Pollution and the Auto Industry

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/01/the-auto-indust

My article is about the issue of pollution and the auto industry. They were trying to pass stricter emissions regulations in California and other states and the auto industry was fighting it. The auto industry said it would take time and money, and that the states had no right to regulate emissions. The states said that it would not be expensive and would make the companies money.

My two questions are who should have the right to regulate car emissions and what can each of us do to help the environment?

Mike Bromer

Khmer Rouge Follow Up

On 3/31 I brought the topic of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge being put on trial finally after 30 years.

Here a link to my original article, and here is the latest update: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7973463.stm

Row threatens Khmer Rouge trials

Francois Bizot was the first witness at the trial of the chief jailer, Duch.
Talks between Cambodian officials and the UN over funding and alleged corruption at the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal have broken down. Cambodia says it is running out of money to pay staff, but international donors are withholding fresh cash until claims of corruption are addressed. The deadlock could derail the trials of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders.
Meanwhile, a French scholar detained for alleged espionage in the 1970s has testified against the chief jailer.

We were very close to an agreement and I have left a proposal on the table...
Peter Taksoe-Jensen UN assistant sec-gen for legal affairs Francois Bizot, who wrote the book The Gate about his experiences, was the first witness to appear at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, for crimes against humanity. He said Duch was a man on a mission, and described a "terrifying atmosphere of fear and death" at the main prison, Tuol Sleng, which Duch ran during the 1971-1975 Khmer Rouge insurgency against the then US-backed government.

Last week, Duch apologised for his work at Tuol Sleng, accepting blame for the later extermination of 15,000 people.
As many as two million people are thought to have died during the four years of Khmer Rouge government in the late 1970s.
Polite terror Duch is the first of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders to go on trial at the UN-backed court - but the UN-Cambodia wrangling is threatening to derail the process. Following three days of talks, a UN spokesman said the two sides had failed to reach a deal.

WHO WERE THE KHMER ROUGE?

Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979
Founded and led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998
Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopia
Up to two million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution

Duch: Symbol of horror
In pictures: Tuol Sleng prison
"We were very close to an agreement and I have left a proposal on the table of deputy premier Mr Sok An and asked him to consider it," said the UN assistant secretary general for legal affairs, Peter Taksoe-Jensen.
The tribunal is a Cambodian court - but UN-appointed judges and legal officials play key roles, and almost all of its running costs are met by international donors. The administration is split into local and international sides - and it is the Cambodian half which has run into trouble, saying it is almost out of money for staff salaries. But allegations that local staff have been forced to pay bribes for their jobs have led many donors to suspend funds until methods are in place to ensure cash is not siphoned off. The visiting UN delegation insisted that local staff should be able to report corruption to an international "ethics monitor" - especially if they feared retaliation. Lawyers and human rights groups say that the allegations of corruption could sink the court's credibility if not resolved.

Pirates Continue Attacks

American crew members of a ship that was at the centre of a hostage drama have urged US President Barack Obama to end the "crisis" of Somali piracy.

In an emotional news conference in Kenya, second-in-command Shane Murphy also paid tribute to their captain.

Captain Richard Phillips was rescued when American naval snipers opened fire on the pirates holding him in a lifeboat, killing three outright.

Mr Obama directly authorised Sunday's operation off Somalia's coast.

Capt Phillips is now resting after his five days of captivity as he is de-briefed aboard a US navy ship, the USS Boxer.

A fourth pirate, who was on board another American vessel negotiating with US officials when the captain was rescued, is in US custody.

US defence secretary Robert Gates said the pirates were between 17 and 19 years old, describing them as "untrained teenagers with heavy weapons".

Speaking at the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Mr Gates praised the dramatic rescue as a "textbook" success story, and said piracy would be a top priority for the Obama administration.

Courageous captain

The pirates hijacked Capt Phillips' ship, the Maersk Alabama, which was carrying food aid, in the Indian Ocean last Wednesday.

President Obama 'resolved to confront piracy'

Capt Phillips told his crew to lock themselves in a cabin and surrendered himself to safeguard his men.

