Mr. De Ceglie's AP English Blog: Current Events for the Week of September 29th-October 5th

Monday, September 29, 2014

Current Events for the Week of September 29th-October 5th

Please post your primary response to a current event in the comments section below. Your primary response should be at least 300 words. After completing the primary response, please respond to two of your peers' primary postings.

News outlets to consider:

Any major TV news outlet (Yes, I will accept The Daily Show and The Colbert Report)
Any major international, national, regional, or local newspaper
Any major internet news service
Any major radio news outlet
Any of these podcasts (you're not limited to these, but it's definitely a start if you're not familiar with podcasts)
Any of these YouTube channels (again, not an exhaustive list, just a place to get started)

94 comments:

UnknownSeptember 29, 2014 at 6:03 PM
If anyone is determined it is Florida governor candidate Charlie Crist and his billionaire ally Tom Steyer. Mr. Crist and has an agenda and that is unseating current governor Rick Scott. Tom Steyer is an environmental activist who is insuring climate change in Florida, Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Michigan. His committee, NextGen Climate Action Committee has spent six million dollars in just the state of Florida alone. He has invested more than two million dollars in TV ads accusing Governor Rick Scott of helping Duke Energy in hopes of a higher turn out of voters. Steyer’s committee targets voters of the age of thirty-four. A great majority of these voters also believe that the climate change is an issue we cannot ignore. Many registered voters are getting frustrated with governor Rick Scott who does not feel that he has a say in whether or not the climate change is a serious issue. Steering clear of the issue, Scott’s response to the question has been “I am not a scientist” on multiple occasions. In response to Scott, Steyer has stated that he is not expected to be completely educated in these fields but should be able to converse with experts to figure out what is in his people’s best interest. Despite what the outcome is in November, Steyer is relentless and will make sure that the climate change becomes a wedge issue that can be the turning tables of the supporters of Rick Scott by arising issues that Scott can no longer put off.
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AnonymousSeptember 30, 2014 at 7:13 AM
Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting, an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013. The rain and thunder has also failed to dampen the spirits of the protestors because they are still at it. The housing market in Beijing is at an all time low as well, due to the financial district being under siege from the protestors.
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UnknownOctober 3, 2014 at 8:57 AM
In my hour of reading through news articles i saw many things. Some things that terrified me and some things that made me stop and think about the state of humanity. The article I've decided to focus on is an article about the upcoming hunters moon. On October 8th the second of four total eclipses will occur, in accordance with the "blood moon" prophecy. While I don't buy into the prophecy of the 'blood moon' symbolizing the end of the world, this total eclipse will definatly be something worth viewing. During the total eclipse in certain parts of the world the moon will pass directly in front of Uranus changing the way the color of the eclipse is seen. For us here in northern Florida the eclipse is set to occur around moon set so our view of the eclipse won't be as spectacular as other areas. The eclipse is set to begin around 5:18 but won't be considered a total eclipse till around 6:30. I'm not entirely sure whats up with the sky but there is also to be a metro shower that night and or the night following. I for one am majorly excited to see this event occur in the sky. I find it nice knowing that things like this will occur regardless of how many things are occurring world wide at the moment. The idea that no mater what we doe we get to see these natural beauties. I know with events such as Texas ebola outbreak, which totally could have been contained if the hospital had better internal communication, and the situation in Hong Kong this type of event doesn't really take priority. I just love the idea that this will occur regardless.
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UnknownOctober 3, 2014 at 11:41 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
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UnknownOctober 4, 2014 at 7:39 AM
During my search for current events, many crazy titles caught my eye. However, the one titled ‘North and South Korea 'agree to talks' took the cake. This is huge, because as you probably know North and South Korea are divided enemies. It is said that the agreement came during a surprise visit to South Korea by North Korean officials for the closing ceremony of the annual Asian Games. North Korea has been very hostile to South Korea over the years and this is extremely surprising to everyone. Neither North or South Korea have commented on this and it is unknown as to what they are discussing. “Relations between the two have been practically non-existent for four years, but the North's economic troubles seem to have forced a change of tack”; says Stephen Evans of BBC. I personally believe that with everything currently happening in the world, North Korea is looking for an ally in South Korea. They may even be asking for economic aid. However, I don’t think anyone knows their true motives and we can only guess until they release something publically. This is so interesting and it’s crazy to me that North Korea initiated these talks with South Korea. North Korea is led by communists, and usually they despise everyone and everything, so seeing something like this in the news is beyond astonishing. It was also crazy that the highest levels of officials visited the South, not just ordinary North Korean officials. I’m still shocked at this news, and I have no idea what it is exactly that North Korea is planning, but I really do hope that this is a step in the right direction. Maybe after meeting, North Korea will realize that they have been acting ignorantly and decide to be more open in the future.
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UnknownOctober 5, 2014 at 11:10 AM
There is yet another American held hostage by the terrorist group ISIS. Peter Edward Kassig, an Iraq war veteran, was abducted by ISIS while in he was in Syria while delivering food and medical supplies to refugees. An IS militant claimed that the group was going to "continue to strike the necks of your people" due to President Obama's decision to bomb Syria. This whole ISIS situation is getting way out of hand if you ask me. ISIS is wanting the US to stop bombing Syria and, basically, they want us out of their country. Okay, so if the we take out our military and we take out the troops and just leave Syria all together, do you think that the terrorist groups will stop what they are doing? I believe that they won't. ISIS will still want to destroy the US either way. Being on their soil just fuels the fire even more. This whole beheading thing is completely unnecessary. If they continue to behead more American hostages or more British hostages, they are going to have to deal with some retaliation from the US or maybe even Britain. Do they think we are going to stop bombing them because if they kill more of our men? That just makes the US want to bomb Syria even more. In the end, no body is going to win.
