As my final blog post, I thought it would be appropriate to address global warming, one of my most passionate opinions. Let me be perfectly clear: I DO NOT BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING. Sure, some days are hotter than others but this does not mean that we, human kind, are in the midst of some global tragedy. How vain and egotisitcal of us to think that we are the sole forces behind the ebbs and flows of nature?
Consider this, just thirty years ago the nation was concerned of a global cooling. The following is a quotation from a 1975 Newsweek article:
"The central fact is that after three quarters of a century of extraordinarily mild conditions, the earth’s climate seems to be cooling down. Meteorologists disagree about the cause and extent of the cooling trend, as well as over its specific impact on local weather conditions. But they are almost unanimous in the view that the trend will reduce agricultural productivity for the rest of the century."
World temperatures were in fact falling since about 1940. It was around 1979 that they reversed direction and resumed the general rise that had begun in the 1880s, bringing us today back to around 1940 levels.
In addition, the data taken from surface thermometers (thermometers on Earth instead of in satellites) do not yield accurate representations of the Earth's climate changes. From a 1998 Washington Times article:
"Thermometers cover less than half of the Earth's surface and are unevenly distributed, with more measurements being taken in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. On land, temperature readings have to be corrected for the "heat island" effect, a local warming that occurs over time as cities spread outward. Then there's the difficulty in patching together records of measurements taken by different collection methods. Until the 1940s, ships would measure sea surface temperatures by dropping a thermometer into a bucket of sea water. Today, sea water temperatures are measured by thermometers affixed to buoys, or in the intake ports of ships.
Recently, the addition of ocean buoy measurements in the tropical East Pacific and their role in recording a possible false warming has come under investigation. There is also evidence that air temperatures taken just above the ocean surface have not risen nearly as fast as sea water temperatures, and it is sea water temperatures that have, up until now, been included in global temperature estimates. Finally, although land-based thermometer readings have had some correction for the "heat island" effect, there is reason to believe these corrections have not been sufficient. Even small towns and rural thermometer sites, which are uncorrected, have in general experienced population growth. In short, thermometer estimates of global warming are not "truth" either."
These few points are only the tip of the iceberg too. The global warming concerns stem from political platforms and criticism of the current political leadership, among other things.
I do not deny however that the sudden obsession with global warming has yielded good results. It has resulted in greater focus on protecting and taking care of our environment and many more green products and services. I am in complete support of these actions. However, it's going to take a lot more than a "green car" or a "green household cleaning spray" to convince me that global warming is real and ready to stay.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Never Gonna Be The Same -- Sean Paul
One-Pager: Editorial
Opera has always been a classic staple of the world of fine arts. Going out to the opera in our grandparents’ era was a night as special then as, perhaps, traveling to NYC to see a musical on Broadway is now. Maybe more so. However, the world of Opera is dying out with the younger generations. Tastes are changing and as hard as opera house try to appeal and reach out to younger crowds, the harder we pull away. The result may be the death of an entire musical genre.
The editorialist begins by describing her interest in opera and juxtaposing it against the rest of her generation’s disinterest. Being an opera fanatic in this day and age typically does not gain a woman a date or a flirtatious chat in the lobby. The crowd is generally composed of middle aged and elder people, such as retirement home groups, who seek to relive the joys of their youth. Opera houses are fighting to bolster interest, though. By “hawking discounted tickets and free lectures for newcomers, inviting audiences to dress down” they hope to attract a younger audience and to propagate the appeal for opera. However, when competing against more conventional entertainment such as Facebook, Nintendo Wii or American Idol, operas are fighting a losing battle. The editorialist concludes that, despite disapproval from many young people, “certain things [such as the opera] never get old.”
I had heard about this tragedy a couple months ago during a trip to the New York Metropolitan Opera with my Grandma. She remarked how the opera had once been such a premier destination for young girls but it had recently dipped not only below the radar but nearly completely off the charts. Despite efforts to appeal to younger crowds, operas are failing to attract new enthusiasts and many are facing financial difficulties. Without greater public interest, this classic form of entertainment tragically may fall obsolete.
