeleteAndrew Cohen
7th period
Topic: Economics
On Wednesday, Congress passed a bill that will delay a government shutdown. The government shutdown will be delayed by two weeks. Senate democrats agreed to this two-week bill that will result in $4 billion in spending cuts without much resistance. However, after this two-week bill runs out, House Republicans want to pursue a plan that will cut around $60 billion from the federal budget for the rest of the fiscal year. This new proposed plan by House Republicans would eliminate Obama’s health care and Wall Street reform laws. It would also block federal funding for Planned Parenthood and limit the activity of the Environmental Protection Agency and public broadcasting. Even so, as much as Democrats oppose, some agreement must be made in the next two weeks about the budget if a government shutdown is to be avoided.
This is important because it pertains to the United States budget, which is a major issue politicians have been trying to work with recently. I think that drastic spending cuts are necessary for the time being. The way the United States government spends money needs to change very soon. We spend lots of money on agencies that definitely increase general welfare but are not necessarily essential. America is no longer experiencing economic prosperity and we must be more frugal with our government money. Once we reestablish a stable economy, then we should worry about increasing general welfare. Until then, I think we must make substantial budget cuts to try to get our economy back on the right track.
Ryan Rainey
ReplyDeleteMarch 3rd, 2011
Period 6
Current Event
In a recent article posted by CNN they listed the democratic positions that will be up for grabs during the next re-election. Gifford’s was on the list of 14 people who are believed to lose this election. They will have to earn it and have an aggressive reelection technique to win the experts stated. The surprise was that Gifford’s was on the list though. Everyone was not even expecting her to run again and a lot of people doubt it after the attempted assassination of her in January. She has been rehabilitating for several weeks now and has improved drastically. In the beginning of all this no one would expect anyone to be talking about her political future but as she improves everyone is starting to wonder what she will do in when her health is at one hundred percent. It states in the article that she only won her last reelection by four percent. She now is better known though due to the incident. The question will be, does this tragedy hurt Gabby’s chances, improve them through fame, or not change the mind of the voters.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/03/dccc-lists-rep-giffords-14-others-as-facing-re-election-problems/?iref=allsearch
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08obfrog.html?_r=1&ref=science
ReplyDeleteAlthough Charles Darwin may have been right with his theory of natural selection, his hypothesis of invasive species was proven to be incorrect. He predicted that invasive series would be unsuccessful in environments that were already previously inhabited by a similar species, but a study of introductions resulted in 521 successes. That is, in 521 cases, the invasive series did better in the new environment. Scientists believe that this makes sense - an environment suitable for a closely related species would ideally be suitable for the species in question. In Darwin's defense, scientists could not completely reject his hypothesis because they only tested and imposed conditions on amphibians. Hopefully, this development will enable scientists to calculate the probability of success for different species in new environments.
This article appealed to me because it disproved one of Darwin's hypotheses. Many of his previous hypotheses were proven true, causing me to take an interest in this study. I'm really curious as to what drove the scientists to impose a new environment on amphibians, but in the long run, this success can help prevent extinction in the future. If a certain geographical location faces global warming or is destroyed for some other reason, the environment's species can be moved to a new location, and therefore, can prevent extinction. I look forward to the results of the study after different families or animals and plants are looked into and whether the results will match these.
Nicole Chang
7th period
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/03/libya.no.fly.zone/index.html?hpt=T2
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to enacting a no-fly zone in Libya, as has been suggested, some senators are suggesting that we should instead provide the Libyan opposition forces with air defense weapons and the means and expertise to use them. Gadhafi's forces have been using planes to bomb opposition-held areas throughout Libya, and this training could really help their cause. There currently isn't enough international support to warrant a no-fly zone throughout Libya, and according to General Dempsey, the army does in fact have the resources available to assist the Libyan opposition with air defense. This solution would also be less controverial than a no-fly zone which would mean the targeting and destruction of air defense structures in Libya, among other things.
I am for this solution, rather than a no-fly zone--provided U.S. action is even needed at all. Libyan pilots who are involved in the attacks on the opposition forces may stop performing their missions at the thought that the U.S. Air Force may soon be on their tail, and considering that the United States currently yields the most advanced planes on Earth, that would be a smart choice. Deterrence may supersede the need for any real action at all. Training the opposition in air defense would be a more indirect method of helping the Libyans, and so it will be less controversial and more viable anyways.
Civics and Econ
ReplyDeleteBasirul Haque
Topic: mysteries, murders, death, bad stuff, crime, terrorism, point taken….
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/23/pennsylvania.hate.crime/index.html
Two men living in Pennsylvania were convicted of a hate crime where they beat a Mexican immigrant. They were each sentenced to nine years in prison. Derrick Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky were found guilty of several charges, including hate crimes and depriving the victim, Luis Ramirez of his civil rights. They were trialed for murder. Witnesses said that there was a lot of racist language used before the attack, the defendants said that they told Ramirez to leave their neighborhood before attacking him. Attorneys for the defendant state that this was a fight fueled by testosterone and alcohol. On top of that, three police officers were also charged for trying to cover up the incident.
