Andrew A.
Post number: 2
Topic: Health
Title of Article: Health Care Reform: Why it's safe from the supreme court
Author: Mike Sacks
Publication Name: Huffington Post
Date of Publication: 03/18/2012
Length of Article: 1 page


The health care bill which was forced through congress by the combined power of the democrats and Obama, is now being challenged by libertarian conservatives. The health care bill requires all citizens to purchase the minimum health care possible if they can afford to do so. It incurs tax penalties for those who fail to do so, under the reasoning that their health care bills must be covered by themselves not by the federal government. This has been viewed with widespread outcry by Americans who "want the government to leave them alone." What they aren't saying though is that they would be willing to pay for their own medical bills instead they want the government to pay for them without increasing taxes. 


The author of this article believes that the health care bill which will soon be heard in the supreme court will not be struck down by the supreme court. As it stands the court is conservatively aligned with five conservative judges to four liberal judges. However the conservative judges believe in something called judicial restraint, which says that judges must only strike down things which are obviously against the constitution, and ignore any gray areas. Following this reasoning they are likely to uphold the law, because it follows the idea that congress can regulate interstate commerce.

Apps Seek to Help Phone Users Track Data

Cassie Posting number: 2
Topic: Technology
Title: Apps Seek to Help Phone Users Track Data
Author: Jenna Wortham
Source: New York Times
March 2, 2012
Article length: 2 pages

Companies are now introducing services and applications to help manage cellphone users' data. To help users get the most out of their data plans, companies such as Onavo are developing softwares that minimize data use, such as automatically switching to Wi-Fi when a network is detected. Because smartphones have become increasingly popular, more concern has risen over fear of cell phone bills. One of the reasons it is so difficult for users to keep track of data is the fact that the typical smart phone has so many uses such as listening to music or browsing the web. Also, apps are primarily data inefficient, meaning developers do not limit their app's data, focusing more on efficiency. With this, Onavo plans on uses their new app which requires users to change their phone settings to route data through Onavo's servers. This forces the user to conserve, by shrinking image files or storing pictures from Twitter, instead of having users find pictures repeatedly on each visit. Carriers are also looking at ways to deal with data traffic by switching users to Wi-Fi networks. WeFi is a new start-up based in Israel, which puts cellphones onto Wi-Fi for data when possible. With the increasing demand for mobile data, industries are receiving more than they can handle.

I believe that Onavo's app will prove itself to be successful in the future. With our society's increased dependency on smart phones, the app will further increase efficiency within the user. Allowing people to use their data plan to the fullest, this app helps not only with the user's convenience, but with their bills at well. Hopefully, more people will discover Onavo's new innovation, and recognize the company's achievements so far.

Why the interest in illegal cell-phone jammers?

Andrew M      Posting 2
Tech
Why the interest in illegal cell-phone jammers?
CNN, Doug Gross, Mar 05, 2012
598 words

At this day and age its become incredibly easy to buy anything when you want it on the internet.  Now it happens to be that one of those things is a cell phone jammer. It's incredibly when one is riding the bus, in a store, or relatively any small public area, and someone is yelling into his or her cell phone. Now, in response to these constant loud mouths, people are buying cell phone jammers, to use at their will. They are even sold at a relatively small price starting at around $40. One man in Philadelphia even admitted to using his jammer in his bus to shut up his surrounding people yacking on his or her phone. However, not only will his annoy the people on his or her phone, but it also happens to be illegal. Using a jammer illegally can lead up to $16,000 in fines and even jail time. Many others think that using a jammer is completely ludicrous. One women states, "Who is he to play god with our cellphones?"

In conclusion, people are using their privileges on the internet for some of the wrong reasons. It's simply breaking the law, and completely violating other peoples' rights and privacy. This is also becoming more and more popular which is a startling fact. Who is to say who gets to decide when and when not you can call someone. It would be nice if every one was silent during your morning commute to work, but imagine if you were in the middle of an important phone call and all the sudden it went blank.

On Cybercrime and Terrorism

Marisa
Post number: 2
Topic: technology
Title of Article: "FBI Director says cybercrime will eclipse terrorism"
Author: Stacy Cowley
Publication Name: cnn.com
Date of Publication: March 2nd, 2012
Length of Article: 1 page

In a speech on Thursday [March 1st], FBI director Robert Mueller declared that cyber attacks, such as the hacking of government databases, will soon overtake terrorism in seriousness.  Though he assured those gathered at the RSA Cyber Security Conference that "terrorism remains the FBI's top priority," he also warned that the cyber threat would pose a greater threat to the world, and that the FBI will "take lessons learned from fighting terrorism and apply them to cyber crime."  This mindset has led to the creation of a cybersecurity squad in each field office, boasting a total of 1000 agents and analysts.  A similar approach was used after the September 11th attacks, when the FBI formed 100 joint anti-terrorism forces.  He also reached out to the private sector for their assistance, since most companies prefer to deal with security breaches internally.  Under the idea that "'there are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those that will be," it is crucial that there is cooperation between the FBI and corporations, for the sake of the security of not only government information, but that of private citizens.  Mueller also mentioned the ties between social networking and terrorist groups, such as the Twitter account for Al Shabaab, the Al Qaeda link in Somalia. 

