Thursday, February 28, 2019

Shutdown stops food inspection- Madison Malonson

Government shutdown curtails FDA food inspections https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/09/health/shutdown-fda-food-inspections.html
  As we all know the shutdown from a while back caused a lot problems fro people around the country, but this one seems pretty gross. Because of the shutdown the FDA is not inspecting seafood, fruit, vegetables, and more. They will still be inspecting meat and poultry, but the workers will go unpaid. The FDA oversees 80% of  Americas food supply and oversees imports from other countries, so the fact they are not inspecting our food is pretty unsettling.
 This reminded me of the poor work a conditions and gross meat in factories described in The Jungle. Even though this situation is not nearly as bad as those in the Progressive Era, it is still unacceptable.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Hannah Rodriguez | Two Suspects Charged in ATM Jackpotting

          Two males by the names of Alex Alberto Fajín- Diaz and Argenys Rodriguez were arrested and charged on January 27th when they were convicted of criminal bank fraud by hacking ATM machines into giving them more and more money. The two males had more than $9,000 in $20 bills! What's even more shocking is that these aren't the only two males who have been doing this. U.S Secret Services has said there has been hackers who have taken more than $1 million dollars by forcing these ATM machines to give them more money all across the country! It hasn't been said if this has been a continuous issue that's been to the knowledge of the government or not or how long this has been going on.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-atms/u-s-charges-two-suspects-in-atm-jackpotting-case-idUSKBN1FP2U5

HHS docs show thousands of alleged incidents of sexual abuse against unaccompanied minors in custody- Alma Alvarado-Cabrera

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , received many complains of sexual abuse against minors from 2014-2018 according to documents released on Tuesday by Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch addressed the documents on Tuesday on the Trump administration's "Zero Tolerance" policy which resulted in many immigrant children being separated from their parents. He followed up with saying " The Documents demonstrate over the past three years , there have been 154 staff on unaccompanied minor allegations of sexual assault". Some of the incidents were reported to the Justice Department included allegations against staff members who would sexually touch minors and show them pornographic videos.

This article was written by Sophie Tatum and published by CNN news on February 26, 2019.
I did have a clue that this was happening . It's very sad, disturbing and DISGUSTING . Can't this president understand that first , we're ALL Immigrants and second, the majority of the families that come with their kids want to give them a better future. Many of the minors are scared and live in terrible conditions , separated from their parents. This relates to the pre colonial times .. This is for everyone to read and be informed about what happens to people that want a better future .

 https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/politics/hhs-documents-minors-sexual-abuse/index.html

Jordan Gillette- Racist small-town Alabama news editor in KKK row steps down

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47360990

Summary: On Tuesday, February 25th, BBC released an article about the resigning of Goodloe Sutton, an editor at the suburban Alabama newspaper the Democrat-Reporter after this man called for the mass lynching of democrats. Goodloe Sutton had a hushed racist past, and finally they've come into the limelight. Only last week, Sutton had called for the KKK, one of the oldest white supremacy groups, to raid gated communities in Washington D.C., getting his name entangled in many controversies nationwide. Taking Sutton's place is Elecia Dexter, a 46-year-old black woman, and she wants to help get the paper back in the right direction. The story has recently received national attention, with many politicians such as senator Doug Jones pouring their support into Ms. Dexter, and the future of non-biased small-town Alabama newspapers.

Analysis: In the words of senator Doug Jones, "Good riddance, Goodloe." People like this are the reason why there is still racial tension within America. I am very glad that Elecia Dexter is snatching his spot; it's nice to see that, while small-scale, changes are still being made to better race relations within the South and alter their reputation. I hadn't heard about this before reading this article, though the concept racist people in Alabama is no stranger to the media or history, so unfortunately I wasn't surprised. This article was written by the writing staff at BBC (the names weren't listed), and this article was written to highlight the dark secrets that those with power may be holding, and whether or not the public is innocent or hushed. This can be related to when Virginia governor Ralph Northam was under fire for a picture in the 1980s of him in blackface with the KKK earlier this year.

80 graves vandalized at Jewish Cemetery - Paige Aleman

Around 80 graves have been daubed with swastikas at a Jewish cemetery in eastern France, hours ahead of nationwide marches on Tuesday against a rise in anti-Semitic attacks.The damage was discovered on Tuesday morning at a cemetery in the village of Quatzenheim, close to the border with Germany in the Alsace region, a statement from the regional security office said.Photos show the Nazi symbols in blue paint spray-painted on the damaged graves, one of which bears the words “Elsassisches Schwarzen Wolfe” (“Black Alsacian Wolves), a separatist group with links to neo-Nazis in the 1970s.
This relates directly back to WW2 and the Holocaust in the way that there are obvious attacks against Jews and and it just goes to show that the anti-semitic views of that time haven’t fully dissolved.
 

elle Grinnell- Pennsylvania mother and daughter accused of killing five relatives

A 45 year old mother and her 19 year old daughter have been taken into police custody after being charged with five counts of homicide and one count of conspiracy. The family members which were  the mothers two children, her sisters two children, as well as her sister, were all found in the apartment that she resided in. As of right now there isn't much known information such as the motive behind this or much else.
Personally, I think that no matter the motive this was in no way shape or form ok. I know its hard for officials to figure out when tragedies like this might occur but there had to be some sort of sign. it was possible that the mother could've had a mental illness but there should've been signs or hints from either the mother or daughter that this would occur.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/us/pa-five-dead-apartment/index.html

Kadar Price: Michael Cohen Faces Capitol Hill Gauntlet

Michael Cohen Faces Capitol Hill Gauntlet
Cohen is expected to show up in front of three congressional committees this week. Cohen will discuss publicly some of the crimes he plead guilty to, involving Donald J. Trump. Cohen will get the opportunity to tell his side of the story during the hearing. Republican critics on Trump's side, will most likely try to attack his credibility by poking holes in his story. The testimony that we're all waiting for is on Wednesday in front of the House Oversight Committee; where he will he will elaborate on the president's debts and payments to influence the 2016 Presidential Election and will also speak upon Donald Trump's finance conflict of interests. Needless to say, this week should be Good for all of MAGA supporters.👍https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/02/26/politics/michael-cohen-senate-intelligence-committee/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Monday, February 25, 2019

Ahead of North Korea summit, concern about Trump's gamble -Dillon Quicksall

Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump are slated to meet quite soon to discuss denuclearization in a summit that is expected to be quite similar to the 2018 one. Some of the potential options and ideas that have been proposed are a long-awaited official end to the Korean War, which would lead to the termination of the Demilitarized Zone. Some other potential issues are denuclearization and the removal of U.S. Troops from the Korean Peninsula. However, many are speculating a potential blunder from the man in orange, which could potentially be harmful to not only the citizens of North Korea, but the world.
This reminds me of the tensions that existed in Europe prior to World War I. The fact that this much conflict and tension exists between states is frightening, and makes me fear that such a war may be imminent.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/ahead-north-korea-summit-concern-about-trump-s-gamble-n975131

Dead Whale Found In Amazon Jungle- Gabriel Allen

Dead humpback whale discovered in Brazil’s Amazon jungle puzzles researchers
By Jennifer Earl


Marine experts are scratching their head to find out how a dead whale was found in the Amazon jungle. They theorize that the whale was swimming close to shore when a giant wave pushed the whale inland. But another question arises from this strange phenomenon: why was the whale on the north coast of Brazil during February. Officials have ventured many guesses as to what contributed to the whale's demise from succumbing to stress due to separation from its mother to consuming too much plastic.

