Khelsey Gamble (March 3) Anti Gay Bill Georgia (Ughh)

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/27/opinion/abrams-richardson-georgia-anti-gay/index.html?hpt=us_mid

In the wake of many advances in human rights, another state has joined the fight to continue to discriminate against the LGBT community. IN Georgia, they are trying to pass the anti-gay laws that were trying to be pushed in Arizona, which were struck down. Georgia is in the deep south, so something like this is not unexpected. The bill could make it possible for pharmacist to turn don HIV patients, and restaurants could refuse service to homosexual couples. If this bill passes, it will be a step back for the LGBT community.

I HATE when people try to oppress people, simply because they do not agree. If gay people aren't hurting you, why in the hell do you feel the need to try and stop them from living their lives? It's thinking like this that baffles me. I hate this bill so much, and I'm glad it was vetoed in Arizona. Why can't people just be left alone. If I want to go out and eat with my woman partner, let me do that! I swear, people seem to think they can just get in everyone's business. Leave these people alone, and let them live their gosh darn lives. (I'm not gay btw, I made it seem that way with the restaurant thing. And even if I was gay, I wouldn't mind:))

Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas’ Ban on Same-Sex Marriage- Sam Schwall- 1st period

            This week I read the article, Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas’ Ban on Same-Sex Marriage, by Manny Fernandez for the New York Times. This article discusses Judge Orlando L. Garcia’s striking down of Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage. The Judge wrote, “Without a rational relation to a legitimate governmental purpose, state-imposed inequality can find no refuge in our United States Constitution.” This is a big step as Texas is a highly populated and extremely conservative state. Republicans, including Gov. Rick Perry, claim that this is an issue of voting being wrongly taken to court, but many agree that this ban is unconstitutional.

            I thin that even though this has no immediate effect on same-sex couples marrying, this a step in the right direction and is telling us that Texas is closer to granting equal rights to same-sex couples. What do you think?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/us/texas-judge-strikes-down-state-ban-on-same-sex-marriage.html?_r=0

Beka Canfield pd 5

Michael Taylor Executed: Missouri Puts To Death Fourth Person In 4 Months

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/michael-taylor-executed_n_4856320.html

Michael Taylor was recently put to death by the state of Missouri for a crime he committed in 1989, making him the 4th person to be executed in the state of Missouri in 4 months. There was some debate about the way Taylor was executed, however. The Apothecary Shoppe, who supplied the three-drug system Missouri originally used to implement the death penalty, recently announced its resignation from the task. This led the state to turn to a new drug named pentobarbital. This drug is made by an unnamed pharmacy that is not regulated by the FDA, sparking objections to the new method, many of which involved Taylor having to endure inhuman pain and suffering before his death. A retired detective who had investigated Taylor's case has no sympathy for such allegations, saying "a cruel and unusual punishment would be if we killed them the same way they killed Annie Harrison."

honestly, I'm not a fan of the death penalty. I recognize that Michael Taylor's crime was horrific, and I don't by any means think he should go unpunished, but I can't help thinking that there are better ways to handle people like this. How about the fact that prison was made specifically for people who commit terrible crimes? I understand the taxpayer element of the argue for the death penalty, I just don't think it's worth someone's life. especially if the point is to deter future crimes that often involve murder; doesn't it seem to accomplish that with more murder? 

Amanda Bynes pleads not contest to drunk driving accident

Summary:
On Monday Amanda Bynes pleaded no contest to her drunk driving accident that happened in 2012. On April 6, 2012 she was arrested in West Hollywood for hitting a police car with her BMW while intoxicated. She was charged of "reckless driving with an alcohol component" and sentenced to three years of probation and three months of alcohol education programs. Bynes is currently on probation for driving on a suspended license and did not even show up to court on Monday.

Analysis:
This is one of those celebrities that seems to not ever get their life together... First of all, it was really unfortunate that she hit a police car of all things. And to not even show up to court after agreeing to no contest is kind of ridiculous. Hopefully she will learn her lesson soon and hopefully she will find a way to get her morals straight.

http://news.yahoo.com/amanda-bynes-pleads-no-contest-2012-drunken-driving-015210876.html

Felicia Padilla 5th period: "Texas brothers diagnosed with rare, deadly disease"