Personally, I feel that the FBI has been somewhat slow to recognize cybercrime as a significant threat.  In light of the numerous attacks conducted by Anonymous over the course of the last year, and other security breaches [Mueller also alluded to state-sponsored hackers as part of the problem], it should be apparent that cybercrime is, and will continue to be, an issue.  As a threat to security of both groups and persons, it deserves its status as a force to be reckoned with, as do its proponents. 

[full-length article here][read more from PC Magazine here]

Janine
Current Event #2
Topic: Technology
Title: As New iPad Debut Near, Some See Decline of PCs
Author: Nick Wingfield
New York Times
March 5, 2012
Article length: 1038 words

It is highly possible the day will come when tablet devices like the Apple iPad outsell tradition personal computers. Many analysts and veteran technology industry executives contend that the torrid growth rates of the iPad, combined with tablet competiton from the likes of Amazon.com and Microsoft, make a changing in popularly a when, not if. Tablet sales are likely to increase dramatically this week when Apple introduces its newest version of the iPad, which is expected to have a higher- resolution screen. Brad Silverberg, a venture capitalist and a former Microsoft executive concludes that the Tablet is the latest and greatest in up and coming technology.

In 2011, PCs outsold tablets almost six to one, which was a considerable change from 2010, when PCs outsold tablets 20 to one. For the last two years, PC sales were flat, while iPad sales were booming.  Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, estimates that iPads will outsell PCs in the year 2017. Microsoft's introduction of Windows 8 promises to shake up computer designs further. Microsoft and its hardware partners have shown laptops with keyboards that can be swiveled around or removed altogether, turning them into tablets. The tablet and PC markets are going to blur together, both making form-factor innovations that will keep them in competition with each other for years to come.

The tie between college and liberals

name: Joshua
topic: politics/education
posting number 2
title of article:Does college make you liberal-- or do liberals make colleges?
author:Chris Mooney
publication name: Huffingtonpost
date of publication: march 1st 2012
length of article: 955 words

This article delves into the claim made by Rick Santorum that college makes people less religious. Santorum goes even further to claim that colleges are “indoctrination mills” where conservatives are punished for their views. Though Santorum repeatedly claims that 62% of individuals with religious affiliations entering college stray from their religion after their college experience, his statistics were found to be extremely errant. Recent studies have found that those who do not attend college are, in fact, more likely (by 12%) to leave their religion than are those who attend college. Though it is difficult and complex to try and correlate religion and a university degree, it has been found, over all, that on average, “education positively affects religious participation”.

Now on Santorum’s second point, the article concedes that colleges and the world of academia, science specifically, tends to be more liberal than conservative. The article poses, however, that this is due to the fact that liberals and conservatives have different goals in life, economically and educationally. The article claims that while liberals value pedagogy more for the sake of learning and thus are more likely to stay within the world of academia, conservatives aim more to attain economical preeminence and thus shy away from long stays in colleges and tend to gravitate more towards the world of business. Chris Mooney claims that this is the reason for the discrepancy and thus it is not so much that colleges breed liberals as much as it is that liberals tend to “make colleges” as they are the ones who really stay for longer strides and are, generally, more likely to go on to obtain graduate and doctorate degrees.

Chris Mooney claims that colleges and the world of academia in general is a place where liberals are more at ease because of their end goals. He also ties this aspect of colleges to science noting that scientific inquiry is analogous to a college experience sought after by liberals. He thus generalizes that some conservatives will always feel uneasy about this system. It is essential to note that Chris Mooney is an acclaimed author who has written about the conservative attack on science. It is thus important to realize the bias going into this article and the way the facts are portrayed. It does, however, present an interesting phenomena occurring in colleges throughout the nation, and the reasons behind it.

Mooney, Chris. "Does College Make You Liberal -- or Do Liberals Make Colleges?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 May 2012. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. mooney/does-college-make-you-lib_b_1312889.html?ref=science>.

Andrew D.
Current Event #2
Topic: Health
Senate Rejects Step Targeting Coverage of Contraception
Robert Pear
New York Times
March 1, 2012
Article length: 1056 words

The Senate as of recently decided in favor of Obama's birth control policy. This heated debate has been raging in the senate heavily dividing the Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are in favor of protecting women's health rights in their decision in having a child. Republicans strongly opposed the policy and accused the Democrats of infringing of religious freedom and the Constitution. The Democrats in the senate disagreed and defended themselves by claiming that the Republican health care proposal had gone far beyond contraception by giving the power to religious institutions to deny other health issues.