I find this article very weird and funny at the same time. I mean it sucks that the whale died but at the same time how does that even happen. It does raise a bit of awareness of sea pollution which I do think needs more attention.  

ERYN FAYSON-Trump goes after Spike Lee after Oscars speech

ERYN FAYSON




Trump goes after Spike Lee after Oscars speech




President Donald Trump is going after Spike Lee because of his Oscar acceptance speech. Spike Lee urged mobilizations ion for the election of 2020. Trump tweeted it was a "racist hit on your President". He claimed he had done more for African Americans than" almost" any other president. 

Spike Lee won the Oscar for his screen play "BlacKkKlansman". The film has footage of Trump after the 2017 violent white supremacist protest in Charletosville, Virginia. Lee spoke about how his grandmother and mother was a slave, before talking about the presidential election. He says"Let's all be on the right side of history.Make the moral choice between love and hate."





Analysis: This article was written on February 25,2019. This article is quite interesting. It is weird how our president is focused on speeches and what people are saying than other battles that the U.S. is struggling with. I am very confused on the point of the "racism" part that Trump has stated in his tweet because he didn't attack him for the color of his skin or say anything in that manner. This article relates to history because Trump has used Twitter as a platform with other individuals when he disagrees about something. There has been 126 individuals attack on twitter by Trump since taking office. There are 82 men and 24 women. Is this really "OUR" president we want to guide us and help us grow as a country?

Serena Williams Nike Ad Exposed the Double Standard - Siobhan Crummey

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/success/serena-williams-ad-trnd/index.html

This weekend, during the Oscars, an ad aired featuring not only Serena Williams, but many women in sports today. They showed women coaches, women basketball coaches, women in positions of power, and most importantly, women that got angry. Typically, when women get angry or show emotion of any kind, we're labelled as irrational, and delusional. This ad played showing the importance of women in sports positions and how men need to wake up an understand that we're going to break barriers no matter what.

This relates to history because for hundreds of years women showing emotion have been labelled as "on their period." The audience is women who should keep fighting. The point of view is a woman, so she knows what its like. The importance is immeasurable, as it pertains to an entire group of humans. The purpose was to inform.

Walmart Is Eliminating People Greeters. Workers With Disabilities Feel Targeted- Betty Dubois


https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/696718872/walmart-is-eliminating-greeters-workers-with-disabilities-feel-targeted

Greeters are being removed at about 1,000 Walmart stores around the country. Walmart is changing the job requirements for front-door greeters in a way that seems abelist and discriminatory towards disabled workers.Walmart has been terminating  greeters and replacing them with "customer hosts," who have more responsibilities, and to qualify for the job, workers must be able to lift 25 pounds, clean up spills, and do other things that would be hard for a disabled worker to do.. "We recognize that our associates with physical disabilities face a unique situation. With that in mind, we will be extending the current 60-day greeter transition period for associates with disabilities while we explore the circumstances and potential accommodations, for each individual, that can be made within each store. This allows associates to continue their employment at the store as valued members of the team while we seek an acceptable, customized solution for all of those involved." The Americans With Disabilities Act does not stop companies from changing job descriptions and expected job functions for their business goals. This forced firing is leaving many disabled people to find other jobs with little warning. This relates to the poor working conditions in America in the 1920s, and how certain groups were discriminated against even in their workforce.

Haley Bogdon - R. Kelly Released from Prison



The article was about the R&B star R. Kelly pleading guilty to many sexual abuse charges involving minors.  He was able to post bond and was released from jail.  There were 10 counts of felony aggravated sexual abuse charges involving 4 victims.  Three of these kids were younger than 17 years old.  Kelly has $161,000 in past due child support that he has not paid, but he was able to post bond even with this debt.  The article was stating the facts, but I feel that the author was not in favor of him being released while owing child support and being accused of these awful crimes.  I feel that because he is a celebrity, he was given special treatment and I hope that he does not harm anyone else while he is released from prison.  The fact that he was able to harm so many victims already is very disturbing and I hope that justice is served if he is proven to be guilty.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/r-kelly-pleads-not-guilty-10-count-sexual-abuse-indictment-n975641

Empire Actor Jussie Smollett Fakes Attack- Hannah Rodriguez

          Jussie Smollett was recently involved in a major controversy. Jussie Smollett, actor on Empire, claimed to have been involved in a hate crime when two men assaulted him and shouted homophobic and racial slurs towards him, wrapping a noose around his neck and covering him in a chemical substance Smollett believed to be bleach. Smollett filed a report to the police around 2 in the morning, saying he was assaulted by two men who he described were white males who not only assaulted him but told him "MAGA Country." However we find this not to be true when the attackers told detectives Smollett staged this.
          This offended many because he faked a hate crime and hurt those who have actually been victims to racial hate crimes and/or sexuality hate crimes. He also hurt the brothers he hired to do the hate crime on him because they were arrested after returning to Nigeria, which may remain on their record. There is speculation that Smollett's purpose of this was to receive more money for each episode he had on Empire because he was unhappy he was being paid less than the other actors. Either way, Smollett is also being faced with a felony charge for his actions.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/empire-actor-jussie-smolletts-faked-racial-attack-really-happened/

Mekinna Knight- A Night at the Oscars

This week’s current event may not be the most monumental in history, although definitely an emotional special night for the many esteemed Hollywood populous. If you were not informed, last night, Saturday the 24 of February, was the 2019 Oscars where many stars and people behind the scenes are awarded for their expertly inspiring jobs in making movies portray definite stories to the public. The Oscars, unlike other award shows, are voted on by a board of specific people who are hired to deeply engage in everything film rather than the general public. A specific Rami Malek, the lead role as Freddie Mercury in the most astounding new film “Bohemian Rhapsody”, was nominated for his first Oscar in the category of “Best Actor” and deservingly won for his portrayal of Freddie was to the T.  Rami Malek has blown up since his role in this film, and I can’t explain my excitement to see what the future brings to him. 

The Oscars dates back to the very first awards ceremony in 1929 (originally entitled the Academy Awards) where Emil Jennings was the first acceptor of the “Best Actor” award as well as the first person to present and academy award. 

r kelly is out again? -ZION MELAKU

r kelly is out again?
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/us/r-kelly-court-appearance-monday/index.html

R Kelly, an American singer, songwriter, a record producer, and a former professional  basketball player. He has been recently brought up due to all of the serious allegations against him of sexual abuse. This past weekend he was put in jail on $100,000 bond, and he paid it. He was released last night and the first place he went to was McDonald's. R Kelly is an important musical figure amongst the R&B community in America and all over the world, and it's been very different now due to all of the allegations against him.























