Saturday, April 30, 2016

2 Children Found Tied in Texas Backyard// Arianna Sotero

Around midnight on Thursday, Texas deputies were sent to a house after a neighbor called 9-1-1 to complain about, "too much crying." When there was no answer to the front door, deputies went around to the backyard. They reported,  "There was no slack in the chain. His pants were down. You could tell he'd been here for a while. And then a short distance away, a 3 year-old girl was tied to a door with a dog leash who was just exhausted." The two children were quickly rushed to the hospital. Deputies decided to check inside the house and discovered six more children ranging from 10 months to 13 years, clearly abandoned with no adult supervision whatsoever. The mother was found and she  was charged with injury to child by omission. 


It is truly disheartening to hear what these children and to go through and what they will probably remember for the rest of their lives. But, I am glad that officers discovered these children early enough before anything else happened to them. The deputies were able to respectively search the house and save the other children thanks to the 4th amendment, established in 1791, which states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” It is also great to know that the mother is being rightfully charged for her ignorance and neglect. 


Link: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/29/us/texas-toddlers-tied-up-in-backyard/index.html

Black Bear Breaks Free- Emily Eppig

       Tuffy, a black bear, was rescued by a Chinese bile farm where he was kept in poor conditions for years. The farm extracted the bears' bile for the use of many Chinese antidotes and medicines. 6 other bears were rescued from various bile farms by activists to be rehabilitated from their injuries and enjoy a better life. Tuffy was so happy to have been rescued from a lifetime of imprisonment and torture that he can be seen dancing and splashing about in videos online.
       Even though Tuffy was saved, there are still thousands of bears being held captive in china being subjected to the same torture. Animal rescuers cant stop until every animal is healthy and living happily and freely, the way they were supposed to.
       This issue is similar to the muckrakers of the early 1900s who exposed social injustices. Animal activists are working to expose these terrible living conditions for animals in order to gain awarness and support. Hopefully their efforts will not go in vain and every animal will one day be able recieve justice.

Source: http://www.dogonews.com/2016/4/28/free-at-last-tuffy-the-bear-rejoices-after-being-rescued-from-bile-farm


Madi Thoele, 4th Period: BYU Students Punished After Reporting Sexual Assault

Summary: Too many women from Brigham Young University claim they receive only punishment after reporting sexual violence to the school.
Brooke (she does not want to disclose her last name) was raped in February of 2014, when she was a freshman. She was with a group of boys at an off-campus apartment and took hallucinogens voluntarily, thinking everyone else was going to do them, but turned out being the only one. She was then pulled into a bedroom. All 3 men assaulted her and 1 raped her. Brooke reported the case to the police, but 10 days later, she decided not to press charges, afraid of having to suffer through a long trial process. Brooke, however, did tell BYU's Title IX office, which deals with student sexual harassment and sexual violence. Her rapist was a student, and she wanted to keep the other students safe. "Because of the fact that I was on drugs, they used that reason to kick me out of school after reporting it", she said. The Mormon university said Brooke violated its Honor Code, a student code of conduct that bans things like drug and alcohol use, premarital sex, and going into the bedroom of someone of the opposite gender, all on and off campus.
University spokeswoman Carri Jenkins defends the policy. "A student would never, never, never have an Honor Code review for reporting sexual assaults, for being a victim of sexual assault." She said it would have to be an "egregious violation" that would create an Honor Code investigation from details of a report of sexual violence.
Sophomore Madi Barney, freshman Madeline MacDonald, and junior Margot Crandall all had similar experiences dealing with the Title IX office when reporting sexual assault/rape. Barney has filed a complaint against BYU with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. She also made an online petition wanting BYU to give "immunity" to those who make sexual violence reports and forbid investigating them for Honor Code violations. More than a 100,000 people have signed the petition. Last week, current and former students gathered at the school in protest, holding signs. They marched through BYU to deliver the petition to administrators.

Analysis: It's so upsetting to hear the countless cases where victims don't get the support they need from BYU. What's even worse is that not only are they not supported, but they're punished and even kicked out for it. This can be synthesized to the time directly following the Civil War. When slavery was abolished, the Freedmen's Bureau was established, which helped African Americans with food, clothes, and jobs. Unfortunately, along with that came Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws, which are what Southern states used to restrict their rights. They banned things like interracial marriage and introduced segregation. These laws can be compared to the Title IX office, restricting a person's rights when they should be getting nothing short of support and help.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/29/health/brigham-young-university-rape/

Beware the Duck Boats - Isabella Montague 5th period

        On Saturday, a Boston Duck Boat crashed into a scooter, killing the woman driving the scooter and injuring her male passenger. After the incident, the pair were taken to the nearest hospital, where the woman died of her injuries. The Boston Duck Tours spokesman said that they are working with the police and trying to obtain footage of the accident. This, however, is not the first Duck Boat- related death. In Seattle, five passengers on a charter bus were killed after being crashed into by a Duck Boat. In Philadelphia, a woman was hit and killed by one after walking across the street, distracted by her cell phone, and two Hungarian tourists were killed in 2010. Duck Tour Boats are used for sightseeing because they can take tourists on the water as well as on the streets.

http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2016/04/30/woman-struck-killed-by-duck-boat-in-downtown-boston/

        Crashes happen all of the time, but these Duck Tour Boats seem problematic. However, I have been on one in Galeveaton, and they are quite enjoyable (as long as we aren't killing any people walking by). These kind of boat/bus vehicles were first invented for use in World War II by the United States in order to go from water to land in the same vehicle. They were then used by civilian law enforcement agencies, until they finally started to be used for sightseeing purposes. That is an interesting development, because I can't see tanks or bombs being used for civilian tourist use like that.

- Isabella Montague 5th period

'Way Up There': Above the Earth and onward to Mars-- Demi Tomasides

It's finally here: NASA is going to Mars. The Red Planet is about 140 million miles away and would take at least 9 months to get there, with the round trip taking at least 3 years. NASA is hoping to put this project to the test sometime in the 1930s. They're using a lot of new equipment to build a powerful new rocket called the Space Launch System. The SLS will launch the Orion with crew into deep space. The Orion looks like the old Apollo command modules, but much bigger (it had room for 6 people on a short flight). NASA is currently in the process of trying to figure out another, roomier option for the rest and majority of the three year journey.