It appears that this sensitive issue will continue to spark more controversy. The Democrats claim that the Republican proposal had gone to far was a similar argument many Americans had claimed about the SOPA Bill. Thought the SOPA bill had good intentions the way it had been presented and written would allow companies to exploit the bill in their favor beyond copyrights.



http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/us/politics/senate-kills-gop-bill-opposing-contraception-policy.html?_r=1&ref=health

"Loose talk of war" President says

Josie
Current Event Number: 2
Topic: Leaders
Title: 'Loose Talk of War' Only Helps Iran, President Says
Author: Helen Cooper
Publication Name: New York Times
Date of Publication: March 4, 2012
Length of Article: 1034 words

This article is discussing Obama's speech about the issues in Israel and Iran. He used this speech to address the Republican presidential candidates who have turned the Iran's nuclear issue into a hot topic, making it a big deal and therefore putting America's and Israel's security in jeopardy. They did this by talking too loosely of war. Obama had a hard time trying to commit himself to Israel's security, at the same time not making a strike against Iran. The Republican candidates have disapproved of his tactics, but Obama has promised vigilance to make sure that Iran doesn't start to make weapons of mass destruction. Many other countries have become involved with negotiations trying to convince Iran to stop their uranium enrichment, but some people think they (Iran) are just stalling. Obama made it clear in his speech that he wanted to use military force as a last resort. “I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And as I’ve made clear time and again during the course of my presidency, I will not hesitate to use force when it is necessary to defend the United States and its interests.” he says to the crowd in Washington. He thinks that "as part of my solemn obligation to the American people, I only use force when the time and circumstances demand it."


In conclusion this speech allowed him to address the American people and tell them what his opinions on this issue of nuclear weapons in Iran are compared to the policies of the Republican party. Now it is important as ever for him to get his voice heard, but follow his policies about war with the elections just around the corner. 

Judge unlikely to face removal for racist message about Obama

Name: Emmanuel

Topic: Leaders

Current Event: #2

Title: Judge unlikely to face removal for racist message about Obama

Author: Bill Mears and Moni Basu

Publication: CNN

Date: 3/2/2012

Length: 817 words

Judge Richard Cubell, federal chief justice of the 9th circuit court, forwarded an email insulting Obama saying "Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching, I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine." The original message was, ""A little boy said to his mother, 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?' His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'" Advocacy groups like Common Cause called for his resignation. Unfortunately, there isn't really a system to discipline judges unless they commit a crime. Therefore, the judge's only consequence is embarrassment by the media. However, the Judge Cubell did apologize profusely and accepted responsibility. He claimed he is not racist and was just doing it because of political disagreement with the President. The judge did break a set of ethical standards set by the Department of justice saying "to act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary."

The quick timing and negative response from the public shows that the media is truly what keeps our politicians in check. However, the government should not depend on the media to expose bad leadership and corruptness in the government. A tighter systems of checks and balances needs to be in place to make sure that these men of power do not abuse it.

I think that he should face a consequence for his actions, as a leader in the government, we cannot tolerate him being disrespectful and racist if we want to eliminate racism. People in government are looked up to by the people, and must lead by example. However, I think a resignation is too extreme for this case, instead I believe he should participate in some community service to win back respect from people.

'Spice' drug tied to kidney failure cases in Wyoming

By - Jill

Topic - Health

Title - 'Spice' drug tied to kidney failure cases in Wyoming

Publication Name - MSNBC

Author - Laura Zuckerman

Date - March 4, 2012

Length - 416 words

In a few serious cases relating to spice, or synthetic marijuana, three people have been greatly effected. The people effected are around their teenage and twenties years. The people effected have been hospitalized with the reason being kidney failure or related. Their symptoms included regurgitation and posterior pain. As far as can be determined, the cause leading to this hospitalization is a contaminated batch of blueberry spice. In response, attempts have been made to outlaw specific chemicals in spice. Thus far, outlawed chemicals have been ineffective is preventing smoking of spice. people are now working to outlaw entire groups of compounds. People have been smoking the spice because it is coated in THC like chemicals, and produces a high effect without showing up on drug tests. The cases reported have been in Casper, Wyoming in the last few weeks.

Spice still has much unknown, so the future conditions of the patients can not yet be determined. Now, perhaps more research and specific procedures will be applied when it comes to spice. Spice, which is a lesser form of JWH, another form of synthetic THC, can also have other bad outcomes and side effects. It can destroy the receptors. It can also have harmful byproducts unknown yet.

Personally, I feel that it is ridiculous that people who can no longer smoke marijuana due to drug tests, are then pressured to smoke an artificial substance. Because spice in a designer drug, it is not surprising that the contamination happened, and also, will probably happen again. The outbreak has not yet become widespread, so it is unlikely that there will even be an effort made to recall the product.