Ariana Oliver- China Collects Genetic Data To Track Its People

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/business/china-xinjiang-uighur-dna-thermo-fisher.html

This article was published by Sui-Lee Wee on February 21, 2019.
Many people got caught up in a vast Chinese campaign of surveillance and oppression. The Chinese authorities are collecting DNA from certain groups without their consent. Tahir Imin was one of millions that were forced to give up personal data. Mr. Imin was required to give up to a "free health checkup". The "doctor" scanned his fingerprints and face, recorded his voice and drew blood samples. Imin was told that he didn't have the right to ask for the results or the purpose of the "checkup". Chinese authorities use this data to keep certain ethnic groups subservient to communism. Their primary target is the Uighurs, a group of Muslim Chinese. The Chinese authorities have tracked down and detained over millions in re-educated camps". Thermofisher has long stated that they will no longer sell to Xinjiang once they discovered what the advanced technology was being used for. International scientists have stated the violation of this "scientific norm". Since Chinese authorities have collected this data without the consent of the people it was obtained from, it shouldn't be shared publicly. Raising concerns have been consecrated and regarding how China will handle this policy moving forward. Moreover, many international organizations are angered by this violation of human rights.
In the 1940s and 50s, the United States obtained laws that required communist organizations to be registered with the government. Specifically the McCarran International Security Act. The communist organizations were forced to give up personal information about themselves in the name of "national security". The Muslim "terrorists" in the 1950s were attacked and stereotyped. The affect of "fear" has caused the government to keep track of groups they view as dangerous simply because of a religious or political belief.
Unlike the US, China has less of a concern for values such as freedom and individual rights. States similar to China may adopt the same policies, but I doubt this tactic will spread to other countries considering that they care for human rights and consent. We cannot do much to help change this policy other than put economic or political pressure on China. However, China is hostile to democracy so we shouldn't be as surprised to hear about violations of privacy.

Youssef Bakr "Ocasio-Cortez says there is a ‘legitimate question’ that needs to be asked: ‘Is it okay to still have children?'"

The young star of the Democratic Party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has come up with yet another brilliant proposal: It might be true that people should stop having children. In a casual Instagram livestream, she stated that there is, "basically, like, a scientific consensus that the lives of children are going to be very difficult, and it does lead... to a legitimate question. Ya know, should- is it okay to still have children?" I am always sure to take note of the scholarship of a person who uses the word 'like' very often. She continued later: "We're actually screwed."

The absurdity of AOC's statements remind me of those made by many different political figures, especially George W. Bush, who famously said, "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test," and "Rarely is the question asked: 'Is our children learning?.'" Barack Obama has said … it is just wonderful to be back in Oregon, and over the last 15 months we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in fifty …. seven states? I think one left to go. One left to go. Alaska and Hawaii."

It is important to take note that both Bush and Obama had a slip of the tongue, while Cortez is usually serious when she says these sorts of things.

Anna Speer- Another Abortion Controversy

Senate Republicans presented a bill today that would possibly threaten doctors with jail time who didn't try saving children born alive in late term abortions.  Senate Democrats immediately blocked the bill.  Was this an attempt from the conservatives to go on the offensive, particularly after the New York law allowing late term abortions earlier this year?  Do both sides only want to make their constituents happy? It makes me wonder how many congressman sincerely look at our issues at the moment. However, is this much ado about nothing? Only 1% of all abortions occur after 21 weeks of pregnancy (which is the marker most consider a fetus viable).

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2019-02-25/gop-sensing-campaign-issue-pushes-abortion-vote-in-senate

Ice wall~ Stephannie Hernandez

 Stephanie Hernandez
 8th silver

Summary~
 Due to extreme winds from a weekend storm over the Great Lakes pushed huge walls of ice on the shores of Lake Erie . The ice with 40 feet tall in some places. The storm has knocked out power in the Great Lakes region and the north east .

Analysis~
 Date and time :  February 25, 2019.  2:23 PM EST

Prior knowledge~
  I didn’t know this had happened, I just found out reading this article. It is crazy that the ice has reached 40 feet in some places of Lake Erie. I hope that the people who are dealing  with the storms are safe.

Source~
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/us/lake-erie-ice-walls-trnd/index.html

Male Only Draft is Unconstitutional- adriana chavez

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/politics/male-only-draft-unconstitutional/index.html

A federal judge ruled that the Selective Service System's men only registration is unconstitutional late on Friday, opting for the recent women's rights rationale. The argument about excluding women spurred based on their interests and readiness for combat, both overbroad generalizations. Miller stated that men and women currently have similar roles, and that the time to discuss women's positions in military has long passed. The original draft was eliminated in the 1970s by Congress but all men ages 18-25 are still required to register. Ideas from a prior case arose stating that women could be excluded due to the fact that they are not "similarly situated," emphasizing the fact that they can't participate in combat. Furthermore, another argument stated that only a small percentage of women meet the the physical standards for a position in combat. In response, Miller added that a similarly small percentage of men could also be eligible, which would bring no reason to discriminate against women.
This article was published last Friday and has since been updated today to correct a quote from the judge's order. This argument and generalization about women's roles in military positions reminds me of the generalizations of women during and prior to the Women's Suffrage Movement. They were seen as ineligible to obtain rights such as voting or property rights, and now the same question arises for women to be eligible to maintain a combat position in the military. Gender roles still seem to be a continuing problem in todays society, and i hope they will cease to exist in the near future.

Empire actor fakes hate attack- Paola Aceves

Jussie Smollet, actor from Empire recently faked a hate attack. The actor claimed that two white men yelled racial slurs at him and that one even had a noose. It was revealed that although he was attacked, the people that attacked him were, in fact, two actors from Empire that he paid to do it. He ended up turning himself in. The reasoning behind the staged attack was said to be that he was unhappy with his salary.

Roma wins 3 categories at the Oscars-Sophie Knox

 Source:https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/24/netflix-roma-oscar-win-could-shift-movie-industry-away-from-theaters.html

Summary: Netflix’s hit movie, Roma, just won Best Foreign Film, Best Director, and Best Cimetography at the Oscars. Curón, the director of this film, was the first person to win Best Cinematography for a film they also directed. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, but lost to the Green Book. This isn’t the first year streaming services have been nominated for awards. Last year, Amazon’s Manchester By The Sea was nominated for for Best Picture and won an Academy Award.

Analysis: This article shows us how technology is evolving and becoming mainstream and accepted more. Firstly, Roma, being a black and white foreign film originally had not as great expectation for becoming a box office hit. This shows how more people are open to new and culturally different movies. This movie and Manchester By the Sea are examples of streaming services becoming accepted into Hollywood. I read an article that said by 2035, theaters will disappear and everything will be on streaming services. This is no way true, Roma was actually released in movie theaters all over the world. I can relate this to the 20’s because that’s when silent motion pictures which resulted in a huge entertainment industry. Also, like in the 20’s, Roma was in black and white.