Two very different brothers from Humble, Texas share a rare, life-threatening disorder known as Alport Syndrome. Their disease was discovered this past summer.Let's rewind to when Jonathan entered third grade and Christopher entered first grade. Both experienced  unexplained hearing loss in both ears. The doctors were puzzled but simply fitted the boys with hearing aids and sent them on their way.Through their childhood both boys consistently tested positive for protein and blood in their urine. They underwent a large number of examinations, but each time nothing turned up.Finally last summer, Jonathan's mom began to worry about his appearance. He was exceptionally pale and at six-feet two-inches tall, he weighed only 129 pounds. When she brought her concerns to his pediatrician, he suspected cancer and immediately sent him to nearby Texas Children's Hospital.Naquin, the boys' mother, said the hospital refused to admit Jonathan at the time. Instead they sent the family home with a printout explaining Alport Syndrome. Until then, the disease had never been mentioned, she said.They discovered Alport is a rare genetic disorder that attacks the connective tissue of the kidneys. The first symptoms are blood and high protein levels in the urine. Since the ears and eyes share a similar type of connective tissue with the kidneys, the condition can cause hearing loss and changes to eye structure. Left untreated, Alport leads to kidney failure and death.Ultimately tests confirmed that both boys had Alport Syndrome. Doctors determined that Jonathan's kidneys were rapidly failing, and he needed a kidney transplant quickly. Last week, he was placed on the organ transplant list at St. Jude's Hospital in Houston. Many family members and friends have been tested to see if they are a match.As for Christopher, he was immediately given medication to prevent further damage to his kidneys. However, he too will need dialysis or a kidney transplant before the age of 30. Actually, both boys are likely to need multiple kidney transplants throughout the rest of their lives.Because Alport is such a rare disease and the initial symptoms are common to many other conditions, it's often missed. Fewer than 60,000 Americans have Alport Syndrome. Due to this, it receives very little funding and awareness.Alport Syndrome has no cure. However, the disease is treatable. 

http://gma.yahoo.com/texas-brothers-diagnosed-rare-deadly-disease-095645514--abc-news-topstories.html 

"John Dingell to Retire After Nearly 60 Years in House" (Melissa Kurtzman, 5th Period)

Summary: It was revealed on Monday that Michigan Representative John Dingell will not be seeking re-elction to Congress. Dingell, a Democrat, has been serving in the House of Representatives since 1955, during the Eisenhower administration. The article quotes Dingell as saying that serving in the House is "obnoxious". Many other Congress veterans are also retiring, indirectly noting a hostile environment in and out of Capital Hill.

Analysis: Although it is sad that Dingell is retiring after so long, we need to appreciate his decades of hard work and service to our country. It's sad that many other Congressional leaders are leaving too, so maybe something needs to be done about the environment in Congress. I hope that Dingell's successor is a good of a Representative as he was.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/us/politics/dingell-to-retire-from-congress.html?hp&_r=0

Leslie Kelly: 2-week trial to begin on Michigan gay marriage ban

Yet another fight for equal marriage rights began when April DeBoer and her partner of eight years, Jayne Rowse attempted to adopt each other's children, and were actually encouraged by the  judge to add the Michigan ban on marriage equality to their lawsuit. Of course, they are being met with some serious opposition but I'm hopeful that we are moving toward a more accepting society. We don't live in a world where this can be silenced anymore, and the fact of the matter is that gay couples are being singled out and oppressed by the law. We also don't live in a world where all married couples need the ability to procreate, seeing as this planet is, ahem, severely overpopulated and there are a countless number of unwanted children who need families, too. I still can't believe that this is a question--even if homosexuality goes against your beliefs for whatever forsaken reason, can't you see that this is just plain old inequality and injustice?
Article

Why House of Cards is Not Actually Popular-Meg Mickelsen

In modern society one may often find a buzz around certain television shows.  What is the most written about show today? Girls.  What is the most tweeted about show? Pretty Little Liars.  What, today, is the most talked about show? House of Cards.  Yet, strangely, NCIS is the most popular show.  NCIS has a viewing audience as big those other three shows combined and then doubled and there is a very specific reason why.  HBO and Netflix make there money from subscribers not viewers, which allows them to air more esoteric television programing, but ordinary old cable makes money off of advertising, which requires eyeballs.  Thus, cable caters to mass audiences, which apparently like shows like NCIS, shows that are so boring the media entirely ignores them.  Pop culture is really only a slice of popular culture.  The shows I hear the most about are practically obscure when it comes to audience numbers, and when looking at numbers, cable is still king.  The average American simply doesn't watch the sophisticated, complex television provided by Netflix and HBO.  While I find this truth a bit depressing, it is also fascinating, because the media still seems to want to pretend that we do. find this article at http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/02/is-i-house-of-cards-i-really-ahit/284035/

No More Snow Days, Ashley Barnes 2nd

Snow days are coming to an end in heavily weather controlled areas. Teachers and schools have started working and actually using a new program, where the students can have a "virtual day". These keep the schools from canceling school. Even though having a day off from school might seem like a relief and day off with no worries, a snow day can cost a school district a lot of money. These new plans of "virtual days" will help keep some schools from missing so many days of vital class time.

