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)
Remember, your first post is worth 15 points while each comment to your peers' writings is worth 5 points apiece.
This week my article is about Stuart Scott; A 49 year old ESPN sportscaster who died January 4, 2015 after fighting a long battle with cancer. Scott was working a Monday night football game years back when he was forced to go to the hospital for an appendix operation. There the doctors found a tumor during his surgery and diagnosed him with cancer. But he continued to live his life like nothing ever happened in and outside of work. He went on to say that “You beat cancer by how you live, so live, Live And Fight like hell.” Through all the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery Scott still remained dedicated to his job as a sports caster. I can only imagine the toll it had on him emotionally and physically. ESPN President John Skipper said in a statement, “Scott was a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure and his energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced.” Scott has definitely been blessed in his career and was given the privilege to experience some amazing stuff. Scott’s work will never be forgotten; Scott covered countless major events for the network, including the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series and NCAA basketball tournament. Also he interviewed President Barack Obama, where he played him in a game of 1 on 1 on live television. In July, Scott accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs. During his speech, he told his teenage daughters, “Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you.” He closed his speech off by saying that “when you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer, you beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live. So Live. Live. Fight like hell.” I truly admire his attitude towards his cancer and how it empowered him.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing/hearing about Stuart Scott in correlation with sports and it's so inspiring how he continued on with his life normally. Cancer is an awful, awful disease and it can destroy people emotionally and physically. I love how Scott continued on and didn't let anything stop him. He was really an inspiration to everyone and he won't be forgotten.
Deleteis topic is very personal to me, and this is actually something that was talked about at my church this past Sunday. Cancer has no mercy and the fact that he fought cancer three times makes him a hero, the fact that he fought it with a smile is impeccable. The quote by him is certainly something that everyone should live by, even though cancer took him, it did not take his life away and it was very clear that he beat the cancer. Everything happens for a reason, even though we might not know what the reason was, he was ready to go and he did what he needed to do.
DeleteThis is a really great story. It is sad, but it is inspirational. I knew someone who died of a similar cancer case. He was an old coach of mine and the way he battled and his attitude about his illness is what made him such a great person. God forbid it doesn't take cancer to bring out that kind of perseverance in people, but I wish I, along with everyone else in the world, can somehow find that strong willed perseverance inside of me. It would bring me far places!
DeleteStuart Scott was a great person and was very knowledgeable about the game. I’ve been watching him and other people on ESPN for a while and I had no clue that Scott had cancer and had been fighting for a while until he actually died. He never gave any signs that he was suffering and he always had a smile on his face. He is a very inspirational person and gives other cancer patients someone to look up to and to aspire to become. Stuart will be missed by not only his personal family and friends but his fans all across the nations as well.
DeleteThe withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan describes the ongoing draw down of United States Armed Forces in the Afghanistan war and the plans after its post-2014 presence when combat troops had left Afghanistan at the end of 2014. December 31st was the glorious date that finally has come. Many C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globe master aircraft have been dispatched front heir home airfields in a massive operation to pack up a majority of all deployed troops, equipment, and vehicles. 10,000 to 20,000 troops will be taken out of active deployment. Some US and ISAF personnel will stay behind further advancing the training of the Afghanistan security forces.
ReplyDeleteIn Lebanon, Ohio on December 28, 2014, a transgender girl by the name of Leelah Alcorn committed suicide. Born on November 15, 1997 as a biological male, she was given the name Joshua. At the age of 4, Leelah began to experience gender dysphoria, a condition in which an individual becomes uncomfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth. At the age of 14, after learning the term, Leelah began to identify with the term, finding comfort in finally finding the word for her feelings. With a newfound enlightenment, Leelah immediately told her mother, who reacted negatively. Claiming it was just a phase and God intended her to be male, her extremely religious mother rejected her daughter. Leelah developed depression after her gender identity was denied by her mother, she developed depression. Leelah wrote in her suicide note "I immediately told my mom, and she reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn't make mistakes, that I am wrong. If you are reading this, parents, please don't tell this to your kids. Even if you are Christian or are against transgender people don't ever say that to someone, especially your kid. That won't do anything but make them hate them self. That's exactly what it did to me." Leelah's parents sent her to conversion therapy, where she was told that she should look to God to save her from these feelings. This therapy provided no real help for her depression, deepening the pain she felt. In spite, Leelah announced that she was attracted to males at school. As homophobic parents, Leelah's parents believed their image was tarnished by their "male" son finding attraction in men. They removed Leelah from school, deleted her social media, and isolated her from all friendships for the next 5 months. After returning to school, Leelah found that many of her friendships had fizzled out while she was gone, and that no one was there for her anymore. She sought out help and companionship on Reddit and Tumblr. Being denied transition, she realized that she would be unable to take hormones and buy feminine clothing until she was 18. She believed that she would always look like a man in drag, and would never be able to fully be able to transition how she wanted. On December 28th, she posted her suicide note on her Tumblr blog. This note was since ripped from social media at request of the parents, as they believed it tarnished their image even further. In the note, Leelah asked that all of her belongings be sold and the funds be donated to Trans Civil Rights Movements. Despite being her final wish, her parents would not go through with it. Leelah's final words in her suicide note are "The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren't treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say 'that's f***ed up' and fix it. Fix society. Please."
ReplyDeleteThis was so awful, I can't believe her parents contributed to her suicide. I wish she told someone, other than social media websites. It's awful that she was in so much pain, and I hope people do realize how hard it is for some people, who identify as something that others don't approve of. This should never happen again.
DeleteIt is extremely upsetting that Leelah felt uncomfortable in her own skin, and it is even more upsetting that once she finally found comfort she was rejected by her family. A Transgender situation is not something that one can control, therefore why was Leelah punished for her personal feelings? I hate seeing even her own blood treated the ending to her story, very discomforting to know what happened to her and the way that she felt. Tumblr however, in my opinion, is not a very good way to relieve stress and maybe even caused her to feel even more of an outcast then she obviously already felt. I think there should have been a better solution to her problem and there should be other ways to help others cope with the same or slightly different situations to verify that this does not happen again.
DeleteI'm seriously disturbed. How could someone's own parent just reject them over something as normal as she had? This is where I fault, not only the parenting, but religions. Perhaps if her parents weren't so dead set on their religion, she would be alive today. Having so many friends that refer to themselves as gay, pansexual, bisexual, lesbian, I see no wrong in what they are doing or how they feel. I don't even feel awkward around them. I treat them like a human being with rights. They're their own person. Who am I to question and reject what they feel and want? This story also nags at me because I live in a homophobic household. I'm the only one who is extremely ok with transgenders, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, pansexuals..etc. Even my siblings have grown up to believe it's disgusting and unnatural. It just makes me ponder...if I were to ever feel that way and open up to my family like that...would they react the same as Leelah's parents?