He was then taken hostage in an enclosed lifeboat that was soon shadowed by US warships and a helicopter.

At a news conference on Monday in the Kenyan port of Mombasa, the Maersk Alabama's 19 crew thanked the US Navy for rescuing them and paid tribute to the courage of their captain.

Chief mate Mr Murphy, 33, said: "Everyone you see here today has the captain to thank for their lives and their freedom but additionally it was an entire crew-wide effort."

He added: "We'd like to implore President Obama to use all of his resources to increase the commitment to end the Somali pirate scourge… It's a crisis."

Next time we get American citizens... they [should] expect no mercy from us  Abdi Garad  Pirate chief How Captain Phillips was rescued Somali pirates living the high life

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Mombasa says the one remaining question surrounding the Maersk Alabama is how its crew of merchant seamen managed to fight off Somali pirates equipped with AK-47s.

The crew refused to provide an answer because they said the techniques they used were being kept secret to help other ships resist pirate attack.

Earlier Mr Obama said Capt Phillips' courage was a "model for all Americans" and that he was resolved to deal with the threat of piracy in the region.

Capt Phillips has spoken to his wife and family back in the US and is said to be looking forward to celebrating Easter when he gets home.

He tried to escape on Thursday night by diving into the sea but was recaptured by the pirates.

A day after negotiations with the gang broke down, snipers opened fire on Sunday from a nearby warship as a pirate pointed a gun at the captive, the navy said.

MAJOR PIRATE INCIDENTS Ukrainian ship MV Faina seized on 25 Sep 2008, held till 5 Feb 2009 Saudi tanker Sirius Star released in January after $3m ransom paid At least 15 pirate attacks reported during March 2009 alone UK-owned Malaspina Castle seized on 6 April 2009 Growing sophistication of pirates Q&A: Somali piracy Profile: Capt Richard Phillips

After the pirates were shot, navy personnel sailed to the lifeboat and released Capt Phillips, whom they found tied up inside.

The ship's owner, Maersk Line Ltd, has also praised the captain's behaviour.

Chief executive John Reinhart said Capt Phillips had told him: "I'm just the byline, the heroes are the Navy Seals who brought me home."

In Eyl, a pirate stronghold on the Somali coast, one pirate chief reportedly threatened revenge against Americans.

"We will intensify our attacks even reaching very far away from Somalia waters, and next time we get American citizens... they [should] expect no mercy from us," Abdi Garad told the Associated Press by telephone.

Four French citizens, including a three-year-old boy, were freed aboard a yacht by French troops on Friday.

The yacht's owner, Florent Lemacon, was killed during the operation by French special forces, along with two pirates.

On Saturday, pirates hijacked a tugboat in the Gulf of Aden. The Buccaneer has 16 crew members on board, 10 of them Italians.

US Ship Crew's Message to Obama (video):

following up on our discussion in class, I found this article on life in a Somali "pirate town: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7623329.stm>

Gay Marriage vs. Civil Union

http://gaylife.about.com/b/2009/04/01/sweden-clicks-from-civil-unions-to-gay-marriage.htm

Basically this article talks about Sweden approving same sex-marriage, and how countries around the world have been working to convert civil unions to actual same sex-marriage, and making same-sex legal everywhere!

A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to marriage that provides some of the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities to the opposite sex...but do not represent a status equal to marriage.

Those who are gay, bisexual, transgender, etc. who wish to marry see the title of 'civil union' and think of it as the "marriage apartied"! They are "seperate but not equal". Which is causing many problems for the gay community. All people should be treated equal. Not just a man and woman who want to get married.

The first country to legalize same-sex marriage was the Netherlands in 2001.
Then came Belguim, Norway, Spain, and South Africa.
(The first civil union was granted in 1989)

Other countries such as Canada offer civil unions, but not same sex-marriage.

In the United States, only Massachusettes, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania allows same-sex marriage. California did from May to November 2008, ut it was then band because of Proposition 8. New Jersey allows civil unions, and New York has neither, but will recoginze gay marriages for couples married outside of the state. The remaining 45 states BAND gay marriage.