Okay, whoa. This is super cool and no body can deny it (what makes this article even cooler is that it also talked about sending tourist to space...that's right my friends, in our life time WE COULD GO TO SPACE. I bet students in the 50's were writing their APUSH blogs saying "...that's right my friends, in our life time BUZZ ALDRIN COULD GO TO THE MOON"). This whole article is a direct relationship back to the 1950s and 60s when we were in the midst of the Cold War and a newly founded arms race with the Soviet Union. I wonder what JFK would think if he saw this now... I bet he'd be pretty psyched.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/28/us/way-up-there-mars-mission/index.html

Senate Appoints First Female Officer for Warfighting Command--Becca Brandt 4th

General Lori Robinson, Air Force general, was approved on Thursday by the Senate to be the first female officer. She was appointed commander of U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for preventing attacks against the United States. Robinson was serving as commander of Pacific Air Forces in Hawaii, joining the Air Force in 1982 after graduating college. Coincidentally, the senator to speak up for Robinson at the meeting was female democrat Jeanne Shaheen. At this meeting, the Senate also confirmed General Curtis Scaparrotti to be the top American general in Europe, and Army General Vincent Brooks to lead U.S. forces in Korea.

The appointment of the first female officer in the Armed Forces/Air Force is a huge step. It sends the message that women are equal to men and they are just as strong. While doing synthesis on this article, I thought of two events in history: one was obviously the Women's Rights Movement. Women, such as Susan B. Anthony, fought forever to gain equality and rights. They succeeded, which is part of the reason Robinson was able to even be considered for this position, and it shows that women are still gaining more and more rights little by little. The second was the desegregation of the military. Women have already been in the military for many years now, but this appointment of officer is like a new step in women in the military.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-Congress-Generals-Confirmed/2016/04/29/id/726523/

Friday, April 29, 2016

"Punished After Reporting Rape At Birgham Young University" by Tea Perez 1st period

Multiple young women at Brigham Young University received backlash instead of support after reporting sexual violence to the school. One of the victims, Brooke, who does not want her last name made public, alleges that all three men "did stuff" to her. When her alleged attacker left, Brooke grabbed a blanket and ran from the apartment to get help. The police responded and took her report. Ten days later, she decided not to move forward with any charges, afraid of reliving the horror over again through the often long and arduous trial process. However, Brooke told her story to BYU's student sexual harassment and sexual violence investigations office. She said, "I thought there would be some mercy, you know. I told them everything, and because of the fact that I was on drugs, they used that reason to kick me out of school after reporting it."

Sexual assault on university campuses have been scorned upon, not at the attacker but the victim. This gives men the right to rape women and get away with it very easily. However, this needs to change.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/29/health/brigham-young-university-rape/index.html

Dilma Rousseff Impeached- Tea Devereaux

Currently in Brazil, there is chaos concerning the corruption behind the democratic political party. Dilma Rousseff is the first female president of Brazil who has been charged with hiding federal budget troubles during her re-election campaign. Although this is not unconstitutional and she is not facing corruption charges, her opponents are defending that the dilemma with Ms. Rousseff is that her government covered a growing budget deficit; essentially, this is like bedazzling the economy to create an attractive exterior.

 Ever since Ms. Rousseff went into office, the economy has gone from bad to worse and many citizens strongly feel that she should be impeached. The impeachment progress in Brazil mirrors the one in the US. Since the majority of the lower house voted for her impeachment, the next step will be senate vote on trial and eventually an impeachment vote.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

"Beyonce" Julia Plummer pd 1

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/04/27/how_beyonc_mixed_conservatism_with_radicalism_and_made_lemonade.html


A few days ago, Beyonce released her new album in the form of an hour-long film. This release featured slow, heartbreaking, personal songs about problems in her personal life, and he mission to overcome these troubles. The main focus in the media's response to this album is her husband, Jay-Z's infidelity, as described by the first few songs on the album. Beyonce talks about how she took time to herself after her marriage to Jay-Z, and how that doesn't make her anything less than a strong, progressive woman, certainly not just "his little wife." The album also touches on progress, and forward movement in life- the pushing through problems that seem to hold one back.

Aside from a strong feminist message in her album, Beyonce also highlights the Black Lives Matter movement in her album. She also collaborates with many different artists, including the outspoken and brilliant Kendrick Lamar, who's music also has strong messages about racism and life for black people in today's America. Beyonce, being an African American woman,
 says that the black woman is the most underrepresented and targeted person in America, and gives a shout out to the ongoing civil rights and equality movement that is ever-present in America today, just like it was so many years ago.

Joe Biden Visits Iraq (Bella Di Fazio 8th)

Vice President Joe Biden wants to visit Iraq to relieve the political crisis there that has prohibited the defeat of the Islamic State Group. He first visited the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Albadi. The White House has disclosed some this information so his exact meetings with people aren't released, but he did meet with some important leaders to discuss national unity.

This is similar to Nixon visiting China to normalize their relationship, like Biden is doing with Iraq.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-arrives-iraq-try-help-settle-political-crisis-131719019--politics.html?nhp=1

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

LGBT activist killed in Bangladesh - Kate Fehan 8th Period

Xulhaz Mannan and a friend were killed on Monday in Dhaka by a group armed with machetes and guns. Mannan was the editor of Bangladesh's only LGBT magazine and an advocate for human rights. A group linked to al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for these killings, as well as others. Atheists and people critical of Islam made up the previous victims. The attack shows that the groups are moving to new targets. This is extremely concerning because anyone who doesn't agree with the extremists could be next. While horrible killings like this may seem far away from the US, there are similar groups like the KKK that are still active and causing trouble today.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/26/475717047/editor-of-bangladeshs-only-lgbt-magazine-is-hacked-to-death

"Yale Defies Calls to Rename Calhoun College" By Lisl Wangermann Period 1

Noah Remnick's article "Yale Defies Calls to Rename Calhoun College" was published by the New York Times on April 27, 2016. Recently, Yale University students have been protesting for the renaming of Calhoun College, which commemorates John C. Calhoun, a white supremacist who was a strong defender of slavery leading up to the Civil War. He also urged South Carolina to secede from the Union. Today, however, the president of Yale announced that he would not change the name of the college, despite its disturbing namesake. He then followed up by announcing that Yale would be naming its next two residential colleges after African-Americans and women. To many, this does not make up for Calhoun College. Princeton University has also been struggling with the issue. President Woodrow Wilson, who was the president of the university for many years, was also racist. On campus, there are multiple buildings and facilities named after him, which many students find troubling.