DeleteThis is horrible. I can’t believe that her own family rejected her because of this. Just as she was gaining confidence and feeling comfortable and just for her mother to her reacted negatively to her is just terrible. It makes me mad how they even went further to make her more upset by removing her from school, deleting her social media, and destroying her friendships. It also upset me how when she got back that all her friendships had fizzled out. I wish that she had been able to find someone to talk too and to try and regain confidence. I hope that this type of situation doesn’t happen ever again.
DeleteI think my biggest problem with this is that to this day there are still forms of media that call her him. Her grave was engraved with the wrong name and her mom went public saying "we love hime for who he is". This is a problem that is commonly occurring in our society. In other countries being born in the wrong body is treated as a legitimate illness but in the US it is 'wrong" and "freaky" to 'pretend' to be something your not. I also can not begin to fathom how someone can believe that there child is wrong. I hope that if i become i parent I can love my child unconditionally.
DeleteRyan, this blog post had my jaw dropping. How could her parents not be accepting at all knowing she is going through such a TOUGH time! I cannot believe this is what the world has come to. If you are not comfortable with yourself, why is it such a crime to change yourself to make yourself happy. Her parents are evil and should go to hell. I am sorry that I had to say that but I truly believe that they need to go to hell. No matter who you are, you deserve to at least be loved by your parents.
DeleteThis absolutely breaks my heart. The fact that her parents, who should love their child unconditionally, could not even support her is so awful that I could barely stand to read the entirety of the story. It shouldn't matter that homosexuality isn't a part of your personal beliefs. If you care about the emotional, mental, and psychological well being of your child, you should do everything in your power to make them feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. They should never feel isolated or as if something is "wrong" with them simply because they are not the same as everyone else. The world sees it every day in all walks of life: diversity exists. Everywhere.
DeleteThis really sickens me. I find it really disturbing to now that a parent would do this to their kid. I believe in religion myself but at the end of the day if my son wanted to do this or daughter i would let them and still love them because they are the one's who have to live with the decision between god and them. to me i would still love them for who they are because that is my son or daughter but to down them and put more pain on them and cause them to kill themselves thats one thing i could never do. i rather love my kids and care for them then care about what others would say about my son/daughters decision.
DeleteThis week, I'm writing about Obama's 'free community college' proposal. I think this was huge for him to come up with, and I support it, but there are also many faults to his proposal. Obama stated that; "The unemployment rate for college graduates is far lower than for everyone else. The pay gap between college graduates and everyone else is at a record high. The countries that have reversed history and made more educational progress in recent years than the United States have also experienced faster income growth. In a globalised, high-tech economy, education - the process by which people learn new skills - has a return on investment like nothing else." He's right, but our economy is not stable enough to support this plan. If Obama goes through with this, then the costs will most likely be added to taxes. Free community college would be awesome, but before stepping out with this proposal, everyone should calculate this carefully and make sure we have the tools to implement it. However, I'm still looking forward to hearing about this and seeing if this actually goes further than just talk. Many countries have free community college: Brazil, Germany, and Finland. France only charges about 200 dollars for tuition at public universities. imagine going to college for 200 dollars, that's crazy to think about. Our education needs a change, I really hope Obama's proposal makes everyone aware that we need to step up our game to compete with workers from other countries.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly as a student myself, I find President Obama's 'free community college' proposal enticing. But after some thought I wondered if this would really be the best idea. In life I believe we should always try to be the best versions of ourselves and to push ourselves to reach high goals. Receiving a college scholarship is often an incentive for students to work hard to pay for it or to obtain scholarships. If two years of college was already paid for us, would we still push ourselves to better? I'm sure many people, like myself would still work hard, but there's a good chance other students will take this for granted and slack off during these two free years of college. All the while, the taxpayers are the ones paying for the college tuition. A plan similar to this may be possible in the future when our economy is in better condition, but I believe it needs some revisions.
DeleteI agree with Liz on this. Free community college would benefit many people, but where this money to pay for free education is a whole other story. Our economy is suffering with the majority having difficulty in making ends meet, and President Obama is going to raise taxes and toughen the middle and lower classes' lives even more? A better solution I feel, would be to limit the costs that community colleges, or possibly even state colleges and universities are charging for classes, books, ect, to make college a bit more affordable for the average person.
DeleteAs I am sure all of you know by now, same sex marriage is now legal in Florida. Residents lined up all over the state to exchange vows after the state overturned their ban. Florida expects to see 25,000 newly married same sex couples within the first 3 years. With this ban lifted, many controversies will occur, however it is, in my opinion, no different and happiness should be our main concern. January 6,2015 started a new day in history. Not only can same sex couples marry, hey can also divorce. Whereas before the marriage was legalized so was the divorce. Same sex couples that married in another state that currently resided in Florida could not divorce here either. This is known as a wed-lock. Gay and lesbian couples could not normally divorce due to high out of resident fees and even higher inconvenience, this lifted ban has now allowed them to do so. One of the issues with same sex marriage comes to religion; Presbyterians churches have divided into two separate presbyteries due to this issue of joining the couples together in their church, or to not allow it. I think this is absurd to not allow two people to become married if it’s what makes them happy. In my opinion God wants everyone happy and if you are Christian it makes sense to believe that God wants the best. Traditions change and people need to realize that same sex marriage does not affect anyone negatively, it just allows everyone to be married instead of only a portion of residents. Hatred is not what this world needs to be about, in my opinion if you don’t agree with same sex marriage then don’t marry someone of same gender, but do not reject those who wish to participate in same sex marriage, it’s their life, not yours. You should have no say in how they live.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard this I was extremely happy because as you all know my best friend is gay. But anyways, I believe allowing people to be who they are and not judging them based on who they love. In my opinion, being gay/lesbian isn't a choice, you are born the way you are, and the people that judge them for being who they are, are the real ones that should be punished. Kari, this was a good one to right about!
DeleteThis was good news to hear. There are many injustices in America, and I think it's really good that people are starting to notice that and change it. It should not be illegal for same sex people to marry each other because love it love, and that should not be illegal. It may cause outlast, but who cares. The bigger picture is that same sex marriage is legal in Florida.
DeleteI still can’t believe that some states still don’t allow same sex marriage. I’m glad that Florida is now apart of the states that does allow same sex marriage. People should be allowed to marry the same sex, and everyone should be able to have the choice of marrying the same or different sex. If you don’t agree with same sex marriage, then simply don’t marry the same sex; I don’t see why people have to show hatred towards people who are married to the same sex. I hope soon that all states will start making same sex marriage legal.
DeleteI can’t wait for the day for the headline to say that same-sex marriage is legal in all states, not just a few individual ones. I don’t understand the opposition’s stance to same-sex marriage either. Those relationships are as real as any other, and deserve to be had. Love is love, no matter who it is shared by. As our society is adapting, it’s very good to hear that people are starting to change and bring attention to injustices like this one. People have a choice in who they have relationships with, and no one else should decide for them.
DeleteIm happy to hear that this is has come reality for them. The love between the couple doesn't change because of marriage but a lot of other things do. Many circumstances have happened there is a gay couple that have been together for 20 years lets say, and a partner becomes ill and is in the hospital, well in critical conditions sometimes only family members are permitted to see the person. In the gay couples case they are technically not family, even though they might live together and know each other like the back of their hands. This is heartbreaking that they cannot see their ill loved one due to the fact they are not able to get married and be a "family". So the fact that they can now in paper legally become a family is great to hear!
