Lasers are a growing flight safety problem (Current Event)

link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/12/09/lasers.flight.safety/index.html

3 Facts:

1) People have been pointing lasers into the cockpits of planes.

2) This year, 2,200 instances have been reported nationwide

3) The maximum penalty for each charge he faces is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

2 Questions:

1) Why do people do this, do they care about their safety?

2) Doesn't the 250 thousand dollar fine seem a bit steep?

1 Opinion)

I personally like using laser pointers in school. They can be very entertaining in class, but the users of them usually seem to get caught. I would never flash the laser pointer directly into someones eye.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090212185951AADCe70 -- This kid became blind when his friend flashed a laser pointer in his eye...scary :/

Bold Crossings of the Gender Line

link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/fashion/09TRANS.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

3 Facts:

1) Marc Jacobs has sported the female line of his clothing with a beard.

2) A five year old boy dressed like Daphne on “Scooby-Doo” for Halloween.

3) In November, a trans-gender student pledged a sorority at Trinity University in Texas.

2 Questions)

1) What message are transsexual trying to send to the public?

2) Are all transsexuals actually born with two sex organs?

1 Opinion)

I think that transsexuals are very creepy people. I would much rather hang out with a gay person for a day than with a transsexual. I don't really understand the whole culture of transsexuals by any means.

http://en.wordpress.com/tag/stupid-weird-transexual/ -- this blogger has a similar view on transsexuals.

Nuggets Ready To Move Melo

source: http://www.prosportsdaily.com/articles/nuggets-ready-to-move-melo-442237.html

3 Facts)

1) The Nuggets offered Anthony a three-year, $65 million extension before the season started.

2) The NBA trade deadline is February 24th.

3) Anthony has stated that his top destination is the Knicks.

2 Questions)

1) Why is this trade lingering for so long?

2) Why won't Carmelo say which teams he will sign an extension with?

1 Opinion)

I think that the Nuggets should trade Carmelo Anthony to get some trade value back for him. It would be ashame if he signed somewhere else at the end of the season and the Nuggets ended up with nothing.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/441359-carmelo-anthony-denver-nuggets-should-trade-him-before-hes-a-freeagent-- This piece shares the same opinion.

Are you a nerd or a geek? (Current Event)

link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/12/02/nerd.or.geek/index.html

3 Facts:

1) A Venn Diagram was popping up on blogs all over the internet that contained a mathematical approach telling weather you were a nerd, a geek, a dork, or a dweeb.

2) The words nerd and geek have very different etymologies.

3) The word geek actually started out meaning almost the exact opposite of the word nerd. The word nerd used to have a negative connotation.

2 Questions:

1) Would Bill Gates be considered a nerd or a geek?

2) Are their various types of geeks/nerd (subsets)?

1 opinion:

I personally think that being called a nerd or geek is not exactly a compliment. However, modern day style has become more "nerdy" with the revival of the big nerd glasses. I like them, but personally, I don't think that I would pull them off well. People who don't even have a prescription often times rock them.

related: http://www.stylegoesstrong.com/too-old-wear-nerd-glasses

It talks about the celebrities that are wearing "nerd" glasses, the hottest new trend.

Art’s Survivors of Hitler’s War

link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/arts/design/01abroad.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

3 Facts:

1) In January workers digging for a new subway station near City Hall found a bronze bust of a woman so filthy it was almost unrecognizable.

2) Researchers learned the bust was a portrait by Edwin Scharff.

3) The 11 sculptures proved to be survivors of Hitler's campaign against what the Nazis notoriously called “degenerate art.”

2 Questions:

1) How did the sculptures end up underground near City Hall?

2) What techniques were used to restore/clean the artwork?

1 Opinion:

1) I really respect how people used art as a way to resist and almost fight the Nazi campaign. This is very dangerous and could have had a really big impact on other innocent people of the time.

blog:http://furtherglory.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/degenerate-art-making-a-comeback-in-germany/

This blog talks about degenerate art, its impact, and also its comeback.

League extracts $25,000 more from James Harrison's wallet

link: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_711593.html

3 Facts:

1) Steelers linebacker, Jerome Harrison, was charged $25,000 on Tuesday for a hit on Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

2) He has been fined four times this season for a total of $125,000.

3) Andre Johnson, who threw punches at Titans Wide Receiver Cortland Finnegan, was charged the same amount of money.

