UN Report: Global Warming Worsens Security Woes

"UN Report: Global Warming Worsens Security Woes"
From: The Huffington Post

By: Seth Borenstein

Global warming has always been a big issue that comes up in any environmental discussion. It has its believers and people who flat out deny it. say what you will, recent studies by scientists have stated that with the rise of temperatures comes the rise of tempers, and that  "...climate change will complicate and worsen existing global security problems, such as civil wars, strife between nations and refugees." A big statement, basically saying that global warming will cause wars and general unrest and aggravation between countries. The article continues to state that global warming "will be an added factor making things even more dangerous." and events such as fights over resources, like water and energy, hunger and extreme weather, "will all go into the mix to destabilize the world a bit more" stated by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental UN Panel. Although climate change is a big problem, it will not be the direct cause of the conflicts, but instead, will exacerbate poor governmental issues, and general social unrest. Examples that were given were the Arab spring and Syria as the most recent. Global warming is now not only a environmental issue, but seems to be able to have the ability to cause political disruptions. With many countries already being on edge, any  outside factor can be the last straw, to causing a major conflict.

What I Can and Can't Live Without

Many of the things I own I believe to be invaluable. From the toys I had when I was in elementary, to my computer, and phone, are all some of the things that I believe to be important. Although, in reality, many of these are not as important as I make them out to be, and can still easily live without. Some of the things I would have no problem getting rid of, are the toys from my childhood (although 1would prefer to have them sent to a charity for children), many of my video games, and some of the more impulse driven purchases that I have made, such as a paintball gun (which I have only used twice in the four years of having it). After losing everything that I believe to be unneeded, my home will look considerably bigger. The things that I cannot live without, are my phone, a bed, and food. Food for obvious reason, a bed for resting and being able to sleep, and my phone because of how necessary a phone has become. With my phone, i can entertain myself, find my location and who ever is around me, and even be able to search up an answer to any situation I face. These re the choices that I believe the current generation of people will choose, because of how important technology has become in our lives.

Daily Show Clip

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-march-12-2014/the-covert-report


The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is known to be a news show that uses heavy satire to be able to speak of recent major topics in the world. Humor is added to every topic, even ones that seem too serious for it. The video clip above is Jon Stewart speaking about the recent investigations done by the senate, into whether or not the CIA has been using torture as a method for interrogation. Stewart uses humorous phrases, funny analogies, and eye-catching pictures to present the topic, and also make viewers laugh. Stewart shows video clips of a senator speaking of the issue and later he begins to poke fun at them, and mock almost everything they say. He even begins to read from an empty book titled "Executive Orders" after a video clip of a senator speaking of a specific executive order. It is moments like these that prove educational yet entertaining to the viewer, and shows why people like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have been vastly successful with their shows. Humor and current events are mixed together to make the satire shows that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert host, providing education of the current and major events one should know, but at the same time, have a good laugh.

Dog Doesn’t Consider Itself Part Of Family

"Dog Doesn’t Consider Itself Part Of Family"
From: The Onion
By: The Onion

The subject being satired, are the local news articles, revolving around seemingly useless topics. This news article helps show people that many of the local news stations broadcast many unneeded articles, and cover news that is not important to society. Articles such as missing children or any other article that could save a life, are rarely seen and instead, articles about useless and unimportant subjects are shown to the public, making many people blind to what is really going on in their neighborhood. This article in particular article is funny due to the eye-catching title and hilarious subject. Articles like these are obviously satire, and there content is not any more serious then there titles. This article in particular makes the dog talk, having an interview take place with the reporter and the dog saying things such as  “Hey, they’re not bad people, and I appreciate that they let me ride in the car sometimes, but do I think of them as my own family members? God, no,”. More satire statements fill the article, closing it with "At press time, Pepper’s stance was reaffirmed when Denise O’Donnell made him sit and beg for several moments before letting him have a piece of cheese."