Opera has always been a classic staple of the world of fine arts. Going out to the opera in our grandparents’ era was a night as special then as, perhaps, traveling to NYC to see a musical on Broadway is now. Maybe more so. However, the world of Opera is dying out with the younger generations. Tastes are changing and as hard as opera house try to appeal and reach out to younger crowds, the harder we pull away. The result may be the death of an entire musical genre.
The editorialist begins by describing her interest in opera and juxtaposing it against the rest of her generation’s disinterest. Being an opera fanatic in this day and age typically does not gain a woman a date or a flirtatious chat in the lobby. The crowd is generally composed of middle aged and elder people, such as retirement home groups, who seek to relive the joys of their youth. Opera houses are fighting to bolster interest, though. By “hawking discounted tickets and free lectures for newcomers, inviting audiences to dress down” they hope to attract a younger audience and to propagate the appeal for opera. However, when competing against more conventional entertainment such as Facebook, Nintendo Wii or American Idol, operas are fighting a losing battle. The editorialist concludes that, despite disapproval from many young people, “certain things [such as the opera] never get old.”
I had heard about this tragedy a couple months ago during a trip to the New York Metropolitan Opera with my Grandma. She remarked how the opera had once been such a premier destination for young girls but it had recently dipped not only below the radar but nearly completely off the charts. Despite efforts to appeal to younger crowds, operas are failing to attract new enthusiasts and many are facing financial difficulties. Without greater public interest, this classic form of entertainment tragically may fall obsolete.
Be True to Your School -- Beach Boys
One-Pager: Article
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060303438_pf.html
In recent years, schools have followed a trend to accelerate education paths for elementary and middle schools students especially in mathematics. Many aim for students to take Algebra I one year ahead of schedule (in eighth grade instead of ninth) while others are pushing for two or three years ahead.
The article, “Accelerated Math Adds Up To a Division Over Merits,” describes the impact of accelerated math courses. In general, the push has been to open up opportunities for all students to take higher-level math courses at younger ages. In Montgomery County, even Kindergartners are being pushed to achieve at levels standard of first graders. The goal is that by about fifth grade, gaps that may result from accelerated education would be eliminated and students would be learning at high-than-grade-level standards. Many parents support these initiatives and feel that greater opportunities for their students are nothing less than beneficial. However, recently, some parents have expressed concern for over-acceleration. They assert that young children are being pushed too hard and too quickly to achieve at levels beyond capability. The results, they claim, are an unstable education foundation and unprepared-ness in future classes.
Journalist, Daniel de Vise, presented the information in a balanced manner. He presented both the pros and cons of the argument. Although his coverage of the trend in the D.C. Metro area was thorough, I would have been interested to see more how the facts and figures of Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington Counties aligned with the rest of the country.
I believe that accelerated opportunities, especially in mathematics, are a great resource for young students. Having participated in an accelerate math program myself in the GT Program in elementary and middle school, I felt completely prepared to enter Geometry in my first year of high school. While I do not feel that every child is mentally or emotionally prepared to advance through mathematics in a decreased amount of time, I do believe it is extremely important to continue to offer opportunities to students and to drive students to want to take advantage of them.
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060303438_pf.html
In recent years, schools have followed a trend to accelerate education paths for elementary and middle schools students especially in mathematics. Many aim for students to take Algebra I one year ahead of schedule (in eighth grade instead of ninth) while others are pushing for two or three years ahead.