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AnonymousOctober 5, 2014 at 1:47 PM
Scientists have created a crystalline material that can absorb or release oxygen in a surrounding area by filtration and concentration. "This could be valuable for lung patients who today must carry heavy oxygen tanks with them," said professor Christine McKenzie of the University of Southern Denmark. She also says that this new advanced crystal could offer a lighter load for divers as well. A few grains contain enough oxygen for one breath, and as the material can absorb oxygen from the water around the diver and supply the diver with it, the diver will not need to bring more than these few grains." The crystal uses the element cobalt, bound in an organic molecule. "Cobalt gives the new material precisely the molecular and electronic structure that enables it to absorb oxygen from its surroundings," McKenzie said. She also mentions the "Small amounts of metals are essential for the absorption of oxygen, so actually it is not entirely surprising to see this effect in our new material". Researchers are currently investigation whether or not the oxygen release could be triggered by light. Advancements in science and technology such as this one continue to amaze me. Despite being the most violent creatures, human potential and achievement baffles me. We have learned and continue to manipulate the world we live in, in the name of discovery and advancement. If this crystalline material becomes a success it would make the lives of oxygen tank users and deep-sea divers much easier.
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Katherine-Marie PenalverOctober 5, 2014 at 3:42 PM
A paralyzed bride walked down the aisle at her wedding! Gina Giaffoglione was in a car crash years before her wedding which led her to be paralyzed from the waste down. She was confined to a wheel chair for many months. Yet her childhood dream was to walk down the aisle with her father by her side. Being the only girl her dad has she felt it was important that he as well got to experience a normal bride walking down the aisle. She spent months and months learning to stand and walk with assistance of a brace and a crutch. After a year and a half she did it. Only a few close relatives knew about this physical therapy. When she walked down the aisle her surprised brought tears to the whole crowds eyes. They were so proud of her. Gina said "When you can't feel anything, and you're doing something you used to do that you used to take for granted ... it's a floating sensation you can't even explain." Its incredible to imagine not being able to do something which you do everyday without even thinking about it. People don't realize how well they have it until an unfortunate situation occurs in which they can no longer do the same things they once could. People are thankful to not have cancer or to not be in a fatal accident but they don't really appreciate being able to communicate with others and much more. Some individuals can't even speak, walk, or even write. Imagine not being able to do all the little things we once did daily. I wrote about this because it's news that isn't heart breaking and it's something inspirational.
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UnknownOctober 5, 2014 at 5:33 PM
For this weeks current event I found an article explaining the effects of the Ebola virus in Africa. Families and friends are being torn apart in fear of contracting the virus from one another. Mothers are afraid to take care of their own children. The Liberian government has restricted taxis, which use to cram six to eight people in at one time, to a maximum of three people. A church in Liberia has required members to wash their hands with chlorine before being allowed in to service. One Liberian woman said she avoids contact with all of her family members, except her mother who had her legs amputated; however if her mother could walk then she would avoid her too. Yet not all Liberian’s are avoiding their families, a man in Monrovia took care of his mother who had Ebola. He said without her giving birth to him he wouldn’t be here today and that he owes it to her to comfort her through the pain. It’s hard to imagine being afraid to hug or be close to friends and family, it’s even harder to imagine not taking care of them when they’re in need. The article describes this fear as Ebola’s cultural casualty. It’s not uncommon for people to stray away from touching strangers, but to avoid touching your family puts an emotional strain on the people in Liberia who have always expressed closeness with one another.
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AnonymousOctober 5, 2014 at 6:56 PM
Maddy O’Keefe
Period 3
“Think Like a Child”
This week for my current event, I listened to a podcast by Freakonomics called “Think Like a Child.” In this podcast, it talked about how kids think outside of the box. For example, in this podcast by Freakonomics they asked children and adults how they think the magic trick with the thumb is done. The kids weren’t afraid to ask more questions. Kids are more curious and try to understand whats going on. It’s as if their brain is always awake constantly trying to solve problems. In “Think Like a Child,” it states that adults do not like to ask questions as much as kids do. Children acknowledge and state the obvious where as adults do not. Steven Dubner interviewed someone and he stated that kids ask more questions than adults because adults don’t want to seem dumb. In these days, adults forget how to have fun while kids are trying to make everything fun and different. In this podcast, they say that as you’re growing up, you should find something that interests you and find a job to match that. For example, in this podcast, he said that if you’re interested in ants than you should study ants for a living. Work somewhere that keeps you happy and interested. In my opinion, from this video I summarized that adults do not think as much as children do. Kids are always making theories where as adults are always waiting for the punch line. Children see things fundamentally different than adults. A women that Steven Dubner interviewed studies children’s minds and writes books about that. She summarized that young children are amazing at solving problems. Even infants are capable of figuring out what’s going on in someone else’s mind. I learned a lot throughout “Think Like a Child” including that you should find a job that interests you and that kids think more thoroughly than adults most of the time.