Sugar makes up 16% of kids' daily diet

Name: Max
Topic: Health
Title of Article: Sugar makes up 16% of kids' daily diet
Publication Name: CNN
Author: Madison Park
Date of Publication: 2/29/2012
Length of Article: 200 words

According to a new report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, sugar now makes up an average of 16% of a kid's diet. This includes sugars from table sugar to sugar substitutes like high-fructose corn syrup. In addition, the report found that boys had a much higher sugar intake than girls. To be exact, boys consumed 362 calories of sugar on average, compared to 282 calories for girls. Sugar intake was also found to increase by age, starting at 218 grams at ages 2-5 and reaching 442 calories for ages 12-19. White males and females were found to eat the most sugar. Lastly, the report showed that 66% of the sugar intake happened at home, as opposed to school cafeterias or vending machines.

This report completely changed my knowledge of sugar intake in the US. It was especially surprising because kids from as young as elementary schoolers learn about the food triangle, which decrees that sugar take up only a tiny portion of our diets. However, it is clear that we are not heeding this good advice. From the results of the report, I find it no surprise that obesity is so high in the US. In addition, I was horrified to learn that kids received the majority of their sugar at home. This completely contradicted the popular belief that sodas and unhealthy cafeteria food were the culprits of high sugar intake. In fact, while we have been avoiding sugar intake from outside sources, we have completely thrown away our caution in our own homes. And because this report came from children, I think that adults are mostly to blame for this issue. However, it is up to everybody to maintain a good healthy diet. I will be sure to be watching my sugar intake from now on, both inside and outside of my house, and I hope that others will do the same.

Survey says most U.S. cell phone owners have smartphones; so what?

Name: Jeffrey

Topic: Technology

Title of Article: Survey says most U.S. cell phone owners have smartphones, So what?

Publication Name: CNN

Author: Amy Gahran

Date of Publication: 3/2/2012

Length of Article: 3 pages 1000 words

Recent statistics indicate that a growing number of Americans our now operating smart phones. Survey count report that out of the 88% of Americans who operate a mobile telephone, 53% of Americans own smartphones. Leading brands are Android and Apple leading at 20% and 19% of the market respectively. The highest growth of smartphone ownership, 12%, is among Americans in the lowest income bracket at $30,000 a year. This indicates a growing affordability of the smartphone among the average American. Sources also state that 8% precent of all mobile phone owners are unsure of whether their phone is a "smartphone" or not. Many simply believe that any phone with internet access is a smart phone, likewise, many Blackberry users didn't consider their phones to be smart phones.

Although smartphone usage has exceeded the half way mark and are obviously becoming the norm, not all smart phones are as evolved as the most recent Android and Apple models. Many users tend to use older phones with weaker processors since an update would mean spending hundreds of dollars. In addition, most users cannot fully appreciate the full capabilities of a smart phone and will stick mainly to the standard features of the phone. Just because smartphones are becoming mainstream, doesn't mean that the benefits they bring are even appreciated among their users.

Prescription Painkillers: When Are They Too Much of a Good Thing

First Name: Sean Barry                                                              Current Event Posting Number: 2
Topic: Health
Title of Article: Prescription Painkillers: When Are They Too Much of a Good Thing?
Author: Michael Friedman
Publication Name: The Huffington Post
Date of Publication: March 1, 2012
Length of Article: 886 words


Taking prescription painkillers to manage chronic pain can become very dangerous, due to the fact that patients often find themselves heavily dependent on their medication. In extreme cases, patients will overdose, and some of them die as a result. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), overdoses of prescription painkillers have become a national epidemic. It is critically important to watch for symptoms of addiction if you or someone you care about is taking a prescription painkiller. Many people do not notice the insidious development of dangerous drug dependency, and this is why a strong knowledge of these symptoms is key. The CDC has recently released a list of important signs that suggest that the use of a prescription painkiller has become a dangerous addiction. These signs include increased poor performance at work and/or at home, change in relationships, changes in mood or other psychiatric symptoms. In addition, changes in overall activity, changes in appearance, and putting drugs before all else in a person's life are other signs of a severe addiction. Out of all these symptoms, the most obvious is that the patient is using more and more medication. Significant behavioral changes in a patient is a strong indication of possible addiction. For example, a man who used to play with his children sits silently in front of the TV, ignoring there basic needs. Changes in a patients mood can include becoming edgy, quick to anger, abusive, and paranoid.

In conclusion, as the number of patients abusing painkillers rises, awareness of symptoms and signs becomes increasingly important. The most successful treatment option for this national epidemic includes public education. Determining if someone has an opioid dependency can be as simple as noticing a negative change in their mental and physical state.

Personally, I find opioid addiction and abuse a serious issue that seems to be greatly forgotten by society. Society encourages the use of pills and stimulants as a quick and easy fix to health problems. Have back pain? There is a drug for that. How about anxiety? There is a drug for that also. This widespread attitude of acceptance of prescription drugs results in the idea that drugs prescribed to you aren't harmful. I believe this attitude in America is creating an increasingly dangerous opioid addiction problem.