Lesly Marquez- Former Trump campaign staffer sues, alleging Trump kissed her without consent

Summary:

This article basically informs us about a former Trump campaign staffer who sued president Trump for kissing her without consent and paying her less than her male colleagues because of her race and ethnicity. Alva Johnson said this happened during the 2016 race and is ready to talk about it even if it means she will get people to hate on her from all different directions. She claims this happened in an RV while Trump signed autographs and talked to many people but some of the people who were also on this RV claim that what she is saying is false and that it never happened. She also sued because she noticed she would get payed less than her male colleagues but again people working with Trump claim that this statement is false as well and that they don't pay people according to rave or ethnicity.

Analysis:

There's already been many women who have accused him of doing something to them therefore if this is true it wouldn't  really be a surprise because its happened before. I think that this doesn't represent him in the best way so if he wants to be respected and seen as a "good president" he should act like it. This just comes to show that people do take advantage of their power or position that they are in. 


Fiona Graybill- Woman killed by falling rock and ice at Yosemite National Park

On Sunday, a 56 year old woman ventured down a hiking path that was closed due to potentially dangerous conditions in California at this time of year. The National Park Service said that the hiker, Xuan Wang, was fatally hit by a mixture of ice and rocks.

Though yet to be addressed in class, an instance where nature took its toll on civilians was during the Dust Bowl. Much more widespread and caused in part because of man's doing, the Dust Bowl, along with this accident, claimed lives. We do not treat nature particularly well and sometimes, no matter how beautiful, mother earth retaliates and people get caught in the crossfire.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/us/yosemite-ice-death/index.html

Bernie Sanders Raises $10 Million in Less Than a Week -- Lily McCollum


Bernie Sanders, one of the people running for the Democratic candidate, received 10 million dollars from over 300,000 donors in one week. Many of the donors were not donors in his first attempt at the election in 2016. This shows that Bernie is receiving lots of support, and it is quickly increasing. It is clearly not only the Bernie loyalists supporting him, but he is increasing support fast. 

The author of this article is definitely in favor of Bernie. He supports that Bernie has gotten this much attention and wants him to be successful 

It is so stressful that the Democrats still haven't gotten closer to having a candidate. The party needs to come together for this crucial vote. I know throughout American history, there has been different parties and different regulations when it comes to elections. I think that it is crazy to have millions of dollars going to someone who may not even be at the primary. The goverment is in a very interesting place right now, and I am on the edge of my seat to see how this election turns out. 

1st of 5th Six Weeks

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/politics/male-only-draft-unconstitutional/index.html


The article I chose is about a federal judge who ruled the Selective Service System's men-only registration unconstitutional late Friday rejected the reasoning of a 1981 Surpreme Court decision, opting for the recent women's rights rationale of Justice Ruth Badr Ginsburg and the contemporary court. The judge "spurned" the government's argument about excluding women, based party on their interest for combat by declaring "this argument smacks of arcaic and overbroad generalizations about women's preferences. She said "while historical restrictions on women in the military mat have justified past discrimination" men and women now have similar roles in many ways. She said the "Selective Service had not shown that the male-only registration requirement was "substantially related to Congress's objective of raising and supporting armies." Congress eliminated the draft in the early 1970s but all men ages 18-25 are required by law to provide basic personal information to the Selective Service System.


I feel that drating women in the military is a smart and beneficial choice. I think that it should in fact be considered. It would let women in the country be alot more involved and would allow for women to fight and defend for themselves. However i do see how people can say that this is a very dangerous choice for women to be drafted. This relates to U.S History because of the Selective Service Act of 1948 that created a new and seperate system, the basis for the modern system. It said that all men 18 years or older had to register Selective Service. All men between the ages to 26 were eligible to be drafted for a service requirement of 21 months.

Samuel Martin - Trump Heads Abroad for North Korea Talks

Domestic Distractions Persist as Trump Heads Abroad for North Korea Talks

Summary
President Trump is meeting with the dictator Kim Jong-un this week at a summit in Vietnam to try to persuade the leader of North Korea to abandon his nuclear weapons. Trump thinks that if the country completely denuclearizes itself it will prosper economically and politically and end the Korean war. Some reporters believe that the US might be working with North Korea on a joint statement to end the war, while others think that this is a ploy to get Jong-un to destroy the nuclear warheads. Critics are worried that President Trump is giving too much (the retreat of troops from South Korea) in exchange for very little (the "promise" that the country will denuclearize). Even though the president is leaving the country, it is extremely likely that he will be bugged with domestic issues including the border wall, which will be voted upon on Tuesday. This could lead to Trump's first presidential veto, and his first veto while he is on foreign soil.

Analysis
This article was written on Monday, February 25, 2019 in Washington D.C. This means that the author was close to the source location and this written on the same day as Trump made the comments and left for the summit in Vietnam. I already knew that we want to get North Korea denuclearized, but I didn't know that there was an effort right now with all of the domestic problems that we have. This relates to June of 2018, when the president first met and shook hands (a momentous occasion) with Kim Jong-un and talked about beginning denuclearization. The audience of this is all of the US because we need to be aware of the domestic issues going on even though our president is dealing with foreign issues at the moment. The author is Michael D. Shear, who is a White House Correspondent for the NYTimes. The article was written to inform the country about the president's thoughts about Korean denuclearization as well as its benefits. This is important because even though we may not like or agree with our president, we still have to listen to what he thinks because like it or not he is our leader.

Source
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/us/politics/vietnam-summit-trump-kim.html

Avery Corley: Most senior Catholic official to be charged with sexual abuse is convicted

When the story of two different sexual assault cases against Cardinal George Pell surfaced last year, the world was shocked. Even though Bell was found guilty for five charges from the assault back in December, the verdict was not open to the public's eye until now. The main reason to hold the news from the press was due to a second trial that would have been held this year but, the charges were dropped. Because Bell was found guilty he has become the most senior official of the catholic church to be charged with sexual abuse.

source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/australian-cardinal-george-pell-convicted-of-sexually-assaulting-two-choirboys/2019/02/25/078d7e22-3960-11e9-a06c-3ec8ed509d15_story.html?utm_term=.f1377e9e9f91

Whale in the Rainforest sally North

The carcass of a humpback whale was found more than fifty feet away from the shore, inside the Amazon Rainforest. Marine experts suspect a strong tide may have launched the 26 foot long whale into the forest, but it could also be related to the massive amounts of plastic the whale had eaten.

This article related to the persistent issue of pollution and lack of recycling of plastic in the US. The amounts of plastic present in the environment is similar to the massive amounts of smog found in cities during the industrial revolution. We really need to be more diligent when it comes to caring for our enviroment.
https://www-independent-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/humpback-whale-dead-amazon-jungle-brazil-rainforest-marajo-island-a8796016.html?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&amp&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#aoh=15511503533609&amp_ct=1551150357581&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Famericas%2Fhumpback-whale-dead-amazon-jungle-brazil-rainforest-marajo-island-a8796016.html

Alex Carrington- Alva Johnson Claims That Trump Kissed Her Without Consent

Today, February 25, Alex Pappas wrote an article about Alva Johnson, who advocated for Trump during his presidential campaign. She filed lawsuit that claimed Trump kissed her without her consent in front of multiple people during a political event in 2016. The White House is denying every point of this accusation.
“To Defendant Trump, however, Ms. Johnson was nothing more than a sexual object he felt entitled to dominate and humiliate,” the lawsuit responds. “Like he has done with so many other women, Defendant Trump violated norms of decency and privacy by kissing Ms. Johnson on the lips without her consent in the middle of a Florida work event and in front of numerous other Campaign officials.”