DeleteMelanie Urias
Same sex marriage should not be a big deal. If two people fall in love with each other, why is it such a crime to be together? The fact that the world is now starting to accept gay and lesbian marriage brings a smile to my face, even thought it should have been accepted a long time ago because what is so wrong with it? Also, I am happy because gay and lesbians can now divorce each other if they wanted to. Not that divorcing is a happy thing, but they have a choice to. I see where religion takes an enormous place in gay and lesbian marriage but in my opinion, it should not matter.
DeleteI finally have a reason to feel very proud to be a Floridian! I'm so glad that our legislators have come to the realization that being gay is not a choice, but simply a characteristic of a person that is inborn and completely natural. Why should there be a "right" way to live? Who someone else loves should have nothing to do with you, unless you are being supportive and congratulatory. I'm happy to see that the homosexual community can finally make their love, which is the same as heterosexuals, official.
DeleteI am aware of the new laws passed that legalized same sex marriage, however I disagree. But I do not disagree with the intention to show hatred towards gay or lesbian people. I disagree because this is all being shoved in our faces. A small percentage of the world is being hoisted in the air because they feel as though they're being treated unfairly. As soon as people bring this to their attention, it gets blown out of proportion making straight people look like the bad guys. It makes us look like we want to make sure we are superior. That is not the case. I personally do not hate gay people. I don't mind one bit that they are happy with each other, but I do not agree with giving them all the same rights like marriage, and later, being able to adopt children. It goes against the basis and the foundation in which our country was built upon. Not only that, but things like insurance plans have to be majorly readjusted in order to comply with these new laws and fit the standards of a same sex marriage. Again, I do not hate same sex couples, but I do not think these laws are for the better. They have turned the situation upside down and made straight people look like the enemy, when in reality, we wish to keep our country the way it was when it began.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your first sentence, I was very offended, but as I read on, you began to make a lot of sense. Unfortunately, our society tends to "hoist a small percentage of people in the air." For example, African Americans. A majority of them pull the race card, but then turn around and are hypocrites. Now I'm not racist or homophobic, but I feel we should stop giving so much attention to such small groups of people. If they really want to be equal, then they can fit in like the rest of us and stop trying to rub their rights in our faces every chance they get. You can get married now. Great. Now can we move on to our everyday lives? You live yours and I'll live mine? Thank you!
DeleteI agree with Sarah. If the homosexual community, or whatever community wants equal rights, they should stop acting the way they do, fit in, and not make a big scene. Thats how they can be treated equally.
DeleteThis mentality of "keeping our country the way it was when it began" is reminiscent of the rhetoric used by fascists, racists, xenophobes, and general bigots the world over. Saying that minorities which face systemic prejudice should "stop acting the way they do, fit in, and not make a big scene" is the same rhetoric that is used by people in positions of privilege to minimize the issues of those that they fail to empathize with. I won't pretend to be a spokesman for all homosexual people, but I strongly doubt that their goal is to simply"fit in"; no one fights discrimination, no one risks being socially ostracized, no one starts massive international movements for legal change to simply "fit in." People do these things because they seek acceptance. They want to be accepted as equal citizens, despite the fact that they may have a different sexual orientation. Orion, saying that homosexual people "should stop acting the way they do" is narrow-minded at best and bigoted at worst. You are implying that there is some sort of universal set of behaviors that all gay people share, which is obviously not true.
DeleteSavannah, what exactly do you mean by "It goes against the basis and the foundation in which our country was built upon"? And who are you to say that they merely "feel" that they are being treated unfairly? Your choice of words implies that what they feel and what is true are two different things. You've obviously never been in their position, so who are you to talk about the kinds of issues they face?
On January 7, 2015, there was a terrorist attack in France. Two men, armed and wearing masks, barged into the office of Charlie Hebdo, a magazine company. Twelve people were killed. Among them, the top editor of the paper, cartoonists and two police officers were fatally shot. The terrorist driving the getaway car eventually turned himself into the police. The two other suspects are believed to have connections to Al Qaeda. This was reported the worst terrorist attack in France since World War II. The reasoning behind this attack is said to be because of some cartoons that were published. The cartoons mocked Muhammad, the Pope, religions and other world leaders. Earlier in 2011, the magazine’s office was reportedly firebombed due to a similar cartoon about the Prophet Muhammad. A couple days after the Charlie Hebdo attack, the two suspects reportedly took a hostage at a printing facility thirty miles away from Paris. French police stormed the building and saved the hostage, killing the suspects. They believe the men are a part of ISIS. On January 11, many people, about 1.5 million, marched into Paris to mourn the victims of the terrorist attacks. This particular attack of Charlie Hebdo seemed a bit “spur-of-the-moment.” I feel since there were only three people and only one place targeted, it was not a full-fledged terrorist attack. These men could be a part of ISIS or some bigger group, but I feel it was just a group of foreign men who were very offended and decided to stand up for their religions and beliefs. Now, I’m not justifying that what they did was right or moral in any way, but the magazine should have been more aware of the situation and understanding that they could be offending very powerful, short-tempered people. Perhaps we should all take this as a lesson to be more aware of others.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this on the news, and I was certainly surprised of the actions taken place. I really can't believe there is another terrorist attack, I'm just surprised it hasn't happened here yet. There is really no way to begin to understand the mind set of these types of people. My prayer definitely goes out to everyone who was affected by this attack.
DeleteThe wars that we have been involved in for the past 10 to 13 years has really gotten out of hand. Threatening to destroy other countries and people is really ridiculous. This bombs that have been going off by terrorists in Boston and France need to be addressed and these wars need to finish.
DeleteI have also read about this and it is truly terrible but what is worst is the resentment going towards the publicity of this crime from the minorities. There has been a special snap chat story set up in memory of the people who were killed in this accident, as well as the eiffel tower being turned off to give a minute of darkness to the fallen. Supporters of cases like the michael brown case have argued that this incident is only gaining so much publicity because it was white people who died that day, which sounds incredibly ignorant.
DeleteI do not necessarily agree with the mocking stories the cartoon had published, but I believe that we should have the right to say what we want and express our own opinions. Voltaire once said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Freedom of speech is important, however this incident was terrible and I feel awful for the families involved.