Kara

Current Event Posting Number: 2

Topic: Technology

Title of Article: For iRobot, the Future Is Getting Closer

Author: Christopher Drew

Publication Name: The New York Times

Date of Publication: March 2, 2012

Length of Article: 1407 words

In Bedford, Massachusetts, iRobot Corporation has been developing a new robot called Ava. Ava is a 5' 4'' robot that uses an iPad or Android tablet as a brain and the same motion sensors as an Xbox to glide around. Previous developments of this corporation include the Roomba, vacuum cleaners that glide across the floor without assistance, and the bomb disposal robots that have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan to protect soldiers. Companies such as InTouch Health and Texas Instruments are partnering up with iRobot because its previous successes have proven effective and these new companies want to make Ava a powerful tool to appeal to different industries, such as military, health and entertainment. Mr. Angle, chief executive of iRobot, is hoping that Ava can allow doctors to medically treat victims and patients without actually being in the hospital or even in the same country. Ava has already been hooked up in smaller hospitals and has saved lives when a specialist has not been able to make it in time. The motion sensors on the bottom allow for Ava to move quickly without running into objects, especially in the hospital, which is an achievement compared to other robots that do not have the ability to clearly distinct space from other objects. The iPad/Android brain has a touch-screen, which is beneficial because it attracts all kinds of people due to its simplicity, including the elderly who can also use Ava as a companion (another one of Mr. Angle’s goals). Mr. Angle is planning on having Ava more widespread by next year, starting off in the medical field because it is estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars. His plans for the future involve using Ava at business meetings to speak wirelessly through Ava headgear and to have a person in two places at once if Ava works out in hospitals. 

Ava is an amazing technological achievement that will provide assistance in the form of a robot. This robot is going to be used for treating patients in hospitals, communicating in business meetings, and assisting the elderly. Although it is expensive, if the first few function properly and end in good results, it will be worth it to have these robots around because they have the ability to save lives. Ava will change the way people live and most likely the population will become dependent on robots, which causes risks in the future if these machines fail. However, Ava is only currently being used for medical purposes to ensure that there is help available when a situation is out of human control. 

Nine Schools Cited for Exam and Credit Irregularities

Kenny
Current Event Posting Number 2
Topic: education
Title of article: Nine Schools Cited for Exam and Credit Irregularities
Author: Anna M. Phillips
Publication Name: New York Times
Date of Publication: Feb 23, 2012
Length: 921

New York City's Education Department has called for investigation into nine high schools for irregularities in examinations or awarded credits. The officials found problems at 55 high schools. They found out that many students did not meet the requirement to graduate. 292 fell short on their requirements. Education officials also said the adult had prompted them to speed up plan that have Regents exams graded by someone other than school teachers. Many principals were not familiar with the graduation requirements. The department decided to create training sessions for the principals of 460 public high schools. Last year, cheating scandals erupted in Atlanta and Philadelphia. In New York City, complaints of cheating have risen in several years. Sate Education Department has appointed a special investigator to review how it receives and investigates compaints of test tampering.The audit found unusual Regents scores in 14 schools, including teacher giving points to students for blank answers.

Many schools do not give the students proper examination and credit to let student to meet the graduation; yet, some student still graduate without meeting the standard graduation requirement. Some principals do not know very well about the requirements, so the way teachers grade assignments are not always base on the skills of normal high school students. I think each high school should at least let students to meet the graduate requirement. Students will have really hard time to succeed in the future if they don't meet a simple requirement.

Invasion of the Flying Robots

Name: Sameeha

Posting #2

Topic: Technology

Title of article: Invasion of the Flying Robots

Author: Richard Galant

Publication Name: CNN

Date of Publication: March 4, 2012

Length of article: 1286 words

Last week, at a TED talk in Long Beach, several speakers showed the audience the extremely technologically advanced robots that they invented. One speaker brought a robotic hummingbird that was able to fly around through the auditorium and another talked about a hypersonic plane that was capable of flying from New York to California in 11 minutes. One invention that was especially impressive was created by engineering professor Vijay Kumar, who showed a video of his robots called the "Autonomous Agile Aerial Robots." These tiny flying robots are capable of performing many intricate maneuvers, like flying through hoops and other confined spaces. Also, they are capable of working together to complete tasks without colliding or interfering with one another. When the robots are formed into a flotilla, they are able to calculate and adjust their distance from other robots as fast as a hundred times per second. One robot, that weighs about a tenth of pound is capable of hovering when its four rotors spin at the same speed. Adjusting the speed of each rotor can cause the robot to fly higher, tilt, and flip over, without losing its stability. These robots would be extremely useful to help us respond to structural collapses or fires. The robots cooperate to build simple structures and can therefore enter a building for the first time and construct a map that could help firefighters or other response teams to assess the damage.