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AnonymousOctober 5, 2014 at 8:19 PM
Ebola has spread dangerously throughout West Africa, and the deadly disease has recently reached the United States. The news that a man in Dallas was infected is about a week old, though updates continue coming on his condition. The article I read this week was about preparation for the arrival of the virus in New York City. New York is one of the largest hubs of international traffic in the world. People arrive by plane, ship, and car from every country imaginable. This includes the infected regions of West Africa. This makes the city a prime area for potential infection. Adding to their place as a worldly destination, New York crowds and public transportation could spread an unnoticed case of Ebola across the city within days. To combat this lethal possibility, the New York Police Department is taking 911 calls from people describing Ebola-like symptoms and asking them if they have recently traveled to West Africa and if they had come into contact with anyone with the disease. If the answer is yes, they now have a special protocol to follow. Emergency medical workers with protective gear limiting their risk of infection will take care of the patient. Besides travel history collection, New York is also encouraging West Africans in the city to get checked out at a hospital if they are sick or may have been exposed to Ebola. An official of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that fear is an effective tactic for battling the spread of a virus. Health care workers should be scared, as it makes it likely that they will be more cautious and really control the infection. The city has done extremely well in preventing an Ebola infection, and in preparing for one. Despite all the measures taken, New York City is a large, busy place, and is still at a major risk.
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UnknownOctober 5, 2014 at 8:55 PM
In the past hour, an article about a warp-speed super computer caught my attention. Google has partnered with the University of California Santa Barbara to develop quantum computing technology as part of its Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab team. Google is also pairing up with NASA and the Universities Space Research Association to create technology that could become the world’s fastest supercomputer. The first thoughts that came across my mind when I read this were who would this impact the most and how. Apparently, financial service would be the first industry to receive benefits. These benefits would include optimizing portfolios, dealing with risk management, structured asset-backed security pricing, mapping market correlations, capital project budgeting, and developing trading strategies. This quantum computer uses quantum bits, called qubits, and has circuits that exist in all possible states at the same time -- a one, a zero and everything in between. This ability to exist in various states greatly increases the processing power of quantum machines. The increased computing power could one day help run complex simulations, such as modeling climate change and helping to develop new drugs. Currently, China owns the world’s fastest computers, which can carry out about 34 quadrillion calculations per second. Experts say the quantum computer would ultimately far surpass this speed. Like all new ideas, this will slowly but surely happen over time. Apparently this computer could only operate at extremely low temperatures and mind bending physicist is being used to make it. It is stated in the article that it will take a few billion dollars from Google and a few decades before we actually see real quantum computers. It is obvious that it will take a lot of time and effort, but the outcome will definitely affect all technology.
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UnknownOctober 5, 2014 at 9:20 PM
Within the last few years, auto loans to those who have a credit score under 640 have increased. A new technology has allowed auto loans to be given out to those who have credit scores that reflect financial troubles. These borrowers must a starter interrupter device installed into their new vehicle. This device allows the lenders to remotely disable the car’s ignition whenever, and wherever. This device also has GPS, allowing dealers to remotely track the movements of the vehicle at all times. In addition, the device emits beeps as the due date of the payment comes closer. These have caused concerns for various reasons. The beeps emitted aren’t as serious as a problem and are only seen by the borrowers as degrading and not helpful, and the tracking capabilities raise many privacy concerns for most people. The serious issue however, is that lenders are leaving some people stranded in emergencies. Some lenders have been considerate, giving notice before the shutoff when borrowers go into default, however some have given no advanced notice of the shutoff and have stranded borrowers in far flung places. One woman in Nevada had her car shut off while she was on the freeway, and another was unable to reach a hospital when her child had a 103.5-degree fever and asthma complications. The woman with the sick daughter was not in default when her ignition was disabled, and these lenders have been violating the laws regulating repossessions. I think the device itself is a very good idea, but the implementation is poor. This can be potentially dangerous when used wrongly, and that is what’s happening. The new technology needs to be regulated better to prevent further incidents of premature shut off, and the shut offs that occur while driving. This device when used properly can be a real advantage to some of those that are just down on their luck, or need a vehicle to progress further in life. Many people who were unable to purchase a car before now have a chance, despite their credit rating. I think it’s great that everyone is getting a fair opportunity to purchase a vehicle.
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UnknownOctober 5, 2014 at 10:26 PM
I came across a serious issue on the news where a woman had sued her auto dealership company for having the power to "stop" her car whenever they wanted to. The deal goes, if you don't pay your dues for the car you had paid for, then the car company can stop the car, without you having the ability to even start the car. With a simple click of a button on the computer screen the car stops immediately, from the device they had attached on the car. This control is definitely frightened by many, especially to those who know they haven't paid since around 30 days. The woman claims that they had never told her about this device in any documents she had signed. This is most definitely a violation of our rights; it controls what we "own" without us knowing about it at all. I understand that this is also very frustrating towards the company because they need the money that they were required to have on the due date in which they had agreed on, but they can't have their customers face risky consequences like this. Honestly, the company really has no idea what kind of emergency or situation the driver could be facing with an absolute necessity of having their car being able to start and not stop out of nowhere! They could be in a case where they desperately need to get to a location and their car isn't working, or the driver could be taking a casual drive in traffic when all of a sudden his car stops, resulting in an accident. First, the consequence the companies give their customers is horrid and, in my opinion, should be banned. They probably deserve consequences from having late dues, but the companies need to attend them with professional ways of facing this problem. And second, these devices should not be allowed at all because they can cause dangerous outcomes if they stop the car of the driver.
