Thursday, March 25, 2010
Events
For this blog I want you to discuss a current event. This can be anything you choose to talk about. What you need to do is read a few articles on the subject and report on it (quoting from the articles) and then form an opinion and develop that opinion. Can you think of why this would be relevant for you to do?
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March 22nd, 2010 was considered a great triumph to many politicians, particularly democrats. The reason for this is because the health bill was passed as a law by the senate. Winning with a 56-43 vote, the democrats rejoiced over this long awaited victory. Although the bill still has to go through the house of representatives, the democrats are hopeful that it will be in favor with the house.
ReplyDeleteMany people think that the government is getting to involved in the American people's lives. Republicans think that Democrats are telling the people what to do and what they need, which is health insurance. Although I am a Republican, I am in favor of this bill right now. The truth is millions of Americans currently live without any kind of health care. People need health insurance because health problems will occur in their lives. The plan of this health bill is to give everyone health care. According to YahooNews.com "Under a revised strategy, the House agreed to approve a Senate-passed bill, despite numerous objections, on the condition that both houses would follow quickly with a fix-it measure.The one finally brought to a vote on Thursday added more than $20 billion to subsidies for lower- and middle-income individuals and families who will be required to purchase insurance, and about $8 billion over a decade for states that already provide more generous than average Medicaid benefits." This health bill will cost more money, but the benefits are completely worth it for lower-class and middle-class families.
Families are not the only people who benefit from the health care bill. This bill also benefits small business owners who can't afford to pay big insurance companies money for the small business owner's employees. According to President Obama, "This year, insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people's coverage when they get sick, or place life time limits or restrictive annual limits on the amount of care they can recover."
The health care bill approved and passed by the senate March 22nd, 2010 has benefits for everyone. Not only does it help the lower-class and middle-class families, but it helps small business owners be able to afford insurance for their employees. I am in favor of this bill and believe no one should go without health care.
-Drew Martinez-
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_overhaul;_ylt=ArqD0sFwhzYMK3zzeynpHVes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNucDNyZ3NlBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzI2L3VzX2hlYWx0aF9jYXJlX292ZXJoYXVsBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZnVsbG5ic3BzdG9y
Revelations that the Vatican halted the investigation of a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys have eerie echoes in Italy, where 67 deaf men and women accused two dozen priests of raping and molesting children for years.
ReplyDeleteAn ever-widening sexual abuse scandal involving Germany’s Roman Catholic Church spilled into the heart of Pope Benedict XVI’s homeland Friday when a former member of the prominent Regensburg boys’ choir claimed he was a victim. Pope Benedict XVI stated on Wednesday that he plans to send a letter to Irish Catholics about the child sex abuse scandal in the church would help with "repentance, healing and renewal" there. Benedict acknowledged the Irish church had been "severely shaken" as a result of the crisis and said he was "deeply concerned." However, speaking in English at his weekly general audience, he did not make any mention of the issue in his homeland. The scandal in Germany, where some 300 former Catholic students have come forward with claims of physical or sexual abuse. On the topic Yahoo Top Headlines stated, “It lashed out at what it said was a ‘prevailing trend in the media’ to ignore facts and spread an image of the Catholic Church "as if it were the only one responsible for sexual abuses - an image that does not correspond to reality." The Pope has had praying sessions with many of the victims. According to US News, "They prayed together. Also, each of them had their own individual time with the Holy Father," said a Vatican spokesman. "Some were in tears." This scandal is obviously taking its toll emotionally on the victims and the culprits.
This current event opens our eyes that even the most disgraceful crimes can occur in our own churches, or even somewhere as large as the Vatican. This is an odd current event to have an opinion on, because clearly the Wisconsin minister and those who covered up the crime are to blame. I was shocked when I first read this on various news websites. I was so shocked because I did not think that someone, such as a minister or the Pope, could and/or would do such a terrible thing when they should be leading examples of Christ for others to follow.
It is relevant for us to do this for two main reasons. The first reason is because it is very important to be aware of current situations going on in the world and to have various informational sources to develop an opinion. The second reason is because in our current reading of The Scarlet Letter, the characters are doing a very similar thing. They all have different opinions of the ‘A’, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, and Hester and Pearl. The different opinions sometimes conflict, but from each other’s opinions, new opinions can be gathered.