This whole event is awful. I really can’t stand racism or rednecks. Hate crimes are bad, killing someone because he is Mexican or any race in general is just terrible. This case makes me even angrier because the murderers only got nine years in jail for killing a man, whereas most crimes of murder results in the death penalty or life without Parole, it does not seem like fair justice was carried out. On top of this, the three police officers who were trying to cover this incident up sickens me. As a police officer it is their job to convict criminals, not protect them, disgusting.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2011/03/china_said_it_may_begin.html
ReplyDeleteAlex Grosskurth
6th period
Humans rights
Recently China has come under the eye of human rights activists after they announced that they would be watching people's phone's in Beijing. They've claimed that they're going to watch 11 million residents for "traffic reasons". 70% of people in Beijing have cellphones from China Mobile. The government has said they're going to track these phones through a satillite, plotting their location. Many people are outraged by this because the government could exploit this and figure out who talks to whom etc. Many believe they're done this because of the recent rebellions in Africa and the Middle East because they were organized through facebook and twitter. With this argument comes the argument about facebook's real name policy which may hurt protesters because their government can simply look them up.
I believe that the government should not be allowed to track their citizens through their cellphones. Tracking people who have cellphones is wrong. People need cellphones in today's modern world and monitoring people that have them for no reason shouldn't be legal. This supresses people, because someone that is being monitored by their government cant speak freely. If they think there's going to be someone reading every text they send, they're going to censor things they say. People also talk about personal things on text and someone that can sit there and read it is even worse. This also allows governments to see who knows whom, and thats not true. Before people would be able to congregate and the government wouldn't know, which discourages freedom of speech. If the British had known all the founding fathers that knew each other, the American Revolution would have been tenfold harder to plan. Monitoring people by their cellphones is wrong, and no government should be allowed to do this.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110301-global-warming-health-science-environment/
ReplyDeleteTOPIC: SCIENCE
Global warming is predicted to have detrimental effects on seafood related health concerns. Increased temperatures have resulted in blooms of “red tide” algae, a species of toxic algae that may contaminate human food and consequently result in poisoning, muscle paralysis, and even death. Not only will the algae grow more furtively, but the bloom season is also expected to expand. Blooms may occur as much as two months earlier than before. As temperatures rise even higher, algae species may move to cooler areas that were previously unaffected. This migration may cause two bloom seasons in one year (one in the spring and one in the fall) due to the fact that these seasons now provide the most optimal temperatures. Climate change will also influence harmful algae residing in the ocean. Global warming causes wet regions to become wetter and dry regions to become dryer. The dryer regions will see an increase of dust, which will subsequently blow into the ocean. Dust is a huge aid in Vibrio algae growth, a toxic species of algae that can contaminate food and cause gastrointestinal infections and diseases such as cholera. The wetter regions will see an increase in sewage in drinking water. Sewer systems will overflow easily and leak into the lakes, contaminating the water.
I think these effects are frightening. The extent of the plausible damage caused by the expected growth in algae is surprisingly destructive. As of now, I believe that it is imperative to test for suspected toxins in areas where they would not normally be found. Appropriate measures can be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; however, this is a long process and will not yield to immediate improvement. The first priority should focus on protecting peoples’ health. It is important to be especially wary of the effects of such algae blooms and implicate necessary actions in order to prevent any further danger.
Maria Yao, 6th
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/world/middleeast/16brotherhood.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=political%20parties&st=cse
ReplyDeleteLeon Pickles
6th Period
The Muslim Brotherhood is an outlawed Islamic group that is now trying to become a political party of their own. What is left of the Egyptian government is fighting back against this because this group was thought of as a political rival. So, the government initiated a renewal of a crackdown that ended in 2005. The Brotherhood have been trying to get the constitution changed so that the terms for eligibility for political parties are more broad. The amendments to the Constitution are to be finished in the next couple of days and are expected to have amended in favor of the Brotherhood.
I think that any group should be allowed to make a political party just as long as their beliefs don't contradict any of the Constitution. But if the group that is trying to change the Constitution to something that will help the country, then I think they should get a chance. Especially if the country is in chaos and just over ran their leader because the country will need a solution fast of else stuff will just get even more out of control
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9211486/
ReplyDeleteFive year-old boy missing
This Thursday a search warrant was used to gain information that a five year old boy that when missing in October may be dead. The Durham police said that they still consider the boy, Jadon Higganbothan, to be missing even though they obtained information recently that may lead to evidence the boy is dead. Another woman is also missing, Vania Rae Sisk, who lived with the boy and the mother. This case is unusual because the Colorado police are also involved. The family had recently moved from Colorado which gave Durham the want to obtain information from them. The search warrant states that Sisk has recently fled Durham with a group called the Black Hebrews. The Black Hebrews are a group that believes they are descendants from the first Israelis. It is stated that Vania Sisk had mentioned that the Black Hebrews believed a man they were living with was a prophet and that the world would end in the next year. A former member of the Black Hebrews gave information to the police say that the group shot the young boy, Jadon, and then shoved him in a suitcase. This is still not proven but is a very frightening proposal.