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AnonymousOctober 6, 2014 at 5:04 AM
More then 850 infant babies, and 43 workers were alerted that they might have been exposed to tuberculosis in El Paso, Texas. After being tested, 5 infant babies were confirmed to have tuberculosis. The officials have noted that when the babies were tested for tuberculosis, they had been given a vaccine that could give a false positive when tested. The officials have taken out the sick workers that had infected others, and workers who had been infected, and are being treated. It was confirmed that they are not allowed back until they are fully recovered. Tuberculosis is a disease that makes it hard to breathe, continuous coughing, and unbearable chest pains. Even thought it takes months, even years before such a diseases becomes active, it is important to find out whether or not they have been exposed and if they’re infected with it so it can be treated beforehand. Hundreds of babies have been exposed since September of 2013. They say around 850 babies have been exposed and they’re working as hard as they can to treat every one of them. Considering babies are at higher risks to contract and develop TB, because it spreads by coughing and sneezing and the when the nurses care for them, they happen cough on these babies. Which as a result, transfers TB to them causing them to start to develop it. If left untreated, Tuberculosis bacteria attacks the lungs, kidneys and even the brain, making it very deadly. The hospital had confirmed that they are still trying to do everything in their power to try to contain the situation, but it has yet to happen.
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UnknownOctober 6, 2014 at 5:30 AM
On October 5, 2014, Obama honored disabled veterans and acknowledged the fact that the United States hasn’t always been as supportive as they should be upon the return home of injured soldiers. His speech preceded the grand opening of the new American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington D.C. This memorial is the first monument in the National Mall to honor veterans who were injured in combat and will remain disabled for the rest of their lives. In his speech, he says, “With this memorial we commemorate, for the first time, two battles our disabled veterans have fought: The battle over there and the battle here at home.” Obama stated that it will stand as a reminder not to “rush into war” and encourages American citizens not to “look away” when you see a veteran with a prosthetic leg or burns on their body. Instead, he urges us to go up to them, shake their hand, and thank them for their dedication to helping create a country that is free and safe. We should welcome them home instead of acting utterly frightened by their potentially disfigured appearance. I really admire the president for making a point to honor wounded servicemen. Those in the United States armed forces risk their lives every day for the good of our country and consciously chose our continued freedom over their limbs or flawless skin. That is an extremely courageous decision, and the least we can do is find it in us to look them in the eyes and express our gratitude. Put yourself in the place of an injured veteran. It must be absolutely horrible to feel unappreciated by those for whom you fought so passionately. Since there are memorials for the Korean, Vietnam, and Second World Wars, I think this new monument will be a wonderful and fitting addition.
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UnknownOctober 6, 2014 at 6:02 AM
This week I have really been focusing on the scary subject of Ebola. Considering the fact that over Thanksgiving breaks my mother wants to take a trip to Texas, it has me on edge and freaking out. Until about last week, I did not even know about this until last week. The American who contracted this virus contracted it from Liberia. Since then the patient has been quarantined and isolated. However, a case broke out in Dallas, Texas and another from a cameraman who was trying to document the tragedies in Liberia. My question is why in the world is the government not worried about this? Why are we not more watchful about who is coming into the United States and who is coming out of the United States. On average this disease is supposedly supposed to infect 1.5 million people in the United States. Doctors do not know the cure to the quickly spreading disease and it's frightening. Ebola is said to only be transferred by bodily fluids, like sweat and spit, vomit etc. The disease has been spread through air travel, thus explaining why I am so nervous to go to Texas. I’ve already tried to convince my mom that Ebola is going to get us if we go there but she said that’s not true. Imagine the long-term effects of the Ebola spread. Taking into consideration that this virus has no cure, parents will probably take their children out of school. How did doctors cure the two doctors sent over to Liberia to help? Why don’t they have the cure now that there are other people suffering from the illness? These questions need to be asked and answered for the safety of Americans and the safety of people throughout the world. I will however keep you posted on if the trip to Texas is still on.
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AnonymousOctober 6, 2014 at 6:32 AM
Melanie Urias
Shatto Milk Company realized that milk prices did not match up with the price of producing milk. Getting paid $10.86 per 100 pounds of milk and it was costing about $11.25 to produce. They thought about quitting and giving up on the farm that had been in the family for 3 generations; but the Shattos weren't willing to sell their cows and close down the farm. They realized that something needed to change and that’s when they came up with a plan, something other dairy farms don’t dare to do; bottle up their own milk. That would allow them to eliminate the middleman and save a lot of money. It was a big risk because most dairy farms don’t do this; it is not a common practice to pasteurize your own milk. Another thing that was required to make this happen is to acquire enough money to make this possible. Going from being a dairy farmer to a business owner was a big leap of faith, for the Shattos and for a bank. They took their business plan to several lenders, but rejection was expected and that was mostly what they got. Their final stop and last hope was a local bank not far from the farm. And that bank approved! With the money the Shattos received they successfully turned their dairy farm into a milk company. In the of summer 2003, with their new business plan, the Shattos sent out their very first milk delivery of around 480 half-gallon glass bottles to eight stores.
Today 47 people work at Shatto, and the herd is up to 400 cows. A decade ago the farm produced 100 to 125 gallons of milk a day; now it produces 1,750 gallons. "And we still don't have enough milk," Owner Leroy says. Personally after finding out that a dairy farm started to pasteurize their own milk I would be hesitant to drink it, just because it is such an important process in preparing the milk to be drinkable. Of course I know that mistakes can happen in the process no matter how long a company has been doing it; so after a while of the Shatto Company doing well with their new business plan, I wouldn’t mind trying their milk. I also think that visiting the company would be a pretty neat experience just to see the entire milk process at just one location.
