This is a blog for Mrs. Ballew's Civics and Economics classes.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
1st Period Current Event
Please post your current event for Friday, March 12. As always, please provide the topic of your article, a link to it, and a 5-6 sentence summary. You may use a video clip or podcast instead of an article.
An American woman in Pennsylvania has just been charged with terrorism. She is only the second woman ever to be charged with terrorism. She poses an especial threat to authorities because no one would ever have expected her to be a terrorist. She doesn't "look" like a suicide bomber. This new wave of fanaticism coming from within our own country is nearly impossible for the government to predict and may cause a huge problem for Homeland Security.
This article is about Obama basically saying: "No more footling around the subject, we want health care reform and we want it now." He is calling for the Republicans to reconcile, because they have been threatening to filibuster. I thought it was really amusing that a news anchor was interviewing the minority leader yesterday about reconciliation. He was saying that reconciliation was "undemocratic" and "doesn't reflect the will of the people" and "bypasses the democratic process." Then the woman said that she had had her aides look up the last times in recent history that reconciliation had happened. It has happened 24 times in recent history, 18 times WHILE THE REPUBLICANS WERE IN POWER, and 6 times while the Democrats were in power. I guess it wasn't so "undemocratic" then....
This article is discussing the possibility of destroying the SS United States thanks to its lack of use in the recent years. Many people do not want this ship to be destroyed or sent to a junkyard because it was such a great ship in its time and is literally irreplacable. Many people are also opposed to the idea of selling the ship for only $2 million. I think that if someone wants to buy the ship, they should be able to buy it. If no one wants to buy the ship, then I see no reason why it shouldn't be sent to a junkyard instead of slowly rusting in a port somewhere like a fading landmark. Even though it may have a history and may have set the record time for a trans-Atlantic passage in its day, it's still just a ship. I think transforming the ship into a hotel could be a popular and successful idea that would be a better use for the ship then sending it to a junkyard or selling it off to someone randomly. The only problem with that idea would be the amount of money you would have to spend maintaining the ship and the amount of pollution I'm sure it causes.
I accidentally deleted my entire current event... so here it is again...
Greece is making it easier for people to retire at earlier ages, with a new set of regulations that allows people to retire at 50 (female) or 55 (male) if they can prove that their job is hazardous. While jobs like mining are understandably dangerous, even people like hairdressers and musicians can benefit, because they can claim that they work with many chemicals or that their job is straining their lungs. However, with the increasing retirement community, Greece is having a tough time financially, since they have to provide for all of these people. Other countries in Europe are also having similar problems. I think that if they made it harder to prove that a certain job was dangerous, then fewer people would retire so early, and the money problems wouldn't be as bad. I do like the concept of the Greeks; they want people to have more time to live their lives, which I respect. But if it is putting their country into debt, something needs to be changed.
A one-day conference in Paris this Thursday added $1 billion to help combat deforestation through a forest program, which would in turn help combat global warming. The program is called REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) and it was approved at the earlier Copenhagen conference. The program that was debated in Paris is known as REDD Plus and is based on helping nations financially to reduce harmful emissions through good forest governance and protecting biodiversity and the rights of indigenous people. Six countries have pledged to give $3.5 billion to the REDD Plus program through 2012. I think it's great that countries are working together to help preserve our planet. I also like the idea of a program that provides funds, as developing countries generally suffer from the worst environmental degradation, but they do not have enough money to finance better legislation and reduce emissions.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/11/mississippi.prom.suit/index.html So this article is about a high school in Mississippi that canceled prom rather than allow a lesbian student bring her girlfriend with her. Agricultural High School is now facing a law suit from the American Civil Liberties Union. The student, eighteen year old Constance McMillen, says that she just wanted the chance to enjoy her prom night like any other student. I think that the fact that this is even an issue is ridiculous. It is a student’s personal choice who they want to bring to prom and I believe that the school should keep their nose out of personal issues and focus on the well being of their entire school rather than persecute one student.
This article is about 12 year olds who are inhaling harsh chemicals as a cheap way to get high. Parents have been worried that their children will go out and do drugs and smoke cigarettes, but kids are using inhalants more than those other things. The reason these 12 year-olds are using inhalants, is because they are cheap, and likely found in the house. The effects of the inhalants will effect the children's growing body and mind. Surveys show that 6.9% of 12 year-olds have used inhalants other than other drugs. Sniffing inhalants can lead to "sudden sniffing death". Sniffing inhalants causes the heart to beat rapidly and that can lead to a heart attack. The SAMHSA is spreading awareness about how deadly inhalants really are. When I read this article, I thought it was crazy that 12 year olds are getting high! To some people that may not be a surprise, but to me it really was because those kids are in either 5th or 6th grade which is very young. I think its a great thing that the SAMHSA is spreading awareness, so that lives will be saved.