Economy Article

"Bank Of America Wants People To Pay $5 For A Currently Free Service"
By: The Huffington Post
From: The Huffington Post

Banks being corrupted and doing shady things are nothing new. Some of the most corrupted and shady works occur at banks, causing their customers to go through many problems. One example is what Bank of America is doing. Bank of America had a service that was called "SafeBalance" that made sure that customers would not overdraw. It was considered a great service that allowed a sense of safety for one's bank account. As of now, the service is optional and if one desires to add it to their account, Bank of America will charge four dollars and ninety five cents. "The SafeBalance account was designed for a small segment of customers who want added protection against all overdrafts."  Betty Riess, a spokesperson from Bank of America, also stating that "The key difference between SafeBalance Banking and our more traditional checking accounts is that there are no checks and no overdrafts." Bank of America can do this and get away with it, because people do not know what the service was, and that it was available for free from the start. People will throw their money away without realizing that they have the right to demand to have the bank revert to the original plan.

Economy and Me

As a sixteen year old boy, I have never had any firsthand experience of the economy affecting me. what i have experienced though, is how it has affected my parents, and in turn, me. When the economy's recession was at its peak, my parents had to take longer hours, and lower pay. It was a tough time for my parents and it had resulted in a different day to day routine for me and my brother. We would have to get used to coming home at four, and seeing our parents at seven. We became much more mindful of what we purchased, making sure we only bought something that was a necessity and to not throw our money around for useless items. As of now, since the economy has healed, we are able to experience more of the luxuries we had to let go of during the peak of the recession. Our parents are no longer stressed about making payments or purchasing food, and in turn, their moods have changed and are more positive in the home. Arguments barely occur in the house and on the rare occurrence if they do, they are almost never financial. Although I am not affected by the economy directly, it does affect my parents, as a result indirectly affecting me.

U.S. Prosecutors Will Seek Extradition Of Mexican Cartel Kingpin 'El Chapo'

"U.S. Prosecutors Will Seek Extradition Of Mexican Cartel Kingpin 'El Chapo'"
From: The Huffington Post
By: The Huffington Post

Recently, American forces recently captured one of the world's most wanted drug lords. The Mexican Cartel Kingpin known as 'El Chapo', was captured in his home, where he had billions worth of drugs, guns and money stored. Golden and diamond pistols and rifles, along with stacks of U.S. dollars and Mexican Pesos that reached the ceiling and filled entire rooms. El Chapo is known for his brutality and several murders. He believed he was doing a service to the people of Mexico by protecting them from the other drug lords, known as the Zetas. The Zetas and Cartels have a long going rivalry. At one point, the Zetas sent severed heads of Cartel members to El Chapo, who responded by sending the Zetas, fourteen dismembered Zeta members. "This is the biggest success in the drug war in 20 years, and shows that contrary to what you hear in the press, behind the scenes the U.S. and Mexico have been working well together," said a U.S. official. El Chapo does not only have crimes in Mexico, but he has several charges in Chicago, New York, and Miami, all for cocaine trafficking. El Chapo has millions to spend on his trial, whether or not he will be released free due to his power, which has allowed him to rule mexico for the past decade.

Nature Blog

What I see around me are trees, houses, along with many decorations on the outside, such as flowers and statues. One house in particular is extremely beautiful, and bears a resemblance to the white house. It has a flag pole with the American flag on it, along with some small lion statues along the front steps. It has a nice beige and white color scheme to it, and seems to be much bigger near the back. In general, the area smells of many different flowers, and the whole block has many beautiful homes. Its amazing how on the outside the homes seem beautiful, but i know nothing of the family life inside, which may be going through extremely tough times. People can not be so quick to judge others, because they do not know what the other person is going through. People establish seemingly happy and calm looking outside surfaces, but may have a completely different interior. I continue to walk across the sidewalk until I find a nice place to sit and think. I found a tree near the corner of the block where I decided to sit and think. I just realized how beautiful my neighborhood is, and how green my whole city is. i realize now that the amount of time I have been spending outside is not enough, and I have not realized how refreshing it is to be outside.