DeleteThis week I read an article on Mi.Mu Gloves, which are gloves that put the power to create an entire musical composition right at your fingertips. I did not understand this at first so I read further into it and apparently Grammy Award-winning musician Imogen Heap, used them and with the flick of her wrist was able to play the drum, which was not physically there. While visiting MIT's Media Lab in 2009, Heap met Elly Jessop, an engineer developing her own musical gloves using gestural data. Heap's mind exploded with ideas and she soon set about putting together a team of musicians, makers, hackers and technologists to bring her ideas to life. Each glove is loaded with a myriad of sensors, buzzers and buttons that all send a chorus of information wirelessly back to computer software. It then interprets each gesture and produces sounds. It takes all the information about your hand and the posture that you are making, where your hand is positioned and how fast you are moving it, and it sends all that information to the computer and then allows you to, on the computer, tell your music software what to do with each gesture. It also has little buzzers in your wrist that vibrate when you have done something or you are in this mode. It is all done wireless and is very seamless. The gloves give the wearer more mobility and many different ways that different actions can cross over each other and therefore make something you would not have originally thought of. I believe that the invention of these gloves will be followed by the creation of a new and unique style of music that people will love. After all, the gloves are already making their way amongst technologists and music makers eager to get their hands on them.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome, although if I were to get these innovative gloves it would probably end the same way it does when I pick up a guitar or sit at a drum set: me hitting random strings and drums to create a truly horrible sound. But for experienced musicians I think this is great. They would also be very interesting for live shows with a small audience. Oh and dance performances that create the music with the movements so that they sync perfectly! Wow I'm a genius I should patent that idea.
DeleteThis innovation is actually very interesting. With this technology, it would make live shows more exciting and captivating. Although, I still enjoy the thought of live music rather than a programmed computer playing music, because I feel that there is a loss of art. However, a dance show as Michael described would be an excellent use of the technology.
DeleteThe things people come up with are truly remarkable. These gloves will definitely take things to the next level. However, Emma does make a point that we can't lose live music completely. There can be a fine line between constructive innovation and destructive innovation. Though these gloves do seeming really neat to try and incorporate into various performances, we do need to be wary of using computers as tools rather than letting them do it all. Regardless, I will be looking up a video of Imogen Heap using these Mi Mu Gloves.
DeleteThis week, I found an article on CNN about a women who left her two children (ages 4 and 3) at home along while getting her hair done. While she was gone, the house caught fire and both of her children died. Fire officials say they are still piecing together what happened at the home in Bastrop, Louisiana. But "one thing is certain," said Brant Thompson, state fire marshal deputy chief. "Ciarria Johnson ... left her children unattended for hours as she was having her hair styled." The four year old daughter, Ta'shae and her 3 year old brother Clifton were at home with two gas space heaters running in the house. Some flammable material left by a heater in the living room caused the fire. They were trapped. Officials say that Ciarra Johnson told authorities that she arranged for a neighbor to look after her children. However she did not. Later, investigators determined that Johnson, in fact, had made no such arrangements and that she had returned home only after being contacted about the fire. This story is heart wrenching. It was inconsiderate, wrong, and simply awful for this woman to leave her infant children home alone just so she could get her hair done. Her defense of saying she made arrangements for a neighbor to watch her kids is also insane, because what mother would leave her 3 and 4 year old children alone even if she thinks someone is coming to watch them? She didn't even think to wait for her neighbor to arrive before leaving for her hair appointment... She is ignorant, insane, and unbelievably irresponsible. I hope she is properly punished for her actions.
ReplyDeleteChild neglect is increasing as the population expands, and it is often hidden until it is too late to help the children. I think that homes need to be inspected regularly to make sure that children have proper living conditions to be raised in. This tragedy is just one example of horrible acts commited by unfit mothers. The was she left them totally unattended for something as frivolous as getting her hair done, i'm surprised that the children made it to the ages that they were. Alot of people think if they have two young children they can look after eachother but that does not take into accounts accidents such as this one.
DeleteThis breaks my heart. Sadly there is a lot of unwanted unloved children in our nation, they are "accidents". And because of that people don't feel the need to watch over them like they should be. I can't even imagine what the children were going through when they saw the flames and the smoke and felt the heat of the fire.But maybe just maybe those 2 little children are in a better place now then they ever would have been with that woman. Hopefully this eats her up inside each and every single day on how horrible of a person she is for letting this happen. I also hope she doesn't have anymore children.
DeleteMelanie Urias
Technology is being developed to harvest usable electrical energy from the mechanical and kinetic energy that goes on around us everyday in things like, say, opening doors. This advancement comes from the piezoelecrtric effect, discovered by Jacques and Pierre Curie over a century ago. This discovery can be implemented into various devices that, when put under pressure, generate energy. One of the most intriguing applications of this technology has been from the company Pavegen. The leaders of the company realized how much energy is wasted everyday from billions of people walking around every day, and saw an opportunity to make it useful. Right now the company is working on putting the device in shoes to generate energy with every footstep a person takes. In the meantime of this development, they have created walkways and football fields with the same technology. In one area that they constructed a football field, prone to frequent power outages, the energy of a dozen players running around is enough to light the field itself. The company is optimistic about its use in the busy hubs of cities, such as a subway station, to generate a decent amount of energy for local use. Personally, once the shoe device is made, I think it could be the solution to something people have been wanting for years. On-the-go cell phone charging, from your feet to your pocket, with the energy made as you walk! Instead of portable containers with a limited amount of energy you can use to charge your phone when it’s close to dying, you can generate the energy yourself for an unlimited supply. Talk about a cool iPhone accessory. I’m excited for this technology to continue being developed and for its unlimited applications in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s great that advancements in technology are happening every minute that passes by. This particular invention would prevent us from every running out or low on energy, especially since we can’t afford to either. We would not have to worry about being detained in one place because a power outage caused a delay in public transportation to reach its destination on time. Also, if we have energy to charge are phones right away when its battery dies, then no one would have a problem if they lost their charger or had to get in contact with somebody right away.
DeleteScientists came out with a soft neural implant that has made paralyzed mice able to walk again. The implant mimics the electrical impulses created by the pran to the spine’s protective tissue.The stimulation did not trigger an immune response. This new discovery can help long-term treatments such as Parkinson’s disease in humans.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who worked with research in the same realm as this, this is very interesting to me. Parkinson’s has been a disease that has been inoperable for a long time. There are medications to slow down the process, but difficult to completely get rid of. One day, it’s going to get worse and the medicine can no longer help. Same with other diseases, and if we can find a way with curing some of these diseases, it would make million more people happy with their lives.
I think it's great that scientist were able to make this discovery. Research like this can help people live better lives, especially the ones who have already been diagnosed with Parkinson disease. Even if they do not get the results they wish, at least these researches have contributed to the work that has been put in so that treatments for Parkinson disease can be more effective.
DeleteIt’s wonderful to see these developments in science being made. Making it possible to assist and prolong the prognosis of those subject to diseases such as Parkinson’s. Scientists are truly astounding, discovery possible ways to better the lives of the human race and giving the gift of even one day at a time. I give my props to doctors, but where would they be without the medicines and tools that scientists provide.
DeleteThis is wonderful! If it works on mice, then it may have the chance to work on human beings. Developments such as this one will help people who have Parkinson's ,or any other disease similar to it, live a better life.