Articles Used: http://news.yahoo.com/;_ylt=AvEHygvEClB8O8X4dBELDeKz174F;_ylu=X3oDMTBscGtqYzhvBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN0bgRzbGsDaG9tZQ--
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CHURCH_ABUSE_SLOW_JUSTICE?SITE=ILALT&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/2008/04/18/the-pope-confronts-the-priest-sex-scandal.html
Kristina Kiser
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMany people, including myself, are fascinated with the night time sky that hold the stars. Constellations such as Orion's Belt and the Big Dipper and Leo are well known. Also, many people know that the very bright star that one can see if one goes outside all most every night, is Mars. This is the regularity that people can count on...usually.
ReplyDeleteBy the 29th of March, Mars will be hidden by the moon until 2012 and Saturn will replace it. Tonight is the end and the beginning of Mars' disappearance. "Mars was in opposition to the Sun on Jan. 29, when it appeared 14 arcseconds in diameter, 1/120 of the diameter of the moon. Two months later, it is much farther away, and has shrunk to only 10 arcseconds in diameter." As this quote states, Mars has already been moving. When one looks toward Leo one is actually looking out into SPACE. "We are looking above the plane of our Milky Way galaxy at the depths of intergalactic space, unhindered by the clouds of dust and gas which fill our galaxy."
My opinion on this topic is that I am sad and in awe. I'm sad because I love the stars and I love looking at them--which is especitally a pleasure for me because I live in the country and can see them better than most people--and once Mars switches positions with Saturn, I will not be able to pick out that star that I knew. I am in awe because this change of nature really puts things into perspective. WE ARE SO SMALL. We are itty bitty. We live on an itty bitty planet in an itty bitty galaxy called the Milky Way. The Milky Way is in a HUGE NEVER ENDING EXPANSE called space. This just blows my mind. I can't think of something that lasts for eternity.
This concept of space also bears witness to the One that created it. He was here before anything. He has always been here. Isaiah 40:28 "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding." The stars are constant reminders of God's infinite wisdom and reminds me that I am just a simple human. I also think it's really cool that in Psalm 147:4, "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names." We can't even COUNT the stars. OR name them. This just reminds me of how great our God is all the time and it puts me out of my worry of life. If God has names for the stars and knows how many there are, I am so not going to worry about my life; God can handle it I think.
No I can not think of why this would be relevant for me to do.
--mallory jean
1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100325/sc_space/lastchancetogetagoodlookatmarsuntil2012
2. http://bibleresources.bible.com/keywordsearchresults.php?keyword=stars&multiplemethod=all&version1=9&numpageresults=25&sortorder=bookorder&page=1
A South Korean destroyer that was doing a routine patrol reported that it was taking on water."The 1,200-ton "Cheonan" was on a routine patrolling mission near South Korea's Baeknyeong Island on Friday night with 104 crew members on board when the ship began taking on water, Rear Adm. Lee Ki-sik of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters." The ship was later found that a hole had been formed in the side of the hull, hence what caused the ship to take on water."Five hours later, 58 sailors had been pulled to safety but some 40 others were missing, reports said. There was no indication early Saturday that North Korea was to blame for the ship's demise, but troops kept a vigilant watch." I do not know what caused the ship to sink nor do I have any theories,"The incident set off a panic with South Korea dispatching a fleet of ships as N. Korea's military had recently threatened to strike against the U.S. and South Korea."
ReplyDeletebut I think that after reading the reviews written by people from the site which I got the sources are uncouth ex.
"North Korea Starting a War. Boy this is fantastic."
"I blame oBaMa!"
"You have your b-b-gun in hand and ready to take your Celebrity Fun cruise over to Korea? They'll be really glad to see you. You go over and kick some NK butt for us, will you."