These robots are amazing because they are going to have applications in the real world and make a difference in our everyday lives. They can be used in construction because they can fly into buildings and quickly produce a simple map of the building's structure, helping contractors to determine which parts of the building they need to tear down and which parts can remain standing. As I mentioned before, they can also be used to help respond to emergencies. Dealing with fires, earthquakes, collapsed buildings, and other dangerous situations can be made safer if humans can avoid going into the buildings themselves until they know which parts of the building are stable and which parts aren't.

Police Monitoring and a Climate of Fear

Helen
Current Event Posting Number: 2
Topic: Civil Rights
Title of Article: Police Monitoring and a Climate of Fear
Author: Michael Powell
Publication Name: New York Times
Date of Publication: February 27, 2012
Length of Article:776 words/2 pages

                  As the New York Times and the Associated Press reported last week, the New York Police Department surveyed and infiltrated on a big scale various Muslim groups, mosques and businesses, even outside their jurisdiction, such as in Newark, New Jersey. Apparently the New York police department send undercover police officers to infiltrate and spy on these groups and organizations, even in the absence of any reasonable suspicion of wrong-doing. "The Associated Press broke the news that the Intelligence Division of the New York police had extended its writ hundreds of square miles east and west, carefully detailing mosques, dollar stores and restaurants, from Konak’s Turkish Cuisine in Farmingville, on Long Island, to this luncheonette on the western edge of Newark. They carefully recorded names, license plates and nationalities." They even kept a close eye on Muslim students at various local and Ivy league universities, such as Yale, Columbia, Syracuse, Rutgers, New York University, Brooklyn College and public state universities. These investigations were apparently prompted by continued fear of terrorist attacks, although the last terrorist attack happened by more than ten years ago. Many politicians and columnist at newspapers, such as Mike Lupica at the New York Daily News, support these warrant less activities, although they probably violate the Fourth Amendment and the Civil Rights of the people surveiled. The New York city Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly of course defend the action as being completely legal and justified by the effort to keep the country safe. However, There are also people concerned about civil liberties and the constitution, who worry that this unchecked behavior of the New York Police Department goes too far and who point out that no terrorist attack has been prevented by this program. Even New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies, a known conservative, express mild disapproval.

                  Clearly, it is important that police departments are active to prevent other acts of terrorism of happening in the US in their jurisdiction. This task may sometimes appear to be in opposition to the rights of citizens against warrant-less searches and surveillance. However, in the case of actual suspicion of terrorist planning no judge would deny a warrant. Therefore, one would expect the police to act within the law and ask for a warrant rather than to engage in wide spread fishing expeditions, which typically yield no results.

Article can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/nyregion/nypd-muslim-monitoring-and-a-climate-of-fear.html?scp=1&sq=nypd%20muslims&st=cse

Depression: An Evolutionary Byproduct of Immune System?

Matt S

Current Event Posting Number: 2

Title: Depression: An Evolutionary Byproduct of Immune System?

Topic: Science

Publication name: Science Daily

Publication Date: March 1st 2012

Length of Article: 528 Words

Depression is a very serious mental condition, and it is a widespread problem in the US today: 1 in 10 adults currently suffer from depression, and so biologists began wondering whether depression is "hard-wired" into our brains, not just a very common medical condition. Some proposed theories include that depression and behaviors linked to it can pose some sort of an evolutionary advantage. Two psychiatrists from an online journal called Molecular Psychiatry, say that the roles that depression plays in a social context can be a byproduct of evolution. They say that the immune system is much more resilient when depressed and that socially, depression is sort of a shield against harm. Andrew Miller and William Timmie say that some genetic variations promote depression because of its effect on the immune system and how it could have been used as an evolutionary strategy for survival; they have already linked genes and depression, but also that while depressed, one's body is stronger when fighting infection and diseases. For the past several years, researchers have seen links between depression and inflammation, aka "over-activation" of the immune system - they say that people with depression tend to have higher levels of inflammation, even if they're not fighting an infection. Miller says that almost all of the genetic variations that have been linked to depression turn out to affect the function of the immune system. Charles Raison, another scientist from Molecular Psychiatry, says that the fact that depression boosts the immune system means that it was a very useful tool for people and especially young children when dealing with an infection; even though it does nothing for that person's social well being and relationships. The authors also say that the psychological symptoms of depression also may have been a good evolutionary tool, that fatigue/inactivity, social avoidance and anorexia can all be seen as adaptive behaviors by someone when in need to contain an infection. Miller and Raison also share a theory about why stress is related to depression, the relationship between them comes to show that depression is a response made by the immune system to protect the body from the stress, as if the body sees it as sort of a wound or infection.

