In Carroll County Georgia, an 8-year-old girl was literally bullied into the emergency room. Third grader Aolani Dunbar wanted hair extensions, which she got. Then, at school, other students pulled on her hair to the point where her scalp ripped. She then ended up in the emergency room, and had to shave her head to prevent infection. Continue reading “Bullying”
Author: chrismtwo
Every day I try to learn and experience new things. The infinite wonder of the universe provides endless opportunity for adventures. My favorite thing is to enjoy these adventures with friends, and to share my stories with others.
At the very core, all people are storytellers. Whether it is a full length motion picture or a chat over a cup of coffee, most of what makes up the human experience is the communication of ideas. For this reason, I am always looking for opportunities to write. I would like to share what I've seen with as many people as possible.
Braves New Stadium
The Atlanta Braves are building a new stadium to be used starting with the 2017 season. The new field will be on 60 acres, 15 of which will be used for the stadium itself. It will have a capacity of about 42,000 people, compared with 50,000 currently at Turner Field. The cost of the new stadium is estimated at $672 million. Continue reading “Braves New Stadium”
Bradley Manning Verdict
Bradley Manning was found not guilty of aiding the enemy, but he was found guilty of 19 lesser counts against him. He now could face up to 130 years in prison. Five of the charges he was found guilty of were based on the Espionage Act of 1917. When the law was written, however, it was never designed to address the issue of whistleblowers. Continue reading “Bradley Manning Verdict”
Are You Ugly?
Being ugly carries with it some serious disadvantages. Physically attractive people can expect to make an average of 10%-15% more money over the course of their lives. They are less likely to be convicted of crimes and are given shorter sentences. Physically attractive political candidates receive about 2.5 times as many votes. All of this stems from the “halo effect”: we automatically attribute positive characteristics to physical beauty. Continue reading “Are You Ugly?”
Bioethics in a Burger
This week a burger made entirely in a lab was sampled for the first time, and it apparently tasted pretty good. The meat was made from cow stem cells, taken in a normal harmless biopsy. These cells were then grown and eventually ground into a burger. The prospect of growing meat instead of farming livestock could revolutionize the food industry. Meat demand is predicted to double in the next 40 years, and livestock farming already takes up 70% of global agricultural capacity. Continue reading “Bioethics in a Burger”
Big Brother and Domestic Law Enforcement
Terrorists are not the only people being watched by government forces in the U.S. Increasingly, both local and federal police are using technologically advanced surveillance techniques in regular law enforcement. New reports show that the D.E.A. not only uses information gathered by the N.S.A.’s terrorism surveillance (among other sources) to bust normal drug criminals, they have been falsifying the origin of their investigations. This raises serious due process concerns if the prosecutor, let alone the defendant, doesn’t even know the truth about the evidence collected. Continue reading “Big Brother and Domestic Law Enforcement”
Benghazi Whistleblower Hearings
On September 11, 2012, the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was attacked by militant Islamic extremists. The incident resulted in the death of four American Citizens: Ambassador Christopher Stevens, U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods. Continue reading “Benghazi Whistleblower Hearings”
Area 51
The C.I.A. has finally admitted the existence of Area 51. No, they haven’t admitted there were aliens there. Pretty much, the C.I.A. has come clean on what we knew all along: Area 51 was used as a proving ground for cutting edge spy plane technology. The U-2 spy plane was built there, captured Russian MiGs were experimented on, and the B2 stealth bomber and F117 stealth fighter were created there. Continue reading “Area 51”
Anxious America
Everyone has had that feeling in the pit of their stomach. Did I remember to lock the door? Am I going to be able to pay the bills on time? Will I get sick before the big presentation? Is something bad about to happen? These questions are the result of uncertainty which transforms into anxiety. Unlike fear, it is a general state that follows you day in and day out. Anxiety can change behavior and destroy lives. Continue reading “Anxious America”
Animal Intelligence Is Underestimated
Yogi may be “smarter than the average bear,” but Ayumu is smarter than the average human. The chimpanzee featured in a 2007 Kyoto University memory study out performed a group of University students and even the British memory champion Ben Pridmore. The test involved a random series of number 1 through 9 briefly flashing on a screen for a fraction of a second. Ayumu proved that in some functions, animal brains can outperform their human counterparts. Continue reading “Animal Intelligence Is Underestimated”
Ronin Pen 