I think that America needs to stay out of the Koreans business, unless they start threatening us. The one rating about Obama I find very offensive, because he is the President of the United States. I understand why some people dislike him but to blame him for the destruction of property and maybe peoples lives is too much and is disrespectful to our nation and it's leader.I may not agree upon some of the decisions that President Obama makes but I still respect them and hope that he is making the right decisions with his country in mind and I respect them or at least try to.
http://news.yahoo.com
http://www.nationmultimedia.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteColin Carlson, a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, claims age discrimination after the school denied his participation in a study abroad program in South Africa. The 13-year old “child prodigy” is attending UConn for a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and another in environmental studies. He feels that by not allowing him to go, the school is “upsetting the framework of one of [his] majors.” However, the school claims it is only trying to maintain the young student’s safety. Michael Kirk, a representative of UConn, says that in general, “safety is the university’s first concern when travel is involved.” The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the case.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the University of Connecticut is making a mistake in keeping Carlson from participating in the study abroad program. The school claims his age may compromise his safety while in South Africa. I would understand their point if his mother, Jessica Offir, had not offered to travel to Johannesburg with Colin. Offir says she “offered to release UConn from liability and accompany her son as a chaperone at her own expense,” yet the school still would not allow him to go.
In a country where racial, sexual, and gender discrimination are hot topics, age discrimination is often overlooked. Carlson has obviously worked hard his entire life to reach college at such a young age, and the university is hampering the progress of his degree by keeping him from participating in the program. Offir says that Colin has suffered from bullying and ridiculing from his peers as a result of his extraordinary intelligence. In elementary school, Offir says, “he was ridiculed by other children who fired math questions at him to entertain themselves. You have no idea what kids like this experience,” she explains.
This story stood out to me as I am hoping to study in South Africa while in university. However, I think it has a broader application to the lives of everyone. In life, though we work tirelessly for what we want, obstacles often obstruct our path. However, perseverance and faith give us the strength to continue toward our goals. Though Colin Carlson’s plans have been thwarted by age discrimination by UConn, I believe his strong spirit and confidence will enable him to achieve his dream of studying abroad.
Links:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/26/ap/strange/main6334520.shtml
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/25/colin-carlson-child-prodi_n_513786.html
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/topics/tags/?keywords=US%20Prodigy%20Study%20Abroad
http://www.startribune.com/nation/89143822.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr
Gillian Chant
Tanning beds are very popular in America and they enjoy tanning. “30 million people tan indoors every year and nearly three quarters of them are women between ages 16 and 29, according to the Journal of American Dermatology.” Using tan beds before a certain age raises risk of cancer. The cancer tanning beds cause is called melanoma cancer. “Using a tanning bed before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75 percent.” Tanning beds are very dangerous to a persons skin health. When tanning the light in the tanning bed makes pigment in the skin darker. The light makes skin darker, but it also damages a persons DNA and causes mutation that leads to skin cancer.
ReplyDeleteMany people say if your tan, a person looks healthier. Many girls talk their mothers into letting them tan often. Katie Donnar, of Vincennes, Ind., was a cheerleader in middle school when she talked her mother into letting her use a tanning bed twice a week. Katie started tanning because everyone else was and she didn’t want to feel left out at a young age. At the age of 17 she was diagnosed with Melanoma cancer. The cancer started with a brown spot on her leg. The spot was just a mole but due to tanning became cancerous. The cancer was caught early and Katie survived. She was shocked that at her age she could get skin cancer. She stated that everyone she knew that had skin cancer was a lot older in age than her.
I think tanning is very ignorant. I don’t understand why people want to be a different color they are not. People should just be happy with themselves and not worry about things like skin complexion. Aside all these things tanning is expensive and just a waste of money. The tan doesn’t last either, its very temporary. Tanning does more harm than good as people get older. Tanning should be banned from all youth even if they have parental consent. Skin cancer is deadly and is not something people should gamble doing.
Controversy surrounded Congressman Randy Neugebauer this week due to his comments during the Health Care debate. The congressman said that the bill is a “baby killer,” and many thought that his comments were aimed at Stupak, his fellow representative, instead of at the bill itself. Neugebauer called Stupak to explain himself, gave a hand-written apology, and apologized to the White House. Congressmen Neugebauer is from Lubbock.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at myself when I picked this story to write about, because I absolutely HATE politics. I am not an Obama fan, and I don’t know much about the Health Care Reform. One reason I don’t like politics is because they are all about opinion, and opinions are always drastically different when you represent an entire country. I think opinions are not always meant to be shared. Congressmen Neugebauer should not have yelled his opinion of the bill. It offended many people. Offensive opinions are usually best kept unshared. Not only can these opinions offend, but they can get you into a heap of trouble. The congressmen “was the subject of daylong media reports and White House condemnation.” You can’t really get into more trouble than trouble with the White House.
