Apple by: Taylor Grant-Gates

Apple passes Coke as world's 'top brand'

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/30/tech/innovation/apple-coke-top-brands/index.html

A new report shows that Apple, a brand that most of us a BTW know about, has passed Coca-Cola in being the worlds top brand.

Honestly this news doesn't surprise me much. We can so plainly see the effect that Apple products have over our daily lives as it is. Look at BTW for example, wears pretty much Apple planet. Not only do we have the IPhones, we have the MacBooks, and the IPods. 

I have to be a little more honest than I put on before....I actually was a little surprised! Well I was then again I am not. Apple is definitely top in America, but to say that it is top in the whole world, that is saying a lot.

I am sure that the people that Work for Apple are pleased with the results, and I am sure that Steve Jobs, wherever he may be is smiling on his success, and the legacy that continues to live on today!

Waters of Mars- Meg Mickelsen

The first sample of soil taken from mars and analyzed by NASA's state of the art Mars Rover Curiosity recently revealed that the soil on mars is made up of about 2% water.  This first sample can be used to gain knowledge about the entire plant's crust because traces of elements found on completely different parts of Mars were evident in this new sample.  The sample was taken from a sandy patch of the red planet called Rocknest.  When heated to 835 degrees celsius the soil yielded water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sulfur compounds.   I found this information on twww.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130926143143.htm.  The article presents clear ideas, is well-written, and unbiased.   I find this new information extremely exciting and interesting because it potentially means  that any future explorers or colonizers of Mars could potentially microwave dirt and get water.  It also further increases the chances of life on Mars in the past or present, because water is one of the requirements for life.   In conclusion, go H2O, and go science!

  This is a picture of Curiosity.

Pastor Shot While Preaching: Devon Travis

Friday, September 27, Pastor Ronald Harris was preaching to a crowd of 50 to 60 in Louisiana when a man walked in and shot him twice, killing him instantly. 53 year-old Woodrow Karey turned himself in that night for shooting the pastor and identified where he had hid the guns used to shoot Harris. The motive for shooting Harris is still unknown, but police think that it has to do with issues that occurred at the church.

Firstly, my heart goes out to the Harris family. The man was articulating his love for the lord and was killed while doing it- honestly something admirable. I hope in my final moments i will be thinking of Him. But regardless if you are christian or not, the idea that this man walked into a public place, shot and killed a man, and left is unbearable. How did the people in the church let him leave? Our human nature has become more violent recently, and we dont have a better logical plan to work things out than to shoot the person we have a problem with... probably not the smartest of ideas. It makes you wonder, are humans really this impulsive to act upon the idea of shooting a man, while preaching? It makes me sick to my stomach.

read more, go to http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/09/29/louisiana-pastor-killed-sermon

Hornets Attack by Addison Jordan

Summary: In the last three months, deadly hornets in China’s central Shaanxi province have killed at least 19 people. “A total of 583 people have been stung by hornets since July 1^st” says city officials, and lots of victims are still recovering from their attacks.

            Chen Changlin was hospitalized after being attacked by hornets, while harvesting rice last week. "I ran and shouted for help, but the hornets chased me about 200 meters, and stung me for more than 3 minutes," he recounted. Chen said hornets had first swarmed a woman and child working nearby, who then ran towards him. Both later died from the hornets' toxins.

            The more you run, the more they want to chase you," said another victim.  After examining his body, his kidneys were filled with venom and his urine was the color of soy sauce.

            Earlier in the month, there was a hornet attack that involved 30 people.  Sadly enough, 23 of these victims were school children. The attack happened in Guangxi province, south of Shaanxi. In this attack a teacher tried to drive the hornets in another direction while the kids hid under tables.

            Experts believe the reasons for the increased hornet activity are due to, the region's recent hot, dry weather, land development, and hornet sensitivity to the smell of people. Vice Mayor Lu Qi said he would increase investment in regional hornet control. Mayor Xu Qifang added that the city would establish a 24-hour emergency hornet response team.

