4th quarter current event 4

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/politics/lgbt-obama-donors/index.html?c=mobile-homepage-t LGBT donors back President Obama, big time President Obama is expected to attend 2 LGBT organized fundraisers on wednesday. One out 16 bundlers, or Obama's biggest fundraisers,are openly gay. Combined they have raised about 8 million dollars for Obama's campaign. Many of the names on Obama's disclosed list of donors are people who are known for their active work and support for the LGBT. I chose this article because many of my family's close friends are openly gay, so I support same sex marriage and follow the development of Obama's support of the movement. This article was informative and well written and made it an enjoyable read.

4th quarter current event 3

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/04/justice/new-york-marijuana/index.html?c=us NY gov: Small amount of marijuana no crime "New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is asking state legislators to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana that are in public view.". The purpose of the legislation is to avoid unnecessary misdemeanor charge for new York citizens. Cuomo said that blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately being the ones charged. He wants to bring fairness and consistency to the enforcement of marijuana laws. I read this article because this topic is such a mainstream topic of debate. I think its good that some government officials are not scared to state and take action in support of their opinions, even when it's on something as controversial as legalizing marijuana. Also, it was nice that the article provided information on the past and recent timeline of the events surrounding the legislative side of marijuana- a very well written article. I like following articles like this.

4th quarter current event 2

http://m.si.com/news/to/to/detail/5001127 Arbitrator nixes Saints players' bounty challenge On Monday June fourth, Stephen Burbank, a professor of law at University of Pennsylvania, ruled that Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, is allowed to discipline the New Orleans Saints football team for the bounty system crimes, because of the conditions established by the collective bargaining agreement made to end the lock out. Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma is suspended for the entire 2012 season and teammate Will Smith is suspended for four games. Former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove, who is currently with Green Bay, is suspended for eight games, while linebacker Scott Fujita, currently with Cleveland, is docked three games. This article is very well done. It is well written and very thorough in its information and gives a good time line of past and upcoming events. I imagine that since this is such a controversial and followed topic, that this article will receive a lot of attention. This issue will certainly be a persistent one, and is enjoyable to read about, as the suspended players are planning to appeal the ruling.

4th quarter current event 1

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/04/britains-prince-philip-hospitalized/ Britain's Prince Philip Hospitalized On June fourth, Prince Philip was hospitalized with a bladder infection. The husband of queen Elizabeth II will have to miss the Monday and Tuesday celebrations of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as he will remain in the hospital under observation. This article is well written I suppose. It's concise, but still gives the necessary information. I imagine since this is no matter of national security, that the British had no issues with releasing this information.

Senior reflection 3

Lacrosse is better than baseball (this topic was inevitable). Just watch a pro lacrosse game and a pro baseball game and you'll see why lacrosse is so much better. The strength, speed, and intelligence required for lacrosse are so much more than that required for baseball. In baseball, the only person that consistently physically exerts himself every play is the pitcher, you could be an outfielder and potentially not see a ball the entire game. In lacrosse, the nature of the game garuntees every player on the field will see some action whether it be on defense or offense. An example that lacrosse requires more skill than baseball is seen when comparing the lacrosse goalie and the baseball catcher. A catcher is responding to 80-95 mph fast balls from a pitcher's mound from 60ft (20yds) away. A lacrosse goalie is responding to 100+ mph shots from 30ft (10yds) away.

Senior reflection 2

As summer vacation draws ever closer, people are imagining how they'll be spending their days. Some people will sleep their days away,waking up no earlier than 1 o'clock every morning. Others will be out on the fields throwing a football or shooting on a lacrosse goal or tanning by the pool. Other unfortunate souls will be waking up early on a daily basis to go to summer jobs. The necessity for summer jobs has become more and more prevalent. However, it is also important to remember to relax over the summer, after all, it is our last summer. Before we go to college. This summer, I plan to get a job at robeks. However, I also plan to participate in a summer lacrosse league and maybe learn how to play golf. On top of all that, I'll have a summer work out schedule to do for college track. It seems I'm in for quite a busy summer.

Senior reflection 1

Well here we are, in our last week and a half of high school. Senior year has by far been the hardest year. Some can argue that senior year is fairly easy in the grand scheme of things but those people are usually the ones that barely show up to class in the second semester. However, if your parents are like mine, then you are always on no break status. After a first semester filled with college essays, college applications, and keeping good grades for colleges, all I wanna do is just take a small breather. The instant a grade drops below a B, I'm on parental lock down till that grade is back up. Some of you know what I'm talking about. Don't you think we've earned a break? I do. Especially, since the pressure on high school students today to get into college is so great.

Comp gov current even #6 Activity seen at North Korea launch site

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/28/exclusive-activity-seen-at-north-korea-launch-site/?hpt=wo_c2

Recent satellite pictures have shown that there is an increase of activity at the construction site of the missile that will be launched in mid April.  The construction of this missile is highly controversial because, with the development of a long range missile, North Korea becomes much more dangerous, especially with the ever growing tensions between North and South Korea.  Also, "The launch is in violation of numerous United Nations resolutions and the most recent agreement with the U.S." 

Comp gov current event #5 France on high security alert after 4 killed in shooting at Jewish school

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/19/world/europe/france-shooting/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

On March 19, 4 people were killed at the Ozar Hatorah school.  1 teacher and 3 students were shot by a single gunman on a motorcycle.  This is the third time in 10 days that this man has killed minorities at that school.  This probably means that this is a hate crime.  Antisemitism is quite predominant in Paris reportedly.  The government is continuing to tighten security in that area of the city.