This case is very sad to me especially because this boy is so young. I really hope that Jadon is not dead but I hate to say I think he might be. This five year old boy had no reason to die and it is so horrible that someone would do this. The fact that a cult is a suspicion in this case interests me though. I watched a show the other day on religious cults and it really interested me. The show talked about these many religious groups that believe someone with them is a prophet and they follow them. They have dates that they believe the world will end and rituals. Any normal person in a vulnerable time could get sucked into a cult and many of them exist. The only think I don’t understand is how someone could kill this innocent little boy and what their reason was to do it.
A new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that women who are pregnant and take pain killers like oxycodone, codeine, and hydrocodone early in pregnancy have an increased risk of birth defects in their children. Children were twice as likely to have heart defects if painkillers were taken in the first trimester. In cases where the pregnant women took an opioid painkiller in the first trimester the child was more likely to be mentally retarded, have spinal bifida, or have organs develop outside of the body. These new studies are not changing doctor’s opinions due to the fact that these risks weren’t so large to begin with. Only 2.4 in 10,000 children are born with one kind of heart syndrome normally, and with the painkillers that number raises to about 5 in 10,000 children. Still, with 3% of women taking opioid prescriptions alone, there are a fair amount of women with these side effects.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is alright for these drugs to be on the market because there is a .005% chance for your baby to have a birth defect with them. I think these drugs should be used only if they are truly necessary but if they are not, people should stop using them. The defects are not that common to begin with but they are not a risk to include unless needed. I believe that if the FDA approved them they have been tested and the risks are not that severe.
Jenny Vaughn
Period 6
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/02/134201921/prescription-painkiller-use-linked-to-serious-birth-defects
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/a-big-surprise-beneath-the-ice/?ref=science
ReplyDeleteA summarized online study of glaciology in the journal science shows that at the base of the Antarctic ice sheet, the ice melts and re-freezes extensively, this leads to the growing of huge chunks of fresh ice that they change the shape and elevation of the surface ice. Melting water is a prime mechanism for contributing to the overall topography of the ice sheets, and may govern important aspects of the behavior of the glaciers that ultimately empty ice into the sea. The scientists are now facing the challenge that mapping the re-frozen chunks beneath thousands of square miles of ice and figuring out how they and the process that created them, might alter the behavior of the ice sheets as greenhouse gases warm the planet. They said that in the last 15 years, have been thinking there's a little water under ice sheets and it can move around underneath ice sheets, etc, now they realize that the water can modify the basic structure of the ice sheets.
I think it is a very astonishing new for the National Science Foundation, and based on the studies and article, the ice sheets generally grow in layers year by year, as snow falls and gradually gets compressed by the weight of new snow on top. Apparently the new form of fresh ice chunk underneath the ice sheets are changing the shape and forming structure of the base of the ice sheets, this can make an enormous effect on glaciology, and might cause a lot more influences on greenhouse-gas issue. Even though it is only covered in the base of Antarctica, but it is going to spread widely if we just leave it, however, so far the scientists have not developed any ways to prevent the new forming of ice chunks, but we can work together and make a big change on the greenhouse effects.
Jessica Yin
7th. period
The Budget has been held off for 154 Days
ReplyDeleteEric Plevy
P6
3/4/11
http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/03/news/economy/budget_shutdown/index.htm
Obama’s budget has now been put aside for 154 days. The Republicans are reluctant to discuss the budget with Obama because they simply do not know what to expect. It has been planned to make over $6,500,000,000 in cuts, and $4,000,000,000 in cuts have already been approved. However, the republicans want ten times the amount of cuts as that. People are also afraid that Obama may do something similar to extending the Bush-era tax cuts. The budget must be set soon, but there is still much debate over the finalizations.
I believe that the Republicans need to at least work out a compromise since nothing is going to get done if they do not debate on the budget. I personally think that Obama’s cuts are a perfect mediator between not giving too much to the people and not adding more to our foreign debts. However, if we use the Republicans’ plans, our debt may never recover. Sure, our economy may start recovering, but our debts will just continue to grow and just keep affecting the economy. Like a puzzle, one piece must be put in first in order to get the other piece to fit. We have to find a balance (such as Obama’s plans) between reviving our economy and paying off our debts. With weight on one side, the economy will never balance out. This is important because this decision may ultimately determine if we are going to start making an economic recovery or continue to suffer a recession.