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AnonymousOctober 6, 2014 at 6:57 AM
In my search for an article I came across a very disturbing article. In Iguala, Mexico a clandestine grave where police clashed with student protestors a week ago contained 28 bodies. The prosecutor Inaky Blanco couldn’t say whether any of the dead could be some of the 43 college students reported missing after the violent confrontation in Iguala. Because of all the bodies genetic testing can take months. State police have been investigating the Iguala city police for misconduct because of the series of violent incidents last weekend that resulted in six shooting deaths and more than two dozen people injured. I don’t understand how the people who are suppose to be protecting us are the ones hurting and killing us. Investigators said that there are videos that showed police taking away an undetermined number of student protestors. Charges have been put against 22 police officers and there are three other suspects. Blanco said one of the people detained in the case had told investigators that 17 students were taken to the gravesite on the outskirts of Iguala and killed there. The motive is still being investigated, but it is said that some of the police have a connections to a local drug cartel. Police brutality have been going on for awhile and even though this incident isn’t in the United States I feel like it speaks to anyone.
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UnknownOctober 6, 2014 at 10:54 AM
After months since the initial disappearance, Malaysia Airlines flight 370 has still yet to be found. A long, tedious underwater search has begun to find this lost air craft. Planes and ships from 14 countries initially searched for the lost plane, now Malaysian government has turned the search over to the Australian government, more specifically the Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB). The disappearance of flight 370 is the greatest mystery in commercial airline history. The plane is believed to be within the area of the "seventh arc" near Australia. The Australian government said in August that it has picked a Dutch company called Fugro Survey to continue the underwater search. They will be using the GO Phoenix provided by the Malaysian government for the next phase of the search. Malaysia and Australia are both unsure of what they will do with the wreckage if or when they do find it. The disappearance of the plane caused such a stir because no one knows why it vanished or where it could possibly be. There was no distress signals given off by the plane to show an outside danger. I'm still surprised that no one is suspecting aliens. I suspect that maybe one of the passengers on the plane had motive to make sure that the plane did not make it Malaysia. Maybe the Malaysian Government is staying so involved in the search for the plane to make sure that Australia does not fin anything. Or maybe they know where the plane is but they know that they would look suspicious if they were not attempting to find it. The Australian government has spent 60 million AUS dollars looking for the missing aircraft. I understand that they are curious as to why the plane has disappeared but I'm not sure how much longer they should look for it and keep wasting money. It seems like someone doesn't want it to be found so it will continue to be a mystery.
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Shana WolfOctober 6, 2014 at 11:55 AM
On Sunday, In northeast Louisiana, A truck was crossing over railroad tracks and a freight train came and hit it at a crossing at in Mer Rouge. Upon hitting the truck, the train got derailed and was no longer on the tracks. The collision derailed 2 engines and 17 out of 87 train-cars. The Mer Rouge police chief, Mitch Stephens, said that 50 houses were evacuated for 2 hours because there was a concern that a tank car full of pressurized argon gas might explode. One tank with the gas leaked out until it was empty. Luckily no one was really hurt. The engineer suffered minor injuries and the conductors injuries were not life threatening so he is being treated at the hospital. Apparently the trailer that the truck had been hauling had gotten stuck on the tracks. The driver saw the train coming and jumped out of the car.
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UnknownOctober 6, 2014 at 4:42 PM
Here's a link to the article: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/5/hong-kong-protestwithdrawal.html

The crowds of protesters are slowly thinning in Hong Kong, and civil workers are resuming their jobs. Schools, banks, and shops are reopening, and the streets are clearing. A few protesters remain, but most seem to be taking a break. The question now is: is this just a temporary lull allowing people to rest before the protests resume, or has the movement fizzled out? Personally, I am hoping for the protests to resume. Many would disagree with me, citing the blockage of streets and the impediment of commerce. I understand that these protests are disruptive, and that they greatly limit the productivity of one of the world's economic juggernauts. However, comfort and profit must sometimes be set aside in the name of progress. These protests are some of the largest Hong Kong has ever seen; the people have built enormous momentum and must press on if they are to enact meaningful change. The right to freely select a leader is a basic one, and the fact that the Chinese government is trying to rob Hong Kong of this right is appalling. As much as I disagree with their politics and their ambiguous threats, I must commend the Hong Kong government for the general lack of violence. There have been some incidents involving batons and pepper spray, but so far, the protests have remained mostly nonviolent. This is surprising, considering just how out of hand protests-even in countries like Canada and the United States-are prone to becoming. This is also largely because of the protesters themselves, who have become famous for picking up trash and recycling. I hope that these protests force the government to compromise and allow Hong Kong to have an open election in 2017.
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AnonymousOctober 6, 2014 at 5:15 PM
This week, I learned about the myths of breast cancer. About 1 in 8 women in the US are diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. This article explains 12 myths and disproves them. Wearing a bra does not cause cancer. The underwire, cup size, and how old a girl was when she began to wear one has no connection to the development of breast cancer. Other myths include having breast implants, wearing deodorant, drinking coffee, having a mammogram, MRI or ultrasound, having an abortion, living near power lines, chemical hair straighteners, artificial sweeteners, being injured, breastfeeding a baby, and having large breasts. It amazes me how people may take the most ridiculous things and turn them into these ideas to scare people. How are people so gullible to believe in ludacris fallacies that make them change how they live their life? I honestly cut down on drinking coffee because I heard it gives you breast cancer. I didn’t know if that was true or not, I just didn’t want to take the risk. Some of these myths I find to be understandable, for example, the MRI or chemical hair straighteners. Cancer is the non-stop production of cells, so I can understand if someone believes chemicals or some type of machinery may mess with their cells. I’m still just appalled at what some people believe even with no absolute proof.