Similar to this scandal, in the 1990s there was a scandal involving then President Clinton and a woman other than his wife, Hilary.  It was an enormous scandal that lead to Congress impeaching President Clinton. This situation with President Trump is disturbing in that it shows how far our country has changed when a president is accused of having an extramarital affair and the masses are not outraged.

Sydney Ewing- Black Men Falsely Accused of Rape

In Groveland, Florida, white teenager Norma Padgett accused four black men (Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee and Walter Irvin) of kidnapping and raping her 70 years ago. Two of them would be shot dead by the segregationist sheriff and an angry mob, and the other two were convicted quickly despite a lack of evidence. The case of the Groveland Four has been considered known as one of Florida’s greatest injustices and symbols of racism. During recent investigation of the case, there was evidence that Padgett had perjured documents and there was no physical evidence of rape. Also the investigation found that the sheriff’s office “fabricated footprint evidence that supposedly linked the men to the crime scene.” In 2017, Florida formally apologized for what happened, and on Friday, the state’s clemency board voted unanimously to pardon the men.

It is horrible that Florida just now decided to “pardon” these men. Honestly they should be getting exonerated because they did not commit a crime. The hearing for the reinvestigation of this trial was delayed for almost two years. I feel for the families of the Groveland Four. I also pity the sheriff and others involved in the trial. I can't imagine hating someone because of their race, let alone hating them enough to frame them for rape. One of the Four was sentenced to death originally and the other was given a life sentence in jail (if that gives any perspective). This is eerily similar to the Sacco and Venzetti case. Anyways, I don't have many words to say for such a blatant lack of care for justice now and back then.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/history/2019/01/11/years-after-miscarriage-justice-florida-pardons-four-black-men-accused-rape-by-white-woman/

Judge Rules Male-Only Draft Violates Constitution - Miranda Farrar

On Friday, a federal judge ruled that it is unconstitutional to require only men to register for the draft. This case, beginning in the 1980s, originally ruled that it didn't violate the Constitution. In the past, restricting women from joining the military was a method of discriminating against women. In 2013, the ban against women in combat was lifted, and in 2015, all gender-based restrictions were lifted. No longer is it said that women are ineligible for combat. This latest case was brought up by the National Coalition for Men, who fought against arguments that said women would avoid joining the army, convinced that they would be forced to serve in combat roles.

This is a monumental change in our history. For a long time, men have been drafted into wars, as seen through conscription during World War I. Never have women been forced to sign up for drafts. I'm sure that many have conflicted feelings about this, as do I. When I was younger, I worried about my male family members maybe one day being forced to fight in a war. I never had to consider that maybe I would have to. The thought scares me, but I'm glad that we're headed towards an even playing field. Overall, this sparks questions of what our country's future holds military-wise.

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/697622930/judge-rules-male-only-draft-violates-constitution

Zander Pryor-Anti Vax

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/youtube-just-demonetized-anti-vax-channels I think we've all earned some good news this week so although there's certainly other and far more depressing stories, I want to focus on the one that feels the least post apocalyptic. Anti vaxxers have gained a suprising amount of traction in the past few years. Although thankfully they are still largely disregarded by any reputable sources, they are still managing to muster some damage. Luckily, with steps like these that transpired in this story some of that power can be reduced. YouTube has had some problems as of late with controversial content on their site. From nazis to child pornography, the site has been rife with various issues, most recently anti vaccination channels. However in a satisfying twist, advertisers were appalled to find out their ads were playing in front of anti vax videos. They condemned the channels and put pressure on the site, leading YouTube to demonize many visible anti vaccination channels. This is incredibly satisfying to me. Anti vaxxers are not just harmful to themselves, they pose a threat to literally everyone around them, particularly to the most vulnerable of society. This story and the larger ongoing conflict reminds me of the scopes trial and the controversy surrounding it. The conflict between feelings and fears, and science has been ongoing for over a decade. They both stemmed from from irrational fear that came with innovation and improvement in science.

Trump accuses Spike Lee of 'racist hit' against him in Oscars acceptance speech by Joaquin Gandara

In his acceptance speech, which he read from a sheet of notes, Lee referred to February being Black History Month and discussed slavery and its legacy, particularly within his own family. His great-grandmother, he said, was a slave.Lee said: “Before the world tonight I give praise to our ancestors who built this country into what it is today along with the genocide of its native people. If we all connect with our ancestors we will have love, wisdom and regain our humanity. It will be a powerful moment.“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilise, let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate.”
At a subsequent press conference, Lee was asked if his film had changed America. He responded by discussing the white nationalist rally and march in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017, during which Heather Heyer, a 32 year-old counterprotester, was killed by a car driven by an extremist.Lee included footage of the attack in BlacKkKlansman. Trump infamously said there had been “very fine people, on both sides" of the protests.“That car drove down that one street in Virginia,” Lee said, “and the president of the United States did not reject, refute [or] did not denounce the Klan, ‘alt-right’ and neo-Nazis. This film, whether we won best picture or not, this film will stand the test of time being on the right side of history.”
Around dawn on Monday, from the White House, Trump duly responded with a nasty personal jab.He wrote: “Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes or better yet not have to use notes at all when doing his racist hit on your president.”
He also claimed he had “done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts, etc) than almost any other President!”

Keyanna Smith “Democrats prepare to grill Trumps admin on family separation policy”

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/02/25/politics/family-separation-preview/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

The debate over Trump’s administration of the immigration act is being ignited on Tuesday and the House Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing on the situation. The immigration policy resulted in thousands of parents being separated from their parents. The house democrats have long denounced this but now in their new formed power as a majority this the biggest opportunity for them. They are likely to latch to the inspector general report as an example of the chaos that ensued when the policy was implemented.

This connects to when then they had the immigration act that limited the amount of immigrants that could come into the US however unlike now they had no one fighting for them. This policy however has the consequence that is your an immigrant you will be separated from your parents and back then during their immigration act this did not happen but the consequences were still bad.

Daviah Harrison-The hate Jussie Smollett is accused of faking happened to me

 This article was written by Bill Hinkle on Saturday February 23,2019 and he shares a personal story about when he and his ex-boyfriend were attacked about 15 years ago. Two men shouted anti-gay slurs and attacked the couple on the Walk of Fame. Bill felt angry and disappointed when he was informed that Jussie Smollett had falsified an attack that he actually experienced and couldn't figure out whyJussie would do such a thing. However, Bill is lucky to see the changes that have been made in society with the LGBTQ community. Being the only gay kid at his high school, he is proud to know that there are now LGBTQ groups at schools around the country. Bill hopes that Jussie will learn from this and get help.