Ariel Gunn
ReplyDeletePeriod 7
Topic: Space Exploration.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Glory/main/index.html
Tomorrow at 5:09 am (EST) NASA will be sending up Glory, along with the Taurus XL Rocket. The launch window for this is 48 seconds, and the last attempt was scrubbed due to technical difficulties. NASA feels the launch should happen, seeing as weather conditions are supposed to be good. Glory will be collecting data that will help us research the sun and atmospheric particles called aerosols effect our climate. With this information we can more accurately predict what will happen to our climate in the future.
I think studying the effects of the sun and these aerosols is really important for us. With our climate changing, we must know what is likely to happen so that we can properly prepare for whatever happens. Since Glory is a satellite, we will be able to keep pulling data from it, unlike many projects that must quickly return to Earth. I think NASA doing more research into our climate and atmosphere is a positive step toward receiving more funding.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congress_spending_obama;_ylt=ApW3UIWW7h8mctYYfRnMq4Ws0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNyMGNhbWMzBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzA0L3VzX2NvbmdyZXNzX3NwZW5kaW5nX29iYW1hBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMwRwb3MDMTIEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA3doaXRlaG91c2VhZw--
ReplyDeleteThe White House has agreed to cut 6.5 billion dollars immediatly from the budget today, and more are planned for the future after negotations are finished with the House of Repersentatives. At least 4 billion are going to happen in the next 2 weeks. The Republicans are trying to get 61 billion dollars cut by the time the budget yerar is over. That is also extended 154 days.
With 87 rookies in the House, there isn't going to be many compramises between the White House and the House of Representives. Spending cuts are one of the biggest issues right now because of the massive debt we have. Hopefully they get something done before the last moment.
Mark Stouffer
Period 7
Last year, the Wake County school board voted to change their districting policies. Previously, they had had a system of socioeconomic integration. This means that in each school, there were 40 percent of students who required subsidized lunches and 60 percent that did not. The rule helped to racially integrate schools, as well as providing a wide range in learning abilities. When the board voted against it, they planned on implementing districting based upon where the students lived. Recently, this decision has some under the scrutiny of many anti-racial discrimination groups. The NAACP lodged a complaint with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, which is now investigating the matter. Many suggestions have been made as to how to fix the problem. The most widely liked solution is probably to district schools based on academic achievement. Each school would have a mix of students in which 70 percent would be proficient on state tests and 30 percent would not pass.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to believe that a board would pass legislation which would re-segregate schools. Unfortunately, there is still self-segregation in neighborhoods, and to separate the races in schools as well would be a step backwards in history. I think that the idea to district schools through academic achievement makes a lot of sense. This way, everybody is mixed up and has the opportunity to be in a high-achieving school. Although the board has not yet voted to accept this plan, I think they should. It would be a step forward in education and integration.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/education/28winerip.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=education
Chiara Salemi
Educational
There is a recent debate weather to shut down government and if that will risk the nation's economic recovery and crete jobs. This idea is supported by president Obama but republican leaders in congress say that it wouldn't. This stopgap would keep the government up and going trough march 18.On tuesday, the White House introduced $6 billion dollars the would help that government run smoother. Republican want to cut 61 billion dollars form the 2011 budget by the end of september 30th.
ReplyDeleteIn my option shutting down the government would do nothing to help the debt and all the people of the united states of america. Shutting down the government will just put a stop to many services the U.S. the advantage of every day. Cutting $ 6 billion dollars is a plan that is reasonable and will help the people. But cutting $61 billion dollars is just unreasonable and unrealistic
Leah Whitney
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/health/research/08aging.html?_r=1&ref=health
Studies have shown that around two-thirds of elderly that are over the age of 70 are suffering from hearing loss. This is one of the first studies that have been taken to show the hearing impairments of the nation as a whole. 751 elders were examined as a part of this examination. Not only were two-thirds of Americans 70 and older discover they have hearing loss but sixty-three percent of those were found to have such harsh hearing problems their ability to hear human speech was also impaired. Also it was found that hearing loss was found more often in men than in women, and also blacks had only 43% where whites consisted of 64%. Still a very slim number of these elders with hearing problems even use a hearing aid.
This is a huge issue that even I have seen. My grandfather has really bad hearing but he on the other hand wears a hearing aid but if he didn’t have that in then he would be practically deaf. Also I find it somewhat amusing that men have a higher hearing loss rate because women always talk about their husbands can’t hear. But I do think this is a serious matter because it is very important to be able to hear what people are saying especially in older people. I think that older people should have routine checks to make sure their hearing is in check because they need to keep a watch on their hearing because it obviously fades as one gets older.
Thomas Nguyen
ReplyDelete3.11.10 Period 7
Topic: National News
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/03/colorado.boy.slayings/index.html
A 12 year old boy from the state of Colorado is being held without bond. Police suspect that he killed his parents and seriously wounded his siblings. His name is has not been released yet and will await formal charges by Friday night. On Tuesday night, he called 911 around 6:40PM saying that 3 people in his house have been shot. When police scrambled onto the scene, they found Charles and Marilyn Long dead. the suspected boy's 5 year old sister and 9 year old brother were seriously wounded. The state of Colorado states that because of the suspect's age, he will be tried in juvenile court. The District Attorney however has the authority to move the case to a District court.