Iran, U.S. Agree Final Nuclear Deal May Be Unreachable

Iran, U.S. Agree Final Nuclear Deal May Be Unreachable

From: The Huffington Post

By: The Huffington Post

Somehow, America has been able to receive more death threats from the middle-east. Before the negotiations on Tuesday, Iran and America wanted to reach a deal on one topic beforehand, which is the longterm nuclear deal. Apparently, it was not apparent that this negotiation was going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the man who has the final say on all matters of state in the Islamic Republic, deemed that the deal with Tehran and the six world powers would be unreachable, and impossible to come to terms with. If the negotiations were successful, they may have been able to put an end to a many year feud between the middle east and the west. After the negotiations were let out to the public, riots and masses of people gathered and said chants of "death to America"."What our officials started will continue. We will not renege. I have no opposition,"Khamenei told the chanting crowds. Iran has constantly shut dow any claims that came from the east, accusing Iran that their nuclear research is for the study of weapons. Iran responds by saying that the research is done in order to find new power generation methods, and medical purposes.

Community

An individual is nothing without his or community. A community is what makes the individual, but at the same time, requires the people it involves to thrive. From small neighborhoods, to an entire cities inhabitants, a community can be large or small. In order to have one's community thrive, there must be a tremendous amount of effort put into making the community a better place for its people. This effort can range from volunteer work, to donations or even small gatherings, such as bake sales. If one's community is not at its best, it is extremely noticeable and different than a community where the people contribute. It is very important to contribute to the community, because it is beneficial not only to oneself, but also to the other people around you. An atmosphere of compassion, friendliness, and safety, are all traits seen in a thriving community. This is one of the reasons why I have been contributing to my community. I have been volunteering at my local hospital, contributing at the local gatherings, and more, to make sure that my community is where I want to be. If any person felt that their community is not in a desirable state, then people will leave, basically killing off the last pieces to that community.

Bosnia Protests: Fire Spotted In Presidency Building In Sarajevo Amid Unrest

"Bosnia Protests: Fire Spotted In Presidency Building In Sarajevo Amid Unrest"

From: The Huffington Post

By: Aida Cerkez

In recent events, anti-government protesters have resorted to setting fire to the presidential building. This is showing the violence and severity of the situation in Bosnia. Over 200 people have been wounded or killed in the recent protests, said medical experts. In the northern city of Tuzla, protesters stormed the governmental and presidential buildings of the area. As a result of these extreme actions, the government had to resign, in order to prevent further damage. The protests began earlier in he week when the unpaid workers of the buildings broke out in anger against the police men. Fire, blood, smoke, and gun shots are the only things that are seen and heard. On Friday, hundreds of people gathered by the government building yet again to support the protesters. "We gathered to support the protests in Tuzla where people are fighting for their rights," said Aleksandar Zolja, an activist from Banja Luka. People all over the country are either protesting or showing their support for the protesters. One can only hope that these protests do not result in complete destruction, and does not end up as Syria, where the government resorted to dropping chemical weapons on the citizens, severely wounding even killing children, women and even the elderly. 

The Great Gatsby Movie

The movie version of The Great Gatsby stayed true to its roots and did not change the story line or plot. The story, characters, events, and everything else was kept the same. The main actors were Leonardo Dicaprio playing Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy, Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan. The cast did a wonderful job playing their roles, keeping each character as stuck up as the other. The soundtrack could have been better, but since Jay-Z was a producer, some rap songs turned jazz were to be expected. The music was not the only thing that took away some of the atmosphere, as the movie was extremely fast moving and filled with effects and color at the start. The movie began to slow down near the end, but the beginning was the hardest part to follow. Emotions fill the movie ranging from happiness, to sadness and anger. The movie's quality was great and shot beautifully, and the 1920's were represented accurately, going from the clothing to the buildings and cars. I would recommend the movie to anyone interested in watching it, and would also recommend it to people who have read the book, as this is a completely different experience.

Man Buried With Motorcycle

"Billy Standley Buried Astride His Motorcycle Inside Enormous Plexiglass Box, Riding Beloved Harley To Heaven"
From: The Huffington Post
By: The Huffington Post


Bill Standley, a 82 year old Ohio man who recently passed, is having his family fulfill one of his last wishes. Bill absolutely loved his 1967 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Cruiser, which he had custom work put into. His family said that he would use that as his only means of transportation, and was not able to be away from it. The family needed a extra large cemetery plot to fit a large plexiglas case that contained Bill riding his motorcycle one last time. He was given a metal back brace and straps to ensure that he would not get off the seat. Bill made his living starting off at thirteen, from being a ranch boy and bull rider. He said that his motorcycle was the last way to retain a sense of adventure and exploration from his youth. "He was a quirky man," his daughter Dorothy said. "But when it comes to us kids, he loved us, he raised us well and, of course, we wanted to help him." What is most impressive, is that he himself started the project. Bill made the plexiglas case and decided how to fashion himself onto the seat to make sure he would not fall. All of his family and biker friends were invited to see his final ride.