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UnknownOctober 7, 2014 at 4:51 AM
It's impossible to watch the news now a days without hearing about the newly discovered disease: Ebola. In case you're unaware, ebola is a dangerous virus. Within 8 to 10 days, infected people will begin to show symptoms. These symptoms include fever, severe headaches, and stomach pains. The real killers of this disease are the diarrhea, vomiting, and hemorrhaging that can occur. Ebola has an incredibly high death rate, killing over 50% of the victims who contract it. However, while these statistics are scary, it needs to be known how Ebola is spread, and where it is currently located. Ebola is currently plaguing Africa. With over 7000 recorded deaths, it seems that this disease has potential to affect the majority of the population. With this came the US getting involved (as they often do), sending over people to help affected citizens. This resulted in, of course, those helping the patients contracting the disease themselves. Sent back to the US for treatment, this has caused an obvious stir for some people. With sending these infected American citizens back on their home soil comes some obvious risks. Many people are terrified that this could cause an outbreak in America, that maybe someone on the plane or that came in contact with this person between now and the hospital could be infected. However, you need to understand how Ebola is spread. Ebola is spread through contact with an infected individuals body fluids. Sweat, spit, and the even more vile fluids. Ebola is not airborne. The context of where Ebola is spreading needs to be looked at, as well. Ebola is in Africa, a place that you can not say has the best health system. It was spread quickly because it was not quarantined. In the US, extreme precautions are being taken on infected individuals in the country. The chances of any sort of outbreak occurring is highly unlikely, so there is no reason to panic.
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UnknownOctober 7, 2014 at 12:07 PM
In my hour of current events, I discovered a great story. The Utah Jazz signed a 5-year-old to a one-day basketball contract. You may ask, why would they do that? JP Gibson is a five-year-old cancer patient who is diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia. He has loved basketball, and most sports, since he was a year old. He would insist on shooting hoops for an hour each night before bed at only 15 months old. In his debut, he came onto the court in a no.1 jersey and ended his game with a dunk. This story shows us all that people really do care about others. JP would have to wait until he’s six to officially play junior jazz, but he might not be able to wait that long. For this NBA team to go so far for this little boy really does show the good in people. What’s more, this was not sponsored by Make A Wish, but by the “Anything Can Be” project, which makes storybooks for young cancer patients. I think it’s wonderful that this boy got to live his dream, if only for a day. With all of the terrible things happening in the world, it is a pleasant change to find this little ray of sunshine. I hope that in the future more stories like this are brought to our attention, as they are not only inspiring but also heartwarming. I hope that JP enjoyed his first official game, and I hope that he gets to play more in the future. I love to see people who don’t give up and refuse to let cancer stop them from enjoying themselves. If they can persevere through this devastating disease, then surely the rest of us can overcome our own challenges and problems. I wish JP luck in the future.
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AnonymousOctober 7, 2014 at 4:43 PM
This week I read an article on sleep and sleep deprivation. The article blew my mind because it addressed a serious issue for many people, myself included. Sleep deprivation is seen as no big deal as it is pretty much a norm for most people. Like the article said, getting sleep is almost a second priority for most people as they try to fit in as much as possible into their already busy schedule. It was really scary to learn that not sleeping enough actually wears on the brain and can lead to some pretty scary problems in the future. Not sleeping enough is something that all high schoolers have to deal with as they strive to juggle AP classes, sports, and other extracurriculars, but the scary part is that it is damaging our brains. It is truly frightening to think about the fact that we really can't do much about our sleep deprivation due to schoolwork and other extracurriculars. I saw a quote online that was supposed to be funny, but it was almost too true to get a laugh out of me, it read, "You can either have good grades or you can sleep, you can't have both." The quote is so true and it really sucks. How are we supposed to fix our sleep schedules and sleep more like the article keeps insisting for our health, if we want to keep our grades up? This issue is extremely concerning as student can't really put school work on hold for sleep with the deadlines they have to continually meet, even adults struggle with this also. The health risks from sleep deprivation are drastic and deadly such as Alzheimer's Disease. It is a really difficult thing to fix, sleep deprivation, because there are so many different aspects behind it and it affects so many people for so many different reasons. There really isn't one quick fix, and it is quite concerning for the health of humanity.
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UnknownOctober 7, 2014 at 5:53 PM
To be honest the Freakonomics title “How to Save a Billion Dollars,” was a little misleading. Nonetheless, the podcast was a fairly interesting take on the difference between store brand products and national brands (the more expensive, often well-known name). There’s kind of a taboo regarding store-brand, categorizing them as less-than. However, regarding things such as medicine or cooking elements, most brands will contain the same active ingredient and thus be theoretically comparatively effective. In the past generic brands may have been subpar or risky, but companies have begun to improve manufacturing techniques and product quality, leading to a debunking of such negative associations. A recent study had participants document when they bought generic items. The results showed that, on the whole, experts, such as pharmacists and chefs, were more likely to purchase the generic brand according to their respective occupations. So if those who are educated about the products are willing to trade a name for a significantly cheaper price 92% of the time, why are we hesitant to do the same? I agree that advertisement can be persuasive and a colorful box with a recognizable label can be more appealing, but if we look at the facts we can avoid marketing traps and save ourselves a few dollars. This is not to say that you should completely convert to an all-generic grocery list. There is something to say for the phrase “you get what you pay for.” By no means feel obligated to sacrifice the taste of your Captain Crunch or the freshness of your Colgate toothpaste to spare a buck or two, just be sure to discern whether the “difference” is truly worth it. Not every brand is created equal, therefore simply be informed in your decision-making and try not to fall for the placebo effect.