There is a fine line between honoring this nation's history and glorifying racists, and it has become a matter of controversy within the past few years. For example, just this past summer, there was controversy over the Confederate flag and whether it should be allowed in public place or be sold in stores like Walmart. For some, it is just a part of history, but for the majority of people, it symbolizes racism and slavery. I believe that Yale should change the name of Calhoun College because its name has strong ties to slavery which should not be tolerated. Racism is still a huge issue in this country and honoring people who supported it is part of the problem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/nyregion/yale-defies-calls-to-rename-calhoun-college.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

NASA maps Zika's potential spread in the U.S. desiree smith period 4

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/health/zika-map-nasa/index.html

The blood-sucking females are responsible for the spread of dangerous diseases such as yellow and dengue fevers, chikungunya and now Zika.The researchers focused their analysis on 50 cities within or near to the currently known range of the Aedes aegypti in the United States.The resulting map, newly released in the journal PLOS Currents, applies factors such as temperature, amount of rainfall, poverty levels and travel to the United States from Zika-affected areas of the world. As rains and high temperatures begin to gather strength in the Southeast, the risk begins to rise, spreading across the South to California and up into the middle of the country.The cities in the study with the highest potential risk include Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Tallahassee in Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and New Orleans.

The Marshall research team produced the map in partnership with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, among others. While most of the model seems in line with expectations of the spread of Zika, "There were some surprises," said Cory Morin, a NASA postdoctoral program fellow with Marshall's Earth Science Office. The CDC recently updated its maps on Zika-suitable areas of the United States, while an international group of researchers plotted potential environmental hot spots worldwide

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

U.S.'s Reaction to North Korean Missile Building (Bella Di Fazio 8th)

North Korea has been building more nuclear missiles recently and the U.S. Has threatened to use "other options". Obama has stated he wants to keep a high gaurd because North Korea could be a potential threat. One missile that they were testing would hit Japan and Guam if fired successfully meaning that Notth Korea is taking the threats very seriously.

This is definitely like the Cuban Missile Crisis when Russia was building nuclear arms and the U.S. threatened to use force in order for it to stop. I feel like we need to approach this situation very carefully and with an open mind if we want to avoid a possible nuclear war. Personally, I feel like nuclear weapons are a uselessly dangerous took that shouldn't have been invented because of the long lasting damages it makes.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/north-korea-seen-readying-another-intermediate-missile-launch-080828924.html?nhp=1

Luz Lopez(4th period)- How often should you pee?

     You may have asked yourself, how many times should I pee in a day? Sometimes you can be the person who can wait hours to go to the restroom after drinking a lot of water or that person that has to go every hour. Some people pee four to seven times a day. But there really is no accurate number of how many times you have to go. The times you do depend on what kinds of fluids you drink. Caffeine and alcohol cause you to pee more frequently. The sensitivity of your bladder also matters. Dr. Grafstein says you can train your bladder by delaying peeing until the urge becomes strong. Some people may have told you that holding it in it bad for you. Well if the urge becomes painful, then you have to go. If you hold your pee in for to long, your bladder may become distended, increasing the risk of a bladder infection.
     This article was very interesting to read. This reminded me of when slaves were all cramed up in a ship or train and had to be like that for days. You had to pee on yourself because there was no room to move.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/26/health/pee-too-much/index.html

Colorado Police Dept. Resigns --Madeleine Norton, 4th period

There has recently been an interesting conglomeration of police officers stepping down from their active roles in the government. Many of these people have threatened or felt threatened, or have likewise been sent to jail or simply sent home. However, there is currently a small Colorado town that has lost all it's police department to resignation, and no one is speaking out about it.

Tony Marco/Catherine E. Shoichet of CNN reported Sunday on the issue, and seem to have found no further information as to why these officers have stepped down. From what we do know, on the other hand, the head marshall resigned and then the volunteer officers, having no one to lead them, were forced to resign as well. The journalists recently interviewing new Mayor Jane Newberry (who works approximately 15 miles away from Colorado Springs as of last week) to discuss/analyze this event that many people are talking about:
"'In an election year, there's always some people who choose to stay and some people who choose to go, and I think that happens at every level of government,' Newberry told KOAA. 'Just because there aren't currently police working for the city doesn't mean there aren't law enforcement officers protecting the town, or others who residents can call for help in Green Mountain Falls. I've stressed many times that the town is perfectly safe,' she said. 'One of the advantages of a small town -- we have less than 700 full-time residents -- is neighbors look out for each other.'"
With this in mind, Marco and Shoichet assure viewers that "the El Paso County Sheriff's Office already handled dispatch and provided backup for the town, spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby told CNN. Now, they'll play a greater role. 'Patrols will be stepped up based on need,' she said. 'If they need extra patrol, we would be glad to help out.' The Teller County Sheriff's Office will also provide assistance, Newberry said, in addition to the Colorado State Patrol."
 
Apparently this isn't the first occurrence of the police marshall resigning, either. In 2013 ("during a restructuring" claims Newberry), the police officer stepped down and wasn't rehired until four months later! It's very possible, therefore, that the marshall could be in conflict with the current political campaigns or candidates, and in an effort not to work with their changing system felt the need to go ahead and end their career early. This time, in contrast to last time, should have far more people lining up for the job, and Newberry announced that she had received many applications on the position even though it has yet to be posted. It appears that even though the situation seems dire the townsfolk are handling it quite calmly, focusing on the well-being and interconnectedness of their tight-knit community.

