Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog:
Obama and his “Deferred Action” Program
In the last fiscal year, according to statistics, deportations dropped 10 % . But this program that Obama had created only worked for some immigrants. Not all were guarenteed a citizenship. An article written by Ted Oberg believe that "The program President Obama created last June -- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA -- is a sort of immigration no man's land. If you get it, you
JAN 02
South Korea's take on online gaming
South Korea is considering on passing a law that categorizes gaming as an antisocial addiction like gambling, drugs, and alcohol. In 2011, an annual study showed that 2% of South Koreans aged 10-19 were either at risk of addiction, or needed treatment for excessive gaming. The government is aiming for a society where everyone is clean from the four addictions. Their solutions are to limit advertis
DEC 31 2013
Too High On Meth
Recently, Andrew Frey, a man from Oregon was high on meth and decided to have an adventure outside. He apparently went to a store named Brook's Market and refused to leave for his unusual behavior. Eventually an employee finally kicked him out of the store, but he happened to stumble into a bar. The most strangest thing was he began to masturbate in the bar. The bar soon called a police officer to
DEC 21 2013
Woman Caught After 36 Years On The Run
Check this out you guys!Kathlyn Huff, 58, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, was arrested Tuesday, in her driveway, at her home – forcing her to finally face charges from a 1976 incident when she tried to kill her common-law husband by shooting him in the head. US Marshals tracked her across the country until her arrest this week. The woman fled from Texas to Seattle to Michigan before finally being c
DEC 20 2013
Utah Says "I do" To Gay Marriage
Gay marriage ban has come to an end in the conservative state today due to the lack of evidence that same sex marriage affected opposite sex marriage. Read full story here: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-strikes-down-utah-39-same-sex-marriage-212041954.html
Suing Saudi
http://news.yahoo.com/9-11-families-39-ecstatic-39-finally-sue-222121660--abc-news-topstories.html">Victims families are "ecstatic" on the courts ruling allowing the families to sue Saudi Arabia for the 9/11 terrorist attack.
Hadley's "Killer Party"
Hadley’s “Killer Party” Tyler Hadley, name sound familiar? If not then you will not forget his name after reading about his sickening crime. Hadley grew up in the town of St. Lucie located in Florida. The teen had been going through depression and like any other teenager had his problems with his parents. Hadley was known to be the quiet kid in school so when he told his friends that he was throwi
London Theater Collapses and Injures People.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/as-many-as-80-people-injured-in-collapse-at-crowded-london-theater/At 8:15 p.m., the London theater collapses and injured 80 people. 7 were hurt severely. Click the link for more details.
DEC 19 2013
Mexican Government Has Made A Change With Oil
Recently, the Mexican Congress approved the constitutional reform opening up oil exploration, extraction, refining, transportation, distribution and sale of oil and its by-products to local and foreign private investment. If oil and gas production are stepped up, greater prevention of risks is needed, and companies should incorporate the environmental and human costs of their activities.The reform
Nuclear Weapon in Iran
How close is Iran from creating new nuclear weapons?Over the last two year Iran has been incresing their nuclear capability. Because of all the uranium and centrifuges they have on land, in a couple of months they can create a lot of weapons and nuclear bombs. But if there were a way to stop them, then their time in making these weapons will take longer. It will take them more than a year to finis
An Unequal Pledge
An anonymous family from Massachusetts is challenging the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance in the state's highest court. The family, though they will probably lose due to the stubbornness of people about how mention of God isn't religious at all and it's just a traditional and patriotic word (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) or how America is a Christian nation (it's not, just to clarify),
I Don't Spy With My Little Eye...