It is sad to know that Jussie has faked something that a lot of people actually go through and this reminds me of many things like when people have faked different illnesses in order to receive special benefits from others. I hate that this has happened and hope that Jussie gets the help that he needs.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/23/opinions/the-hate-jussie-smollett-is-accused-of-faking-happened-to-me-hinkle/index.html

Brandon Spigner - Bernie made 10 milly

In 2016 we were introduced to Bernie Sanders, he is and was a presidential candidate against Trump. He announced his candidacy and within a week he has raised over 10 million dollars. In his first day he raised 5.9 million more than any other candidate. This reminds me of how the progressive movement made so many changes in the 20's. Even though Bernie didnt lose he left a lasting effect on the minds of the youth and every politically minded person. Without him we wouldnt have the most diverse freshman class in congress history. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/us/politics/bernie-sanders-10-million.html

Dead humpback whale discovered in Brazil’s Amazon jungle puzzles researchers- Yesenia Ramirez Monroy


Biologists found the body of a humpback whale that was found 50 feet away from shore in Brazil's Amazon in between some trees in the month of February. The humpback whale was around 26 feet long, which meant it was still not an adult and the biologist say it was quite small. A team called SEMMA was alerted to investigate the case and marine experts from Bicho D'água said that a powerful tide might have launched the whale to inland. They also said that it might have also been swimming near shore and might have lost it's mother and Biologist say that it had consumed to much plastic. Over the past few years in 2014 a Public Library of Science journal researched that their was around 5 trillion pieces in our oceans and it is only known to grow.

This article was written by Jennifer Earl on the February the 25, 2019 with the purpose of informing citizens of the current issue that occurred in Brazil, but can also occur mostly anywhere near a large bod of water. By the tone of the author we can assume that she believes that we should take care of our environment. This article may not seem to be a big issue that can affect us in any sort of way in present day, but overtime the issue of pollution will layer on be a major issue. For example around the 18th century their was a large amount of coal production during the Industrial Revolution which led to a lot of smog. This led a lot of people having serious health issues especially in Donora, Pennsylvania. It was also due to the urbanization that was taking place and the rise of Factories and Transportation. 

Ice Wall: Zoe Williams

And ice wall has blown onto the shores of Lake Erie from a large storm over the Great Lakes.  It was caused by strong winds and currents.  There have been advisories against entering certain areas and forced closure of certain roads due to a blockage.  A storm chaser was quoted as saying that it was one of the craziest things he had ever seen.

I chose this article because I had never heard of an event like this before. Having icy roads is one thing, but having literal chunks of ice block your way, well that's just a whole new level.  This article came from CNN, which I trust as a generally unbiased source.

There were warning against traveling to certain areas during the ice storm just as there were warnings against plain travel just after 9/11.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/us/lake-erie-ice-walls-trnd/index.html 

Serena Williams Ad Exposes Double Standard- Kennedy Hannible

The ad aired during the 2019 Academy Awards, which addressed the divide between the way women and men are perceived in moments of expressing emotion. Serena has been known for expressing her emotions during a match. She called the umpire Carlos Ramos a "thief" which got her fined $17.000, but Williams explained how she has seen/heard male players say several things to umpires. The controversial ruling ignited an international debate about the double standard for men and women who show emotion. Women in the workplace have been penalized for overly reacting in situations while men are seen as being passionate. Women of color are faced with even more hurdles. This double standard has been going on for centuries and has hindered the rise of many women.
index.html

Leslie Vasquez- Drafting Only Men for the Military is Ruled Unconstitutional

On Sunday, Judge Gray H. Miller ruled the drafting of only men and not women into the military is unconstitutional. He notes how the Supreme Court's 1981 ruling of excluding women from the draft was acceptable due to women not being able to serve in combat. However, the Pentagon lifted that rule in 2015, which makes drafting women for the military ideal. Selective service also shows signs of citizenship, so Miller implies that both men and women should take on the responsibility of a military draft. Kate Germano, a retired Marine, says that drafting women would be an advantage, not just to the country, but for men as well due to them having the burden of selective service since it began.

I think drafting women into the military should happen/should be considered. Not only would it increase the country's ability to defend itself and be strategic in new ways, it would also allow women to be more involved in a career that has been predominately male. This can open doors to equality of genders and more.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/us/military-draft-men-unconstitutional.html

Isadora Lilly- Trump whines on Twitter over Spike Lee's Oscar Speech


This past Sunday, director of BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee, gave a passionate acceptance speech at the Oscars following his win of the title of best adapted screenplay for his film. Lee addressed black history, ancestry, and the upcoming 2020 presidential election, saying, "The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let's all mobilize. Let's all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let's do the right thing! You know I had to get that in there."

Following his speech, Trump took to Twitter yet again to use his time productively and whine about another grown man's speech at the Oscars. Trump wrote: "Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts, etc.) than almost any other Pres!"

This reminds me of virtually every other time Trump has used social media to imitate propaganda in an attempt to invalidate the opinion of those who contradict him and sway the nation's opinions in favor of himself. I am reminded in particular of an event I recently wrote about where Trump mocked Elizabeth Warren on Twitter, U.S. Senator planning to run for president in the upcoming 2020 election. Trump will do anything to crush his competition and brainwash the nation when it comes to this election. In the words of Lee, "Let's all be on the right side of history."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2019/02/25/spike-lees-oscar-acceptance-speech-slammed-racist-hit-trump/2977425002/

Ryan Mecca | A country with some of the country’s strictest gun laws could not stop this shooting

         On Friday, Gary Martin shot 5 people in Illinois, the state with the strictest gun laws. While Illinois has very protective measures to ensure that guns and gun licenses don’t get into the wrong hands, Gary Martin was still able to obtain both of these things. In order to purchase a gun, one must apply for a FOID card, where a background check is done of the applicant. Somehow, Martin’s previous felonies were not recorded in the databased used, allowing him to get the FOID card regardless of his crimes. It’s important for Illinois to now improve the system of background records in order to ensure that no possible crimes are missed. So far there is no way for the government to see whether or not convicted individuals surrendered their weapons to police.
         Gun laws in the U.S. have been up for debate recently, particularly gaining momentum after the Parkland school shooting. This article is directed towards the those who believe that gun violence can be solved with legislature, in order to prove otherwise. It allows us to see that regardless of strong gun restrictions, deadly shooting such as this will still occur and there is really no way for us to completely perfect the system, as there will always be flaws. The author, Emanuella Grinberg, appears to support the gun control movement, however, based on the main point made in the article, most likely does not believe that strict laws will reduce shootings in our country.
         Just like no matter the amount of legislature there isn’t restricting the use of guns in the U.S., there will always be gun violence, no matter how much industrial innovation there was during the Roaring 20s, nothing prevented the Great Depression. During the 20s, there were many new industries on the rise such as the automobile, steel, aircraft industries and the creation of new labor-saving products such as the washing machine, however, this mass production drove prices down, leading to the biggest stock crash in U.S. history.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/23/us/gun-laws-illinois-shooting/index.html

Dayana Barron- Drafting Only Men for the Military is Unconstitutional

Drafting Only Men for the Military is Unconstitutional

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/us/military-draft-men-unconstitutional.html

A military draft is applying only to men is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Houston has ruled, and says that excluding woman is now no longer justified because it is proven that women can do just as much as men can do. The Pentagon abolished these restrictions of excluding woman from the Military in 2015, and this opened a way for woman to be able to serve in the military role.