This can be synthesized to Nixon resigning from office after the Watergate scandal, although the officers previously mentioned haven't committed any federal offenses. Much talk ensued after this, and likewise many people began to distrust or question the government.

The article can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/us/colorado-police-department-resigns/index.html

Monday, April 25, 2016

Fight Over Delegate Rules Escalates for Both Parties by Caroline North 9th period

The nominating rules have formed more turbulence in this elections than in the past decade.  Both Democrats and Republicans question the status quo as the GOP considers revoking Trump's nomination despite his most likely winning the popular and electoral count.  In addition, Democrats question our system as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is nearly equal to Hillary Clinton in popular count but down 469 to 31 in super delegates.

While our Constitution dictates that elections swing toward the candidate with the highest electoral count, for years now there have been situations off and on where one may win the popular vote but did not receive the election because they lost in the electoral.  Since we pride ourselves on being a democracy, shouldn't we ultimately elect who the people want?  If a majority elects one man to be president, why would we prohibit them from taking office.  Ultimately, the "winner", the one with a higher electoral count, will probably enter office with out a strong support system if he didn't win the popular vote and won't be favored enough to get much done anyway during his term anyway.

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/fight-over-delegate-rules-escalates-for-both-parties/

Charter's request to purchase Time Warner Cable cleared by regulators. - Bob Cummins Per. 6

       The Department of Justice and the FCC chairman recently approved Charter Communications' $78,000,000,000 purchase of Time Warner Cable and their $10,000,000,000 purchase of Bright House Networks.  Though they had to follow regulations in this deal, they still got to buy the companies.  This purchase was considered about a year ago shortly after Washington denied Comcast's request to purchase TWC.  Charter's regulations include a ban on data-caps, a prohibition of charging content providers for connecting them to their customers.
       This event calls back to the event of the Sherman Anti- Trust Act, which was meant to prevent monopolies.  This is the reason Comcast could not purchase Time Warner Cable.  The government would not let it happen so a monopoly could not form.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/25/media/charter-communications-time-warner-cable/index.html

Pakistani Peril // Uriel Cruz, Period 6

Imagine you're throwing a party for your newborn grandson. Lots of people are going to be there so you want to buy a lot of laddu for them all to eat and feel self conscious about eating later. Laddu consists of basically dough and sugar and is molded into a sphere. Ok, so you're having the time of your life, popping and locking, all those new dance moves your nephew taught you to impress your kids and their kids. You wake up the next morning and start to feel bad, you check with some relatives who were at the party and they aren't too hot either. Turns out you just poisoned everyone at your party, including yourelf, and now people are dying and it's partially your fault.
  This happened to a Pakistani grandpappy named Umer Hayat. He bought about 11 lbs of laddu for the crew to die of from Tariq Hotel & Sweet in the village of Karor Lal Essan, according to Layyah District Coordination Officer Rana Gulzar. Six brothers, a sister, and two children have died from the laddu while Hayat is in the hospital in critical condition.
  Hold up, how'd the laddu kill 24 people? It's simple, the shopkeeper's servant accidentally mixed laddu with pesticide, at least according to Gulzar. The servant could've done it on purpose for all we know. The shop's closed down and the two brothers who are the shop's shopkeepers have been taken into custody. Think before you buy laddu.
  This brings me back to the times of reform and muckraking. When Upton Sinclair published The Jungle and inspired Teddy Roosevelt to take charge and the Supreme Court to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act. Foods now have to be labeled so we know what we're eating, and conditions in the factories are improved so pesticide won't get mixed in with our laddu.

Pakistani Grandpappy Article // http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/25/asia/pakistan-poison-sweets-deaths/index.html

US Cyber warfare by Eleanor EW

The US is going to be using Cyber-weapons (computer warfare) against the Islamic State. Although, cyber-weapons are already in use by the US, they are mainly used against other countries, and the US is now going to start using them against the Islamic State. This is a good development for the US, and will hopefully help them to take down ISIS.
All of the 'fight against islam' started because of 9/11, a big terrorist attack and major event in United States History. The idea of technological warfare and computers was started by people like bill gates in the big technology revolution near the turn of the 21st century, when technology became a more major part of our lives.

Source;http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/25/us/politics/us-directs-cyberweapons-at-isis-for-first-time.html?_r=0

Militants Kill Canadian Hostage Aleis Williams

             John Ridsdel was captured and held captive on September 21, 2015 and was pronounced dead today. Ridsdel had been taken by a Islamist terrorist group called Abu Sayyad. Ridsdel was taken along with three other and the group that kidnapped them sent in a video of them pleading for their lives. They said that something terrible would happen to one of the captives if they didn't give them what they wanted (which was a ransom). The ransom was nor met and in responce Ridsdel was killed.
             This connects to the Iranian Hostage Crisis where Iran had stole some American Embassy peopleS America set out to get them back without anyone would be harmed or killed. Those people stayed in captivity for 444 daysd. The hostages that were with Ridsdel are still in captivity and everyone is working their best to try to get them back home safely.

Source:http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/25/asia/philippines-canadian-hostage-john-ridsdel-killed/index.html

         

Outrage at Bob Marley Snapchat Filter - Emily Rosuck 4th

On April 20th, snapchat got creative for the celebration of "weed day" or "Bob Marley day" by introducing a new snapchat filter that turns your face into that of Bob Marley's. The filters have become a popular way for people to alter their image on snapchat, but this filter that only lasted a day caused severe outrage from users. The filter sports dreadlocks, a crocheted slouch cap, alters the eyes and nose, and darkens the skin. This lens caused a flood on twitter of accusations that snapchat had created a blackface filter. To the accusations, snapchat replies "millions of snapchatters have enjoyed Bob Marley's music, and we respect his life and achievements...the lens gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music."
While the snapchat lens was new and featured only for a short period of time, the issue of blackface has been a longstanding problem in America. Beginning in the 20's, when white actors would darken their faces with burnt coal or charcoal to play a black person, often with the intent of mocking their culture or behavior, blackface became popular in film and entertainment. While the use of blackface has exponentially diminished as our country has progressed socially, the issue of blackface in film still stands. Recently, Zoe Saldana has been put under fire for allegedly using "blackface" to play Nina Simone in the upcoming movie, "Nina." Though Saldana is African American, her skin appears to be significantly darker in her role as Nina. In any case, while the lens was not meant to spark outrage or be racist, there are undertones of racism everywhere in our daily lives, and we need to be aware of them so we can see it and stop it.


http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/20/technology/snapchat-blackface/index.html?iid=ob_homepage_tech_pool

Man Rescued in Hydropod- Nicole Chatham 6th period

This week I read a very odd article that talked about a man named Reza Baluchi and his adventure  inside a hydropod. Recently he had left Pompano Beach, Florida to try to run 1,000 miles across the Bermuda Triangle within his floating hydropod. This wasn't the first time that Beluchi tried to do this however, as back in 2014 he was also rescued about 70 nautical miles east of St. Augustine. Even though he was issued a warning letter not to make a second attempt, it clearly didn't stop him!