The NSA collection of phone data has been deemed unconstitutional by Judge Richard Leon. The judge says that the Fourth Amendment is being violated as the collecting is an example of unreasonable search and seizure. At the moment however, the ruling is pending due to appeal, sadly.As everyone knows, the NSA has been violating the privacy of people all around the world for some time now. At last, s
Pedophile Leg
Children evacuated from swimming pool after prosthetic leg mistaken for pedophile An enitre class of 60 students were evacuated from a swimming pool after a prosthetic leg was mistaken for a peeping tom. "Teachers from Kings Hill Primary School in Kent spotted the leg poking out from a cubicle whilst taking their class of year 4 children swimming at Larkfield Leisure Centre." Upon invest
What Immigrants Have to Say
The Pew Research Center has conducted two new surveys questioning Hispanics and Asian-Americans about their views on immigration. According to their responses, Hispanics and Asian-Americans are more concerned about not getting deported than gaining citizenship, but a large majority support a pathway to gaining citizenship. Although Democratic and Republican parties have gained support by Hispanics
Quack Quack Quack
One of Americas most favorite shows is now under pressure. Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson is indefinatly suspended A &E due to his recent comments about homosexuals. In hopes to save the show, the network said, "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series 'Duck Dynasty'&quo
Change the Mascot
Change the Mascot is a national campaign to end the use of the racial slur “Redskins” as the mascot and name of the NFL team in Washington, D.C. Launched by the Oneida Indian Nation, the campaign calls upon the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell to do the right thing and bring an end the use of the racial epithet. Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid has joined President Obama and House Minority Lea
Transgender Student Law?
Have you heard about the Transgender Student Law? If not, KEEP READING!!!When students return from winter break, a new state transgender law is scheduled to go into effect and school leaders are training teachers on how to comply. Governor Jerry Brown signed AB12-66; giving transgender K through 12 students the choice of using whichever bathroom matches their gender identity and the option of pl
Ukrainian Leader Tilts Toward Russia
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, has complied to buy billions of government bonds and has cut the cost of gas sold to Ukraine. Many Ukrainians have protested over this new alliance with Russia, which has drawn them furthur with the European Union. Protesters have met in Kyiv's main square for almost a month. The Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych is under a great amount of suspicion involv
New Mexico Supreme Court Rules Gay Marriage Constitutional
">The New Mexico Supreme Court : On Thursday, The New Mexico Supreme Court declared gay marriage consitutional based on it being unconstitutional to deny a marriage license to gay and lesbian couples. From the ruling: Prohibiting same-gender marriages is not substantially related to the governmental interests advanced by the parties opposing same-gender marriage or to the purposes we have identif
DEC 18 2013
Bullet revolution
Nearly a decade ago, many people believed that led bullets were extreamly harmful to the eviornment. Today, lead bullets are bieng heavily regulated and even banned. Experts state that in a few years, lead bullets will be replace with green, enviornment friendly bullets. Opposers of the idea argut that the changes will cost more and have a lil effect. However, switching from lead will pro
The Obama Administration Permits Eagle Deaths
Wind Turbines, standing nearly 30 stories tall, spin up to 170 miles per hour. Creating a tornado like vortex they are the cause of approximately 600,000 avian and bat fatalities each year, 83,000 being raptors such as the federally protected bald eagle. Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act eagles are under the protection of the federal government “prohibiting the take, possessi
DEC 17 2013
Handguns and 3D printers
http://www.longisland.com/news/12-17-13/for-the-first-time-a-fully-operational-plastic-handgun-was-legally-made-using-a-3d-printer.htmlJust published today this article reports the opinions of politicians on the the manufacturing of plastic weaponry via the use of home 3D printers and the bill to make them illegal. For those that do not know a 3D printers are able to print objects out of molde
Harvard student receives big punishment for bombing the university.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/harvard-student-made-bomb-threats-to-get-out-of-exam-cops-say/20 year old, Eldo Kim, was fined $250,000 and placed in confinement for 5 years for making bomb threats just to avoid taking an exam. Kim sent emails, anonymously, saying that the're bombs planted under Harvard. Even though Kim had a sneaky plan, investigators were still able to catch him. Click link for more
Dog Saves Man's Life.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/blind-man-guide-dog-hit-by-subway-train-in-nyc/Orlando, a black Labrador, saved 61 year old blind man, Cecil Williams, by helping the man get up when he was struck by a train. The man loves the dog for saving his life and must give him up because the dog is too old and Williams' insurance only covers working dogs. Without the help of his insurance, Williams can not keep
DEC 16 2013
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Syrian refugees have fled to Bulgaria, Europe's poorest country. Thousands of refugees have come into these camps, meant for only 400. The camps do not have electricity or hot water. The camp commandant, Pepy Dzurenov claimed, "The camp was full to capacity, but when a family with five to ten children arrive at midnight, they don't have anywhere to sleep, I'm forced to do the impossible and f
Remembering Mandela, without Rose-Colored Glasses
As the world watched the passing of Nelson Mandela, 95, what died with him was the true Nelson Mandela. I ask, "Who is the real Nelson Mandela?" for which there is only one answer. I also ponder how a nation as great as ours can applaud the life of one of the most notorious communist terrorists of his time. With my recollection, I recall that the United States of America was opposed to C
Budget Deal Now Has Enough Votes to Pass Senate
A bipartisan budget agreement has been passed by the house and now looks like it will likely pass in the senate. Assuming that all 55 members of the Democratic caucus vote yes, they needed the support of only 5 republican members to get the bill passed. Today, Senator Orrin G. Hatch delivered the 5th republican vote stating that the bill ultimately upholds conservative standards and is the best t
DEC 15 2013
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About one year ago, Major League Baseball player Ryan Freel committed suicide; researchers and his family investigate reasons why he might have done this. After careful brain analysis, researchers revealed that Freel had stage two chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a disease which is usually associated with erratic behavior and loss of memory. The disease usually develops because of r
Tv shows?