Depression has always been looked at as a mental disease/disability but this research suggests that we should look at is as a physical condition. These studies could point to the fact that many diseases that we think of as mental can turn out to be physically related to our bodies, and that they could be much more than just a brain malfunction. This also forces us to look at the causes of depression in a different way; for example stress and how it also affects us physically and not only emotionally. From now on, treatments for depression will need to take into account the physical aspect; therapy and seeing a psychiatrist may not be enough anymore. Also, if this research proves to be true, it means that we will need to look for different factors that cause depression and deal with them in a different way.

Obama Pledges to Stop an Iranian Nuclear Weapon

Olivia

Posting #2

Topic: Leaders

Title: Obama Pledges to Stop an Iranian Nuclear Weapon

Author: Tom Cohen

Publication: CNN

Date: March 4th, 2012

Length: 1,206 words

This article is about President Obama giving a speech about trying to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. This stems from a fear that the Israeli government will try to attack an Iranian nuclear facility. Israel is under the impression that Iran is trying to gain total control of the Middle East, through their nuclear weapons program. So far, Iran is thought to have injured two Israeli diplomats in Thailand and the Philippines. President Obama has called for diplomatic peace talks; however, he did emphasize that "all elements of American power" would be considered, such as force. He is pushing this issue because many Democrats (and him included) see this as a national security interest for both the US and Israel. He has already met with the Israel president, Shimon Peres, at a peace conference to discuss options for both the US and Israel.

President Obama and other officials will continue to meet and figure out a plan. He plans to also meet with the Israeli prime minister later this week. While all options are open to debate, both countries agree that peace is the preferred option. However, looking at Iran's persistence of continuing their nuclear development, both countries will undoubtedly have to consider other options.

I agree with President Obama that talking things out is the preferred method of reconciliation; however, as President Obama said, it cannot be the only option. I appreciate that he does not sugar coat what is going on and that he is willing to use force if necessary. However, I think he and President Peres need to be careful on how they go about this, because after all, the US does get a lot of oil from Iran, which we are very dependent upon. This is a tricky situation that both countries are in.

Is Diet Soda Addictive?

Name: Pallavi
Posting # : Current event posting # 2
Title: Is diet soda addictive?
Publication name: Yahoo news
Author: Lisa Collier Cool
Date of Publication: Feb 22, 2012
Length of article:  13 paragraphs

     Soda is one of many contributors to weight gain in many people around the world.  Surveys show that those who drink soft beverages rarely every stop after having one drink. 38 year old Darren Jones, from London, drinks about 18 cans of diet coke everyday(which is the equivalent of 42 liters a week). His addiction began to dominate his life and, due to his weight gain, caused many of his daily activities to come to a halt.

     Scientists show studies that religiously drinking coke can have rather negative impacts on the brain. "An 8-ounce Diet Coke gives you a measly 47 milligrams of caffeine." However, drinking almost 18 or more cans everyday will have serious impacts on not only your body, but, also your brain.  The brain begins to register the continuous drinking of coke as a habit, causing the person to subconsciously drink coke any time they take a break for lunch, watch TV, etc. Aside from negative impacts of addiction to diet coke, the continuous drinking will also increase the risk of harmful diseases such as, heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, preterm deliveries, and weight gain.
   
      In conclusion, although diet coke may be a tasty soft drink, in large amounts, it will always have negative reactions on the body. Over indulging on diet coke will cause the brain to register it as a habit and will make a person continuously drink on a hourly to daily basis.

A Tiny Horse That Got Even Tinier as the Planet Heated Up

Leilan

Current Event Posting #2

Science

"A Tiny Horse That Got Even Tinier as the Planet Heated Up" by James Gorman

New York Times

Published February 23, 2012

Length: 2 pages

When the word "prehistoric" is brought up, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the dinosaur and the grim ending they all faced around 65 million years ago. It is unlikely that an asteroid will be the thing to strike down all life on Earth, as was the case with the prehistoric lizards we all came to know through Jurassic Park. Instead of a killer rock from outer space, climate change may be the most pressing environmental danger of our time--something that we are getting more and more familiar with in our daily lives. As James Gorman wrote, "rising seas, killer storms, droughts, extinctions and money wasted on snowblowers" are all signs that the temperature of the Earth as a whole is rising. Though there weren't any expensive snowblowers around 56 million years ago to clog up the atmosphere, the Earth was warming up at that time as well. This had an interesting effect on the size of the mammals of the era, scientists say, observed through the size pattern on a certain animal known as Sifrhippus.

Sifrhippus, also known as the first horse, makes an interesting study of the effects of global warming on mammals. By studying the skeletal structure of this prehistoric horse, scientists Ross Secord, Jonathan Bloch, and their team of researchers were able to directly tie the shrinking in size of the Sifrhippus to the warming of the planet. During a period of global warming which lasted about 175,000 years, in which temperatures rose by 9 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, the little horse got 30 percent smaller over the first 130,000 years; the weight of the horse went from 15 pounds at its largest to only 8.5 pounds at the smallest.