Analysis- This article is so crazy! I can't believe that someone would actually want to do this! I can relate this back in U.S. history to the transcontinental railroad. Although both the method of transportation in the article and the transportation created by the railroad are quite different, it shows that people are determined to travel great lengths to reach their dreams. Whether it's new opportunities, more land to settle or in Baluchi's case, a very odd goal, both types of transportation have greatly impacted many people's lives!


Link to the article

"The World Remembers Prince" - Connor Coleman (8th Period)

The world is in mourning, and can seem to only cry purple rain. Last Thursday, the remarkable and iconic singer/songwriter, Prince, past away. The world was shocked and immediately took this death to heart. One could only wonder what caused his death, sickness, drug use, stress, but right now, none of those things matter: the world is simply celebrating Prince. In the article, people describe their personal favorites, and how connected they were to the pop music prince, and many related him as the "Michael Jackson they grew up on". As the article and slide show continues, images of people wearing all purple with heaving eyeliner and Afros surfaced, depicted the many connections Prince and his fans had. The world is simply sad, and needed to stop in order to honor one of the Greats.

In recent years, we have lost many icons, from Robin Williams, to Joan Rivers to David Bowie to Alan Rickman, and unfortunately, Prince has been added to the repertoire. The death of Prince is very similar to both the cultural effects of the death of MJ and David Bowie. When Michael Jackson died, the world pulled out one silk glove and red leather in order to celebrate the King of Pop who made the 80s a thriller. For Bowie, it was no different. Lighting bolts flashed across faces as Labyrinth was played in households across America. Bowie's death even lead to the iconic performance by Lady Gaga at the 2016 Grammys. All in all, the country continues to take shock to iconic celebrities who make America so outstanding.

The world mourns the loss of our dear, Prince.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/22/entertainment/gallery/prince-purple-monuments/index.html

"Back At it Again With the Right to Vote" -Aleah Washington 1st period

A computer system did not give the correct ballots to some democratic voters in phoenix. After they found out they were listed under the wrong party, this group and election officials complained and this turned into a court case. The right to vote and freedom of speech helps individuals express their opinion. Even though it was just a computer malfunction, the accident could have caused someone to wrongly win office and not supported the main interest.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/25/arizona-voters-to-testify-in-presidential-primary-/

2016 Candidates On Transgender Rights- Carlos Joglar

Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/transgender-rights-where-2016-candidates-stand-1415405411418166.html

Target has recently been the center of controversy after allowing transgender people to use bathrooms of the gender they identify as. Last month, people were outraged over North Carolina passing House Bill 2, which required people to only use bathrooms that corresponded to their biological sex. Wether or not you agree with these policies, here are where the 2016 presidential candidates stand on the issue. To summarize, Cruz says to keep men out of girls' restrooms. Trump was vague as usual but surprisingly not necessarily against it. He just, "there have been very few complaints the way it is." Katich wouldn't have signed HB2. Bernie is coming through on civil rights, and condemns bathroom bills as discriminatory. Clinton basically said was Sanders said.

I am pleasantly surprised see that, out of 5, only 1 candidate is actually fully against it. That is, assuming all the candidates are being honest (which, in today's politics, is very dangerous). I fully knew Cruz was going to support discriminatory bathroom laws, that was not a surprise. I did think Trump was going to support these policies and I'm shocked to say I am pleased with his relatively laid-back attitude. I am a bit confused about Kasich's position. He just brought religion into it and this isn't a religious issue so I'm not really sure what he was doing but ok. At least he didn't say he supported it (or maybe he did?). As for Sanders and Clinton, I don't know for certain who said it first (though we can all guess it was Sanders because it took a little long for Clinton to support LGBTQ+ rights...) but they essentially said the same thing and it's a good thing that they said. Both are accurate in their statements that bathroom bills are discriminatory.


Trump University -Carrington Whigham

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/elections-2016-donald-trump-university-lawsuits-court-documents-instructors/
Summary:
Trump University began in 2004 as an online opportunity, in 2007 live classes were introduced, creating an "actual" Trump University. The schools motive was to teach the secrets of the multimillionaires.  Many students called it a scam, and the world soon publicized that a Trump degree was actually worthless. Students received full refunds. There is a case still today that is now worth 4 million dollars, against trumps scam.

Analysis:
In many presidential elections they bring up Trump University against him, because it serves so well as a statement reporting Trumps shadiness. This incident just calrifys all of the bad things I believe about Trump. Even if Trump did win, this scam would go down in history with him, because he still is 100 percent liable.

Claudia Anthony "U.S. Embassy worker, LGBT editor hacked to death in Bangladeshi capital"

An employee at the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, who was also the editor of Bangladesh's first LGBT magazine, was one of two men hacked to death on Monday evening. The men were in an apartment in Dhaka, when six young men disguised as couriers delivering a package entered the apartment and hacked the men to death. The two men killed were Xulhaz Mannan and Tanay Mojumdar, and Amnesty International has reported that the Bangladesh authorities have done little to try to prevent attacks like this against the LGBT community. Instead, the authorities have asked for the community to be "less provocative."

I think the Bangladesh authorities need to put more effort into protecting these targeted members of the community, because it would increase the overall safety of the area. Also, it is their job to protect the LGBT members of the society as much as they would protect anyone else. This reminds me of the Iran Hostage Crisis, in which American Embassy workers were held for 444 days by Iranian revolutionaries.