The article, “Accelerated Math Adds Up To a Division Over Merits,” describes the impact of accelerated math courses. In general, the push has been to open up opportunities for all students to take higher-level math courses at younger ages. In Montgomery County, even Kindergartners are being pushed to achieve at levels standard of first graders. The goal is that by about fifth grade, gaps that may result from accelerated education would be eliminated and students would be learning at high-than-grade-level standards. Many parents support these initiatives and feel that greater opportunities for their students are nothing less than beneficial. However, recently, some parents have expressed concern for over-acceleration. They assert that young children are being pushed too hard and too quickly to achieve at levels beyond capability. The results, they claim, are an unstable education foundation and unprepared-ness in future classes.
Journalist, Daniel de Vise, presented the information in a balanced manner. He presented both the pros and cons of the argument. Although his coverage of the trend in the D.C. Metro area was thorough, I would have been interested to see more how the facts and figures of Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington Counties aligned with the rest of the country.
I believe that accelerated opportunities, especially in mathematics, are a great resource for young students. Having participated in an accelerate math program myself in the GT Program in elementary and middle school, I felt completely prepared to enter Geometry in my first year of high school. While I do not feel that every child is mentally or emotionally prepared to advance through mathematics in a decreased amount of time, I do believe it is extremely important to continue to offer opportunities to students and to drive students to want to take advantage of them.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Calling All Angels -- Train
In case you've missed the memo in the past couple weeks, Obama basically has the Democratic nomination in the bag. With that said, I'd like to share a website that Jamie showed me a few months ago....
http://www.barackobamaantichrist.blogspot.com/
The entire blog is dedicated to illustrating how presidential hopeful, Barak Obama, is the next Anti-Christ. Upon further research, I found that Google yields 775,000 hits for the search "Barak Obama antichrist"--pretty impressive.
On the Anti-Christ blog, the headline asserts:
Barack Obama may be the Antichrist, he has risen up out of no where, he mesmerizes crowds, people are gathering in huge numbers, he is likely becoming the next President of the United States. Do not look only to what I say, but look to your Bibles, to passages in John, Daniel, and Revelations.
Wow. That's quite a list of accomplishments. I find it ironic that despite the often huge political iniatives to keep Church and State separate (though not Constitutionally mandated), the public and the media are the ones who continue to draw it back together. The hot Anti-Christ topic is a good example, for sure. Also consider that only a few months back the media was investigating and criticizing Obama's reverend for his alleged anti-American statements. At the same time, the judiciary (often guided by public opinion) continue to rule in favor of further separation of Church and State. For example, a Moment of Prayer has become a Moment of Silence. With such contradictory messages coming from the public, it's no wonder that the President and Congress have such low approval ratings or that policy implementation is so slow and imprecise.
http://www.barackobamaantichrist.blogspot.com/
The entire blog is dedicated to illustrating how presidential hopeful, Barak Obama, is the next Anti-Christ. Upon further research, I found that Google yields 775,000 hits for the search "Barak Obama antichrist"--pretty impressive.
On the Anti-Christ blog, the headline asserts:
Barack Obama may be the Antichrist, he has risen up out of no where, he mesmerizes crowds, people are gathering in huge numbers, he is likely becoming the next President of the United States. Do not look only to what I say, but look to your Bibles, to passages in John, Daniel, and Revelations.
Wow. That's quite a list of accomplishments. I find it ironic that despite the often huge political iniatives to keep Church and State separate (though not Constitutionally mandated), the public and the media are the ones who continue to draw it back together. The hot Anti-Christ topic is a good example, for sure. Also consider that only a few months back the media was investigating and criticizing Obama's reverend for his alleged anti-American statements. At the same time, the judiciary (often guided by public opinion) continue to rule in favor of further separation of Church and State. For example, a Moment of Prayer has become a Moment of Silence. With such contradictory messages coming from the public, it's no wonder that the President and Congress have such low approval ratings or that policy implementation is so slow and imprecise.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Candy Shop -- 50 Cent & Olivia
Soooo, 5th period. Wednesday is FOOD day and here are the dessert options. Vote in the poll on the right by tomorrow afternoon. Sticking with the overall consensus on chocolate the options are:
Cocoa Cream Pie
Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Marble Brownies
White and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Any other suggestions? I'm up for anything!