This incident resembles the video on When Kids get Life. He is a clearly a juvenile and if he is convicted for murder and attempted murder, he may get life without parole similar to what the other juveniles got in the video. If he has any relatives, they will take care of him if he is acquitted. I don't know if the 12 year old did, it but it was terrible for his parents to be killed along with his siblings seriously wounded. His siblings probably do know who killed their parents whether it is their 12 year old brother or another person. It is a coincidence that the video focused on juveniles killing others in Colorado, and this took place in Colorado. I don't expect this to be a breaking story compared to the 2010 midterms because a lot of people don't read newspapers or the internet about murders.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRiley Hutchison
ReplyDelete7th period
Topic: Science
The eastern cougar was declared extinct this week, but there is debate over whether or not that statement is correct. The eastern cougar, which is also referred to as a puma, catmount, mountain lion, and "ghost cats", could have been wrongly categorized as their own species. Scientists are concluding that the eastern cougar is no different from the western cougar. The eastern cougar was on the endangered species list, but now has been removed completely. Sightings have been claimed from Maine to Georgia, but none have been confirmed to be the eastern cougar. Cougar populations in the west are migrating east to follow the cyotes, and have moved as far as the Dakotas. The last confirned eastern cougar was in the late 1930's. Many sightings have been reported since then, but none confirmed. No efforts to protect the cougar were put into place, and that could have caused its "extinctness".
I am kind of glad that science is wrong about something finally. They always seemed to have it all together, and never make a mistake, but this shows that they are human. I was surprised that it took them this long to realize that the eastern cougar was "extinct", or to realize the miscatagorization. By studying these animals, and their patterns of migration and extinction we can learn alot. The eastern cougar may or may not be extinct, but atleast we are aware that the number of cougars is dwindling. We should use this information to further the research on whether the eastern cougar really is just like the western cougar, or if it is its own seperate species, and is extinct
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/us/04gas.html?_r=1&ref=science
ReplyDeleteEver since the 1980's, there has been a lot of debate about whether or not the oil companies and drilling should be more regulated. The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A) has began to look deeper into the matter. While they were doing their research, they created a conclusion that some of the oil drilling was actually hazardous. That is not good for the people, so they claimed that it should be more tightly controlled. Studies also show that the final report in 1987 had several recommendation that had been cut out of it. Over a quarter- century of people wanted to impose a law that allowed oil companies to be regulated. There are other factors being done such as implicating cleaner fuels instead of hazardous ones. They are going to begin to use more natural gases.
I think that this is a huge debate, and it is important for the people to be thinking about topics like this that are harming our Earth. I am glade we have people in our society that are looking deeper into issues that hurt us. Fuels are a big part of our everyday, and we are going to need to either reduce on the amount of drilling or obtain more natural gases. This is going to have a hard conclusion, but hopefully they make the right one by allowing Congress the be more strict.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/overshadowed-an-ex-models-gruesome-death/?scp=1&sq=murder&st=cse
ReplyDeleteAlmost two weeks have passed since someone waited in a hallway to go up an elevator, and the sliding doors opened to reveal the mangled body of Jomali Morales, 42, a former model. The floor was covered in her blood, and police later counted 19 stab wounds. Although Ms. Morales’s own half brother is assigned to the Manhattan South Task Force, and has worked in the exact area where she lost her life, this murder case was overshadowed by the manhunt and arrest of Maksim Gelman, the man I covered last week.
First and foremost, I really hope they catch and serve justice to the person who killed Jomali Morales. It is a horrible crime to have been committed, and anyone who is able to stab another human being 19 times has serious issues. Also, the fact that a case this serious was overshadowed for weeks is a big problem. It goes to show that when the victim of a crime is a minority, it does not make news. I really hate to believe this, but honestly, there’s no hiding the truth.
Cerys Humphreys
7th Period
Geoffrey Thomason
ReplyDeletePeriod 7 – 3/3/11
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/costco-pulls-threatened-fish-from-stores/?ref=earth
Due to complaints and new statistics from environmentalists, the, “retail giant,” Costco stated that the sale of a dozen fish species would be suspended indefinitely due to the threat of overharvesting. Many of these species are distributed in mass quantities and are very well known. Some of these are the Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, Chilean sea bass, grouper, monkfish, redfish, swordfish and bluefin tuna. All of these species are at risk and Costco has stated that, “Sales of these species will not resume until a sustainable source can be identified.” This isn’t Costco’s first road bump either. Last year, the company was specifically called out by an environmental group called Greenpeace. Greenpeace was less than satisfied with Costco for its lack of transparency in its seafood sourcing and classified their products as ‘unsustainable.’ They even flew a bright-green blimp with a banner reading “Costco: Wholesale Ocean Destruction” over the company’s Issaquah, Wash., headquarters.