Of course, I love snow days. It would not be ideal for school to come up with a way to have school anyway, despite the bad weather. Of course, Dallas won't have to worry about this because we rarely have weather days. However, I can see how it would be very beneficial and useful for school districts to do this as a way to save money, and have more class time.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/living/snow-days-virtual-schools/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Patience Henderson 1st Period; Convicted child rapist flees Denver halfway house after ankle monitor cut

Eric Eugene Hartwell, 51-year-old was a convicted child rapist he cut off his ankle monitor and a fugitive warrant was requested minutes after his escape from the "Independence House" in Denver that Friday evening. "This is an active investigation of an absconder that we are hoping not to send even farther underground," Hudson said. Hartwell was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised parole by a federal judge in Texas in March 2010 after he was found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender. Hartwell was placed in a halfway house in Washington state in March 2009 for failure to register as a sex offender, but after just a week there he cut off his leg monitor and fled to Texas.



Analysis:

This is absolutely crazy, people are crazy these days. They need to put a better security system on the mad house and maybe out the ankle monitors a little bit tighter. There should be no way that they could be able to get out of their ankle monitors, that's crazy, and if that's one what more is there that hey can pull off? Their security systems should probably change.

 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/justice/colorado-missing-child-rapist/index.html?hpt=us_c2

 

 

 

 

Current Event, Joi Ware

Summary: Some of those who were once sent to Dozier School for Boys in Marianna Florida, west of Tallahassee -- now senior citizens -- have come forward with stories of abuse at the school, including alleged beatings, torture, sexual abuse, killings and the disappearance of students, during the 1940s, '50s and '60s. On the school grounds buried deep in the woods lies a small unkept patch of land with 31 white crosses. Rusting away with time, they mark the final resting place for the unknown students that the state has confirmed were buried there. Nearly 100 children died while at the school, according to state and school records, many as a result of a tragic dormitory fire in 1914 and a deadly flu epidemic in 1918. The poorly-kept state records cannot account for what happened to 22 children who died at the school. And, no one knows who is buried where.

Analysis: School should always be a safe place. Period. Whether it is this year or the '40s, no child should ever have to worry about being beaten, tortured, sexually abused, or killed. Yes, the school was in a fairly desolate location ("on the school grounds buried deep in the woods") and some teachers might have grown mentally unstable if they couldn't handle some isolation, for lack of a better word, but to go so far as to kill a child and/or student is absolutely absurd. How do you handle that as a parent? "Oh I'm sorry. Mr. Asdfghjkl killed your child. Here is the second half of his tuition back because HE WASN'T ALIVE FOR IT." And the school was only close down in 2011.  Really, Florida. 31 white crosses on Doziers School property isn't suspicious? You haven't wanted to go check that out in 70 years? Okay. 

For the full story visit, 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/31/us/florida-boys-graves/index.html?hpt=us_c2

"Elementary Students In California Send Clothes To Needy Kids" - Natalie H. - Class 2

Elementary students help out other kids their age by donating clothing. This article was featured today (2/24/14) on Yahoo! News from the Tribune.

And elementary class from Louisiana gives clothing to kids their age in California as to taking part in the Teach for America program. The TFA an American non-profit organization whose mission is to "eliminate educational inequity by enlisting high-achieving recent college graduates and professionals to teach", and allows contributors to help their corporation grow. So far I'd say they've succeeded, having our generation on their side.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/video/elementary-students-california-send-clothes-004041709.html

Nia Edwards 4th period-- Harold Ramis had Vasuclitis

Nia Edwards
4th period


Harold Ramis died at age 69 on Monday, February 17th, 2014, 4 years after contracting vasculitis, a disease that attacks blood vessels, restricting flow to organs and tissue. "The disease that led to actor-director Harold Ramis' death is one of an often-mysterious family of maladies that can starve organs and cause painful tissue damage." Ramis had 15 variants of vasculitis which makes the identification of the precise cause of death very hard. Treatments usually involve steroids and "chemotherapy-like" drugs. Treatments for this disease are better now than they were before but doctors are still trying to make progress in treating it.

I had never heard of this disease before. It just goes to show that there are so many ways to get sick in the world. This sounds like such a terrible disease to die from. The fact that it shuts down organs and is very painful is very scary to think about. 


http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/24/health/harold-ramis-disease-vasculitis/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

McKenzie Hartmann -child rapist escapes -4th period

This article details the recent escape of a convicted child rapist from his half way home in Colorodo. A warrant was immediately issued for the fugitive Eric Eugene Hartwell, who was convicted in 1991 of rape and in 1996 of  attempted indecent liberties.  Hartwell always sentenced to five years in prison and a life of supervised parole by a Texas judge, which is considerably lenient considering the severity of his actions.  However, after failure to register as a sex offender in his current address, Hartwell was moved to a halfway home where he could be more closely monitored. This attempt to constrain the criminal apparently failed, within the short period Hartwell was present in the home, he was able to disconnect his monitoring ankle bracelet and flee. Authorities are still searching, though they strongly believe he has fled to Texas, they continue their search throughout the entire country aiming to catch Hartwell "as soon as possible."