Every season the "it" shows seem to become more and more violent. In fact the media-awareness council reveals, "media violence has not just increase in quantity; it has also become more graphic, sexual, and sadistic." Cable viewers and Netflix binge watchers are exposed to traumatizing series like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Dexter, Weeds, Orange is the New Bla
Video Games?
With the release of the Xbox1 and Ps4 I am not going to sit around and play fire emblem on my Ds. The go to games this holiday season (parents take note) are violence filled so good you'll want to slap your mama releases like Call of Duty: Ghost, Dead Rising 3, and Assassin's Creed. All of wich are Restricted, but the FTC found 70% of restricted games are advertised to children under the age of 17
Movies?
Hollywood movies are on the big screen, but how big are there impact on youth? No one can deny movies like the Saw franchise, Human Centipede, Cabin in the Woods, and Kill Bill are gruesome and disturbing. When asked 82% of Americans even agreed movies are too violent. The special effects are a little too realistic. In Django Unchained it is hard not to cringe while watching two slaves fight to th
More Than Just Pencil Lead
Today marks the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre where 20 school children and 6 staff members were killed; however, it is apparent, the tragedy that moved a nation has lead to little to reform. In today's world children are being exposed to more violence than ever before. In a 2011 survey 33% of children admitted to being in a physical fight at school within the last year. Any given
DEC 13 2013
The Failed Sign Language...
During the speeches for Nelson Mandela 's funeral, there was a strange unknown man interpreting sign language to the deafs. There was a huge controversial whether this person can actually do sign language or not. Paul Breckell, chief executive of the U.K.-based charity Action on Hearing Loss, stated that this fraud isn't actually signing anything but just gibberish. Not only that, but also, it's
DEC 12 2013
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Although this is some what not in today's recent news, it is something that I feel is important to blog about and it is the dolphin killing that has had it's annual return at The Cove in Taiji, Japan. The most recent update about what has happened included the return of dolphins being slaughtered. Although not many, compared to previous years, were killed for their meat, this hunt has continued du
DEC 10 2013
Budget Deal Reached!
As we all know a budget deal has been the issue in the House and Senate BUT today a budget deal has been reached by the House and Senate budget negotiators averting any future government shutdown in January. The agreement eliminates about $65 billion in across-the-board domestic and defense cuts while adding an additional $25 billion in deficit reduction by extending a 2 percent cut to Medicare th
DEC 09 2013
Apple issues report detailing Government Information Requests
Apple posted a report outlining the number of requests it has received from Government officials seeking information about individual users and or specific devices. The report replicates all of the information Apple is legally allowed to reveal while specifically noting that they will continue to promote for the ability to be even more translucent going forward. The report says: “ At the time o
Alabama death penalty cases in politics
The issue of capital punishment has been gaining ground in American politics. It has gone so far to the point where it begins to ruin our court systems along with our economy. Alabama is one of the three states that allows for judges to override the jury's sentence to life in prison without parole and heighten it to the death penalty, and it is the only state to use it regularly. This is causing j
DEC 08 2013
Protesters Topple Vladimir Lenin
On Sunday protesters knocked down the statue of Vladimir Lenin in outrage over the Ukrainian government's push or closer ties to Russia. Some vandalized the statue even further by smashing it with hammers. Beside them stood a man waving a Ukrainian flag. A lawmaker with the nationalist Svoboda party claimed responsibility for the incident. "This is the end of Soviet occupation," the par
DEC 05 2013
Nelson Mandela passes away....