Secord speculates that the reason for this change seems to be natural selection, because a smaller mammal has an “easier time [shedding] excess heat.” The question stands: will the horses or other mammals around today begin to shrink as well? Unlikely, as the current warming period is over hundreds of years, not thousands, as it was in Sifrhippus’ case, and the fact that the tiny horse was the size of the domestic cat. Does this mean that your cat will shrink? Again, that is far-fetched, but trends have been noticed in birds that are reducing in size in response to global warming. However, that broaches the disturbing question: “Can mammals keep up?” 

Read the article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/science/sifrhippus-the-first-horse-got-even-tinier-as-the-planet-heated-up.html?_r=1&ref=science

Six-Legged Giant

First Name: Angela

Current Event Posting: 2

Topic: Science

Title of Article: Six-Legged Giant Finds Secret Hideaway, Hides for 80 Years

Author: Robert Krulwich                     Publication Name: NPR: National Public Radio

Date of Publication: February 29, 2012

Length of Article: 1,407 words, 3 pages

                The article starts off with a story about these large insects dating back to 1918. There used to be a stick insect that was famous for being large. This insect was the size of a human hand, and it was so long enough (12 cm) that the Europeans labeled it a “tree lobster”. Then one day, a supply ship, the S.S. Makambo from Britain landed at the Lord Howe Island and had to be evacuated. And here’s what happened: “It took nine days to repair the Makambo, and during that time, some black rats managed to get from the ship to the island, where they instantly discovered a delicious new rat food: giant stick insects. Two years later, the rats were everywhere and the tree lobsters were gone.” By 1960, it was presumed to be extinct.

                Then in 2001, Australian scientists David Priddel and Nicholas Carlile decided to scale up a 500 foot rock called the Ball’s Pyramid, to check out stories of climbers who had seen stick insect corpses lying on the rocks that looked “recently dead.” They found a single melaleuca bush, and in the soil below, they found a species of large shiny insects. There were only 24 of them on the entire island, and they were all under this bush.  The scientists decided to take a pair back to the Melboune Zoo, and named them “Adam” and “Eve”. Eve’s first batch of eggs had only 30 fertile ones, but they became the foundation of the zoo’s new population of walking sticks. 7 years later, the zoo had 11,376 rows of incubating eggs and 700 adults in the captive population.

                The only question now is when the right time will be for the scientists to release the population of Lowe Island Walking Sticks back onto the island. The descendants of the black rats still populate the island, so an option would be to mount an intensive rat annihilation program. However, the residents of the island would also not want their neighborhoods crawling with giant insects. In my opinion, I would launch the annihilation program because rats can be found anywhere in this world. These insects on the other hand are only found on this particular island for now, and I would much rather have to deal with harmless giant stick insects than rats.

Here is the link for anyone interested in pictures of the insects, Ball’s Pyramid, and a video of the insect hatching. (Unless you’re squeamish towards any sized insect, then I would definitely not recommend it as these guys are huge.) http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/six-legged-giant-finds-secret-hideaway-hides-for-80-years?sc=fb&cc=fp

Minority Leader pays deep care to violent storms

First Name: Derek
Current Event Posting Number: 2
Topic: Leader
Title of article: McConnell Keeping ‘Close Eye’ on Storms in Kentucky and the Midwest
Author: Sunlen Miller
Publication Name: abc News
Date of Publication: March 1, 2012
Length of article: 1 page


Few days ago, the rash tornados and storms ravaged the Midwest and South, killing at least 12 people in three states. According to reports of scientists, the twister that blasted Harrisburg, Southern Illinois, was an EF4, the second-highest rating based on damage. Researchers said it was 200 yards wide with winds up to 170 mph. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, an arm of the National Weather Service (NWS), informed that at least 16 tornadoes moved from Nebraska and Kansas to southern Missouri, up to Illinois and over to Kentucky. Over 300 reports of severe weather in the last 36 hours included golf-ball-size hail and damaging thunderstorm winds gusting over 80 mph. Mitch McConnell, the senator from Kentucky and minority leader, continues to monitor his home state and others under affection of the recent natural disasters. Cities in the path of violent storms included Branson, Mo., which was severely struck on Wednesday, to Memphis, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Nashville, Jackson, Miss., Atlanta, Cincinnati and Raleigh. McConnell assures on the Senate floor this morning that he will make sure the victims have everything they need to clean up, rebuild and reclaim their dignity from the wreckage of this tragedy. The NWS warned that the severe weather threat isn’t over. Meteorologist Ryan Jewell predicts the next system is forecast to take a path similar to Wednesday's and has the potential to inflict even more damage on Friday. 


McConnell will join his colleagues from the affected states in keeping in his thoughts today of all those affected by these storms, especially the families of those lost. The Senator intends to extend gratitude to the first responders in Kentucky and across the entire Midwest who have risen to the occasion. He hopes to provide the much-needed with response and relief.