This is important to me because...
I believe everyone has the right to have a choice. Marriage is a way of expressing true love. If you truely love someone, then you should be able to marry them, no matter the sex.

Questions...
1) Do you think that it is fair that civil unions have been created instead of just allowing same-sex marriage? Shouldn't we give them the same rights as a married man and women?

2) Do you think that gay marriage should be legal in the US and/or the rest of the world?

Severe Space Weather

First Website: NASA website
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/21jan_severespaceweather.htm

Second Website: Astronomy (magazine) website
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=7795

Originally found the article on NASA's website. It's the official website so it is credible and it is purely scientific investigation so it cannot be affect by bias related to its political ties. Other sources were reporting on NASA's findings.

The article discusses the issues which an extreme geomagnetic storm could cause here on Earth. These storms are caused by "super solar flares" and have effects similar to that of an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP). The ground currents induced by one of these storms would disrupt all types of electronics but most severly those associated with the power grid. This is because the currents could be strong enough to melt the copper windings of transformers found in most power distribution centers. This is further worsened by how interconnected the power grid is here in the United States, meaning a storm could disrupt electricity for vast areas of the country. One is example is the 1989 sotrm which left six million people without power in Quebec for nine hours.

I thought this story would be significant for the class because severe geomagnetic storms could cause many problems (trickle-down from lack of electricity/electronics) and we should understand what they are capable of in case we ever experience one.

Questions:
1. What would you be most worried about if a severe storm occured?
2. What would you do without electricity/electronics?

News of the Day: Obama pulling out troops.

When deciding what to talk about for news of the day there were many options. I wanted something that was relevant to the students in the classroom and people all over the world. After contemplating many topics I decided to do something that caught my attention in the hopes that it would catch my classmates attention as well. As we are all aware there has been a war going on for too long and it is time to end it, which is exactly what my topic involves.
President Obama announced that he will be removing troops in Iraq on August 31, 2010. The president announced the extraction of troops to thousands of marines in camp Lejeune North Carolina, the same place where president Bush announced in 2003 that the troops would be in Iraq until things were fixed and the job was done as stated in the New York times. Fox news discusses, that the president is living up to a commitment that he made as a candidate. Of course when voting this year the war was something Americans were focusing on and to have this announced makes many Americans feel proud.
There are currently 142,000 U.S. forces in Iraq and those numbers will slowly dwindle. Iraqi government and The U.S. Government have made an agreement that by Dec 31, 2011 all American military personal are to be removed. Within that year the U.S. military will focus their efforts on advising equipping and training Iraqi security forces as well as assisting in reconstruction and political reconciliation. After 2011 there will be no more US troops in Iraq and by making this agreement the Americans feel safer.
This affects this class and the people around me because we all feel the effects of the war in some way. Whether our family members are in the war, having friends in the war and just the general devastation that occurs while a war is going on. By hearing that this war is coming to an end I think it brings my fellow classmates and I hope for the future and that things can get better and hopefully will get better.
The end of this war is seen as a good thing and as a bad thing. Some people don’t think the job will be done by then and others believe that the fight has been over for a while. The end of the war to me is exciting and bring complete hope for the future.

Questions for the class:
Do you think the “Job” is done?
Do you think that is a bad idea to have this plan to be done in 2010 and promise that to the troops when we don’t know what will happen in between that time?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/27/obamas-troop-drawdown-decision-end-iraq-war-late-officials-say/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/washington/28troops.html

Obama Lifts Ban on Stem Cell Research

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/us/politics/10stem.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20lifts%20bush%27s%20strict%20limits%20on%20stem%20cell%20research&st=cse

MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29554619/print/1/desplaymode/1098/

President Obama announced that he will be lifting the ban on stem cell research that Bush created in 2001. Scientist will now have money to further their research. Obama doesn't want anything to happen with cloning, but he is acknowledging that stem cells could help the world.

Questions: Do you think it was good that Obama lived said ban? and What is your stance on stem cell research?