Sadly, former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Winner died at the age of 95 from a recurring lung infection. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918.Mandela was an iconic man who led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and also he was the nation's first black leader. Mandela fought for the African people and from white domination an
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Sadly, former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Winner died at the age of 95 from a recurring lung infection. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918.Mandela was an iconic man who led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and also he was the nation's first black leader. Mandela fought for the African people and from white domination an
The Nelson Mandela passes away....
Sadly, former president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Winner died at the age of 95 from a recurring lung infection. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. Mandela was an iconic man who led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and also he was the nation's first black leader. Mandela fought for the African people and from white domination a
DEC 04 2013
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Came across and amazing and informative video while researching my senior project; this video did a very good job at making the wealth distributions of this country completely graphic and easy to understand. I was completely baffled at what this man had to say about the wealth inequalities in this country; however, his statistics are all completely sound. I highly recommend spending the 7 minutes
Google Glass Incident
A few months ago, Cecilia Abadie, a computer technician , got a citation for allegedly "using" a google glass while driving. She claimed that the google glass only turned on when she looked up at the officer. At first the officer was suspicious of Abadie driving 80 mph on a 65 mph freeway. But the officer then saw she was wearing a google glass and decided to give her a citation for peo
DEC 02 2013
The New American Center
Very relevant to the class discussion today, this article, which can be accessed here, reveals that the constant idea of great division in this country apparent through the 80s to now of 40% on the left 40% on the right and 20% in the middle is fundamentally incorrect. The recent survey reveals 21% on the left 28% on the right and 51% in the middle which is now being referred to as the new america
NOV 29 2013
NOV 20 2013
Census ‘faked’ 2012 election jobs report
The unemployment rate suspiciously fell sharply right before the 2012 presidential election; now the facts have been revealed, the numbers were manipulated. Two years before the election an employee was caught fabricating data and a source says that this deceit was also escalated right before the presidential election, the unemployment rate is one of the most closely watched economic statistics, a
Representatives from 132 Developing Countries Walk Out of Climate Change Conference
The Guardian reports that representatives of the most of the world's nations walked out on talks at the Warsaw conference on global warming today after representatives of wealthier nations, including the United States, European Union and Australia, said they would refuse to discuss the question of who should pay compensation for extreme climate events before 2015.Important story that frames key is
NOV 04 2013
Government Preparing for Impact of Global Warming
On Friday November 1, 2013, President Obama order that the government must put " effort to boost preparation in state and local communities for the impact of global warming." Natural disaster are affecting communities, our natural resources, ecosystems, economies, and public health throughout the United States.One of President Obama goal is to reduce the use of U.S. greenhouse gas emissi
OCT 27 2013
Germany's Confidence in America is Declining
Since learning that the United States National Security Agency monitored Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone, Germany's interior minister has declared that their confidence in their American allied nation is shaken. He also stated "If the Americans intercepted cell phones in Germany, they broke German law on German soil," and that he wants to know what information the U.S. has. In resp
OCT 24 2013
Russell Brand on the Revolution
Last night's edition of the UK's BBC Newsnight featured this remarkable interview with Russell Brand by host Jeremy Paxman. Brand's explains to a weary-sounding Paxman why he doesn't vote (and never will) and believes a revolution is inevitable. No matter what you think, Brand is certainly not the "trivial man" that Paxman calls him mid-way through the discussion. Take a look.
OCT 21 2013
Another school shooting....
Well another just happened school shooting has happened at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nevada. This happened early in the morning and was only a few brutal minutes. Apparently some middle school student opened fire at two student and wounding them. A teacher was trying to get the gun from the student, but apparently shot the teacher instead after telling him to back up. After all the havoc has
New Sealand
Population: 27 (2002)Area: 1.544 sq miles (4 km²)Founded: September 2, 1967Sealand, an old British radar platform from World War 2, is a self-declared micronation that is unfortunately not recognized by the world’s countries. This ship “was a Maunsell Sea Fort constructed by the British military in 1943, and originally given the name HM Fort Roughs. Later it would be renamed Sealand by Major Paddy
OCT 15 2013
Middle schoolers arrested in cyber bullying suicide of classmate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PePz2FjEkMQBasically what happened was two girls from Florida age 12 and 14 were arrested on felony charges for allegedly harassing 12 year old Rebecca Sedwick at school and then following her online. Sedwick jumped to her death at a cement plant a month ago after being tormented for over a year. The arrests were made after the 14 year old suspect boasted on the inte
What is The Price of Life?