Historical restrictions on woman in the military may have justified past discrimination, men and women are now similarly situated purposes of a draft or registration for a draft. Im glad that woman are now able to serve in the military and are now a bit more respected than in the past. Woman are able to just as much or even more things than men can.

Cathy Huynh - After the crash: How Wall Street is driving up homelessness

Summary: After the housing crash of 2008, many Americans felt that this was just the beginning of a decade-long house crisis. After the real estate bubble popped, more than 9 million homes were foreclosed and sold at a loss. While this was happening, Wall Street investors sought this as an opportunity to buy properties in bulk and rent them out for profit. Tight housing markets allow these companies to raise rents year after year, providing steady returns to investors. But the convenience and services they promise to deliver to tenants can be found lacking. Slowly, cities are passing new laws to protect tenants in investor-owned housing. Late last year, Los Angeles County temporarily extended rent-control protections and forbade evicting tenants without cause. Activists proclaimed that much more is needed.

Source: After the crash: How Wall Street is driving up homelessness

Summary: This article was written by Irina Ivanova on Feb. 25 so it is safe to trust this up-to-date info. I can relate this to the Great Depression, as it evicted many people too. This article was written to have a negative influence on the audience as it gives sad details about the devious investors, and invoking the desire to help victims. This article was written to recount on the 2008 house market crash and how it is still affecting today. This article is important, because it shows remnants of the Great Depression today.

Ban on Felons Right to Vote in Florida- Hannah Rodriguez

          In Florida, the process for felons to regain their right to vote is one of the toughest processes. However, felons may have regained their right to vote on election night. The voting rights restored for felons in Florida is higher than the population of many other states like Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Montana, Maine, and New Hampshire. However this is not eligible for murderers or people convicted of sexual assault. Only those who have completed their sentence and parole have the opportunity to have their voting rights restored buy the Fourth Amendment, supported by 64% voters.

After Putin's warning, Russian TV lists nuclear targets in U.S. - Cesar Galvan

Russian state television has listed U.S. military facilities that Moscow would target in the event of a nuclear strike, and said that a hypersonic missile Russia is developing would be able to hit them in less than five minutes.The targets included the Pentagon and the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland.The report, unusual even by the sometimes bellicose standards of Russian state TV, was broadcast on Sunday evening, days after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was militarily ready for a “Cuban Missile”-style crisis if the United States wanted one.

With tensions rising over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a Cold War-era arms-control treaty unravels, Putin has said Russia would be forced to respond by placing hypersonic nuclear missiles on submarines near U.S. waters.


The United States says it has no immediate plans to deploy such missiles in Europe and has dismissed Putin’s warnings as disingenuous propaganda. It does not currently have ground-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles that it could place in Europe.

However, its decision to quit the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty over an alleged Russian violation, something Moscow denies, has freed it to start developing and deploying such missiles.

Putin has said Russia does not want a new arms race, but has also dialled up his military rhetoric.

Jussie Smollett arrested- Perla Diaz

Accused of Faking Own Assault, Jussie Smollett Arrested on Felony Charge

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/arts/television/jussie-smollett-attack-suspect.html

Jussie Smollett, an actor on "Empire" who claimed to have been victim of a hate crime, was arrested on Thursday morning. He had claimed that he was attacked and assaulted by MAGA supporters who were verbally harassing him using homophobic and racial slurs and then physically attacked and was a victim of an attempted lynching. There were many who were justifiably outraged by the he fact that anyone could even think of trying to commit such a disgusting hate crime. However, due to footage and evidence that Chicago PD was able to obtain they were able to conclude that he had payed off his alleged attackers to assault him and his wounds were self inflicted. Many believed that his reasons for doing this were that he was afraid if being written off the show and wanted the publicity; however, FOX denied these claims and stated that they weren't planning on writing him off the show and he played a key role in "Empire"

I think this is an unforgivable act for anyone to do. His actions hurt numerous people in more ways than imaginable. It made me hose who defended him and called for social reform appear as radicals who are complaining for no reason and just trying to clvictimize themselves. It decredited people in the future who may actually become victims of a hate crime and made it so people are more hesitant to people who claim to be victims of crime. He also took advantage of our people's sympathy and those who want to protect victims of discrimination and hate. The claims of Smollett were similar to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan during the early 1920's.

Federal Judge Rules Male-Only Draft is Unconstitutional -Hadley McGhee

Federal judge rules male-only draft is unconstitutional
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/politics/male-only-draft-unconstitutional/index.html

As much as I loved knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about myself  in the event of a draft, I am inclined to agree that a male-only draft is unconstitutional. This pertains to Title IX, which ruled that nobody can be discriminated against in an educational program on the basis of sex. In this case, it says that nobody can be discriminated against in the federal draft on the basis of sex.

Besides, if the same vision standards apply to the female draft as the male draft, I’m still too blind for the draft.

Louisiana Mass Shooting- Hannah Rodriguez

          On January 27th, a shooting in Louisiana would occur leaving 5 people dead. Dakota Theriot, a young 21 year old male is to be held responsible for these two shootings that occurred. The first one being that Theriot killed his parents Keith Theriot, 50, and Elizabeth Theriot, 50. The reason for Dakota killing his parents isn't said but they weren't the only people he killed. Theriot then soon after killed 3 more people in a thought to be related shooting. These people were Billy Ernest, 43, Tanner Ernest, 17, and Summer Ernest, 20. This Ernest family is not related to him but hey did know each other. Its said that Theriot was dating Summer Ernest so that may be related with Theriot's motivating for killing the Ernest family.

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/01/26/new-orleans-shooting/

Women's March for Third Year- Hannah Rodriguez

          On January 19th, 2019 the third annual women's march continues and takes place. This women's march was created January 2017 in protest of Trumps presidency/election. With the purpose of women achieving equality and being able to be their own people without having to fit a mold or be or feel any less than men. However this wouldn't be all it would come to be now. In 2018, many more people were involved in this march, creating a voice for many and for the public. Now, in 2019, the march is no longer only about women but any problems that is very prevalent and important in our world today. The goal is to tackle on these problems as a whole to create a better environment for everyone as a whole.

https://womensmarchglobal.org/events/437/

Sophia Zhukova -The teenager became the youngest creator of a fusion reactor

American teenager began his project in 12 years. He spent about 10 thousand dollars on his device.
14-year-old teenager Jackson Oswalt became the youngest designer of a fusion reactor. The device created by him is completely working, and Jackson himself can become a record holder among young nuclear physicists. This writes Science Alert.
According to the publication, the teenager created a nuclear laboratory in an old game room in his home.
A beginner nuclear engineer worked on a fusion reactor project from the age of 12, and on January 19, 2018, a few hours before his 13th birthday, he allegedly completed his task.
Oswalt conducted a fusion reaction, pushing the atoms of gaseous deuterium in the reactor. His invention breaks up the atoms with enough force to combine them into one, and this process releases the energy accumulated inside the atoms.
The teenager reactor was constructed from parts that were purchased on eBay by his parents. In general, the project took about 10 thousand dollars.