DeleteFor my current event, I have decided to write about a man who fell from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico, and how he was rescued by a Disney cruise ship after passengers spotted him on the water. He was traveling in the Oasis of the Seas. It was early in the morning; he doesn’t remember how he fell. Fortunately, another cruise ship, the Disney Magic, saw him. The lucky man, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen, had been in the water for about five hours during last Thursday ordeal. At 7:31 a.m. a passenger aboard Disney Magic reported a man in the water. The passenger had thrown multiple lifesavers in the water to help him. They son rescued him and gave him medical attention. The man was taken to a local hospital and was in good condition before he was flown back to the United States. He was lucky he survived the fall; most people that experience this kind of fall break their neck. “It’s like hitting concrete.” He said. A passenger recorded the rescue. In his video, a yellow rescue boat bobs on dark ocean waters, and a man’s head and arms are barely visible above the waves. The man then swims toward the boat and is brought aboard. The Oasis of the Seas is one of the world’s largest ships, with room for more than 8,000 passengers and crew. The ship’s safety features include a minimum safety railing of 42 inches and more than 1,200 security cameras. For safety, they recommend that guests don’t lean over or climb on any railing. Many people believe that these measurements are not enough, and advocate for a automatic man overboard detection system. Automatic man overboard detection technology uses radar and sensors to establish a perimeter around the ship. It notifies the crew when a person has fallen overboard.
ReplyDeleteWow, it’s amazing that he was saved and was still in good health. Like you said, he was insanely lucky not to die from the fall, and he should be very greatful. He was lucky to have been found as well, if the ship wasn’t there who knows what could have happened to him. I think that the ships should implement this automatic man overboard system. I think that the majority of people will not fall off a cruise ship, but for those like this man the system should be used to ensure safety at all times during the trip.
DeleteThats pretty wild that nothing happened to him. Other than the obvious sunburn, anything could have happened. A shark could have easily come across dinner. Personally, I think he must have been doing something that wasn't so smart, because a 48 inch railing is rather high. I believe these cruise ships should improve their security and safety, so something like this doesn't happen again. Overall though, its great to know that the man was OK.
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ReplyDeleteAfter the shooting of Michael Brown, police have been ordered the have body or car cameras on them at all times. In these cameras are the actions that every cop does while doing their daily jobs. Officer Grant Morrison was caught on tape shooting and killing an unarmed man. Along with the article is a video showing his reaction to the murder that he had just committed. He breaks down hysterically sobbing and gasping for breath as he kneels over the hood of his cop car. The victim was not complying with the commands given by officer Morrison to place his hands were the cops could see them. Morison admits that he was scared that the man had a gun since he refused to show his hands. He was shot three times at point blank range. It is said that this was a little bit extreme. Since he was shot more than once, it must have been the officers intentions to kill him. It is revealed that the drug officer had only killed one other suspect during his time as an officer and the current victim was highly suspected of drug robbery. The video of the shooting and reaction of the cop has gone viral and has enormous amounts of controversy over is this killing was justified or not. The killer was not a hateful person, he was just scared that the man would have a gun and Morrison wanted to see his family and son again. After these events i think that Morrison should not be arrested but he should be relieved of duty since he cannot handle the stress of the job and he is not emotionally ready for such a dangerous position. I think that all officers going into duty need to be field tested to see how they react in real life situations.
ReplyDeleteBack in December, there was a measles outbreak among 7 people who visited Disneyland. As of January 14th, the disease has spread to 26 people. Health officials say that the disease was transmitted by an unvaccinated California woman through airports and the theme park. Health departments in California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington have confirmed cases of the extremely contagious virus. This accounts for almost 12% of the unexpected measles cases for the entire year. Measles is the most deadly of all childhood illnesses. It is a virus that lives in the nose and throat, causing fever, rash, red eyes, and coughing. Thanks to the anti-vaccine movement that is spreading in the U.S however, the effective vaccine is not being as commonly used.The vaccine for measles is said to be 99% effective, and people still don’t vaccinate because of a faulty link to autism.The virus is highly contagious, can live for up to two hours on surfaces and can be transmitted through coughs and sneezes of an infected person. 90% of people who are not immune that come in contact with an infected person will catch the measles. I am very upset that this happened, because it was completely unnecessary. Had the woman been vaccinated, 26 people would not have gotten sick. The anti-vaccine movement has been debunked by scientific studies, yet people still believe that vaccines cause autism. It’s this belief that caused 26 people to get sick because of one person’s faulty beliefs. Hopefully this will be some sort of indication to the movement, and will make it loss traction in the United States. Currently, it is on a path to destroying modern medicine’s work.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Disney world is supposed to be a fun healthy place to be. Even though considering there are many children there who are immune to sicknesses and dieses, they shouldn’t have to catch tings. The staff should clean everything down by the hour, because children like to touch everything in sight which spreads germs, and lots of them. People should be able to go to Disney world and not have a care in the world, because as their logo states “where dreams come true” not where sicknesses come true. Something needs to be done about this problem, and they need to isolate the problem.
DeleteOnce again, the "anti vaxxers" have endangered innocent people in public places and harmed themselves because of their unscientific, illogical, conspiracy-theorist-like beliefs. Vaccination should be a legal requirement for all children. This would not be a liberty that would be eroded; the constitution entitles people to things like freedom of religion, assembly, and speech, not the right to harm others through willful neglect of their health. I wonder what the cause for this anti vaccine mania is; perhaps we should place more emphasis on vaccines in public education, so that people don't develop these harmful, uninformed beliefs in their adult years.
DeleteFor my current events post this week, I’m writing about an unemployed 20 year old male by the name of Chistopher Lee. Lee was arrested before he could carry out his alleged plot of terrorism into action. Authorities say Cornell, who ostensibly tweeted under the name Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, hatched a simple scheme. It was similar to the Paris attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, but at a key location -- the U.S. Capitol, said a criminal complaint filed by an FBI agent. The plan was to set off pipe bombs to put lawmakers and employees in panicked flight then gun them down with an assault rifle, as they ran across his path and that of an accomplice. He had made preparations with a partner. He had researched bomb making instructions and by Wednesday, Cornell had bought two M-15 rifles with 600 rounds of ammunition. He was associated the Al-Queda, and had every intention to carry out the attack on our nations capital. Although his father had stated that his son could never do something like that, I find that to be untrue. The FBI searched through Lee’s social media pages, seeing constant posts of the violent jihad. He had been in touch with the accomplice through twitter, saying they should carry out the attack as a way of supporting ISIS. It’s a shame that nowadays, there are people that are so radical and so brainwashed that they actually believe that killing innocent people is a necessity. This is entirely untrue, and there is no need as there are much more peaceful approaches.
ReplyDeleteFinally the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments have made it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba and sell directly to small businesses there. Americans will no longer need to get approval from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control before embarking on a trip to Cuba; as long as they are traveling through one of 12 approved categories. President Obama announced the decision last month to normalize relations with the communist country after more than five decades of political and economic isolation. Till now Americans in Cuba had been restricted to spending $188 a day in Cuba for hotel, meals and other incidentals, which I personally find ridiculous even though things are cheaper this is still a ridiculous limit; fortunately that limit will be lifted under the new rules. And finally we can bring things back from Cuba! Including the infamous illegal Cuban cigars. (I don’t smoke but I’ve heard a lot about these things so I’m guessing cigar smokers will be happy) Travelers will also not be restricted to the use of cash but will now be able to use their cards. President Obama is getting a lot of criticism for this because of how things are in Cuba but I’m glad as an American I’m no longer restricted to go to the island. I’m not Cuban but I’ve heard very nice things about the nice parts of the island and I wouldn’t mind having a small vacation there once in my life.