While I find the intensity of the search and tenacity of law enforcement encouraging, I find it appalling that it is even necessary. To begin with rape, especially in a case as heinous as this one with a child, warrants more than a five year sentence. Furthermore, this man's numerous convictions indicate that he is a repeat offender and should've more closely monitored.  The current actions of law enforcement officers and their man hunt are admirable, but what would've been even more admirable would've been successful prevention. I hope when they find Hardwell a harsher penalty is enforced upon him, or at the very least more regulations and stricter monitoring.

Criminal escapes!!! Morgan brown 5th

So a 51 year old sex offender is the subject of the article. I know that sounded really bad. Ok so Hartwell, the sex offender, was charged with his crime of raping a child during the year of 1991. Originally Hartwell was punished with 5 years in prison then the rest of his entire life being supervised on probation. 

Hartwell was living in a group home when he reportedly removed his ankle monitor and made a run for it. The event occurred in Colorado. It is still being investigated. 

Hartwell had no business if committing his first crime that led to him even being in probation. I dont understand why he can't live a full life in prison instead if in an actual house with real food. My main question is what even gave the man the opportunity to remove the ankle monitor and escape. What happened to bring supervised for THE REST OF HIS LIFE! With technology now there shouldn't have even been the option to get the monitor off espically not the ability to run.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/justice/colorado-missing-child-rapist/index.html?c=us

 

Morgan brown 5th

2018 Winter Olympics: Pyeongchang, South Korea - Victor Ragsdale - 4th Period

XXIII Olympic Winter Games: Pyeongchang, South Korea 

     The 2018 Winter Olympics are to be held in South Korea in the city of Pyeongchang. Luckily unlike Sochi, the country already has 5 of the 13 needed venues, meaning that the country won't have to spend the estimated $51 billion on constructing the necessary venues for the events. 

      I'm glad that the Olympics will be in South Korea. Its a beautiful country that is modern day democracy. Now I can actually watch them, because I didn't want to watch Sochi 2014 because I felt conflicted about supporting the corruption that happened as a result of the Olympics. I don't like enabling. But now I feel that I can enjoy the Winter Olympics fully.

     Tell me what you think..... #SportsAtBTW 

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/sports/olympics/south-korea-awaits-2018-games-with-a-different-plan.html?ref=sports 

Gov. of Arizona is pressed to veto bill (sydney c, 5th)

The governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, is in the position to decide whether to pass or veto a new bill that would grant businesses the right to refuse service to same sex couples and others, invoking a wildly distorted version of "freedom of religion".

The senators who got this bill passed by legislature in the first place claim that their "sincere intent in voting for this bill was to create a shield for all citizen's religious liberties".  But whatever they say their reasoning was, this bill is getting significant backlash from leaders in Arizona and everywhere else.  And after the negative image created by a law passed by Arizona in 2010, which allowed police to basically just stop anyone they thought might be in the country illegally, state officials more than likely want to avoid as much controversy as possible.

Hopefully Jan Brewer will veto this bill.  I personally can't believe that it passed legislature in the first place.  The fact that so many people are speaking out against it restores my faith in humanity, however.

Original article here.

Byron Otis- Missouri Spelling Bee Split

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/us/missouri-spelling-bee/index.html?hpt=us_t4

Many of us have experienced the wonder of The Bee. Twenty, maybe twenty-five students, handpicked for their vocabulary prowess, line up between the flags in the Cafetorium while the rest of the chitlins stare wide-eyed as the prodigious ones prattle off the letters in "sphinx" and "mosque" with ease. And, as we know well, one lucky genius is sorted from this group, and continues to the state competition. In Missouri this week, two of these small wonders attended this honor and proceeded to awe audiences, going through every word the judges had to throw at them.. Sophie Hoffman and Kush Sharma, two uncomfortable-looking youngsters, proved themselves better than their mentally weak Missouri contemporaries, quickly becoming the last two contestants, and remaining in that state until the list of words prepared by the judges was used up. Another competition will be held for the two little ones in order to determine who shall go to nationals.