Click here to read the article

Vietnamese Child Brides - Bethany Wolfe 3rd

Summary:
Because China follows a one-child policy and holds a preference for sons, the gender ratio is skewed causing young Chinese men to look for brides elsewhere. The Chinese-Vietnamese border brims with human traffickers bringing Vietnamese girls, who are often tricked or drugged, into China for a hefty sum. However, the Pacific Links Foundation runs a shelter for trafficking victims, a place where young women can feel safe and welcomed. Once a month, they also go to the local market to spread awareness on the issue and share personal stories.
Analysis:
Modern day slavery continues to be an issue, often posing in forms of forced marriage and bonded labor. However, many organizations are working to free enslaved people and create liberty in their countries. Similarly, the US practiced slavery through the bondage of African Americans well through the 19th century, but the 13th Amendment in 1865 abolished slavery.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/17/asia/vietnamese-girls-child-brides-china/?iid=ob_homepage_10-test_featured_pool

KILLER SWEETS Julia Woltjen (3rd period)

SUMMARY:
24 people have died after eating a sweet treat called, Ladd, in Pakistan. These normally tasty sweets were laced with pesticide, the victims had no idea what they were ingesting. One family in particular was hit heavily after the father bought 11 kilos of the sweet to celebrate his sons birthday. Within that family 9 people have died.

ANALYSIS:
This is so twisted and sad. But it just goes to prove that our FDA programs and food protection services are there for a reason. I would hope that these systems make their way into international sweets as well, in order to avoid this horrible tragedy.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/25/asia/pakistan-poison-sweets-deaths/index.html

10 year-old Black girl's BeeSweet Lemonade Lands $60,000 Shark Tank Deal

by: Tristin Manus 8th




Summary: Mikaila Ulmer is only 10 years old, but she’s already excelling at negotiating business deals with her company BeeSweet Lemonade. Mikaila, who appears on ABC’s Shark Tank, accepted an offer of $60,000 for a 25 percent stake in her company from mogul and FUBU CEO Daymond John. Mikaila won John over with her business expertise and passion. Mikaila, who started BeeSweet Lemonade when she was 4, got the idea after being stung by two bees in one week and then researching the importance of honeybees in the ecosystem. Ulmer’s grandmother later gave her a cookbook, and that’s where she learned how to make flaxseed lemonade.





Analysis: Representation Matters!!! I am so proud of her, breaking the standard of young entrepreneurs, who are typically white. This is so refreshing to see the success she has accomplished and how her race didn't hold her back from reaching her goals for once. congrats to this lovely young black girl who is making a name for herself in entrepreneurship. I believe we can have many more kids like Mikailia , if we make those opportunities available for kids of color, trust me there are so many undiscovered talented kids of color but they do not have the resources or opportunities available. If we could change that, there will be a chain reaction. Representation matters!!!! 



Ohio shooting- Paisley Norburg P.5

Ohio shooting

This past Friday, in Pike County Ohio, was the murder of eight family members. These members, divided up live at four different houses/areas. Officials has researched and has identified the victims, ages ranging from 16-44. These victims were all murdered in their sleep last Friday. The situation does lead to marajuana being on the scene, giving the officials a hint as to whom might be in charge of this, (regarding a situation/problem that had occurred in the past). Two of the houses are walking distance, the third one is a mile away, and the fourth one is eight miles away. However, the four day year-old infant laying next to her mother during all of this was not injured, along with a six month old baby, and a three year-old. Fifty-sixty people have been interviewed and eighteen pieces of evidence have been submitted to labs for testing. Researchers are still investigating the situation as they try to figure out who killer is.

This story is horrible! While it is so tragic, it's also very scary. We must take this into account and stay aware and secure. Crazy how while they were sleeping all of this happened. Curious to see if the drug incident has a correlation with the murder, because with the specific drug incident in Pike County, there is history behind it.

Donald Trump Makes Racist Remark Towards Native Americans. Alexis WIlliams

             Donald Trump made a racist remark toward Native Americans by calling the Democratic Governor of Massachusetts "Indian and "Pocahontas". The racist and rude remark caused lots of anger in the Native American Community. Warren respond in a series of tweets calling Trump a "loser" and a "bully".
            Analysis: Of course I'm not surprised that this awful man has said yet another racist remark. The whole Pocahontas Indian remark has to do with colonial America. When a group of greedy white men came and stole land that wasn't their's. The English came in, killed lots of Natives and, treated them awfully.

Source:http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/21/opinions/donald-trump-elizabeth-warren-native-american-moya-smith/index.html

Madi Thoele, 4th Period: Target Boycott Over New Bathroom Rules

Summary: A conservative Christian group has half a million signatures (and counting) from people pledging to boycott Target because of its new bathroom policy. The American Family Association says Target allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice (which might not match up with their birth gender) enables sexual predators. The group says it's potentially harmful because "a man can simply say he feels like a woman" and enter the restroom. Despite this huge backlash, however, Target remains standing by its new policy.
Analysis: I'm proud of Target. First, they de-genderize their toy section. Next, they encourage transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice. They definitely made the right decision to help make transgender people feel more comfortable in public. This can be synthesized to the Civil Right's Movement of the 1950's-60's. African Americans protested peacefully, via different tactics like sit-ins. Transgender people do the same. They fight for their rights just as the African Americans of the Movement fought, and they're slowly but surely making progress. 
Link: http://www.wlox.com/story/31812671/more-than-500k-boycott-target-over-bathroom-policy

Harriet Tubman on 20$ Bill? - Bennett Copley 8th

Harriet Tubman is set to replace Andrew Jackson on the United States $20 bill. This signifies great progress in terms of women's rights as Harriet Tubman will be the only woman on a dollar bill and racial rights, as Harriet Tubman will be the first African American to be on U.S. paper currency. This is a huge step, but some people are saying that it is unnecessary. Perhaps it is unnecessary, but it is extremely welcome, as Harriet Tubman did more for the United States as a whole than Andrew Jackson ever did.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/harriet-tubman-to-replace-jackson-on-20-160420.htm

Severe Strom Outbreak for central U.S.-Nicholas Watson, 9th (2)

Summary:
   The next big weather story for the U.S. will be tomorrow ,Tuesday, with the potential for a widespread severe weather outbreak. The threats for the following areas on Tuesday, including Oklahoma City and Dallas, will include large hail, high winds and long-track tornadoes. This storm system is recognized as being the first major severe weather outbreak of this year, and is threatening around 23 million Americans from North Texas to parts of Nebraska as well as areas in between.

