PLN 21

While going through the articles on the 2 cents worth blog I found an interesting one titled How Much does this Really Matter? . The article talks about how the U.S. one of the most prosperous nations on the planet don’t even know basic elementary and middle school subjects. While going through a scientific organization put together polls and tests and came out with appalling results. It is said that 66% of the U.S. population does not understand DNA, “margin of error,” the scientific process, and does not believe in evolution. Also 50% do not know how long it takes the earth to go around the sun, and a quarter does not even know that the earth goes around the sun. Not only is this sad but it is disgraceful. No wonder why “Are you smarter then a fifth grader” can find so many contestants. Educators must be shamed to know that students they probably had taught are as dumb as a rock. In the article he also asks does all this really matter. Sure they don’t know elementary curriculum and yes they do not understand that the planet is indeed not flat. But does it matter; they are all citizens who keep the economy together. They raise families, they pay their taxes, and they don’t break the law (at least some). So in the long run does It really matter that they know that DNA isn’t someone’s initials. My personal opinion is that they should know at least some of this information. The future is rapidly changing and so are the people in it. A lot of people do not have time to remember such facts but also focus at the task at hand. For example a person is in the army what should they rather know the scientific process or how to reload an overheated gun in a gunfight. Obviously the would rather know something that is more beneficial to them at the moment. You can’t kill a terrorist with a hypothesis and a procedure for those that don’t know that’s part of the scientific process). In our classroom certain students do show that they are eligible to be the next Paris Hilton all glam no brains. But others do retain their knowledge and do remember things from their first year of school. Hopefully our teachers are doing a well enough job to keep our brains afloat.

PLN 20

While going through the articles today I found an interesting one that related to not only baseball, a well loved sport, but to steroids and usually when you think of baseball and steroids you think of Barry Bonds. Baseball star Barry Bonds charged was the name of the article on thee BBC news post. FACTS In the past Barry Bonds has been tested multiple times for taking anabolic steroids. He has tested negative every time since then. Many people have wondered whether he has taken steroids or not. In the past he has said that he has never knowingly taken anabolic steroids or performance enhancing drugs. This somewhat makes you wonder if he did take steroids saying he never knowingly took the steroids. Today he was convicted with four counts of perjury and one of obstructing justice, which together carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail. Federal police have found out that during the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes. CONNECTIONS TO OTHERS This connects too many other sports and raises many questions. Obviously Barry Bonds has been in the spot light for steroid abuse. But the WWE or the World Wrestling Entertainment has also been rumored to be run by anabolic drugs. Recently CNN conducted an interview with former WWE champion John Cena about the steroid issue. In the interview John told the news reporter “absolutely not” and then later went into detail on what others have said and how people have lied about it. CNN then decided to edit out John Cenas answer and replace it with him saying yes he has but they will never catch them. Taking this totally out of context from different parts of the interview CNN has showed that the media has played in a large role in steroids. Connections to myself and the classroom To myself I adore WWE and all of wrestling entertainment. Yes wrestlers have died because of steroids and yes it may promote violence and yes the famous Benoit killings have been linked to performance enhancing drugs. But to myself I love to wrestle. I am currently on Arapahoe High Schools wrestling team. But due to recent events it has become shaming talking about sports because in the end the conversations end up talking about steroids. In the classroom people have written PLN’s about sports and whether they support them or how good a certain player is. It is sad that one person has to always succumb to steroid abuse to do an amazing feat such as win a world championship or the World Series. In the end it’s not our decision if they will take steroids we will never be able to stop the will of a person. All I know is I will not harm myself by taking the easy way out and hopefully people will realize that to.