Get Items Before You Order

Amazon Just Patented Shipping Items Before They're Even Ordered

From: The Huffington Post

By:Ryan Grenoble

Everyone has gone to an online shopping site, only to look at items they would like to own. Imagine having these items shipped before one orders them. Which company is doing this? The same company that is going to have drones send orders. Amazon has patented what they call "anticipatory package shipping". This does not mean that amazon is going to ship packages unannounced, but instead, will have shipments sent to specific and more near centers. This is to have faster shipping on items that one may have planned on purchasing. The last time Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon) revealed something as revolutionary, was when he unveiled Amazon Prime Air (shipping with drones) during sixty minutes. This new procedure by amazon is done by looking at what items a user has viewed and how long they have had their mouse cursor over an item. These types of cues help Amazon decide which items to send where, and to practically have items ship faster, and have people have their packages reach their doorsteps quicker. Amazon is not planning on having items sent people without an order request, but will have certain items, closer to certain people, so that people will not have to wait as long for their shipments.

Gatsby Party

If I had the fame, money, power, and resources as Gatsby, I would do my best to create a party that people would not soon forget. The location, food, entertainment, decorations, and ll of the people who will attend will all raise the standards of a party.
For starters, the location of the party would be at the Zhangye Danxia landform in Gansu China. Hills that look as if they have all the colors a person can imagine, all make the area look absolutely breathless. The party will be more of a concert, having a stage, lights, and other decorations one would find at a concert. All types of music will be played, along with performances by many bands, singers, and DJ's. Foods from different regions will be served, going from foods we see here in the U.S, to cuisine that is served on the other side of the world. Guests will have background checks and searches, just to make sure that everyone is safe. Celebrities from movies, TV shows, and the entertainment business will attend. The party will start at the morning, but begin to peak at night. It will last for days, until eventually the Chinese government will have to step in and stop it, causing this party to have been the greatest party to have taken place.

1920s Clothing

http://roaring20sfashion.com

The twenties was when many landmarks and accomplishments the american people faced and conquered. Examples are the prohibition, suffrage for women, and the growth and start of the mob, all of them being points in the american culture that will not be forgotten. One of the more prominent aspects of the twenties, were the clothing that people wore in the time. The most prominent aspect of the clothing at the time was that one could instantly tell what class one person is in. Just by wearing specific clothing, one can tell the difference between a wealthy man or a lower class man. The average price of wearing clothes of the upper class comes around to 350 dollars at the time.This price would be around to a few thousand dollars today. That is just one set of clothes, where as the average wealthy person would have sets and sets and sets of this clothing. Clothing in the twenties was not as revealing as of now. Many women wore dresses that did not show cleavage, wore hats and wore very large fur coats. It was not needed to show skin in order to be perceived as beautiful in the twenties. The image of women was not as shallow and demanding as today, and involved more elegance, than body shape.

Future of Cellphones?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/flexible-display-samsung-ces-2013_n_2446345.html?utm_hp_ref=ces-2013

From: Huffington Post
By: Peter Svensson

Recently, CES 2013 took place at Las Vegas on Tuesday January eight. Many new gadgets were released, some more advance than others, and some just flat out amazing. An example would have to be what Samsung unveiled. Brian Berkeley, head of Samsung's electronic display division, unveiled a phone that had a matchbox looking body, but with a paper thin, flexible and fully operational OLED touch screen. The screen cannot fold completely in half like a piece of paper, but is capable of bending into a tube. This means that Samsung can make larger touch screens for their devices, in a much smaller and much more convenient package. Many people are critical of the idea, saying that it being a touch screen may not work. Due to the flexibility of the screen, one may not be able to use the touchscreen as well as other phones, due the screen folding and flexing to it's touch. Other companies and phone developers have not come out with similar technology and have not shown progress for it, let alone an actual prototype. In reality, the future possibility of having flexible screens for your phone seems distant, but also near. Samsung has not given any comments as to when we can see a commercial release.