Analysis:
   So when it comes to weather I'm lowkey nerdy about it because Ive had an interest in weather my whole life, which is why I get excited and anxious when we are expected to have storms. But that's beside the point, I think in many ways living in Tornado Alley comes with both pros and cons. Of course during the spring time we are always under the threat for dangerous and hazardous storms, which in the past, we have seen them bring destruction and death. Although on the other side of that, some of the cons is that due to the fact that we live in such an unpredictable weather area, many of us are used to these storms and have developed a sense of safety awareness when these storms do come nocking at our door. Because many of us have lived through these types of storms it has created a sense of preparedness so that we know what actions we need to take, as opposed to someone who has lived in California their whole lives and have never really experienced tornadic weather. With this storm system expected to reach its peak Tuesday April, 26, it barely misses the 5th anniversary of the 2011 tornado outbreak which included the deadly Tuscaloosa and Joplin tornadoes.

https://weather.com/safety

http://news.justtom.com/home/story/1032076/tuesdays-forecast-big-storms-in-central-us  

Here Comes Harriet!- Emily Eppig

     Harriet Tubman has been confirmed to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, marking a huge historical advancement for women. Despite this good news, some seem to be rather cynical about the decision including the author of this article. The author classifies this decision as an "afterthought", counteracting the opinions of many that it is a positive change.
     The issue of women's rights has been on the rise since the beginning of the 20th century, especially leading up to and following the ratification of the 19th amendment.
     I believe this article is unnecessary. Rather than criticizing the government, we should be celebrating the first female face on currency. Although it would nice to see more equal representation of women, we must appreciate the changing world around us as it does so and give things time.

Source: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wonder-why-harriet-tubman-looks-a-little-miffed/

Alexis Farrell, 5th Period: Obama and Angela Merkel Geek Out With VR Goggles at Trade Fair

Recently, Obama went on an International Tour and tried on virtual reality goggles with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. This occurred at the Hannover Messe trade fair, in Hannover in Germany. It's considered the world's largest industrial technology fair. On this six-day trip, Obama spanned three countries and this visit was on the last day. The pictures in the article reveal that he was obviously amazed by the capabilities of the virtual reality goggles.

These interesting technological devices are becoming quite popular in the U.S. Although they have not been launched at some stores yet, there is a huge hype going on about them. Technological advances like this make people wonder what the future holds. It's amazing how far America has come since the invention of the cotton gin and telegraph.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/obama-angela-merkel-geek-vr-goggles-trade-fair/story?id=38649884

More than 500,000 boycott Target over transgender bathroom policy-Katherine Flores

Summary: 
This all started when North Carolina decided to pass a new transgender bathroom law. This would allow people to enter and use the bathroom they identified with. However this only applies to government-managed bathrooms, not regular businesses. Target came into this situation when they decided to implement the law into their own business and release a statement that said, "We certainly respect that there are a wide variety of perspectives and opinions...as a company that firmly stands behind what it means to offer our team an inclusive place to work-and our guests an inclusive place to shop-we continue to believe that this is the right thing for Target." This then resulted in a conservative Christian activist group, The American Family Association, starting a boycott towards Target. It has gained now gained more than half a million signatures and continues to fight to have this law removed.

Analysis:
Personally, I feel that the law overall has caused a lot more problems for the state of North Carolina than it probably intended to solve. However, I do think that as wonderful as it is for people to be gaining equal rights and being able to use the restroom where they so please, there is a safety concern that should be addressed. If someone can easily excuse using a restroom that most would not think correlates with their appearance, but to them it is the restroom they would feel more comfortable using, I feel that many predators could also do the same thing. This obviously poses a threat to young girls and women that would also be using these restrooms. Honestly, I think the best solution to make everyone as comfortable as possible is to create a unisex restroom. This is a good compromise in my opinion and I think it would be pretty hard for someone to try and form any type of valid argument against it so it sounds like a win-win situation. 

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/04/25/conservative-christian-group-boycotting-target-transgender-bathroom-policy/83491396/

Zoe norton-Rodriguez

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/us/colorado-police-department-resigns/index.html

In one day, the entire police department of a small town retired. The town is around 700 people and there's only 4 people in the department, however it was still strange that all of them quit at once. They say that even though the job position hasn't been posted, there are already people up for the job who are submitting applications.

They have said that there's other times in which the same thing has happened and it was around 4 months until the position was filled. This kind of situation is very different in small towns than big ones because the town works together.



Zoe norton-Rodriguez

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/us/colorado-police-department-resigns/index.html

In one day, the entire police department of a small town retired. The town is around 700 people and there's only 4 people in the department, however it was still strange that all of them quit at once. They say that even though the job position hasn't been posted, there are already people up for the job who are submitting applications.

They have said that there's other times in which the same thing has happened and it was around 4 months until the position was filled. This kind of situation is very different in small towns than big ones because the town works together.



Zoe norton-Rodriguez

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/us/colorado-police-department-resigns/index.html

In one day, the entire police department of a small town retired. The town is around 700 people and there's only 4 people in the department, however it was still strange that all of them quit at once. They say that even though the job position hasn't been posted, there are already people up for the job who are submitting applications.

They have said that there's other times in which the same thing has happened and it was around 4 months until the position was filled. This kind of situation is very different in small towns than big ones because the town works together.



Apple and the Enviroment Paul Radke

summary- Apple recently promoted their program to recycle and re purpose all apple products that have been given to apple. Last year this program reused 61,257,800 lb of materials to create new products, they also are making boxes that are not any larger than they need to be. Apple is now using all renewable energy in their factories to reduce global warming.