In America the average wait for an organ transplant is 4 to 5 years; however, there are often not enough voluntary donors for everyone to get the vital organ transplants that they need. In fact many people die while still on the waiting list. There is an alternative, with enough money vital organs can be obtained legally in less than 15 days. Thus many people travel to China, and are willing to
Low Fast Food Wages
Researcher at U.C. Berkeley sought that in Texas they have the highest public assistance funding which led to last summer fast-food workers staging protests to raise minimum wage. Instead of $8 an hour, workers are asking for up to $15 an hour. Why are workers asking for a raise? Because those who are working at fast food restaurants are mostly single or married adults who aren't in school. Along
Government Affecting College Student
The government shutdown affect everyone in some way. Unfortunately, many student don't know that because politic doesn't interest them. Since the shutdown, federal funding toward graduate and doctoral research programs are being suspend and causing many student and professor to stop their research. The biggest impact since the shutdown will be students applying for grants and loans from the govern
Louisiana's Shopping Chaos in Walmart
After finding out that their EBT cards failed to display credit limits, people went nuts at several Walmart stores in Louisiana, grabbing and tossing whatever they could find to eat and feast in their carts. This was a temporary delay due to a glitch in the computer system. The stores were filled and lined up throughout the entire buildings with people who pushed around tanked carts with foods and
Republican Alternative
John Boehner tries to move a bill to reopen government and doesn't have enough votes to pass. The treasury needs the budget compromise to pass by Oct. 17 to meet all of the financial obligations. U.S. treasury bonds have been put on watch for potential downgrade if nation's 16.7 trillion debt ceiling is not raised. The house is trying for a package that suspends the debt until February 7th to elim
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On Steptember 20, 2013, hundreds of people stood outside the Apple store for the new iPhone. Some even camped the day before the launch. In just a few weeks, 9 million iPhone 5s and 5c were sold. The iPhone 5s featured an new finger print scan which is an alternative unlock system and a way to buy apps. It "stores the finger print data into its processors". Apple even said that the finge
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Rabbis’ Are Bad Guys? Are you a Jewish woman looking for a divorce and would like the pleasure of having your husband get tortured? Well then, just have your Rabbi take care of it for you! According to CNN a group of Rabbi Leaders are being accused for kidnapping, torturing and hiring “tough guys” to force husbands to get a divorce. Although most marriages are arranged it’s easy to understand that
Supreme Court: Affirmative Action Returns
In 2003, the University of Michigan Law School's affirmative-action policy was upheld by the Supreme Court. Immediately afterwards, a referendum campaign against the policy in higher education was launched, overwhelmingly approved in 2006, and finally amended in the state constitution of Michigan. As a result, minority enrollment dropped staggeringly low, fueling a federal appeal that ultimately r
1200 Migrants arrested in Moscow
More than 1200 migrant workers were arrested on Sunday, September 13, 2013, at a wholesale vegetable market. The riot began over a killing of an ethnic Russian man by a Muslim migrant from the North Caucasus. Photo evidence showed that he was killed by an unidentified man that was of "non-Slavic appearance", which led nationalists to believe that the killer was a Muslim migrant.Immigrati
OCT 14 2013
Government Shutdownn
Are we finally close to a deal between the Republicans and Democrats concerning the shutdown ?
Obamacare Vs. Affordable Care Act
Unfortunately our society is not well informed about its own governments plans. Today the the big question is,"which is better? 'Obamacare' or 'Affordable Care Act'?" For those of you who dont know, these two plans are the same thing. If you hadn't noticed, our government is shutdown. One reason for this is a heated debate on "Obamacare". When the public was interviewe
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It is well known that the disposal of plastics is a reoccurring global issue, burning plastic materials generates large amounts of toxins and CO2 into the atmosphere. In 2009, Japan established a company called Blest which created a small, safe machine that converts several types of plastics back into oil. Using temperature controlled electric heaters to burn the plastics a released gas can be u
Governments Going Guerilla On Peaceful Protests?