Oh, Christine, I was going to do the same article off a different site. Shoot. http://www.examiner.com/x-12837-US-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m3d10-Mississippi-school-board-cancels-prom-after-lesbian-requests-to-bring-same-sex-date
Well, as you've just seen in Christine's article, a Mississippi high school completely canceled their prom because a girl wanted to take her girlfriend to prom. What I found most distressing was the school's calling the same-sex couple a distraction to the educational process. I'm sure Constance, the girl in question, has already gotten a lot of grief from fellow classmates about her same sex relationship in the past, but she is now the reason why prom is canceled. Schools and school districts shouldn't get involved with students' personal lives. It doesn't matter that the event was to take place through the school. Students should be able to take whoever they want to prom, no matter their gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation and it's none of the school's business if the relationship isn't a societal "norm."
I think this story is absolutely ridiculous! I can't believe that this boob job gone wrong ended her marriage! This article alone should be the reason that these kinds of surgeries should just be for people that absolutely need them, like cancer patients. This lady did this for purely cosmetic reasons, and everything could have been avoided. I also think it's crazy that they paid her so much for "pain and suffering". When you go into a surgery you should know the side effects and be fully aware of what could happen.
P.S. Christine and Johanna I was going to do the same story, again from a different site. :)
A New Jersey man with apocalyptic visions is accused of years of terrorizing his family, raping his five daughters and impregnating three, beating his children with wooden boards and even moving at one point to avoid child welfare investigators. The nightmarish picture of a family subjected to more than a decade of threats and violence and largely cut off from the outside world is emerging in a state courthouse where prosecutors are preparing to have the man stand trial five times, one per child victim. As the first case nears trial, questions have been raised about whether state authorities could have put a stop to the abuse sooner. Some of the crimes are alleged to have occurred while the family was under scrutiny by the state child welfare agency, and after the father had been arrested and pleaded guilty to assault and child endangerment.
This is soooo sad. Who would want to kill a 62 year old woman? And it's not even like it's an accident. Who ever did it BEAT her to DEATH! Imagine how traumatic that would be. Was that a mugging? was it random? Or could it be planned? That's so strange to think about. They don't know if it was random or someone she knew. Who would plan on killing anyone? Who would kill someone they know? much less an old lady. I hope whoever did this gets caught and punished.
This is an article about International Women's Day. Last monday marked the 100th anniversary of this celebration. In America this event is very overlooked in neglected, but some countries take the whole day off for rest and pamperment of their women. On the opposite end of the spectrum, in 2007 many women and men in Iran were severly punished for even talking about celebrating this occaision. First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an event at the White House in celebration. She gave a speech which began with poking fun at her husband and almost calling Hillary Clinton President Clinton. She went on to speak about the importance of having politacally active women in today's society.
There was a landslide in China earlier today, and the death toll is up to 27. A man was rescued from the rubble after 54 hours of being buried. The man, Cao Lele, is still in intensive care. The landslide caused around 25 houses to be completely destoryed. It seems that with all these natural disasters happening recently (Haiti, Chile, now China), it's harder for each of these countries to get the aid they need because people in developed nations are focused on other disasters.
On the edge of the Manhatten rooftops of a prominent building, there are the first of a series of 31 naked fiberglass figures placed on the roof near Madison Square Garden. Some officials are actually afraid that the figures will be mistaken for suicide jumpers! Then useless 911 calls will come. I think this is cool, but kind of pointless. I can't find a reason or cause that they are up there... and since it is predicted to creat confusion in the public, it seems ilogical.
This article is about a recent release of 125 photos found that were taken by a serial killer. The killers name was Rodney Alcala who is 66 and was charged with killing one child and four women between 1977 and 1979. Rodney Alcala was best known for being on the show The Dating Game in 1978. The police just recently released all 125 photos. They were all of women and children and the police are currently trying to determine if any of the people pictured were his victims.