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AnonymousOctober 8, 2014 at 5:30 AM
In my sixty minutes of current event readings I read about the Ebola Epidemic. The disease is a big problem in most parts of West Africa. The main concern is that the people from West Africa, either trying to get away from Ebola, or trying to get treated for it will travel out and spread the disease even more. The disease is not contagious until the infected person starts showing symptoms, so if someone has it and doesn’t know yet they begin spreading it as soon as it sets in. A Liberian man was diagnosed with Ebola and couldn’t get the proper treatment he needed there. So he flew to Texas, without anyone knowing he had the disease. Once it was found out that he flew with it, people got worried and it could still spread around here. He is fully quarantined as well as the rest of his family who show no sign of the disease. Ebola can easily start spreading and it is very deadly. Anyone in the area or who came in contact with the man should go to the doctor right away. If not they won’t know they have the sickness until it is too late and they have already started infecting more and more people. Just one person can start the biggest outbreak and more people, especially in the Dallas area should be more concerned. If he wasn’t showing signs of the disease while on the plane, he probably did not infect anyone, but everyone should be getting checked as a safety precaution.
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UnknownOctober 8, 2014 at 7:13 AM
I understand why the man from Libya would want to fly to the United States, but what if he spread ebola to his family or other people in the United States? He could have infected many people on his flight to the United States. Why did the person who informed him of having ebola quarantine him, so the disease was not spread further? Before people are transported from and country known to have ebola, a mandatory health check should be in place to stop the spread of this horrible disease. I agree that just one person can start an outbreak.
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AnonymousOctober 8, 2014 at 7:17 AM
My current event this week is on a video I saw on CNN. It was about a young boy who had been kidnapped by ISIS 4 months ago that and was released just recently along with nearly 70 others- his sister included. Merwan Mohammed Hussein told CNN correspondent Arwa Damon he was “terrified” when ISIS first captured him and his fellow classmates. He was forced to watch videos of beheadings and amputations. He was forced to read certain things, and talk a certain way. ISIS militants took the children to a mosque to pray, and held them in a prison-like “primary school” where they would beat, electrocute, and even hang the hostages. They were “entrenched in ISIS’s version of Islam,” Damon said. His personality was changed to fit the standards of ISIS, and to his family's surprise, he did not return the same person once he was released. In an interview about his experience, he justified ISIS's manifesto and told the interviewer that they were right. He explained that ISIS does not kill at random, but only those in defiance to Islam. He sympathized with ISIS and defended their intentions. This was a shock to both his family and the news crew. His sister was stunned, for she was also kidnapped and went through the same as her brother, and she was unsure of why he would say such a thing.
This story is shocking. To me, it is taken as a threat. ISIS strategically kidnapped these children and brainwashed them into defended and believing in Islam, and then convincing them to portray it outside of their imprisoning. This is taken as a threat, because it tells us that ISIS is "recruiting" people (forcing) to support their goals. It is intimidating and dangerous, because these are children that have been released, so we think that they are neutral and safe. However, they have been changed for the worse, and are potentially hazardous to the safety of many people. ISIS is utilizing the youthfulness and innocence of children to make progress. And ISIS progress and success, is not something we should look forward to.
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UnknownOctober 8, 2014 at 7:54 AM
I decided to write about an article I read about windows 10. Windows 10 has many nice features, my favorite being that it is more like windows 7. The loved start menu is back that Microsoft took out in windows 8, and the annoying fullscreen apps that everyone hates are finally gone. I absolutely hated windows 8's and 8.1's design in general other than the faster boot times. Windows 8 was made for just touchscreen devices and not for 80% of users that are not using touch screens. The operating system is not made solely for a touchscreen device anymore, and is useable on a keyboard and mouse dependent desktop or laptop. Microsoft finally has listened to the people who use the operating system, and improved their operating system greatly over the previous operating system, Windows 8 and 8.1. Microsoft has basically figured out how dumb of a decision taking away the start menu in windows 8 was and evolved backwards to the better operating system feel. Who would want to have to go to a stupid metro U.I. start menu where they can't find anything or know how to close anything when they could just have a basic, beautiful, time saving start menu to navigate their computer. Closing apps in the metro U.I. is time consuming and is a general waste of time, plus with a desktop no one uses any of the stupid apps they have on they're terrible app store. Im glad windows 10 has the start menu again, but why do they still have the stupid metro UI integrated in the start menu? NO ONE USES IT MICROSOFT, plus it wastes space in the desktop when you open the start menu and runs a process in the background, wasting valuable resources on less powerful PC's.