2 Questions:

1) Why doesn't Harrison change his playing style since he has been getting fined over and over again?

2) Why are quarterbacks "defended" by the league more than any other position in the NFL?

1 opinion:

I think that the NFL has recently become somewhat of a soft league. I understand that the league wants to protect its players, but football is a gruesome contact sport after all, and that is why many people like it. Also, it seems that a player is much more likely to get fined if the opposing player (the one being tackled) is injured. That seems a bit unfair to me...

blog: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/3299/double-coverage-is-the-nfl-getting-too-soft

Many people agree that the NFL has gone "too far" in protecting it's players.

An AIDS Advance, Hiding in the Open (Current Event)

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/weekinreview/28mcneil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

3 Facts:

1) Taking Truvada, a pill combining two drugs, once a day would greatly reduce a gay man’s chances of getting infected with the dangerous virus.

2) This pill could also protect also protect sex workers, needle sharers, wives of infected men, prison inmates and anyone else at risk.

3) Truvada has been available since 2004, however, a combination of scientific caution and the fiery politics of AIDS has delayed it.

2 Questions:

1) Why did it take so long for this discovery if the drug was know about since 1995?

2) Why hasn't this story made bigger news?

1 opinion:

1) In my opinion, a subscription these pill will be very expensive due to the high demand for these pills. I also believe that that this pill will save lives, and I applaud all of the scientific research and hard work that has been put in the production of this drug.

blog link: http://trig.com/drugstoreonline/blog/read/403108

This blog recommends that you "buy Truvada" as it is indeed a very useful drug that can/will save many lives.

Africa and Its Spheres of Influence

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/arts/design/28global.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

3 Facts:

1) Sims was working in late August to work out shipping details for the "Global Africa Project."

2) The artists picked for the display were not only African artists, but artists that had African influence in their work, and also artists that have traveled to Africa.

3) A large part of the exhibit is devoted to jewelry, textiles, furniture, architecture, fashion, ceramics and basketry

2 Questions:

1) Why did Ms. Sims want to stress the "global" far more than the "Africa"?

2) What was Ms. Sims true inspiration for starting this project?

1 Opinion:

1) I think that African Artwork is some of the most beautiful art work. I have traveled to Africa more than one time, and I have a lot of African Art work displayed throughout my house. I think the African masks are the coolest works of Art that there are.

link of blogger: http://blog.africanartonline.com/handcrafted-african-masks/

This blogger agrees that the masks are amazing works of and it is neat how they are hand made.

Iguodala could be bait to speed Sixers' rebuilding

Source: Wilmington News Journal

3 facts:

1) Andre Iguodala has never publicly demanded a trade or shown dissatisfaction with the Philadelphia Sixer's organization.

2) When the article was written, the Sixers (3-13) had the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

3) Iguodala won a gold medal playing for the USA Olympic team this past summer.

2 Questions:

1) Why is "Now" the time to trade Iguodala?

2) What are the Sixers looking for in a trade? (young players, picks, expiring contracts)

1 Opinion:

1) I think that it would be best to trade Iguodala to the Houston Rockets for some of the young talented players on their roster. They have shown interest in Iguodala, and they seem like a good candidate for a trade.

link to blog poster: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/343389-nba-trade-deadline-five-deals-the-philadelphia-76ers-should-make

A similar opinion to mine is located on one of the slides.

My Links

feed://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/ProBasketball --Sports

feed://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/Politics --Politics

feed://feeds.nytimes.com/nyt/rss/ArtandDesign --Art

Online Reading?

I do a good amount of online reading. I will often times check out espn.com or prosportsdaily.com to catch u on the latest sports news. Also, when I check my yahoo e-mail, there is occasionally an interesting heading that will pop up, prompting me to read it. I am also pretty active with social networking sites.

Books read for pleasure and/or meaning

I typically do not enjoy reading, but....Some books that I have read for meaning include, life of pi, lord of the flies, animal farm, and Into the Wild. These have all been book that I have had to read for school. I did not read any of these books for pleasure. One book that I read for pleasure was Tears of a Tiger, way back 7th grade. The one book that I have read for both pleasure and meaning is “Winning Ugly” by Brad Gilbert. It is a tennis guide that teaches and is also very interesting in the fact that it chronicles the career of one tennis player.