I definitely agree that the fish sales should be halted. The existence of a species is far more important than making them a product to be sold at warehouses in mass quantities, and risking their survival. I also think it’s important that the items that are offered to customers will still be provided in years to come. Other retail companies should cut back too; not just Costco. Several other major retailers are in the same boat. They could just change their seafood offerings and support environmental campaigns. For example, in January Target announced that it had eliminated all farmed salmon products from its stores and switched to wild-caught Alaskan salmon, which is considered less environmentally harmful than farmed salmon. Everyone can cut back: not just the companies.
Kate Boyd
ReplyDelete7th pd
Topic: technology
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/science/space/01orbit.html?ref=technology
Several companies have been developing ways to make space tourism possible. There are two distinct types of people interested in this: scientists doing experiments with weightlessness, and ordinary people wanting to experience weightlessness just for the enjoyment of it. Researchers hope that they will eventually be able to have daily flights, each lasting just a few minutes. A ticket, at this point, would cost around $200,000, which is a lot more than most people would be willing to pay just for a few minutes of weightlessness. However, it's extremely cheap for this sort of thing, and could be worth it to scientists interested. Some experiments they want to study are how asteroids behave and how blood pressure and our heartbeats act when humans are in space.
I think this is a really cool thing. It would be awesome if they could get the price down enough that any average person could experience low gravity in space. While that isn't possible right now, it's still a good thing that scientists can take advantage of this for experiments. These experiments could help us with both further space exploration and just here on Earth. I think it's always good to expand the opportunities and resources available to scientists, because you never know what sort of information they could discover due to it.
Norman Archer
ReplyDeleteTopic: Middle East
Egypt’s Generals Struggle in New Role
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/world/middleeast/04egypt.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast
This article address evaluated how well the military is doing in their new role (governing the country). With an impatient population, the government is receiving a lot of pressure to establish a democracy. “The major challenge for the military now is to convince the population to wait” says Samer Soliman, a political science professor at the American University in Cairo. It has been almost a month since the military united with protester to bring down Mubarak, and the military’s reputation is beginning to tarnish. People are starting to fear that the military will want to stay in power rather than regulate a transition to democracy.
This is a really tough situation. On one hand you have the people, impatient, but rightly so. On the other hand you have the military, which honestly needs more time. Although I empathize with the people, there is no question that the transition mustn’t be rushed. I’m not saying that the military should hold on to power, but the people will have to wait. While the make the people, the military should be doing everything they can to satisfy the peoples standards. After all, they are supposed to be building a government for the people.
Hannah Blackburn, pd. 7
ReplyDeleteSocial Injustices
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/world/africa/04president.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
On Thursday, March 3rd, President Obama made very strong statements about the situation in Libya. He said he had authorized airlifts of refugees from the Libya-Tunisia border, as well as civilian planes to other refugee gatherings. The President also said Qaddafi must leave immediately. The tricky part is it is inconvenient for the military to get involved. Obama said he didn't want a bloody civil war that would continue on and on, but he can't really take military action against Qaddafi's violence against Libyans. The US is already engaged in two other major military enterprises. Besides this, Obama said he hoped the people of Libya could manage it without foreign help, as the Egyptians did.
It is fantastic that Obama has made such a strong verbal commitment to getting Qaddafi out of Libya. I agree with his decision not to involve the military. I think involving the military may irritate resistance fighters who believe they can achieve their goals alone. It's great Obama is not just leaping into this conflict, but rather taking time to evaluate all his options. I hope the Libyans can oust Qaddafi soon, before too many of them die. The question is, where will Qaddafi go? What country would be willing to harbor such a terrible leader?
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/03/03/us/politics/politics-us-afghanistan-civilians.html?_r=1&ref=afghanistan
ReplyDeleteYesterday, Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, stated that he had received an apology from President Barack Obama. This apology, via video chat, pertained to the recent Afghan air strike that killed nine children. A spokeswoman form the US embassy in Kabul confirmed that they had talked, but not what they talked about. Afghan officials say that this is not an uncommon thing. In the past two weeks, more than 80 civilian lives have been taken in Afghanistan. General David Petraeus issued a public apology saying, "On behalf of the coalition ... I want to offer my sincere apology for the killing of nine children in Dara-ya-Pech district in Kunar province." Afghans refuse to accept the apology.
I applaud the President for owning up to the deaths, realizing it was wrong, and apologizing. It seems that civilian deaths in Afghanistan are a problem, though. I hope that we as Americans can choose carefully where to bomb next time. This incident really makes me think about war and what it would be like to have to live in a constant war zone. I can only be happy that it is not taking place here. I hope this war can end soon so that no more innocent civilian lives will have to be taken.