Comp Gov current event #4 Opposition: 39 killed in Syria as regime attacks escape route to Lebanon

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/06/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?npt=NP1
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/01/world/meast/syria-crisis-beginnings/index.html

In March 2011, 15 children were arrested in the Syrian City of Daraa for making anti government graffiti on the side of a school.  This sparked a massive uproar in the public and that uproar has continued for about a year.  On March 6, as they were trying to escape to Lebanon to get away from violence by the Syrian government, 39 citizens were killed by the Syrian military.  23 were killed at the opposition stronghold of Homs.  The others were killed at a bridge on the Orontese River.  When asked, most people think that the violence will only continue to get worse.

Comp gov current event #3 Brazil vote sparks fears for future of rainforest

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/06/world/brazil-indonesia-rainforest-eco/index.html?hpt=wo_t4

Everyone knows about how the Amazon rain forest has be subjected gross deforestation.  However, due to the efforts of the Brazilian government, in the past few years the rate of deforestation has been reduced to about 80% of what it once was.  Unfortunately, the Brazilian recently voted to pass a new forest code.  This new forest code could very easily spell out danger for the future of the Amazon.  This is because it reduces the amount of protection given a weakens the established enforcement laws.  I personally do not understand the reasoning behind establishing a new forest code, especially when the one that Brazil had been using was apparently working extremely well.

Comp Gov current event #2 U.S. service members hurt in unrest over burned Qurans

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/26/world/asia/afghanistan-burned-qurans/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
On Sunday February 26, 2012, several U.S. service members and Afghan police were injured as protests over the burning of Qurans at a U.S. military base turned violent.  All this violence started when reports leaked out saying that Muslim holy books were burned NATO troops last week.  World leaders, including U.S officials have tried to explain that this is all a misunderstanding but that has not stopped protestors.  I believe that this is just something that people who are hostile towards Americans in the Middle East needed as an excuse to start violence.  How many bibles have been burned all over the world?  Millions.  And there have not been any violent protests about it.

Comp Gov current event #1 Polls close in Senegal's presidential election

 http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/26/world/africa/senegal-elections/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
On Sunday February 26, 2012, the polls closed in Senegal's presidential election.  This election has been accompanied by much protest against the current president, Abdoulaye Wade, who is running for reelection.  Even though Senegal has one of Africa's most stable democracies, protestors say they are tired of Wade's diminishing leadership ability.  I agree with the protestors opinion.  Even though, Wade started out doing great things for the country, it is a sign that he needs to leave office when he is doing more bad than good for the country.

Question of the week #10 answer

At the start of our junior year, we are told that our junior year will be our hardest year of high school.  My response to that statement now, "That is complete crap."  The first half of senior year has to be an unmentioned circle of hell. College applications, college visits, homework, extra curricular activities, in some cases extra eighth period online classes, and also in some cases college athletics recruiting all surmount on one's back to make a burden that can be equaled by nothing.  If you let senioritis set in during the first half of the year, then your college options start to go down the drain.  More and more nowadays, you see colleges starting to recall acceptance if they see your second semester grades deteriorate.  There is less and less room for error for each senior class and frankly, it sucks.  What happened to, these are suppose to be the best years of our lives.  No doubt, there will be many declining grades in these last two quarters.  I personally think we've earned a second semester break considering most of us have reached or surpassed the bar of expectations that has been set so high for us.  However, colleges will not think this and many of us cannot afford to start slacking.

Current Event #10 Mitt Romney Supporters

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/052e2225-ac98-4a11-8b79-a78c84a1ebd9.html
1. The author of the cartoon is Jimmy Margulies.
2.The fat cat represents the prosperous "middle class" that supposedly supports Mitt Romney that is actually upper class and supports the super PAC.
3.The author uses ridicule.
4. The cartoon deals with the support that Mitt Romney is receiving and where it is coming from.
5. The cartoon's message is that Mitt Romney's supporters are not the middle class that he says they are.  They are actually upper class supporters of his super PAC
6.The author's point of view is that Mitt Romney lied about his supporters.

Question of the week #9

At this point Romney will more than likely win the republican election.  Why?  Let's take a look.  He has been on top, or close to it, since day 1.  Rick Perry had his little 15 minutes of fame that put him in front for a short time, but  he ruined that by being stupid.  Sorry to be blunt but you have to admit, all his "slips of the tongue" were just mistakes of stupidity.  Herman Cain had his 5 minutes of fame that could have put him in front.  However, the 15 minutes of fame that he received from his sketchy past shot any of his hopes out of the sky.  Michelle Bachmann?  The only way she could get votes is by staring  someone down with those creepy eyes as they were voting.  Newt Gingrich has put up a pretty good fight.  Some of his proclaimed policy ideas however, have scared away some of his support.  Rick Santorum put up a pretty good fight in Iowa.  After Iowa though, he won't get anywhere close to the support Romney will get.  For Ron Paul, the only good support he is going to get is from New Jersey.  Once again, after that he won't be able to touch Romney.  No matter who gets the republican election, Obama is going to win the presidential election.  No doubt about that at this point, thank goodness.

Current #9 The Looming Presidential Election

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/5ce355cd-b3ee-4ef8-b967-f68b094c4f47.html
Riber Hansen is the artist of the cartoon.
The road that  Obama, Romney, and Santorum are on represents the path to the presidential election.  The mule that Obama is on represents that he is democratic and the elephant that Romney and Santorum are holding represents that they are republican.
Hansen uses caricature.
The event dealt with is the approaching presidential election.
The cartoons message is that the Presidential election is approaching and that Obama has been dragging his feet with the preparation for it.
Hansen's point of view is one of neutrality, as he is from Sweden.  There is no clear distinction of favor for either side in this cartoon.