I was shocked when I read about this and honestly, I still can't believe in it. Sometimes you think how is it possible for adult people to create such things, and then you hear about some kid made crazy stuff. I just can't imagine how smart the person can be and is it really possible to be smart at this age, well, there are many other questions came up on my mind because of it. I think there is nothing impossible for us at this age anyway; we just have to remember that we can do everything. There are good examples and evidence of this which we can look up in history when in the 1960s students protests were dedicated to resolving issues involving civil rights, poverty and liberating college students.

the-teenager-became-the-youngest-creator-of-a-nuclear-fusion-reactor

Los Angeles Teachers Go on Strike- Hannah Rodriguez

On January 14th, Los Angeles teachers formed a union and went on strike with some high demands. These teachers went on strike demanding many things, however, the main things being: poor pay, low staffing, and a demand for smaller class sizes. Because of the poor pay, UTLA (United Teachers of Los Angeles) have demanded a 6.5% raise in salary! Which one would support however California teachers rank second in national pay. When you look at other teachers going on strike demanding a higher pay, you understand because these teachers pull in $40,000 a year when California teachers earn around $74-$79,000 a year.  

This has brought a lot of attention to many because in many other states, it's illegal for teachers to go on strike and school days could just be cancelled that day if such occurs. However, in LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District), school days are to continue and its also one of the largest school districts in the nation. So seeing these classes filled with only substitutes and thousands of students gone was a shocker and attention grabber to many

https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickhess/2019/01/16/the-real-deal-with-the-los-angeles-teachers-strike/#316171132218

With women in combat roles, a federal court rules male-only draft unconstitutional- Maya Friedmann


This article talks about the all-male Selective Service System being ruled unconstitutional by a Texas judge. District Judge Gray Miler ruled that men and women are now equally able to fight. The U.S was able to maintain an all-volunteer military after the draft was discontinued in 1973, but it was reactivated in 1980 in case military enlistment was needed again. Miller noted that “the average woman could conceivably be better suited physically for some of today's combat positions than the average man, depending on which skills the position required. Combat roles no longer uniformly require sheer size or muscle."
The relates to US history because of the Selective Service Act of 1948. 

Hannah Beachler and Ruth E.Carter Make Oscar History

Last night, for the first time in more than three decades, two African American women (Hannah Beachler and Ruth E. Carter) were the first to win Oscars in their categories. Hannah Beachler was the production design winner while Ruth E. Carter was the costume design winner. Both of their work was featured in Black Panther.

I remember watching both of these women winning and feeling ecstatic not only for them, but my entire community. The fact that they are the first means so much for the future of film and in many ways they are paving the way for future women in the film industry. This story can be compared to when Hattie McDaniel was the first black woman to win an Oscar in 1939.

Hannah Beachler and Ruth E. Carter
Hattie McDaniel

Jussie Smollet reportedly has evidence to dispute police claim

Jussie Smollet has evidence that he paid two brothers $3,500 to help stage his hate attack. Sources told TMZ that the payment was for training to get Smollet into shape for a music video called, "Don't Go", where he will have to take off his shirt. The 192 pound songwriter/singer wanted to lose 20 pounds for the video. So he hired Abimbola, a jacked bodybuilder that he knew from the gym and called "Bon". Other evidence that he has are texts from Abimbola about a meal plan. The $3,500 total check accounted for $600-a-week for five weeks of the workout plan and $100-a-week for the food plan, also for five weeks, sources told TMZBoth brothers testified before a grand jury that the payment was for training. Smollett is charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. He is free after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bond.

I am very surprised that Jussie Smollet filed a false police claim and what happened wasn't real. Everybody was feeling very bad for him and supporting him, but in the back of his head he knew this was all totally a lie and it wasn't true. He deserves to have to pay the $100,000 bond.


All-Male Military Draft Is Unconstitutional, Judge Rules- Emma Myers

here's the LINK

This article talks about the military drafting being all male. Equal rights are a big deal nowadays, and with that comes equal responsibility. The article interviews a woman who was surprised when she didn't have to sign up for the draft. Although this draft hasn't been used since '73, it is still an issue that needs to be debated. (This is a really short interview, so there is not much to summarize)

The author does not need to convince the audience, because this is a purely factual document- it states other people's opinion on the issue. I think everyone can agree that women should be drafted, because now that women are admitted into the military, they should also be drafted. As the article states, having only men is simply discriminatory. Although men and women are treated differently in value of life and military, it is time that they are treated the same. This article relates to history because keeping the male-only draft is in the mindset of many years ago.


T-Series finally surpassed Pewdiepie in YouTube subscribers and barely anyone noticed- Cesar Galvan

A new “most-subscribed” channel was finally crowned on YouTube, albeit briefly.

After a nearly half-year long race, internet personality PewDiePie has finally been dethroned as YouTube’s most subscribed channel by Bollywood music video channel T-Series. The video production company surpassed the YouTuber in subscribers for the very first time on Friday, Feb. 22. 

However, the India-based T-Series' reign as the new “most-subscribed” channel on YouTube didn’t last for very long.

“For roughly 8 minutes, as a result of a YouTube audit, T-Series was ahead of PewDiePie (by a max of about 2000 [subscribers]),” a spokesperson with the social media analytics company SocialBladeconfirmed in a statement to Mashable.

A Florida man died after his Tesla Model S crashed and caught fire -Cesar Galvan

A south Florida man, Omar Awan, died Sunday after his Tesla Model S spun out of control, for reasons yet unknown, hit several trees, and was engulfed in flames.

Police estimated that the car was traveling between 75 and 90 mph. The speed limit on that road is 50 mph.

According to a reporter on the scene, police said their rescue efforts were stymied by the fact that the Tesla's retractable door handles did not retract after the crash. When asked about the door handles, a Tesla spokesperson pointed Business Insider to page 24 of the company's first responders guide.

Dangerous Cartoons - Devion Camp

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/youtube-kids-cartoons-include-tips-for-committing-suicide-docs-warn/




Nadine Kaslow, a president of the American Psychological Association and professor at Emory University School of Medicine, has been doing research and collecting data on the subliminal tips and tricks of attempting suicide and self harm. Suicide is a big contributing cause of death in between the ages of 10 and mid 20's. Each year, more suicide attempts from the youth has been recorded. Each year, at least 157,000 cases of self injured has been reported from the ages of 10 and 24. Most of this data has been recorded from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of these disturbing subliminal messages have been found in videos in YouTube kids and famous cartoons.


Suicide and depression has been a rapidly growing problems. This is concerning to see that it's also being implied and taught to our children nowadays. Everywhere you look you see hidden disturbing messages in shows and programs for kids. It concerns me that if we dont get better control of what are kids watch then they will wanna attempt and possibly commit suicide. 

R. Kelly Released From Jail After Making Bail on Sexual Abuse Charges- Maya Friedmann


R. Kelly was released from Chicago jail Monday, only three days after he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. A woman who describes herself as a friend paid the standard 10 percent bail fee of $100,000 to get him released. Many of his victims were 16 when he abused them, and one victim even came to the police with DNA evidence of the assault but he wasn’t charged at the time for some reason.