pln 19

I was going through the Denver Post articles today when I found a controversial headline saying Do schools have birth-control role?. This experiment would take place in six Denver High Schools. FACTS I personally believe that the schools should not interfere with the students. Yes, it is true that 54. 5% of teenagers in Denver High Schools become pregnant in High School. But they should learn to take the issue into their own hands and not have sexual intercourse or to practice safe sex methods. I don’t think its right that the school should interfere with personal affairs. A large step in a teenager’s life is to be responsibility. I think that schools should take it upon themselves to have sex-education courses that provide knowledge in safe sex practices and on sexually transmitted diseases. By providing these classes they can either stop kid’s from having sex at to early and age and prevent many kid from getting sexually transmitted diseases. Any information that can be given to youth is useful. But schools are here to educate not be doctors. CONNECTIONS TO OTHERS Even with the pills being shown as an easy get out option to not get pregnant could convince students they can have sex and not be involved in the commitment that having intercourse really represents. This is not only sending the wrong message to students but to their parents. One of my close personal friends who lives down in Aurora South Carolina has experienced intercourse. She says she did not use safe sex methods but luckily her peers had a “magic pill” to get rid of the “little problem” she made. She now uses safe sex methods. Her counselors help her cope with these issues and supply students with proper materials in case intercourse ever happens. CONNECTIONS TO OUR SCHOOL This is important to our school because if the program passes with the school boards we might be given pregnancy pills like they are skittles. I don’t want to promote sexual intercourse at such a young age. In the end the choice comes down to the students. What choices they make is up to them. How they act today will affect who they are tomorrow.

PLN 18

I was going through the articles today when I found one that caught my eye. Hollywood writers strike was the title of the article. The article talks about the Hollywood writers strike and the reason behind the strike. The strike is caused by the lack of money being given to the writers of television shows. Writer wages are not only extremely low but writers are not being compensated for residual income such as disks on tape that are being marketed by Hollywood that brings in a lot of income that is not being shared with the original writers of the shows. Twenty years ago Hollywood came out with the idea of the DVD and today writers gain no profit from the billion dollar industry. Furthermore writers are not being compensated for movies and shows on the internet. Writers are taking a stand to get fair compensation for their work and have refused to write any new scripts. The question now comes down to who can last longer, the writers or Hollywood. This definitely is a David vs. Goliath story David being the small writers unions and Goliath being the multi billion dollar giant. But this time there is no enchanted slingshot there is only picket signs and dedication. The strike has affected shows; the late night shows have already started run re-runs. Will this be the fate of other series such as Aliens in America or Scrubs? No one knows how long the strike will last. Americans will either have to enjoy reruns or sit down and enjoy a good book. Families may want to enjoy some quality time playing a board game or even wait out the strike and watch some reruns. Only time will tell who will win. Will Hollywood win this battle? Maybe it is time for the writers to get some Law & Order of their own.

PLN 17

One of the most dreaded news an oil investor can hear is Oil passes $98 on weaker dollar . This was the title of a BBC news article today talking about oil prices and the ever weakening dollar. As some have noticed the gas prices have recently risen to an unbelievable high of three dollars and are still going up. What does something like this mean for America? Soon oil prices will hit 100 dollars a barrel that is inevitable. This matters to me because I will get my drivers permit soon and soon gas prices will be a problem of my everyday life. With the war weakening the U.S. dollar many wonder if we should begin to focus more on the economy and stop spending billions on the war. I think we should not only because I want the soldier’s to come home but if we do not do something we might go into another depression. Which leads me into why this should matter to others? While in a recession the economy has been falling apart. Colorado homes themselves have been very hard to sell. Adding it up oil prices, home prices, stocks doing badly. This sounds like an ongoing depression. What do you think?

Pln 16

Musharraf imposes emergency rule . Oh no President Musharraf of Pakistan has just imposed an emergency rule in Pakistan. This means that he has just suspended the Pakistani constitution. For those not familiar with Pakistan and its world role I will explain a little about it. Pakistan is a country with nuclear arms its current president/general is Perez Musharraf.
Pakistan has been engulfed in political upheaval in recent months, and the security forces have suffered a series of blows from pro-Taliban militants opposed to Gen Musharraf's support for the US-led "war on terror".
Though being one of our so called allies in the war on terror Pakistan is still a very dangerous country. Being one of the countries that has nuclear weapons on ready they are considered world enemies.
The emergency rule which suspends the constitution is considered a grave threat. The president can only suspend the constitution if there is mounting military attacks on his country either from Taliban forces or from the judicial court itself!
The core and judicial parts of Islamabad have been shut down and are under security guard as of now. But the rest of the city is going through every day life.
This matters to the world because Pakistan is a country against terrorism. This matters to other countries around Europe because this is a very high tensioned situation involving multiple diplomats.
This matters to m because I am very interested in foreign affairs and how they play out. I like to see if it will involve minimal violence or the United States.