Cocoa Cream Pie
Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Marble Brownies
White and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Any other suggestions? I'm up for anything!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Can't Touch This -- M.C. Hammer
In Government yesterday, we discussed editorials and articles from the past couple days. One of the biggest topics was the ruling of the California Supreme Court that struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage. The Court ruled that sexual orientation, like race or gender, does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny legal rights. While I do in fact agree with this position, it was not the argument over the legality (or illegality) of the decision which peaked my interest most. Instead, the mention of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) evoked greater curiosity.
In the beginning of the school year, we learned about the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution. This clause, in Article IV Section I, states:
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
From what I understood, this clause applies to such contracts as Marriage Licenses, Drivers Licenses, etc. Any marriage license that was issued in one state would stand for all legal purposes in any other state within the U.S.
The Defense of Marriage Act, passed by former President Clinton in 1996, states:
1. No state (or other political subdivison within the United States) need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.
2. The Federal Government may not treat same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized by one of the states.
The Act was passed (with the greatest support from anti-gay marriage activists) in anticipation of states legalizing same-sex marriage and with concerns that couples would use the Full Faith and Credit Clause to carry the contract across state borders. It seems to me that the law was passed to dodge a very specific and direct aspect of the U.S. Constitution.
I feel that the DoMA is in fact a direct violation of the Full Faith and Credit Clause. According to the Supremacy Clause, the Federal Constitution stands as the supreme law of the land. In turn, the DoMA has no authority to limit how marriage contracts can/cannot retain legitimacy across state borders. A (relatively) hasty legislative act cannot simply overturn the careful work of our forefathers. Although the doctrine of marriage is enumerated to the states, there seems to be a very fine line between the authority of the federal government and the state governments in respect to marriage contracts and licenses. Perhaps, a Supreme Court ruling could set a clearer precedent on this matter.
I believe that if someone challenged the constitutionality of the DoMA in the Supreme Court, he or she would stand a great chance of winning or at least enacting change through media attention or public opinion. From how I see it, the DoMA stands in direct contradiction with some of the principle statutes of the Constitution. It is inexcusable that this Act has stood without little to no judicial intervention for over a decade.
In the beginning of the school year, we learned about the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution. This clause, in Article IV Section I, states:
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
From what I understood, this clause applies to such contracts as Marriage Licenses, Drivers Licenses, etc. Any marriage license that was issued in one state would stand for all legal purposes in any other state within the U.S.
The Defense of Marriage Act, passed by former President Clinton in 1996, states:
1. No state (or other political subdivison within the United States) need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.
2. The Federal Government may not treat same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized by one of the states.
The Act was passed (with the greatest support from anti-gay marriage activists) in anticipation of states legalizing same-sex marriage and with concerns that couples would use the Full Faith and Credit Clause to carry the contract across state borders. It seems to me that the law was passed to dodge a very specific and direct aspect of the U.S. Constitution.
I feel that the DoMA is in fact a direct violation of the Full Faith and Credit Clause. According to the Supremacy Clause, the Federal Constitution stands as the supreme law of the land. In turn, the DoMA has no authority to limit how marriage contracts can/cannot retain legitimacy across state borders. A (relatively) hasty legislative act cannot simply overturn the careful work of our forefathers. Although the doctrine of marriage is enumerated to the states, there seems to be a very fine line between the authority of the federal government and the state governments in respect to marriage contracts and licenses. Perhaps, a Supreme Court ruling could set a clearer precedent on this matter.
I believe that if someone challenged the constitutionality of the DoMA in the Supreme Court, he or she would stand a great chance of winning or at least enacting change through media attention or public opinion. From how I see it, the DoMA stands in direct contradiction with some of the principle statutes of the Constitution. It is inexcusable that this Act has stood without little to no judicial intervention for over a decade.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
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