ReplyDeleteMelanie Urias
I think that the US opening up relations with Cuba is a great thing. I know that Cuba has a government that the US doesn't support but we have been standing at a stalemate for years with Cuba. Cutting them off from our resources and funds hasn't been working so opening up relations might actually change things.
DeleteChild trafficking in China has always been a serious issue in China, and there have been two recent cases in which children were rescued and returned back to their biological parents. A Chinese man reunited with his father after 24 years since he was abducted as a toddler from a vegetable market in his neighborhood in China. In 1991, Sun Bin, who was 4 years old at the time, was taken by child traffickers from his hometown of Sichuan province. He was then sold to a family of thousands of miles away on the eastern coast of his original home. On January 13, 2015, Sun Bin was reunited with his father and a younger sister he had never met before. Another case that happened recently was Chinese police broke up a child trafficking ring rescuing 37 babies and a 3 year old. Many of the newborn babies suffered from HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. They were sold for approximately $8,000 to $12,912; boys were higher priced than girls. The babies that were taken were transported in large handbags and suitcases. For food, they were fed instant noodles and leftover vegetables. One hundred and three people have been arrested for child trafficking. Child trafficking in China has become a huge issue in China. Traffickers only look for profit off of growing demand for healthy babies to sell to potential adoptive parents.Stealing children away from their homes as babies and selling them. This issue needs to be stopped, and while police officers are arresting more and more people, it keeps persisting on.
ReplyDeleteChild trafficking is the ultimate evil of this world. It is absolutely outrageous that such a thing exists. It makes me overjoyed to hear that those children were rescued from the awful environment they had been forced into. It is such a sad thing to think about all the children that have suffered and been malnourished like you explained, and I wish there was a way to completely put it to an end, but ultimately it would be impossible. Child trafficking occurs everywhere and it is very scary to think about it. All of these children are suffering because there are so many evil people living on this planet, forcing these children into unsafe and uncomfortable situations, not even taking caution for their health. Child trafficking makes me sick to my stomach and someday I hope for it to be stopped.
DeleteI think child trafficking, is inhumane, and beyond unjust. Every time I hear about a case that has something to do with child trafficking I can never believe my ears that some people have the nerve to steal a child from their loving home to sell for money. How can something so inhumane ever cross someone’s mind to even considering doing so. This crime needs to be put an end to immediately. In my opinion I don’t even think it should have ever been a problem. No one should be treated like their just money and be sold to random people, who could be mistreating them or even worse. Once it is put an end to, china would be a better place to live in and children can feel save to roam the streets with caution of course.
DeleteThe technological advancements, that we appear to continuously be making on such a surprisingly regular basis, never fail to amaze me. I recently heard about Project ARA, in which Google is partnering to create a modular phone. I will try to do this idea justice in text, as I feel as though it hasn’t gotten sufficient publicity, but if you get the chance to look up some demos or videos of the device I think you will find them very interesting. It’s essentially a project that is trying to develop a “build-your-own phone.” The typical person buys a new phone every two years, due upgrades that are included with the contracts of many phone services. If this project is successful, the phones, tablets, and handheld music players that result will have interchangeable compartments. Rather than dropping $200 for a completely new device simply because it has a higher resolution camera or faster processer, you can buy the hardware and simply snap it onto your phone in place of the old one. The idea is that you can “grow with” your phone, update as needed and with gradual, affordable improvements. You pick and chose what you want, need, or use and if you’re not very tech-savvy or unsure, the directors of Project ARA are looking into “phone builders” who will decide for you based on a profile submission of your preferences. Another interesting concept about modular phones is instead of admiring your older sibling or parent’s phone from afar, you could theoretical invest in a more expensive component as a family and share, by swapping components based on use. Incorporation of new 3D printing is also opening up the possibility of personalization of the appearance of your components. Overall Project ARA is pretty exciting, but since it is in the works we will still have to wait a bit for it to hit the consumer market. However, they are holding a test unveiling in Puerto Rico this year.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve all grown up being warned to not swallow our gum, because it will take seven years to be digested and therefore, cause our digestive organs harm. Dr. Anthony Watkins, a transplant surgeon at NY-Presbyterian Hospital busts this myth on swallowing gum. He reports, gum “will be subjected to the same course that regular food is subjected to” and is indeed excreted just like any other food you would eat. Despite gum’s sticky base, which is not as easily digested and absorbed in the digestive tract, it is impractical to consider gum will take more than a couple of days to be digested in the body. Dr. Watkins explains that usually a mere forty-eight hours after swallowing gum, pieces left intact in the digestive system will still be passed through your body. Not to say that you should start swallowing gum rather than spitting it out, but swallowing gum will not cause any short-term or long-term digestive problems.
ReplyDeleteI never truly and completely believed the myth about gum taking seven years to digest, but it was certainly a frightening tale to hear as a young child. I'm glad that this myth has been busted for real now, giving closure to all the children who think they have giant wads of gum within their digestive tract. I remember I always panicked a little bit when I swallowed a piece of gum, but now I know, even though it still isn't a good thing, I wont be having gum stuck in my body for seven years. I'm sure more parents will feel better about their children chewing gum knowing this new found information.
DeleteLike Payton, I never believed that myth either. Since I swallowed gum all the time and never had any problems I figured that it couldn't have been true, or maybe I just had a really good digestive system.
DeleteI never particularly believed in that myth anyway. This is due to the simple fact that the body passes anything it can’t digest or use. Corn for example. And if gum DID take seven years to pass, you wouldn’t be passing anything else either, as the body doesn’t move things around before hand to put them in order. It always seemed like a silly myth. Certainly, it may not be the best idea to swallow gum, but it won’t stay in your gut for any longer than corn. And I say corn because the body technically can’t digest it either.
DeleteI never really truly believed in this myth either. But i have to admit, when I was a kid, and an adult told be about gum taking seven years to digest... I would freak out just a little bit. I then realized that nothing bad results from swallowing gum when I actually swallowed a piece of gum...
DeleteI don't even understand how people can eat gum. It's basically rubber. But I didn't believe the myth because of the acidic juices in the stomach. I remember I always panicked a little bit when I swallowed a piece of gum, but now I know, even though it still isn't a good thing, I wont be having gum stuck in my body for seven years. Imagine having stomach surgery and pounds of gum glued your tissue together.