Many governments around the world have been using excessive force or unnecessary action when confronted by peaceful protests. Exercising the right to organize and protest peacefully has been infringed upon in the United States, Israel, Canada, Argentina, Egypt, Hungary, Kenya, South Africa and Britain. The report, "Take Back the Streets: Repression and Criminalization Around the World,"
Government Shutdown does not affect NCUA.
Shares Insured and NCUA Doors Open, Even If Federal Government Closes.Chairman Matz Urges Credit Unions to Plan for Members’ NeedsALEXANDRIA, Va. (Sept. 30, 2013) – A shutdown of the federal government will not halt regular operations of the National Credit Union Administration, and individual accounts will remain insured up to $250,000, the agency announced today.NCUA Board Chairman Debbie Matz e
A Scheme To Reduce Crimes
A “scheme” was put into place in Manchester, England in which ex-offenders would be employed to clean up areas called ‘grot spots’. This outcome of this scheme was beneficial to say the least. It resulted in a huge reduction of re-offending rates. Ex-convicts were employed full-time under the Your Environmental Team (YET) which so far has hired 30 prisoners on 6 month contracts. The project wa
Immigration Court and Government Shutdown
Days after the federal government shut down, effects are felt across many agencies. Immigration courts proceedings are largely shut down, too. A lot of immigration has been waiting for years to make their case for a green card. A lot of high hopes are starting to fall apart due to the government shutdown. Even high school seniors, withouth a green card, wonders how they will be able to g
Alternative Energy is Good...But is it Our Highest priority ?
It is in our best interest to focus some of our attention ( and money ), as a nation, on alternative energy. At this point in time, however, should it be our top priority? As of last year California has spent $1.6 billion on renewable energy projects, while wide spread budget cuts undermined the funding of arguably more paramount programs such as those supporting public education and child care se
Immigration Court and Government Shutdown
Days after the federal government shut down, effects are felt across many agencies. Immigration Court proceedings are largely shut down, too. A lot of immigrants has been waiting for years to make their case for a green card. A lot of high hopes began to fall apart due to the government shutdown. Some high school seniors, without a green card, wonder how they will be able to go to colleg
Lady Liberty Leads Legislative Lesson
When it becomes evident that the government cannot protect it's people, it is the responsibility of the state to step in. Today New York legislature ruled that they dip into the tourism budget in order to reopen the statue of liberty national park. Due to partial government shut down, the park had been closed for 12 days and no end is in site. The author writes "Cuomo said the state st
Government Shutdown Causes Veteran Protest
On Sunday, October 13, 2013, several veterans came out to the World War 2 Memorial on the National Mall to protest. The government shutdown caused the closure of this national memorial. Afterward, several veterans met in front of the White House to continue their protest. A few politicians met with the veterans to speak publicly about the government shutdown, claiming that Congress is being
No Benefits for Veterans
It has been two weeks since the government shutdown and now veterans are being affected as well. The Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki warned that financing veterans would be more difficult as the shutdown continues. Apparently 5.1 million veterans will not receive their compensation checks at November 1st, 433,000 fully disabled vets might not receive payments and 360,000 surviving wives
Bosnian mass graves discovered
On a hill in Bosnia the crimes of war are finally being unearthed. Forensic teams have already found more than 150 bodies and hundreds more are expected to be found. Some citizens search for lost survivors and for the truth. Some prisoners return from near by prison camps who state thousands more were killed there. More than 300 are still missing. Many still want closure and other survivors are th
OCT 13 2013
Teacher Suspended for showing "Same Love" by Macklemore
Basically, what happened was that a teacher had shown “Same Love” by Macklemore to his class of 13 year old “pre-pubescent” students. The issue is whether it is school or age appropriate, because there is kissing between men. (The teacher, subject, and lesson plan were not given and this has happened at another school on the same video) For some reason, this has become a continuous debate in poli
Terror at Navy Yard
Aaron Alexis, “a former Navy reservist and a current military contractor,” at 8:20 this morning went into Washington’s Navy Yard with a semi automatic. Thankfully, our military is treating them in their hospitals “as if they were soldiers wounded in war.” In the end, the suspect had been stopped and died after officials arrived, but it has been confirmed that there were 12, not ten, people who we
OCT 12 2013
China's Ghost Cities