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AnonymousOctober 8, 2014 at 7:16 PM
During my current event searching this week, I came across many articles in regards to the Hong Kong protest. I was unsure of the roots of their protest until I watched Hank Green’s most recent Vlogbrothers’ video. After the Opium War, Hong Kong ceded from China to the United Kingdom and later became a British colony. Hong Kong eventually became part of China after 150 years of British rule in 1997, but they do not consider themselves Chinese because they have developed their own dialect and culture. Because of this, they call it “one country, two systems.” A Chief Executive, which is elected by an electoral college made up of business tycoons, has run China since Hong Kong was given back to China. In Hong Kong’s constitution, the “Basic Law” states that the election of the Chief Executive should be by the people, but Beijing interprets this law in a different way. They believe that the citizens of Hong Kong should vote for the Chief Executive, but it can only be from the people that Beijing has preselected for them. The protestors want democracy, meaning they want Hong Kong to have control over it’s own future. So far, all of the protesting has been very peaceful, but they have ignored the deadline to disperse given by the government. Last Monday, city workers returned to work but the protestors did not get in their way and allowed them to enter their offices that had been blocked. Both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments have declared the demonstrations illegal, but the protests are still continuing. I admire the protestors for standing up for what they believe in and hope that this will lead to a positive outcome.
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UnknownOctober 9, 2014 at 4:37 PM
As I have been trying to search for podcasts, religion has played a major role in my choice this week. Does religion make you happy? A man attended church this past weekend with his parents, who had been donating 10% of their income to their church for quite some time. Their son soon began to have a conflicting idea that they were wasting their money and they began to argue. His mother states,” The 10% that I give to the church makes me happier than anything else I spend my money on.” So then the question becomes, does the money going to the church make us happy? Tithing is considered to please God; this can have a personal upside. It seems to be donating money is more self-pleasing, than it is to spend it on something else. Tithing is now considered freely given from people of the church; the use of this word has become evolved since its beginnings. More liberal denominations have been recorded to give less of their income to their church in tithings. Only approximately 5% of Americans donate the 10% of their income to their church. What does all of that giving do for the giver? Giving and happiness go hand in hand, but does that all necessarily mean that the giving is what causes the happiness. There are several reasons this could be true, and it is not easy to pinpoint the answer. Even irreligiously involved people are wondering the answer to these questions. People are more prone to donate people if they are in need of happiness or are already happy and have the funds to donate. Attending church is shown to better people’s lives, in relationships with themselves and others as well. In my personal opinion, I believe that attending church and donating does make you happy. On the flipside though I do not agree that it makes you, “happier” than people who do not go. The people who do not attend church could be fulfilling their happiness in some other way.
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UnknownOctober 12, 2014 at 6:23 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
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UnknownOctober 16, 2014 at 5:58 PM
Ebola Once again makes it into the news. This time a nurse treating a patient with Ebola has been diagnosed with the deadly virus. To make it worse she flew on a plane while she had flu like symptoms so she may have just exposed a considerable amount of people to Ebola. In one of my previous posts I said that I did not think America will have a outbreak similar to the one in Africa but if we keep making mistakes like letting people with the virus travel it my very well become a situation like that. Although I don't think it will ever be to the extent of the outbreak in Africa, it can still make a large impact on our country. The more people get Ebola the harder it will be to avoid. In conclusion, Ebola continues to spread slightly but I continue to believe that the will not be a extreme outbreak in the United States of America.
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UnknownOctober 19, 2014 at 6:44 AM
A man who scaled the fence of the white house previously mad it farther into the building then previously recorded. Omar J ran 70 yards across the front lawn of the white house before entering into the North Portico. Omar brushed by a secret service officer with and drawn gun and overpowered another. He proceeded to run through the entrance hall to the cross hall of the white house past the stair case that leads up to the family's residence. He was thus confronted by the female secret service agent which he then overpowered and made it all the way to the East room which is used for conference, bill signings and more. This fumed the president and first lady and made them question the leader of the secret service asking them how this could happened? This story is remarkable because not everyday you hear about someone jumping the fence and reaching so close as Omar did to the white house but begins to show if Omar can do it who else can and makes the white house look weak because of the lack protection or force the used to get this person out.
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UnknownOctober 19, 2014 at 8:15 PM
The war at ISIS has been very devastating since the beginning. In the past several terror group bodies, approximately 70 fighters for the terror group were dropped off at a hospital in Syrian town of Tal Abyad, a Syrian opposition group. The scary thing is, it is about 80 kilometers from Raqqa, and on the Turkish border. There has been an escaped group to Turkish, however it is said some people are afraid to cross the Turkish border they are unable to return home, leaving all possession they own behind. This relentless fighting between Kurdish, and Iraqi forces are quite chaotic. With the help of and airstrikes collisions from the United states, they are pushing forward to keep ISIS back to take Kobani. They attempted car explosions to take over the Kurdish Town. It is such a scary situation to be between. The sound of gush shots firing from both sides, the voices of men shouting and yelling, it is a terrible out break to be in. I wouldn’t want to side along with either side. This relentless fighting honestly really scares me as much I love war movies. To see something like this clearly happen right now, and people getting killed over at ISIS is quite terrifying. Not just that, but the anonymous killing to the reporters who’s lives are at stake just for interviewing, and reporting the scene.
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UnknownNovember 20, 2014 at 3:54 PM
My current event this week is on how fish oils show that it is preventing psychosis. In a study, most remain healthy. Despite the experiments, more evidence is needed to confirm the results. Also, the omega-3 that prevents psychosis, only works in the beginning stages before the illness develops. Research has provided that people with schizophrenia have low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their cells. Omega-3 acids are a group of fats that are presented in food, especially in fish.
It’s cool that they are trying to find better ways to prevent this illness that have brought burdens on peoples lives. It’s a horrible sickness, and the people that have this psychosis can’t get rid of it. It’s good scientists are trying to find a way to prevent these illnesses on them.
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