Neugebauer’s “Democratic opponent called the outburst ‘embarrassing’ both for Neugebauer and the people of West Texas.” This is certainly true. It is embarrassing for our state, and for the Republican party. What’s worse is that many people will assume that people in Neugebauer’s voting district, and Republicans in general, agree with this statement. This is why I don’t like politics. It’s a big mess and it makes people hate each other.
There was a quote in my World History textbook that goes something like this. “I don’t agree with what you say, but I defend to the death your right to say it.” I thought that was a very good quote at the time that I read it, but now I take a slightly different view. I believe that everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but that does not mean that the opinion should be shared. As we have seen in the case of Congressman Neugebauer, opinions can be extremely offensive. We should consider if our opinions, stated out loud, will offend others.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-randy_23tex.ART.State.Edition1.4c87ad8.html
As you know, President Obama signed the Health Care Bill earlier this week. My post, however, will not be about the bill itself. Since the passing of the Health Care Bill, many Democrats have received multiple threats. Representative Louise M. Slaughter, a senior Democrat from New York, received a phone message threatening sniper attacks against lawmakers and their families. Representative Louise Slaughter also said her Niagara Falls district office had a brick thrown through one of their windows. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina said he received an anonymous fax showing the image of a noose. Many Democrats have had racial and homophobic slurs thrown at them, one protester even spitting on a congressman. One Democrat was told “I hope you bleed… (get) cancer and die.” Democrats are fearful for their friends and families. Our country experienced something similar to these threats whenever our President was elected, but these congressmen cannot have the security that is available to the President.
ReplyDeleteI am severely disappointed with the people of our country. Regardless of anyone’s feeling for the bill, violence is never the right answer. In Genesis 6:13, God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.” God does not like violence, and he once destroyed the earth because of the violent acts committed. Of course, Genesis 6:13 is a bit extreme for the point that I am trying to make, but it does not affect the truth in that statement. According to our laws, a threat to assault a member of Congress in retaliation for the performance of official duties is punishable by up to a year in prison. While more than likely the threats will not be carried out, it is still a scary thought to know that many people are prepared to condemn their fellow Americans to hell. Glenn Beck, a popular Conservative talk show host on Fox News, told the people watching that those supporting the bill are “an enemy of the republic” and “an enemy to the Constitution.” Although he urged to viewers to steer clear of violence, he claimed that the Obama Administration was counting on this violence to discredit their opponents. "Not only is it completely nuts and wrong, it's exactly what they want," Beck said, "They are begging for it. You are being set up." I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but I think it is unfair to judge a group of people so severely.
While I understand that people are upset, I do not think that they are being set up by the government. If anything, Beck’s statements are making the people angrier, and for no legitimate reason. The government remains corrupted in some circumstances, but that does not only go for Democrats. Every party has corruption in some parts of it. Our President is not purposely trying to make those opposing this bill look like “bad guys.” I feel that the President is doing what he feels is best for our country, and I think the bill is a necessity for our future. People may not agree with his policies, but threatening our fellow citizens is not the way to get ones point across. Barack Obama is our leader and he represents the majority of the votes in the election. If the majority did not like him, he would not have been elected into the presidency. Instead of this violent protesting, people should find nonviolent ways of expressing their opinion.
Links:
1.http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/24/congress.threats/index.html?npt=NP1
2.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36020850/ns/politics-capitol_hill/
3.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/health/policy/25health.html?bl
4. Bible (not a link, but is a link necessary for the Bible?)
Amy Heath
While my classmates take a look at the larger things going on in life, I think I’ll take a look at something less important. Just the other day, a man in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania was seen doing something very odd beside a road. The man had taken upon himself to be the savior of a long-dead piece of road kill. He “attempted to resuscitate ‘a road-killed opossum,’ state police say. But this was one possum who wasn't playing possum -- the ugly creature remained dead.” The man in question was named Donald Wolfe, and he’d had one drink to many. The state police found Donald while engaged in his noble, yet futile pursuit, and charged him with “public drunkenness.” The only question about this whole encounter pertains to how Donald went about trying to “resurrect” the deceased animal. Unfortunately the “state police news release did not specify how Wolfe was allegedly trying to revive the road kill.” Also the arresting officer was unavailable for any kind of insight on the matter.