In class a while ago, we were discussing about Marx's view on Social Contract. How faceless people were just cogs in a working system. We agreed that this view was communist, which therefore turned our attention to China. We briefly referred to China's economy, and the subject of China's 'Ghost Cities' came up. We mentioned how China was building massive city structures, but no one lived
Malala Yousafzai
You may have already heard of Malala Yousafzai, a 16-year-old Pakistani girl who has become the symbol for women's right to education in her region and around the world. When the Taliban took over her region of the Swat Valley, they declared that girls would not be able to go to school and get an education. She recalls the Taliban murdering people because they danced or cut their hair. The Tal
OCT 09 2013
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Hellooooo guys,Well, I was wondering through Google, and I stumbled upon an article pertaining to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant leak caused by the tremendous earthquake, tsunami, and the triple meltdowns in Japan 2011. Well, recently the water tanks containing the radioactive water used to cool the fuel rods during this disaster, has been leaking. The radiation levels in Japan have spiked, and
OCT 07 2013
Veto Halts Bill for Jury Duty by Noncitizens in California
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE NY TIMES For noncitizens in the United States, people have limits to their rights. Recently in Los Angeles, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill on Monday. The bill would've made California the first state to allow immigrants who are not citizens to serve on juries. For non citizens living in California, they already have their rights expanded. Mr. Brown sig
Public Opinions of the GOP Since Government Shutdown
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-government-shutdown-congress-polling-20131007,0,5535514.storyLA TimesIn this article, the author, David Lauter, simply conveyed the statistics from polls asking people of their opinions on the way the Republican Party is handling the whole situation with the government shutdown and how their dealing with the federal budget. Over the last wee
Mob Rule: Are we reverting to the lawless way of an 'eye for an eye'?
For those of you who wish to view the original article:http://abcnews.go.com/US/off-duty-cops-witnessed-alleged-suv-driver-beating/story?id=20488628Well, folks. Looks like this is another case of violence. They just keep piling up. And what's surprising is our law enforcement is slacking.If you have no prior knowledge of the facts behind the article, I will briefly sum it up. A man named Lien was
A Police State in the Works: The Militarization of the Police Force
It seems to hold true that in the United States we value our police in a biased manner. We want them to be around if any sort of trouble may occur, yet we don't want them to constrict our freedom in such a way that these dutiful servants of the state may turn upon us. The fear of a police state has always been one to frighten the firm believers of liberty, yet once again the government has hidden
OCT 01 2013
Lowdown on Government Shutdown
Washington Post with "absolutely everything you need to know about how the federal government shutdown will work."
SEP 23 2013
Kenya Reeling from Shopping Mall Attack
The World from Public Radio International with a brief but worthwhile report from Nairobi, Kenya as the shopping mall siege continues.News outlets continue to report the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group as responsible for the attack at the high-end Westgate Mall.Simon Tisdall of the Guardian writes here about what might be going on within al-Shabaab to spark this attack, namely a brutal po
SEP 20 2013
Is The United States Spending Too Much On Military?
The world's military spending estimates $1.7 trillion each year, with the United States responsible for 39%. Hopefully with the war in Iraq-Afghanistan possibly decelerating, The United States will seek to cut down on military spending. Lets hope the United States stays out of a potential war with Syria to keep spending down.
SEP 17 2013
Richest Americans: They're Doing Better Than Ever
Forbes Magazine gives us some facts and figures about its list of the 400 richest Americans.Four hundred wealthiest Americans have a net worth higher than the GDP of Russia, over $2 trillion. It is rather hard to get on this list now. A fair number of billionaires didn't make enough to qualify,Interesting timing for us. We're reading Marx in class.
SEP 13 2013
More on the Bill to Grant Driver's Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants
Legislation passed last night to grant driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants will require the Dept. of Motor Vehicles to develop a license with a special watermark on it indicating that the license is for driving only and not for identification purposes, a provision that will indicate that the holder is indeed undocumented. The Los Angeles Times reports the license will include the mark D
Assads Interview
This is the link to the Charlie Rose Interview with Assad, the president of Syria that was last week.