Jessica Batson
7th
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/us/politics/04gingrich.html?ref=politics
ReplyDeleteNewt Gingrich on Thursday became the first major Republican to begin raising money for the 2012 presidential race. He stopped short of declaring his candidacy until he finishes delivering paid speeches this month and distances himself from a web of business ventures that would interfere with a campaign. Mrs. Gingrich, who turns 45 on Friday and is Mr. Gingrich’s third wife, is a central partner in business and political decisions. When asked directly whether he intended to run for president, he declared: “We will look at this very seriously. We will very methodically lay out a framework of what we’ll do next.”
I honestly think that it is crazy how early people start campaigning to be president. There is still almost 2 years left until the next election. I really don’t know much about Newt Gingrich, but from reading this article it seems like he knows what he is doing and has a lot of experience in politics. At one point in the article, he said, “We believe that it is possible through the right policies, with the right values, to create dramatically more jobs with dramatically higher incomes.” I don’t know how he’ll do this, but he seems like a planner which is a good quality for a president.
Chris Barth
Period 7
topic: science
ReplyDeleteMaria Miggs
3/4/11
p. 7
Darwin proved wrong about invasive species
Over the many years since Charles Darwin had made his many discoveries concerning evolution and ecosystems, none of his theories had been disproved. But this week, research about invasive amphibians has shown that Darwin was wrong about the success of invasive amphibians in new environments. Darwin predicted that “when an invasive species entered a region where a closely related species already existed, it would most likely be unsuccessful because of a competition for resources”. Instead, toads, salamanders, and frogs are able to flourish more effectively when invading a species that is similar. The most likely reason for this phenomenon is that the environment already suits the similar species so it will most likely support the new species as well.
I find it interesting that this was the first study to disprove Darwin’s theories concerning animals. This shows how comprehensive and accurate Darwin’s hypothesis were. It also shows that we have many new discoveries to make.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08obfrog.html?_r=1&ref=science
Prosecutors are expected to file formal charges against a 12-year-old Colorado boy suspected in the deaths of his parents and the critical wounding of two siblings.
ReplyDeleteThe boy, which names have not been released, appeared in court in Fort Morgan Wednesday night in a closed hearing. The judge advised the youth of his rights and ordered him held without bond until his next court appearance, said District Attorney Bob Watson of the 13th Judicial District. .
This young boy killing his parents after he called the police. I don't understsand why he would do that. After everyone said everyone is
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/us/04leases.html?_r=1&ref=environment
ReplyDeleteJacob Harris, 7th Period
Topic: Environment
As of last Thursday, a man who disrupted the sale of federal energy leases protesting climate change was convicted of "disrupting a government auction" and could be imprisoned for at least 10 years. Tim DeChirstopher's lawyers claimed he was "passionate but impulsive", part of why he was convicted. He had put in a bid of $1.8 million for the leases only for the purpose of disrupting the auction and with no way or intention of paying this amount. As noble as his actions were declared, DeChristopher was found guilty in the end as this did not give him the right to break laws.
I agree with the conviction os his actions having been illegal, however I don't agree that the punishment quite fits the crime. He was indeed committed and passionate and had a good idea. However the way he went about executing this plan of action was no the best. Had he found some way to actually pay for the leases, the bid would have been somewhat more justifiable. Even then, though, he would not have any use for the oil and would have ruined the auction and wasted the oil. I think he is dedicated and should be commended for this, but I don't think this was necessarily the way to get across his feelings of climate change.
http://articles.cnn.com/2004-06-18/tech/ssone.flight.history_1_first-private-craft-space-travel-burt-rutan?_s=PM:TECH
ReplyDeleteWithin the next few years, everyday people should be able to travel into space for a small sum of about $200,000. A Virgin spaceship can take you up for about four minutes, and then return to a runaway in New Mexico. Virgin and other companies believe that space tourism will bring in big money for their companies. Although only a small percentage of people are able to afford the $200,000 ticket, it still could be great profit for these companies, simply because of the steepness of the prices.
Commercial space travel will completely change how we view space travel forever. Soon, normal people carrying around $200,000 of pocket cash, will be able to experience space. I don’t think that this commercial change will really change anything for most people, because most can’t even dream of dropping two hundred grand on a four minute space flight. Although most people wont be able to enjoy commercial space travel, I still think it is a really cool idea. Definitely something to think about if I win the lottery in the next few years.
Brady Strine
6th period
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/20/walmart-pledges-to-make-food-healthier-more-affordable/
ReplyDeleteMany companies and and grocery stores sell various types of food off of their shelves. They oftebn claim that this ffod they are selling is safe and healthy. However, a lot of the time it is not. Recently. Wal-Mart has pledged to make their food more healthy and less costly. They have said they realized their food products are not as healthy as they could be. They believe that cheap prices and halthy living will help out many people in their lives.