DeleteThis week I read an article that spoke about the improving economy in Africa and the effects that this may have on the population, particularly that of agricultural workers. With the economy on the rise, it is expected that the agricultural life throughout the continent should improve as well. The rising economy along with the already present financial support of Africa's agricultural life by Bill Gates, is creating massive advancements that could ultimately end hunger in the continent almost all together. The foundation that Gates supports to aid in Africa's economic and agricultural growth has laid the basis for better living standards, as even education is expected to improve with the rise of the economy and Gates continued help. To Africa's detriment, most farmers are not very well educated on the growth, transportation, or value of their crops, and therefore yield very little profits for their labors. It is upsetting to here about the lack of knowledge within Africa, a bit disheartening as well knowing that the lack of education is playing a negative role in agricultural life and the economy. However, it is very exciting to acquire the knowledge that the economy is blossoming and growing in Africa. To even hear that the hunger and famine that Africa is constantly battling may come to an end soon with this growth is very heart warming. In the article, Mr. Gates made a claim that is true and very promising, "The world is actually improving a lot. We’re trying to deliver both the good news on the progress and the possibility to do more.” Along with all the struggles that occur all over the globe, it is nice to also hear of all the great things occurring and appreciate that life is improving for some. It makes me very happy to read something positive in the news, especially because it is helping the people who have always suffered from something no one should ever have to endure: hunger.
ReplyDeleteA fisherman in Australia caught a “frilled shark” late last week. As they recall it as a frightening sight with its knife like teeth, and a squirmy like body, which is known as a prehistoric shark, from over 80 million years ago. It’s only found in the deepest parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The man who caught it thought he had founded a new species of shark, but in reality it has existed for over 80 million years.
ReplyDeleteThe shark was alive when he brought it upon his boat, but didn’t not survive long.
It is very unusual to find a prehistoric species that hasn’t been seen every, other then fossils found of the species. Considering the fact, this shark is 6 feet long, and has over 400 teeth; this shark could be very deadly. With its snake like, slimy body, its slithered out of the water, upon the boat, and quickly passed away. Considering sharks normally do not have bodies shaped like so, and also do not resemble this shark in anyway whatsoever. This creature was found in waters as shallow as 2297 feet, which is very uncommon for these sharks, which inhabit waters as deep as 4,900 feet but also lives as shallow as 3,900 feet also. When the shark died they considered selling it to a museum that had asked if they could buy it from them, so it could be displayed for the curious, seers of the world of such an unknown species, so they can learn more about it.
Catching this shark makes me wonder how many others there are in the ocean and why we haven't caught any before. It also brings up the question of what other creatures are there in the ocean that we don't know about or think don't exist anymore. The guy who caught it must have been frightened at first seeing the 400 teeth, he's lucky he didn't get bit.
DeleteI am SO curious about what lies beneath the surface of the water. In the abyss of the oceans. Its incredible to see new and incredible organisms swim to shore. I hope before I die they find a way to let the world sink to the depths of the ocean without our lungs exploding. Although I would love to see the bottom critters, I definitely wouldn't try though because I'd be terrified of running out of oxygen. But I'm glad we have people to go and catch these slimy beings to display to the world.
DeleteHere is a link to the article: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jan/27/benedict-cumberbatchs-coloured-gaffe-give-the-man-a-break
ReplyDeleteRecently, Benedict Cumberbatch referred to black actors by using the word "colored" in an interview with the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS. This has caused outrage and drawn harsh criticism for Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch issued an apology not long after the interview, stating that he was "devastated" by the offense he caused. I agree with The Guardian's opinion that Cumberbatch's use of the word "colored" was an innocent mistake, not a purposefully malicious use of language. This is especially apparent given the subject he was arguing in the interview; he was criticizing the United Kingdom's lack of diversity in the film industry, citing the example of his Black British colleagues finding more opportunities overseas in the United States. Here is a direct quote from Cumberbatch: “Something's gone wrong, we're not representative enough in our culture of different races and that really does need to step up a pace.” Obviously, Cumberbatch is vehemently against racism and a proponent for the importance of diversity. Thus, we can conclude that his use of the word "colored"-a word with a history of racism and oppression-was, as the article puts it, a "brain fart." Thankfully, Cumberbatch's apology has generally been accepted as genuine. It is important to make a distinction between occurrences like these, born out of carelessness and occasionally ignorance, and truly bigoted speech that is intended to harm. Standing up against bigotry and hate speech is of vital importance to establishing true equality, but it must never devolve into witch hunting or personal attacks. Such actions only serve to bolster the resolve of bigots, and confirm their biases against others. Though I am certainly not sympathetic towards bigots, it is simply more productive to ignore them or try to educate them.
It’s obvious that Cumberbatch meant no offense. It is weird how easily people are offended, especially by someone who is arguing FOR them. Why on earth would they choose to criticize this one poorly chosen word when he is trying to get these black colleagues more work. And why do I get the feeling that it was mostly white people who criticized him? Lately, it seems, it is whites who criticize people for this ‘racial’ terms rather than the people they are directed at. In any case, I believe they should cut the man some slack. Anyone could make that mistake.
DeleteFor this weeks current event I read an article on a gas explosion in Mexico City at a children's hospital. Only three people died but many others were wounded. Twenty-two of the wounded were children, but no children died in this accident. About a third of the hospital was in ruins after the roof collapsed. Thankfully this was after firefighters got most of the children and workers out of the building. The explosion occurred after a pipe from a gas delivery truck burst. Mexican officials are working to clean up the debris from the accident and the fifty-four wounded are being treated at a neighboring hospital. Sadly, due to funding the children's hospital will not be rebuilt for quiet sometime but any useable equipment and supplies that were not destroyed are being taken to be used in other hospitals. I never thought of hospitals using gas to supply power to run their electrical devices. But I would think that hospitals here in America are built differently and use different sources of energy form those in other countries.
ReplyDeleteThursday, January 29, 2015, there was an explosion at a maternity hospital in Mexico City. Two are confirmed dead, a woman and a child. The explosion was the result of a gas leak from a truck supplying liquefied petroleum gas to the hospital. It is unknown whether there are more people trapped inside the hospital, which is close to collapse. Thirty-seven injuries are reported, but that number will not be official until the rubble has been checked. This is simply a tragic accident, but I can’t help but feel that it may have been avoided. Perhaps if the truck had been checked beforehand, the leak could have been prevented. I don’t know what happened prior to the explosion, but it was likely due to a bit of oversight. After all, a bad hose can be replaced if it is found. People fear there may be babies as well as adults lost in the rubble, but it seems no one can get in to check due to the building’s precarious condition. Unfortunately, it seems that its only a matter of time before it collapses, and anyone trapped inside will likely be killed in the collapse. I hope that no one else is inside, as that would be terrible. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that can be done now, as the past is set in stone. I hope that the city officials at least learn from this, so as to prevent similar accidents in the future. What do you guys think? Could this have been prevented, or should it be chalked up as inevitable? Again, I feel that there was a bit of oversight somewhere along the line. Besides the hose, it is a fact that gas will not explode on its own. Perhaps there was an open flame nearby, or someone was smoking?