CA Legislature Approves Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
See the story in the Sacramento Bee.The California Legislature late Thursday sent a bill to the Governor Jerry Brown Assembly allowing undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses. In a statement before the final vote in the state Assembly, the Governor signaled he will sign the bill: This bill will enable millions of people to get to work safely and legally,” Brown said in the statement.
SEP 12 2013
California $10 Minimum Wage Awaits Governor's Approval
The California legislature today passed a bill that would raise the minimum wage in the state to $10 an hour. The bill is structured so the wage goes up in two increments: $9 an hour by July 1, 2014, with another dollar an hour by January 2016. The measure now heads to Governor Brown, who has already indicated he will sign it into law.
SEP 11 2013
Why Politics? (first of many parts...)
Friends of teen killed in traffic accident win approval for new signalRead more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/11/5728257/friends-of-teen-killed-in-traffic.html#storylink=cpyPlease students, don't ever let anyone tell you that politics is somehow inherently dirty and undesirable. Here's a bittersweet and beautiful example of local politics in action. The Sacramento Bee today reports of an
SEP 10 2013
Did the American People Silence the War Drums?
President Obama spoke on Syria tonight. If you didn't catch it or want to read the transcript, please go here.I've also include this opinion piece by writer David Sirota on the push for military action by high level government officials and political analysts. Its title, "Take that, D.C. Gasbags! How Angry Americans May Stop a Disaster," should give you a sense of the blistering message. Rea
SEP 09 2013
Across the California Delta
Lauren Korth, C.K. McClatchy High School Class of 2012The multi talented Lauren Korth just released this video as a sort of love letter to the gorgeous and unique region where she grew up, the California Delta. Watch and then read on below.
SEP 08 2013
Senator Steinberg's Prison Plan
Post from Melissa McDaniel, Period 5 California State Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s prison plan proposition continues to spark debate after it had been successfully passed. The Senate Budget Committee, after much deliberation, decided Wednesday eleven to five. The plan seems more favorable to the Senate than Jerry Brown’s proposition, which would expand more housing in the prisons
SEP 04 2013
The 51st State of Jefferson
"The state of Jefferson is where I want to raise my son." ~ Kayla BrownRead more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/04/5707220/siskiyou-county-votes-to-pursue.html#storylink=cpyThe Board of Supervisors in California's Siskiyou County voted on Tuesday to pursue seceding from California, citing their frustration with a lack of representation in a state legislature dominated by Southern California
AUG 31 2013
Citizenship
Anthony De Rosa is an adjunct professor of journalism at New York University. Today, he provided us with an important reminder of how it is still supposed to work in this country. If you have thoughts about Syria and U.S. military action, please let Doris Matsui, our member of the House of Representatives, know as soon as possible. Contact info here.
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What Citizenship MeansAnthony De Rosa is a adjunct professor of journalism at New York University. His tweet today reminds us all of how it is still supposed to work in this country. Syria
AUG 19 2013
Ecuador Asked the World to Pay it Not to Drill for Oil. So, What was the Answer?
Time to check on the news from Ecuador. Last year, our World Politics/Global Issues classes read of the estimated 840 million barrels of the oil under the Yasuni Rainforest National Park, one of the most pristine and biodiverse ecoystems in the world. The oil under Yasuni represents an important revenue source in a country that despite marked achievements in quality of life still has nearly a q
AUG 14 2013
Say no to Test Culture
Haven't we learned our lesson from all the terrible unintended consequences of the test culture created by No Child Left Behind? Then why compound those mistakes by creating a new test culture under a new name, Common Core?
AUG 05 2013
Costa Rica to Close Zoos
We don't want animals in captivity or enclosed in any way unless it is to rescue or save them.Don't miss this piece about the remarkable announcement from the Costa Rican government that it plans to close all zoos and relocate zoo animals to botanical gardens and urban parks to eliminate the practice of caged animals. Described here is the guiding philosophy and the actions being taken by the gov
AUG 04 2013
Checking in on the Security State
The Guardian newspaper last week published a timeline of events related to Edward Snowden, his release of National Security Agency files and his quest for political asylum. The timeline is useful as it contains links to all major pieces published by the Guardian since Snowden leaked NSA documents to Guardian journalists.After deciding to leak NSA documents revealing the reach of NSA surveillance,
Hardest-Working Justice
USA Today has a nice piece on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Find it here.