I believe that this is an extremely important jump in in the section of healthy living. It is important that we provide for our citizens healthy food and reasonable prices. By doing this, it will hopefully keep more Americans from running overwieght. This is important because we need to keep our citizens safe and living well. I believe that there is only one downside to this. Since the food prices are so low, it may be possible for Americans to purchase more food. This could as well make citizens unhealthy due to a larger amount of food income daily.
Cole Shoup
Period 7
3/4/11
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/world/africa/05libya.html?hp
ReplyDeleteJackson Wright
6th Period
3/4/11
Topic: Middle East
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government killed 13 rebel protesters today in a Libyan city 25 miles outside of Tripoli. Witnesses say multiple rebels were try to enter the city from the west gate when government militants opened fire on them and gunned at least 13 down. Witnesses have also said that the government has scared them so much they can not help the wounded or retrieve dead bodies for a proper burial. The rebel soldiers and protestors say that they will not back down though and will continue to try to add numbers to their ranks. The youth of Libya are still very confident they will overthrow Qaddafi's regime.
I hope that these Middle Eastern wars end soon because I believe the more conflict there is, the more inclined our country will be to step in. I hope that the Qaddafi regime ends soon also because seeing these innocent protestors die is very saddening especially because there are so many young Libyans with prosperous lives still to live. I do not believe we should step into these wars, but these oppressive regimes certainly deserve to be overthrown with force if they combat the peaceful protestors with force. Hopefully the rebel soldiers in these oppressed countries can win out and turn their countries into democracies.
Ryan hegedus
ReplyDeleteColorado boy to be formally charged in connection with parents' death
The police received a call from a 12 year old boy reporting that at least three people in his house had been shot. When the police arrived they found that the boys two parents had been shot along with two small children who were later identified as his younger siblings. The Parents were dead but both children were alive and were rushed to the hospital, where they would be treated then tansferred to a Denver hospital. The boy is being held without bond until he appears in court again. The judge ordered that the boy’s case could not be transferred to district court and that it be kept at the juvinile court level.
Not many details about the case have been realeased, including the bioys name, but they way the information is presented it seems suspicious. For example, they do not say why the are now believing that the boy was theguilty party even though he was the one who called the police. I cannot form an opinion on this case without more etail than what was given, but if the boy happens to be innocent, he would need to hope the jury believes him, given Colorado’s history with juvenile shootings.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/04/colorado.boy.slayings/index.html
Tanner Gardner-7th Period
ReplyDeletehttp://tucsoncitizen.com/wryheat/2011/03/04/gasoline-prices-and-the-obama-energy-policy/
There are many factors that determine the price of gasoline, not the least of which is turmoil in the Middle East. The price depends on supply and demand and upon the expectations of supply and demand. Currently, the national average gasoline price is $3.39 per gallon. When President Obama took office, the national average gasoline price was $1.83 per gallon, according to the Energy Information Administration. With this in mind, it seems like the Obama administration is trying to discourage and hinder domestic production of fossil fuels. Contrary to administration rhetoric that the U.S. should become more energy independent, administration policy seems to be directed to do all it can to stifle domestic production. Following the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico, the administration imposed a drilling moratorium, which was supposedly lifted in October, but is actually still in effect. The Interior Department has approved just one drilling application although more than 100 are pending, while refusing to lift the moratorium. Ironically, the de facto moratorium of Gulf drilling will deprive the federal government of $1.35 billion in royalties this year. According to the Heritage Foundation, “Obama also reversed an earlier decision by his administration to open access to coastal waters for exploration, instead placing a seven-year ban on drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts and Eastern Gulf of Mexico as part of the government’s 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Program.” According to the U.S. Geological Survey the U.S. holds more than half of the world’s oil shale resources. The USGS’s most recent estimates (April, 2009) show the region may hold more than 1.5 trillion barrels of oil – six times Saudi Arabia’s proven resources, and enough to provide the United States with energy for the next 200 years. But Obama’s Interior Department is reversing Bush-era policy by delaying leases saying they need to take a “fresh look” at the situation. The EPA has added costly new regulations to refineries over concern with global warming, and is also denying approval of the Keystone pipeline which would increase the amount of oil the U.S. receives from Canada by over a million barrels per day. The next time you fill your car with gasoline; don’t blame the oil companies for the high prices, the fault lies squarely with Obama’s energy policy.
Obama’s policy changes may not be good for the American population’s pocket change, but I think he did that on purpose to make them realize that the problem lies not within extrinsic companies and laws, but within their own lifestyles. Do we really need to be commuting up to 50 miles a day, burning untold gallons of gas? The advent of the car has spread out civilization when it would be better off in a communal situation where everything is localized and much easier to procure. I think we as a nation could be independent in our energy production. Solar and wind could power the world. I think it’s good that Obama’s administration won’t lift the de facto moratorium: for one it decreases the chance of another BP, secondly it conserves the marine ecosystem, and thirdly it signifies that oil is less important than the revenue it brings in.