Analysis- with this program, Apple is taking a huge step forward in their manufacturing processes for their products. to be able to de-construct these devices and re use them puts them one step ahead of the competition and also may be the deciding factor between apple and android companies. And since these factories are using all renewable energy they are helping with the global warming and since this is such a big company it would make an impact for them to use renewable energy. this program shows that Apple is aware of their effect on the environment and I think that is a good thing.

http://www.apple.com/environment/resources/?cid=wwa-us-kwg-features

Zoe Norton-Rodriguez -9th-Colorado town's entire police department resigns

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/us/colorado-police-department-resigns/index.html

In one day, the entire police department of a small town retired. The town is around 700 people and there's only 4 people in the department, however it was still strange that all of them quit at once. They say that even though the job position hasn't been posted, there are already people up for the job who are submitting applications.

They have said that there's other times in which the same thing has happened and it was around 4 months until the position was filled. This kind of situation is very different in small towns than big ones because the town works together.



Adriana Hinojosa, 8th, Prince Is Dead.

Over this weekend, people from all over the world have come together in the name of music. Prince, a pop icon has died. The cause of his death is still unknown but people from all over have been heart broken because his danceable music had the power to reach millions. http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7341522/prince-dead

Electricity troubles in Venezuela // Kai Jones 1st period

Power rationing has begun in venezuela. This is due to the huge drought going on that is keeping the hydroelectric dam on the from running properly and providing the right amount of electricity. The citizens of Venezuela will have to deal with yet another hardship, little electricity and rolling  black outs. Many new holidays have been established in attempt to save energy. More in this article.

Like the U.S in times where energy sources were limited, Venezuela's government is making plans to change the time zone of the country in order to better preserve energy, sort of like daylight savings in the U.S. As time goes on energy is becoming a huge issue around the world. If we are not able to successfully use and improve the clean energy sources we have, the world will fall apart.

Erin McElhone: Boycott Of Target's 'Inclusive' Bathroom Policy

More than 550,000 people have signed a pledge to boycott Target over its restroom and dressing-room policy. The petition, organized by the nonprofit American Family Association, is a response to Target's published pledge to "welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity."The American Family Association, which has been labeled as an anti-LGBT extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, argues that Target's policy "endangers women and children by allowing men to frequent women's facilities." Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder wrote in an email that there are "single-stall/family restrooms in hundreds of our stores for guests that may be more comfortable with that option." When asked about the petition, Snyder also said, "We certainly respect that there are a wide variety of perspectives and opinions. As a company that firmly stands behind what it means to offer our team an inclusive place to work — and our guests an inclusive place to shop — we continue to believe that this is the right thing for Target."

I don't agree with the American Family Association, I think that this all inclusive attitude gives me and other consumers another reason to shop here. I would prefer my money to go towards a forward thinking establishment rather than an inconsiderate and dated one.

find article here 

Starbucks takes action after workers fret over wasted food- julie torres

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-feeding-america-eliminate-food-waste-perishables/

This article covers how starbucks will be donating their scrap food to charities for needy families. Many employess complained and cringed at the sight of perfectly good parfait cups and to-go boxes, it's "inhumane" as one employee said. This reminded me of the great depression when there was lines of people who needed something to eat. Because of that time period movements like this to help the needy has been seen in a more broder sense.

France Launches Airstrikes Against Islamic State Stronghold in Syria Morgan T. Smith

 

France Launches Airstrikes Against Islamic State Stronghold in Syria

Summary: After the attack in Paris on Friday 13, 2015, which killed 132 people and injured more than 350. 

 Because of this, France launched air strikes against Isis targets in Syria on Sunday night, with jets bombing the terror group's stronghold of Raqqa.  The airstrikes delivered 20 bombs to two targets in Raqqa, in northern Syria, The bombs targeted a command center, including an arms depot and a recruiting post, and a training camp.

Laundy Packet Poisoning by Deandra Whitmill

The number of children digesting laundry detergent packets has increased by 17 percent from 2013 to 2014. 22,000 children were exposed to them during that period of time, Only life threatening situations occurred when children were exposed to them which made their breathing stop,cardiac arrest, comas, and death. Many sellers of the liquid detergent product say they've made it harder for the detergent to be accessed. There had also been a slight increase in poison calls for dishwasher detergent, but not as significant as laundry wash.

Many parents shouldn't let small children have access to the washroom so that these issues wont occur. I realize that sometimes parents are busy and forget about some things, but the life of a child is important and should always be taken seriously. Caution may be taken more seriously about the issue in many more households for the children's safety.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/25/health/laundry-detergent-packets-dangers/index.html

SHELBY FLOWERS 9TH



Ocean Temps Could Be Key in Predicting Tornados

            Forecasting the weather has become more and more improved over the years.  Weather satellites, better radars and mega computers to work the data has increased the ability to help meteorologists predict the outbreak of bad weather on a more efficient level.  This is especially true with tornados.  Surface temperatures of ocean water can help scientist determine when tornados will occur even months before they hit.  This type of technology and information could be a difference in how much damage and how many lives are lost.  After the study of ocean surface temperatures, scientist have learned that the strongest connection to determining this could have been related to the outbreak of tornados in 2011 that kill more than 300 people.


Analysis:  Patrick Kiger uses this information as a guide or tool to help us understand that weather patterns are more predictable when we use the ocean surface temperatures to help with the outbreak of sporadic tornados.  This information could potentially save many lives.  He focuses on the temperatures and how it is so closely related to the outbreaks of tornados.  They have used information gathered from 1950 to 2014 that will help them in predicting tornado outbreaks.
Tornados are deadly and scary.  They pop up when the atmosphere is unstable and then life becomes unstable and scary things happen.  The wind blows like it will never blow again and starts to pick up things that defy gravity.  Things that wind should not carry, become airborne and start to swirl in the sky.  Brick homes and eighteen wheelers fly through the air like leaves on a tree during the fall.  It is a frightening experience and one that once you live through it, you will never forget.  The sound of the wind like a freight train rumbling down the tracks will forever be embedded in my mind.  I will never forget.


Article link: 
http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/ocean-temps-could-be-key-in-predicting-tornadoes-160413.htm