ReplyDeleteAny deep opinion I have on this matter is going to have to be a little abstract. On one side of this story are the obvious admonitions: don’t drink, don’t do stupid things in public, and don’t touch dead animals because they might contain diseases. On the flip side there is something deeper to be learned from this humorous story. I think that the drunken man could symbolize a Christian who has been trying to do things his own way for his entire life, and finally, the day of judgment comes and God says, “you should have done it my way, did you not see that your way was futile and sinful?” Just like trying to revive a dead opossum is futile, disgusting, and bad for your health; ignoring God’s way of doing things and going your own way is futile, sinful, and bad for your spiritual health.
Honestly I don’t know what your last question means. This quote is relevant to me in a spiritual and physical way. On the physical side I shouldn’t drink, touch dead animals, or do stupid things in public. On the spiritual side I should do things God’s way and not my own way. If you mean how can discussing, reporting on, and quoting a specific subject be relevant to me, then that’s another whole ballpark. This skill will help me through college, and it is a necessary trait for discussing news with anybody, anywhere
These are the sources I looked at.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/26/opossum.drunk/index.html?hpt=T2
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100326/NEWS01/303260013/1002/NEWS01
http://www.freep.com/article/20100326/NEWS07/100326051/1322/Police-Drunken-Pennsylvania-man-tries-to-revive-roadkill
The United States Military is under the spotlight right now, with the issue to repeal the "Don't ask, don't tell" Policy regarding the admittance of openly homosexual men or women into the military.
ReplyDeleteThe policy now in effect, the "Don't ask don't tell" policy, allows homosexuals to be in the military, only if their homosexuality is kept "in the closet." Most homosexuals find this very offensive and are trying to lift this policy so that they can have equal rights. This is not the first time that this issue has been brought up in court: "The argument is not an old one...President Clinton's move to lift the ban in 1993..." The current movement will most likely cause the ban to be lifted, causing great relief for the homosexuals and bisexuals who desire to be a part of our military. It will definitely be a very big step for gay rights activists as well as equal rights activists.
The main reason that the military is opposed to having homosexual and bisexual members is simply because "lifting the ban would harm unit cohesion, recruitment and retention, and would ultimately "break the All-Volunteer Force."' Many argue that a large number of gays and lesbians have been serving openly for lengthy amounts of time without any problems. There have been studies done, but the latest study that proved that openly homosexual service would hinder the operation of the military was performed in the 1950s; the latest studies have shown that everything would be virtually the same if homosexuals and bisexuals were allowed to be open with their sexuality.
I, personally, think that things are fine the way they are; it's been this way for as long as our country has been around. Also, the whole gay rights and equality for all movements have almost seemed to have become a kind of "fad." I'm not saying this because I'm against gay rights, but we did not see this huge movement until fairly recently. It seems as if it is popular to be for gay rights, just like it is popular to be "green" or environmentally friendly. For example, I was watching the news the other day about the Health Care movement and a woman who was a member of the National Black Caucus was speaking about the views of the African American population concerning the bill. Is there a National White Caucus? No. Why? Maybe because if there was, it would be seen as racism. This could be applied to many things in today's politics and issues.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/16/frank.gays.military/index.html#cnnSTCText
Oh, I forgot to answer the last question.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important for us to know about current events because we will soon be old enough to vote, and to vote we need to know what is going on in our country.
I had recently heard a disturbing story. The Texas School Board is currently fighting to rewrite U.S. History according to Conservative ideals.
ReplyDeleteThis horrifies me beyond belief.
What could possibly be wrong with American history the way it is? I mean, it's history. It's already happened. But, apparently, indisputable fact is too difficult for the TSB to comprehend, as it is doing away with all things it doesn't agree with.
So here's what's happening.
“Conservative textbook activists believe that somehow what they call the "revisionist" history of recent decades needs to be "balanced." Hence their insistence that, for example, textbooks stress the superiority of American "free enterprise" -- they think the word "capitalism" is too negative. And they insist books stress, as school board chairman Don McLeroy put it, that 'America was built on Biblical ideals.' What's wrong with this picture? For one thing, the process itself undermines the hard work, research and professional judgments of teachers and outside experts who toil to come up with a coherent curriculum.”