ReplyDeleteToday, February 1st, a 3 year old boy shot a loaded hand gun and wounded both his father and mother. The toddler was reaching into his mothers' purse in search of an ipod, but instead he grabbed the loaded handgun. My question is, why was the gun not on safety mode? The mother should have known better. Kids will be curious and will grab anything in their site. This is just another freak accident...
ReplyDeleteYes i heard about this and found this sad but i also blame the entertainment this kid may watch to as well as the parents for having this weapon displayed to this kid because like you said this kid is three and at that young age kids are curious especially if he watches entertainment with that stuff in it that kid is going to want to display what he sees.
DeleteHas the human soul been found by science? A controversial quantum theory of consciousness called “Orch OR” (which stands for “orchestrated objective reduction”) recently had a review, and the scientists supporting this idea are claiming the recent discovery of quantum vibrations in “microtubules” inside brain neurons corroborates their beliefs.In most religions, the totality of being human is divided into three parts; mind, soul, and body. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions typically equate the mind to the physical human brain, which works in conjunction with an immaterial human soul. What has had philosophers and scientists arguing for thousands of years is exactly how this process functions from a mechanical viewpoint. When it comes to the philosophy of the mind, dualism and physicalism have competed for the beliefs of scientists, with the latter claiming that all which exists in our world, including consciousness, is physical. I don't believe in a soul but apparently this quantum theory of consciousness is becoming more of a hit to people and society is starting to debate it. I don't believe in three parts of the body, I believe it two.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of finding a physical component of the human soul seems absolutely crazy because souls have always been to be thought of being intangible. Although, reading on I guess it kind of makes sense. There has to be some physical representation of someone’s personality right? Everything that makes up your characteristics can be found in the brain so wouldn’t your brain be your soul? There is a lot of things you can speculate about the soul and if it actually has a physical component or even exists. Personally I have no idea if the soul actually exists but maybe as technology advances we can further observe the brain and how it works to find out the truth.
DeleteMany are viewing the recently released film by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper, as very controversial. It is only natural, in my opinion, that there are those who oppose the movie simply because it involves military conflict, war, and the topic of American patriotism. These are potentially touchy subjects that no matter how sensitive a director attempts to be when producing the film, someone is always going to end up being offended. David Kaiser says that, “One’s attitude towards our soldiers must mirror our attitude towards the war in which they fought, and vice versa.” Based on this statement, it can be interpreted that if someone is proud of our troops and supports what they’re doing for our country, it indicates also that they support the war in which they are fighting. To relate this idea to American Sniper, it can be suggested by Kaiser’s assertion that if one were to admire Chris Kyle and his extraordinary sniping abilities, one would, by default also admire the ongoing war in the Middle East. I do not, however, believe that this is always necessarily true. War is sometimes inevitable. This is an imperfect world filled with very imperfect people who are egotistical, innately selfish, and prone to disagreement. Sometimes, sending American troops overseas is the only way to protect our country from potential destruction by terrorism or foreign nations with who we are in disagreement. I think it’s possible to support the members of our military and the sacrifices that they make without supporting war itself. I am a huge advocate of world peace, as of course are most, but that doesn’t mean that I am not supportive of our troops and the risks that they take for our freedom and safety. I thought American Sniper was an extremely well done film that really opened my eyes to the horrors of war and the traumatic situations that are experienced daily by our soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIt’s weird because we were actually talking about this controversy in history class today. The fact that many people are diminishing this movie over it’s harsh content is not surprising, but the fact of the matter is even though its content was rough we still need to appreciate the people who lost their lives. Many people don’t really realize or appreciate the sacrifice that troops make fighting in wars and losing their lives. Families become devastated in the loss of their loved ones and all we can do is console them, but that wont bring them back. The movie actually makes me appreciate all that the men and women do for us and people should praise them for all they do.
DeleteThis week my current event is focused on the media. Recently, many people have seen the front pages of the magazine covered with former Olympic star Bruce Jenner’s face. Unfortunately his face does not really portray his real face, but the face of a man covered in make-up. However, we do not know if these images are who he wants to be or if they are just twisted images needed for entertainment. Many photographs were taken after the images were released of Bruce sitting in a car crying. These pictures were supposed to look like the aftermath of the images being leaking to humiliate Bruce Jenner and it worked. Celebrities are reaching out to comfort Bruce, like his family and friends. They all respect and support Bruce and his decisions publicly, but did this really have to be publicized? We all know that celebrities are always in the limelight and everything they do is televised but this attack on Bruce is just plain bullying. Russel Brand a fellow friend makes an eight-minute video explaining his concerns about the issue. Russel states several times how this is just plain bullying from the media. The Kardashian sisters band together to lift Bruce’s spirits by taking a picture labeled “family.” Although the underlining meaning being “leave our dad alone!” It’s crazy how much the media can stray from reporting actual news to bullying. No one should be treated this way in the world of celebrities; this is why they have all come together in order to stop harsh harassment on one another. Many question to what extent is it okay to harass celebrities? Posting fake pregnancy scandals, divorce plans; boyfriend and girlfriend lies give people no satisfaction, so why do we read it? Instead of giving in to the fake words people should ignore the medias hateful words and not let them feed of the misfortunes of others.
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft has done it again! Microsoft has been making revolutionary technology for many years now and they continue to do so today. This time they give us a taste of the future with their new product called the Hololens. The Hololens is a headset that create holograms in your very home. These goggle like devices create 3-D images that you can actually interact with using gestures. The goggles sense your movement and the amount of space it has in a room so that it when you walk around an object you see the back of it. These goggles allow you to actually see things in real life as well as the holograms so you won’t be walking into walls but you will be wearing big clunky goggles on your face. The Hololens can also be compared to the Oculus Rift, which is a VR headset that looks similar to the Hololens but is very different. When using the Rift you cannot see anything in real life unlike the Hololens. The Rift also doesn’t create holograms but instead places you in a digital world that seems real. The ways you interact with these digital objects are different as well, using the rift you move your head to look around while with the Hololens you use your hands to interact with the holograms. Essentially, the Rift is a screen on your head while the Hololens are a pair of goggles that create holograms. Although, don’t get too excited because these holograms might not be what your thinking. First off only the person with the headset can see the holograms, which is expected but the lens doesn’t create a true hologram but instead it uses the same technology as 3-D movies but you can interact with the objects and observe them in unique ways.
ReplyDeleteMy current event is on the latest story about ISIS. There was recently a video released of a Jordanian air force pilot being killed by ISIS. After hearing about this, Jordan carried out retaliation and killed two terrorist prisoners who had relations with Iraq. As of right now there are protestors gathering in the streets of the Jordanian capital furious with what has been going on. Terrorist analysts don’t think the ISIS leaders are particularly threatened with the outrage. Experts have stated that they were confused as to why ISIS just killed the pilot instead of using him as a bargaining chip since he came from a wealthy family and had access to the Jordanian monarchy and government ties. Retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona said, “The Jordanians were willing to do things to get him back. He comes from a very established family, one that supports the Jordanian monarchy. I’m not sure they realized exactly who they had.” As of right now Jordan and Iraq are in a war that is not even close to being over.
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