Woman to news crew: I stabbed mom(Rhyann Lee)

Woman to news crew: I stabbed mom(Rhyann Lee)

summary: woman walks up to new crew and admits to repeatedly stabbing her mom.
Katie Nichols says that she had to kill her mom was trying to kill her daughter by putting curses on them. Katie had no idea her mom was so powerful. The mother was stabbed in the neck, chest and stomach. The daughter said " I stabbed her 3 times but she wouldn't die, my mom is the anti-Christ"

analysis: I believe Katie is a little confused about life. She is not thinking clearly or maybe her mom just scared her that she had to kill her. Katie seems very ill and needs medical attention. http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2014/02/21/sot-nr-woman-admits-to-stabbing-mom-wvlt.cnn.html

Child Rapist Cuts Monitor: Gloria Jones

Recently a child rapist, who was in a group home, cut off his ankle monitor and is on the lose. He was convicted in 1991 for rape. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a lifetime of parole.
That's about it to the events of the story, however I think it gives a lot of insight into society. I think it is horrific how little of a sentence he got for this. Depending on the conditions of the rape. If it was statutory rape so the other person couldn't legally give consent, then I understand the short sentence. Yet, any other situation he should've gotten a much heavier sentence.
Too many rapists walk free or serve an unjustly short sentence. Now he is on the lose and is likely to repeat this crime. There needs to be some type of reform in our country regarding consequences for rapists. Hopefully, if people know they can't get away with it, they will be less likely to commit the crime.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/justice/colorado-missing-child-rapist/index.html?c=us

Harold Ramis passes away Valerie Coahuilas

Harold Ramis died at the age of 69 early this morning due to a rare complication of an autoimmune  inflammatory vasculitis. He had already begun to experience some health complications back in 2010 that lead to the infection that paved way for the rare condition. Having been a great influence in the fields of Hollywood and directing and personally loving one of his blockbuster hits "Ghostbusters" I truly feel that we have lost a talented and hilarious person today. May he rest in piece.

Chick-fil-A employees help parents find runaway teen - Hannah Selby 4th

A few Chick-fil-A employees from Florida have been credited with helping a couple locate and return their runaway daughter.  USA Today reported that the couple - Steve and Tammy Harp - found a note that their 16-year-old daughter Kaitlyn left, stating that she had run away with a 19-year old she'd met online.  The Harps discovered an Instagram picture of the couple, in which the man was wearing his Chick-fil-A uniform shirt.  So, the couple went to the nearest Chick-fil-A in Jacksonville to inquire about the man to see if anyone had seen the couple or if he worked there.  The store got in contact with another Chick-fil-A, and posted the instagram picture on Facebook in order for Chick-fil-A's across the state to see the photo.  Before long, a manager in Winter Haven named Elio Florin identified the man, called the Harps, and told the man to have Kaitlyn call home.  Florin personally drove 200 miles out of his way to return her to Jacksonville.  "Tears were shed in our driveway this morning," reported Tammy Harp to USA Today. According to everyone, Florin played quite a huge part in rescuing the girl and returning her back home.  Tammy stated that Florin wouldn't sleep a wink before that girl was home safe and sound.

Many thanks to such goodhearted and helpful Chick-fil-A employees for going out of their way to help retrieve the Harp's runaway daughter! I'm glad to hear that Kaitlyn is safe and sound and that she's been rescued from being harmed or from creating pain for herself.  She's far too young to go running off with some guy she'd met on the internet - this world is crazy, they're both young and inmature, and you just never know what could happen.  I also think that what the Chick-fil-A employees did was admirable and is a good reminder that life isn't all about ourselves - we should go out of our way to care about the safety and happiness of others more often as well.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/23/chick-fil-employees-help-parents-find-missing-teen/?intcmp=obnetwork

Pain killers linked to pregnancy problems Peyton Wilson-p. 5

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/24/acetaminophen-in-pregnancy-linked-to-adhd-like-behaviors/?hpt=hp_t2

Doctors frequently recommend acetaminophen, commonly found in over-the-counter pain relievers including Tylenol, to pregnant women for treating mild pain. But a new study out of Denmark suggests the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could be associated with ADHD-like behavioral problems in children. “(Pregnant women) shouldn’t worry at this point,” says study author Dr. Beate Ritz, professor and chair of the epidemiology department at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health. “But if I were a woman who was pregnant ... I would try to avoid taking painkillers as much as I can until we know more about this.” Analysis: I personally find it very difficult to discern what can be directly linked to universal pregnancy problems, regardless of medical history or the individuals health and allergies. How do they know that it isn't just those women? Why is this just coming to light now? How haven't we heard about this before? I understand it is still early in the research and study, but when you put this on the news, women who are pregnant or trying to conceive are going to be concerned. There are so many other unknown things out there is the every day world that could potentially be very harmful to an unborn child. Why don't we just keep pregnant women in a room for the nine month term?