There is, however, a small problem with this. America was not founded upon Biblical ideals, but rather on the Deistic beliefs of our founding fathers. But the TSB is doing away with them as well: “The board has moved aggressively to put its hard-right conservative stamp on what students need to learn about the American past. Among the changes made by the board was the elimination of Thomas Jefferson from a list of thinkers who had inspired revolutions around the world. Conservatives object to Jefferson's support for a clear separation of church and state.”
Ah, well that solves that problem, right?
The fact that “teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state. . .” really vexes me. What's more important, teaching future generations about the incredible country that our founding fathers (namely, Thomas Jefferson) established or making sure that our children learn about their religious beliefs so they can shun them if they were not “Christians” per-say?
You know what I call that? Brainwashing.
Furthermore, the TSB wants to modify quite a few other pieces of U.S. History:
>Replaces "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government with "constitutional republic."
>In addition to learning the Bill of Rights, the board specifies a reference to the Second Amendment right to bear arms in a section about citizenship in a U.S. government class.
>In teaching about the civil rights movement, students must learn about the violent philosophy of the Black Panthers in addition to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent approach.
>In sociology, requires the teaching of "the importance of personal responsibility for life choices" in a section on teen suicide, dating violence, sexuality, drug use and eating disorders.
I have some serious issues with the TSB. What's so terrible about teaching history according to how it ACTUALLY happened?
Here's how I see it. History happened, and there's nothing the TSB can do about that. If Conservatives want to rewrite history so it can agree with them, then so be it. But here's my word of advice: DON'T. Teaching future Texans according to this right-wing agenda (or any political agenda, for that matter) will strike the children with a fatal syndrome – ignorance. It is not bliss at all. Ignorance will ultimately be the end of humanity as it is not progressive, but rather regressive. I believe an ignorance in history, especially, will cause it to repeat itself. But if that's what the TSB wants, that's what it will get.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/18/czitrom.texas.textbooks/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35839979/ns/us_news-education/
The current event I choose to discuss is Earth Hour. This subject had me on the fence at first, but I soon found a basis for my opinions.
ReplyDelete"On Saturday night, the famous Sydney Operra House in Austrailia was one of the first landmarks to turn off the lights in an hour-long gesture to berepeated by millions of people around the world who are making a stand to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Following in Austrailla's shoes, buildings in some 4,ooo cities in more than 120 countries will be expeted to turn out the lights and draw attention to the dangers of climate change,according to the organizers."
"The event will include participants from around the world, with people turning off the lights when the clock strikes 8:30 p.m. local time. From Paris to New York,landmarks and skylines will dim."
As I read this article from Yahoo News, I asked myself, "Isn't there a more important cause the world could be coming together to make a stand against than greenhouse gas emissions?" So I went up on the official website of earth hour,www.myearthohur.org,to do a bit of research on why this is so important.
"Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air,dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air,strong economic future and a more secure nation."
Sure this is all very good and well, but isn't a single hour dedicated to conserving energy a bit much? I mean, as soon as that hour is up, the lights go back on. The pollution continues,the planet keeps doing what nature intended it to do. In my opinion, cities and nations across the world should be binding together to make a stand on something that involves the millions of children and families who are strarving to death,or the funding to build schools and hospitalsin impoverished countries for crying out loud. I understand that the earth is being polluted beause of the amount of electricity being used, but what can you do? If the cities really want to make a difference, they can put their time in energy into supporting something that is really important.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100327/ap_on_re_as/earth_hour;
www.myearthhour.org/about/mission-history-and-earth-hour-2010
Megan Parker
Recently, in a coal mine located in northern China, after a flood swept through the area it has been reported that 153 workers are trapped. On Sunday night, it was reported that 123 workers were missing, and it is unclear how the number jumped to 153. 261 workers were working that night, and 108 were lifted to safety.
ReplyDeleteRescuers continue to struggle to save the trapped workers. In recent years, China has made attempts at improving the safety conditions of their mines. However, even with these improvements, the mining conditions in China remain to be the worst and most dangerous of all.
I believe that it is important to know current events because it is important to be aware of what is going on in the world. We shouldn't go through life only being concerned about the issues that directly face us, we should be aware of those affecting others as well.
Sources
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-03/28/c_13227939_2.htm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtv5g3SogRCpX-mQE8lqlqDkRVYQD9ENVMP80
the site was good enough to get more information about studies is abroad form
ReplyDeleteother sites which i visited last month and its was worth then other.
study abroad