New Face of Terrorism
ReplyDeleteAn American woman in Pennsylvania has just been charged with terrorism. She is only the second woman ever to be charged with terrorism. She poses an especial threat to authorities because no one would ever have expected her to be a terrorist. She doesn't "look" like a suicide bomber. This new wave of fanaticism coming from within our own country is nearly impossible for the government to predict and may cause a huge problem for Homeland Security.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/health/policy/04health.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&src=igw
ReplyDeleteThis article is about Obama basically saying: "No more footling around the subject, we want health care reform and we want it now." He is calling for the Republicans to reconcile, because they have been threatening to filibuster. I thought it was really amusing that a news anchor was interviewing the minority leader yesterday about reconciliation. He was saying that reconciliation was "undemocratic" and "doesn't reflect the will of the people" and "bypasses the democratic process." Then the woman said that she had had her aides look up the last times in recent history that reconciliation had happened. It has happened 24 times in recent history, 18 times WHILE THE REPUBLICANS WERE IN POWER, and 6 times while the Democrats were in power. I guess it wasn't so "undemocratic" then....
http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/time+luxury+liner+United+States+headed+scrap+heap/2665951/story.html
ReplyDeleteThis article is discussing the possibility of destroying the SS United States thanks to its lack of use in the recent years. Many people do not want this ship to be destroyed or sent to a junkyard because it was such a great ship in its time and is literally irreplacable. Many people are also opposed to the idea of selling the ship for only $2 million. I think that if someone wants to buy the ship, they should be able to buy it. If no one wants to buy the ship, then I see no reason why it shouldn't be sent to a junkyard instead of slowly rusting in a port somewhere like a fading landmark. Even though it may have a history and may have set the record time for a trans-Atlantic passage in its day, it's still just a ship. I think transforming the ship into a hotel could be a popular and successful idea that would be a better use for the ship then sending it to a junkyard or selling it off to someone randomly. The only problem with that idea would be the amount of money you would have to spend maintaining the ship and the amount of pollution I'm sure it causes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/business/global/12pension.html?pagewanted=2&hp
ReplyDeleteI accidentally deleted my entire current event... so here it is again...
Greece is making it easier for people to retire at earlier ages, with a new set of regulations that allows people to retire at 50 (female) or 55 (male) if they can prove that their job is hazardous. While jobs like mining are understandably dangerous, even people like hairdressers and musicians can benefit, because they can claim that they work with many chemicals or that their job is straining their lungs. However, with the increasing retirement community, Greece is having a tough time financially, since they have to provide for all of these people. Other countries in Europe are also having similar problems. I think that if they made it harder to prove that a certain job was dangerous, then fewer people would retire so early, and the money problems wouldn't be as bad. I do like the concept of the Greeks; they want people to have more time to live their lives, which I respect. But if it is putting their country into debt, something needs to be changed.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/11/382600/meeting-on-deforestation-boosts.html
ReplyDeleteA one-day conference in Paris this Thursday added $1 billion to help combat deforestation through a forest program, which would in turn help combat global warming. The program is called REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) and it was approved at the earlier Copenhagen conference. The program that was debated in Paris is known as REDD Plus and is based on helping nations financially to reduce harmful emissions through good forest governance and protecting biodiversity and the rights of indigenous people. Six countries have pledged to give $3.5 billion to the REDD Plus program through 2012. I think it's great that countries are working together to help preserve our planet. I also like the idea of a program that provides funds, as developing countries generally suffer from the worst environmental degradation, but they do not have enough money to finance better legislation and reduce emissions.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/11/mississippi.prom.suit/index.html
ReplyDeleteSo this article is about a high school in Mississippi that canceled prom rather than allow a lesbian student bring her girlfriend with her. Agricultural High School is now facing a law suit from the American Civil Liberties Union. The student, eighteen year old Constance McMillen, says that she just wanted the chance to enjoy her prom night like any other student.
I think that the fact that this is even an issue is ridiculous. It is a student’s personal choice who they want to bring to prom and I believe that the school should keep their nose out of personal issues and focus on the well being of their entire school rather than persecute one student.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/11/inhalant.abuse/index.html
ReplyDeleteThis article is about 12 year olds who are inhaling harsh chemicals as a cheap way to get high. Parents have been worried that their children will go out and do drugs and smoke cigarettes, but kids are using inhalants more than those other things. The reason these 12 year-olds are using inhalants, is because they are cheap, and likely found in the house. The effects of the inhalants will effect the children's growing body and mind. Surveys show that 6.9% of 12 year-olds have used inhalants other than other drugs. Sniffing inhalants can lead to "sudden sniffing death". Sniffing inhalants causes the heart to beat rapidly and that can lead to a heart attack. The SAMHSA is spreading awareness about how deadly inhalants really are. When I read this article, I thought it was crazy that 12 year olds are getting high! To some people that may not be a surprise, but to me it really was because those kids are in either 5th or 6th grade which is very young. I think its a great thing that the SAMHSA is spreading awareness, so that lives will be saved.