Solitary confinement: 29 years in a box (Haley Hill 4th)

Solitary confinement: 29 years in a box

By Elizabeth Landau for CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/health/solitary-confinement-psychology/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Robert King, a prisoner held in solitary confinement was forced to spend 23 hours per day in a cell that had the dimensions of 6x9x12 feet. He has been free since 2001 but after spending 29 years in these conditions, he still has problems with geographical orientation. His sight also suffers because he is used to only having to see a few feet in front of him. Along with physical health issues he also suffers from mental health issues, which is why he joined the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago this month. He serves as an advocate for the over 80,000 people still stuck in solitary confinement and represented them in the discussion about the mental and physical effect solitary has on people. "The widespread consensus among mental health professionals is that solitary confinement, for the overall majority of mentally ill prisoners, places them at severe risk of additional harm," said Craig Haney. So why do we still do it? Many prisons believe that by closing off prisoners after they act out will solve the problem. Most prisons had limited use of this "punishment" tactic in the 19th century because they knew it was doing more harm than good, however it has become a more popular idea since the overcrowding of prisons starting in the 70's. Due to overcrowding in prisons more prisoners become stifled due to the influx of prisoners, thus, acting out. As of recently, prisons have learned that overcrowding is only increasing, solitary confinement is just making problems worse, plus, it is expensive to prisons. Because of this, many prisons have started reforms that will limit isolation to no one under the age of 18, and no pregnant women. (It's not much, but it's a start).

 After no physical contact for over 20 years, most people shut down. This causes depression, need for self-harm, multiple-personality disorder (the brain creates other people in prisoners' minds because of the need to interact with someone), shrinking of the hippocampus of the brain (because they are deprived of the brains fuel, become chronically depressed, become stressed, etc It's a constant cycle), etc. The worse part is, many prisoners are released straight from solitary into the real world. Often receiving no help along the way. 

kolina hocevar period 5 oldest piece of earth found

From a ranch the oldest crystal also the oldest piece of earth found in a sheep ranch. This crystal is a translucent red, Valley said, but glows blue when bombarded with electrons. The crystal was found in an arid region north of Perth, Australia, in a low range of hills called the Jack Hills, in 2001. "What we've learned is that the Earth cooled much more quickly that people had thought," Valley said. "The surface formed a crust much more quickly than people thought." Our planet is thought to be about 4.54 billion years old, but the entire fossil record only goes back 600 million years. That doesn't necessarily mean that no life existed before that time, but no direct evidence has been found yet. The standard method of dating such rocks involves looking at the radioactive decay of uranium atoms to lead. But if the lead has moved within the crystal over time, this could lead to a faulty estimate of age. If lead has migrated away from the area of the rock being tested, that could make the rock appear younger than it is, or older if lead has concentrated itself.

It always amazes me, how much we think we know about our planet, that we really don't. We discover new things day by day and it is amazing. I can not wait to see what else we discover about earth in our future.

Somalia Attack by Addison Jordan

Summary: Somalia’s presidential palace was attacked on Friday in Mogadishu, Somalia reporters say.

            “An explosion at the gate was followed by an exchange of gunfire between the fighters and security guards,” police officer Abdi Mohamed said. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was said to be unharmed during the attack.  A twitter posted from a UN representative claimed that he was OK.

            The terror group Al-Shabaab, which is an al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, is responsible for the attack.  Adbikarin Hussein Guled, Somalia’s national security minister, stated that at least twelve people died in the attack. Of the twelve that died, one was a secretary to the Prime Minster and the other was the former deputy national intelligence agency chief.

            The same terror group also claimed responsibility for a car bomb that was set off near the Mogadishu airport, a little over a week ago.  According to police, the car bomb killed two people and hurt four others. They have also killed dozens of people in Kenya and Uganda.  This terror group is recognized by the United States. 

Analysis: Terror groups and similar organizations are the main reason security is like it is today. Things changed after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, and other US locations.  More security is necessary for us to remain safe.  No matter how much security is put in place, these horrible groups seem to find a way to harm people.  For situations like these, there isn’t much you can do.  I hope that the Somalia government can stay strong through this devastating situation.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/world/africa/somalia-attack/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Veronica Jones: Students, say goodbye to snow days -- and say hello to school at home

With all the extreme weather this year, school districts are thinking of new ways to make up for lost class time. One of them is virtually. By setting up websites, youtube channels, and live streams, teachers are able to help out students during inclimate weather days. The districts who are enforcing it are getting pretty good reviews from parents and some are even suggesting this might put an end to the snow day and school districts seem thrilled.