Analysis: In situations like these, there isn’t much you can do. It is very unfortunate that this would happen to these people, but all living creatures are just parts of nature. I am very lucky to have never been stung by a hornet and it is something I never want to experience.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/27/world/asia/china-asian-hornet-deaths/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Nia Edwards 4th period- Etranged daughter kills mother before being killed by her father

Current Event #5
Nia Edwards


              On September 29,2013 at 8:11 PM Laura Ly wrote an article about a woman named Josephine Ruckinger. Josephine had been estranged from her family about 20 years before her and her husband stormed into her parent's house in Pennsylvania shooting and killing the mother and the brother. The gun was then aimed at the father but before the trigger could be pulled he picked up a gun himself, shooting and killing both his daughter and her husband. It is believed by the police that he did not recognize his daughter until after he had killed her. The motive of the Ruckingers is unknown.

          This story is so sad. I don't understand how Josephine and her husband could kill their family at point blank range. Especially since they had been estranged for 20 years, I don't see what could make them want to murder their own flesh and blood. I honestly feel so bad for the father, John Sr., because not only does he have to live with the fact that he watched his wife and son be killed but also the fact that he was forced to kill his own daughter and her husband. I couldn't imagine being in his place right now  


http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/29/us/pennsylvania-estranged-daughter-murder/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Claire Zimmerman: "H2 Oh my: NASA's Curiosity finds Water in Mars Dirt!"

Well, the title pretty much explains it all. Water has been found in the majority of martian soil, along with other chemical compounds such as oxygen and nitrogen, which, as we all hopefully know, are a crucial part of living. These bring up the possibility that life could have very possibly lived on Earth. They also found a type of rock on Mars that's very similar to a type of rock found on Earth, on a plethora of oceanic islands. This really wowed the scientist because it made them realize that Mars could have very well been like Earth, which is pretty amazing. One downside was that Curiosity discovered a chemical in the Martian soil, known as perchlorate, which is a chlorine compound that has released toxic elements that are dangerous for humans.

I remember hearing this on the news and just being blown away. There are so many remarkable things about this story, but let's just start with the basic one of THERE'S. WATER. ON. MARS. WATER!! This is such a monumental discovery! Think of it logically: if we were every going to colonize Mars, the biggest problem facing us would be how are we going to get water. We can't very well make it. We would either have to find some creative way to recycle it, or there would have to be a substantial source of it on the planet we inhabit. They are saying that there are 2 pints of water for every cubic foot of soil on the surface of Mars! That's just so incredible! If we could find some way to get the water out of the soil and turn it into a drinkable liquid, dodging the hazardous perchlorate, then we would be able to have enough water to supply a colony! They believe that these same results will be the same all over the planet, or at least a majority of it, based on their current results.

Another thing that's remarkable about this is the fact that we're just able to get this information! Really, just take a moment to contemplate just how remarkable Curiosity is. This machine was able to not only go to Mars, but it's also able to determine what kind of elements are in the soil! Science has just come so far over the past 50 years. We are able to send something to Mars and get results like this back! I know, I'm going a bit overboard on this, but it's just so amazing and makes me so hopeful for the future! Think of all the good that technology like this will be able to bring us!

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/09/26/curiosity-rover-makes-big-water-discovery-in-mars-dirt/

Catwalk scandal By: Valerie Coahuilas

A British supermodel experiences a most uncomfortable situation when a Femen activist comes onto the catwalk and confronts the model lifting up her skirt and exposing her in front of many in a cry against the supposed over sexualization of the fashion industry. The model, Hollie-May Saker, punched the activist square in the nose and stated that while she was taken back by the confusion and shock, she had to take it professionally and continue on without hesitating. The fashion industry may be taking things too far at some points but there are always better ways at voicing opinions and being heard. Perhaps Femen activists should go about things in a more "professional" approach like Hollie-May. 

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/09/29/british-supermodel-punches-topless-female-protesters-on-catwalk/