Oh, Christine, I was going to do the same article off a different site. Shoot.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.examiner.com/x-12837-US-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m3d10-Mississippi-school-board-cancels-prom-after-lesbian-requests-to-bring-same-sex-date
Well, as you've just seen in Christine's article, a Mississippi high school completely canceled their prom because a girl wanted to take her girlfriend to prom.
What I found most distressing was the school's calling the same-sex couple a distraction to the educational process.
I'm sure Constance, the girl in question, has already gotten a lot of grief from fellow classmates about her same sex relationship in the past, but she is now the reason why prom is canceled.
Schools and school districts shouldn't get involved with students' personal lives. It doesn't matter that the event was to take place through the school. Students should be able to take whoever they want to prom, no matter their gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation and it's none of the school's business if the relationship isn't a societal "norm."
Rant over.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588846,00.html?test=latestnews
ReplyDeleteI think this story is absolutely ridiculous! I can't believe that this boob job gone wrong ended her marriage! This article alone should be the reason that these kinds of surgeries should just be for people that absolutely need them, like cancer patients. This lady did this for purely cosmetic reasons, and everything could have been avoided. I also think it's crazy that they paid her so much for "pain and suffering". When you go into a surgery you should know the side effects and be fully aware of what could happen.
P.S. Christine and Johanna I was going to do the same story, again from a different site. :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJohn Stavas
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35819134/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/
A New Jersey man with apocalyptic visions is accused of years of terrorizing his family, raping his five daughters and impregnating three, beating his children with wooden boards and even moving at one point to avoid child welfare investigators. The nightmarish picture of a family subjected to more than a decade of threats and violence and largely cut off from the outside world is emerging in a state courthouse where prosecutors are preparing to have the man stand trial five times, one per child victim. As the first case nears trial, questions have been raised about whether state authorities could have put a stop to the abuse sooner. Some of the crimes are alleged to have occurred while the family was under scrutiny by the state child welfare agency, and after the father had been arrested and pleaded guilty to assault and child endangerment.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/11/381549/area-on-edge-in-the-dark.html
ReplyDeleteThis is soooo sad. Who would want to kill a 62 year old woman? And it's not even like it's an accident. Who ever did it BEAT her to DEATH! Imagine how traumatic that would be. Was that a mugging? was it random? Or could it be planned? That's so strange to think about. They don't know if it was random or someone she knew. Who would plan on killing anyone? Who would kill someone they know? much less an old lady. I hope whoever did this gets caught and punished.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts1241
ReplyDeleteThis is an article about International Women's Day. Last monday marked the 100th anniversary of this celebration. In America this event is very overlooked in neglected, but some countries take the whole day off for rest and pamperment of their women. On the opposite end of the spectrum, in 2007 many women and men in Iran were severly punished for even talking about celebrating this occaision. First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an event at the White House in celebration. She gave a speech which began with poking fun at her husband and almost calling Hillary Clinton President Clinton. She went on to speak about the importance of having politacally active women in today's society.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/171206/man-saved-as-china-landslide-toll-climbs-to-27
ReplyDeleteThere was a landslide in China earlier today, and the death toll is up to 27. A man was rescued from the rubble after 54 hours of being buried. The man, Cao Lele, is still in intensive care. The landslide caused around 25 houses to be completely destoryed. It seems that with all these natural disasters happening recently (Haiti, Chile, now China), it's harder for each of these countries to get the aid they need because people in developed nations are focused on other disasters.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-418823?hpt=Sbin
ReplyDeleteOn the edge of the Manhatten rooftops of a prominent building, there are the first of a series of 31 naked fiberglass figures placed on the roof near Madison Square Garden. Some officials are actually afraid that the figures will be mistaken for suicide jumpers! Then useless 911 calls will come. I think this is cool, but kind of pointless. I can't find a reason or cause that they are up there... and since it is predicted to creat confusion in the public, it seems ilogical.
-Leah
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/11/dating.game.killer/index.html?hpt=T2
ReplyDeleteThis article is about a recent release of 125 photos found that were taken by a serial killer. The killers name was Rodney Alcala who is 66 and was charged with killing one child and four women between 1977 and 1979. Rodney Alcala was best known for being on the show The Dating Game in 1978. The police just recently released all 125 photos. They were all of women and children and the police are currently trying to determine if any of the people pictured were his victims.