Look, I understand that in times when students are stuck in their houses for a week you need to make up for class time somehow, but I don't think this system should be used for every snow day. I like the idea of having online school on occasion when weather days are becoming too much, but the problem is that most school districts the article sites are small ones. It's easy to set up this kind of system when there are only 500 students in the entire school, but major school districts would probably have trouble both getting students online and listening. Let's face it, in this day and age not everyone has a computer they can access for the entire length of a school day and not every kid wants to get online and do homework. Also, students need days off and although they have weekends, students need random sudden days off where they don't have to worry about school more than anything. In a time where the pressure is on more than ever to strive for absolute perfection, it's nice to have a day where none of that matters. Don't you think.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/living/snow-days-virtual-schools/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Another way to scare pregnant women By: Alexis Washington 2nd period

When a women becomes pregnant, she immediately starts thinking about the life that is now in her hands. They exercise, eat right, and take vitamins wanting make sure that their baby is healthy. A mother rarely consumes anything without consideration of the baby. Acetaminophen or Tylenol, is proscribed by doctors and physicians for pregnant women to treat mild aches and pains. A recent study of the pain reliever indicates that pregnant women who take the drug are putting their child at risk of ADHD. This is only one study, and so far it isn't really clear on how many children are affected. In all honesty, this is just going to make women even more paranoid. With any medication, you are supposed to read the side-effects, and other helpful information the company has given. If you are curious and want to know more, just consult a health care professional.
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/24/acetaminophen-in-pregnancy-linked-to-adhd-like-behaviors/?hpt=hp_t2

"Students, say goodbye to snow days-- and say hello to school at home" By: McKay Fugate

School leaders around the country are tearing up their calendars to cram in more teaching time after extreme numbers of weather cancellations. Some are eliminating holiday breaks and professional development plans, adding minutes and days to the school clock or even cutting recess and opening school on Saturdays.This could be the snow day of the not-too-distant future. As much as students love them, school officials loathe calamity cancellations, those days off caused by snowstorms, hurricanes, illness outbreaks or power outages. They cost time and money, disrupt the flow of learning and leave parents in a lurch. But a few are trying something different: virtual school days that continue learning, even while staff and students are stuck at home.

Reading this, I can only hope our administrators don't get any ideas. It seems like a viable plan, but one of the challenges mentioned was that not all of the student could have access to technology, which would be a huge obstacle in Dallas. This article was aimed mostly at Northern school where they see a lot of snow and often have to close due to inclement weather. I wouldn't think Dallas ISD would ever be pushed to such measures.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/living/snow-days-virtual-schools/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Got milk? By: Taylor Grant-Gates

 We all know of that infamous tag "Got Milk" well that tag is soon to be no more. The heads if the company decided that it was time for a new start. The 'Got Milk' only featured celebrities in its ads. The company stated that they wanted to show that drinking milk was so cool that even the celebrities drank it. Now the new phrase is "Milk Life." It depicts the normal, or ordinary person enjoying milk instead of the celebrities. 

I personally think that this is a good thing. We live in a society that puts things on a pedestal if celebrities do it. Now the company can show that the normal person can be "cool' and drink milk, even if celebrities don't. This is a nice start to a new era of advertisement. I just hope that everyone is ready for the ride. 

Montana Dalton 2nd period

There is new news from the government that they will peruse military budget cut. This will be across the board, not just one section of the military however, the capping pay raises for troops by 1%. Other recommendations by the defense secretary include freezing for general's and admiral's salary, cutting subsidies to commissaries, and smaller allowances for troop housing. They expect a a hike in health care premiums for these troop though.


I wonder if cutting our military down will weaken our military overall? Does America have so much faith in its strength as a power to allow this to happen? I feel slightly unsure about this, because this could make us an easier target possibly for other nations who have years of resentment towards the US,

Colorado passes new air pollution laws - Emily Gray 5th period

On Sunday, February 23, Colorado officials declared new air pollution rules for Colorado oil and gas companies. These new rules limit the amount of air pollution made by oil and gas drilling. It is stated, that it is the nation's first-ever plan to detect and reduce methane emissions.

When I heard about this I was really relieved that at least some people are trying to save the environment. Pollution is very bad for our planet and with it piling up, it is not getting any better. This is just a step for change and encourages people to change with them.

- Emily Gray 5th
Link:http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-approves-limits-air-pollution-oil-gas-drilling-050550545--finance.html

1975 Missing Girls Cold Case Rejuvinated- Brandi McLeain 1st Period

     About 40 years ago, two girls, Sheila and Katherine Lyon, were reported missing in Maryland when they didn't come home one day. It was 1975 and the girls were 10 and 12 with their birthdays just days away, they were born within 2 years and a day of each other and were walking around town going shopping. Something that wasn't considered uncommon or unsafe at time. Their older brother, Jay, who was 15 at the time, told police he saw his sisters eating pizza at the local parlor before 4 p.m. Their mother told them they needed to be back by 4 and an eyewitness reported seeing them walking in the direction of their home, saying they would have made it there on time, had they made it there. At 7 p.m., the police received a missing persons report from their parents. From the beginning of the investigation, there weren't many leads to go off of before Tuesday, February 11, 2014. It is now (roughly) 40 years later and the police, including Jay, the older brother, now think they have a new lead. Convicted sex offender Lloyd Lee Welch Jr., 57, who's been serving a prison sentence in Delaware since 1997 was seen observing the girls the day they went missing at the plaza they were at. If alive, the women would be now 48 and 50 years-old. Their older brother and their parents had given up hope before this new "suspect" was reported. They had a cemetery stone with the days they were born to the day they went missing engraved on them. But now, they have hope again.


I chose to report this story because it gave a family hope. The chances of these girls still being alive are slim, but it is possible. It is sad that the police never really had any strong leads, especially for this family, but I think there is a reason that the case has been re-opened. The family had already had its closure and given up, but with this new lead, they have hope that their sisters/daughters are still alive and fighting to come home. I'm a sucker for a good story about hope and I hope these two (now) women find their way back to their family.

Halfway House Fugitive- Alexa Almaguer 4th Period

Summary:
Eric Eugene Hartwell, a convicted child rapist, cut off his ankle monitor at a Colorado halfway house where he was on parole. In 1991, Hartwell was convicted of child rape and was sentenced to five years in prison. After found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender, Hartwell was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised parole in March 2010. This is not the first time that he has fled a halfway home, in March 2009 Hartwell cut off his leg monitor and fled after just a week in the house. The fugitive apprehension unit is currently working to find the fugitive as quickly as possible along with several other law enforcement agencies.

Analysis:
In my opinion if Eric Hartwell is found, which hopefully will be soon, he should be put in jail if this the second time he has cut off a leg monitor and escaped a halfway house. Hopefully the department will find Hartwell in the near future and establish a more suitable penalty.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/justice/colorado-missing-child-rapist/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Natalie Westling is painting fashion red/ Arlesia McGowan Period 4

Article written by : Sarah LeTrent                     
Date Written: Feburary 17, 2014

                             So needless to say I'm a little excited about writing this post because I think is  probably the most interesting "Current Event" I've had to encounter. Who doesn't like the fashion industry? There is always something new and interesting going on and I have to praise the models who strut their confidence to the core. In this article, 17 year old Natalie Westling is being noticed for her bright red orange hair. Tomboy, from Arizona, this young lady has been working in the industry for a while, "Its like my teenage years were when I was ten", she tells reporters. All was going pretty normal for her until she decided to dye her hair bright carrot red ( in contrast to her dirty blonde hair) and is now being called fashions new "it girl" model and one to watch. Westling is walking in London's fashion week for Marc Jacobs Spring ad campaign 2014. Although is one to be quite shy she claims that this has given her a lot of confidence. You go girl!
                            I thought this was interesting not just because of the fashion industry, but because of her hair. It is really interesting to me to me that just because she dyed her hair, she was immediately noticed, what is her hair was still dyed blonde or black? That obviously wouldn't be the case. I guess this probably goes to show how fast the fashion industry can move and how indecisive designers can be. In about a month, something might change. Who knows; good luck to her!


Arlesia McGowan

Want more?
 http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/17/living/natalie-westling-redhead-model-fashion-week/index.html?hpt=li_t5
                           

"Convicted child rapist flee Denver halfway house after ankle monitor cut" by Hannah Kilpatrick

Summary

Eric Eugene Hartwell, a 51-year-old registered sex offender, was convicted of raping a six-year-old girl in 1991 and presumably trying to sexually assault a teenager five years later. Hartwell failed to register as a sex offender in Washington, Texas, and Colorado, earning him a lifetime of supervised release. He was placed in a halfway house in Washington in March 2009, however was only there a week before he managed to cut off his leg monitor and flee to Texas. Hartwell was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to serve a lifetime of parole by a federal judge in Texas in March 2010 after he was found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender. He has been staying in a group home in Denver Colorado, “Independence House” (not meant to be ironic), up until he cut off his ankle brace Friday evening and walked away. The corrections department's fugitive apprehension unit is working with other law enforcement agencies to find Hartwell "as quickly as possible," he said.

Analysis

What can I say, except for that this is truly frightening? This is going to cause people to freak out, and rightfully so, because a rapist has escaped from jail and now all of a sudden they feel unsafe and scared. But the reality is, there is most likely a psychopath on every single block, at every single turn. There are so many people to be afraid of in our time, and it is terrifying. You never know what will happen; you never know if you will even live to see another day, and I know that sounds incredibly pessimistic but its reality. I just wish that there would be better security in these places. I don’t understand how a rapist is able to just cut off his ankle brace and walk away. This is unsafe and it should be handled appropriately. Sorry I kind of veered off topic there…

Here is the link to my article:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/justice/colorado-missing-child-rapist/index.html?hpt=us_c1