A vulnerable species is an organism that is on the brink of being extinct. When they go extinct, they stay that way. However, we humans ignore this fact. We focus on the temporary positive effects of killing animals for their desirables. Yet, we are blind to the long-term consequences of this practice. The time has come to dig deeper into this major issue.

            This tradition began in the early days of human occupancy on Earth. Animals were required for food and clothing. Yet, the difference is that at that time we only took what we needed. We killed living creatures only when it was required. This was because we lacked the technology to simply pull a trigger to kill a specimen. Each slaughter at that time meant sharpening spears, gaining momentum, grouping together, and a higher risk of failing. This very fail could in fact be fatal. Thus, we avoided these risks as often as possible.

            Today, humans take the necessary amount and more. Many would think that there isn’t really a problem because the main source is from an abundant species. One of the most widely used animal products is leather. It is believed by some that leather comes exclusively from cows: an animal that is thought of as being less by a large population. But, this is misleading. Some leather is also made from the threatened zebra, among others. It is clear that the zebra is what one would call a “favorite animal”. Yet, the companies that produce them don’t express this. Their one priority is to make more money.

            As horrid as that may seem to the already threatened animal species, it get’s much worse. There are consequences to those that manufacture the goods. Although leather makers often claim that their products are “eco-friendly”, the process of tanning it stabilizes the protein fibers. This results in the biodegrading process actually stopping. Along with this, today animal skin is turned into leather with a combination of dangerous substances. This included formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and different types of oils. To make the bad even worse, the resulting waste usually contains chromium. The Environmental Protection Agency claims that all wastes containing this substance are hazardous.

            But, it doesn’t end here. There is more harm done to the environment. In order to make the pastures that contain the animals being bred for their skins, trees must be cut down. That means less oxygen for we humans. In fact, the dairy itself is harmful to the environment. A recent study found that a single cow released nineteen pounds of volatile organic compounds a year, surpassing the amount of smog made by cars and trucks.

            At this point, one must realize that a change is required. We humans must sacrifice a temporary pleasure for a lasting one. One possible solution to this conflict is using an alternative. Instead of leather, one can use cotton, linen, or rubber. Although these efforts do indeed increase the chance of a species survival, only time will tell if even this option is too little, too late.

Instead of worrying about issues that don’t necessarily concern us, America should look towards changing the bigger things that do and will impact us for the generations to come. A problem lies closer to home - in our schools.

According to Death & Taxes: 2011, which happens to be the most accurate collage of government spending we will ever get our hands on, the spending towards education has gone up six percent from last year. That’s swell, but there is also a section that tells us the percentage from ten years ago to now. So, that means that the difference between 2001 and 2011 is one percent. This only lead to a total spending of almost 50 billion.

Shocking, I know. The only possible explanation would mean that our funding for the knowledge we teach has dipped down in the past decade and is now finally starting to come back up, to the highest point it’s been at in ten years. Our values our put in other departments, which may only help us on the short term.

That’s sad.

The standards for education seemed to have lowered over the years. Between wars and recessions, our children have not be given the best that this country has to offer. This lacking has resulted in schools being a place of dread, in opposed to expectation.

In Philadelphia, a ten-year-old boy punched his teacher, leaving her with a black eye and him with a minor arrest. And, just last week, that same child was found carrying a BB gun on school property. Him, among countless others, have threatened and assaulted teachers and this is pattern is one that can be spotted throughout our states.

Across the country, in Chicago, many students find that they cannot attend the schools that they were aiming for. Despite the fact that have been going to school for the fifteen years of their life, what their records show isn’t good enough. That the education they have received isn’t what colleges are looking for.

We are limited, us students. Sure, we are given an education, but the way things are going, it’s doubtful that it will get us anywhere in life. Living in a country where degrees mean everything and fewer jobs exist than the day before, it’s all about intelligence. It’s a dog eat dog out there. And, if the country that you live in fails, no one succeeds. Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, answered to the problem of our education by stating that now is the time to change the face of American schooling. That with the million or so teachers retiring, we need fresh, becoming educators to take their place.

And yet here we are, with no sense of reassurance, with no means of support, this country now decides that it is the best interest to improve the American meaning of education. The ten years that have passed can never be taken back - and the students who were denied the wisdom they tried to obtain can never relive their chances at success, it’s too late for them. Maybe the future holds more opportunity for change in our system, and in turn more opportunity for the youth of our nation. But for now, in this moment in time, we must focus our attention on the hole that have dug ourselves, one that will take years dig ourselves out. Look towards the future. Change the world to come if we ever want our country and our meaning of education.

My father always said he would love to live in Florida, but he didn’t like the idea of alligators and scorpions. So for all the Philadelphians who go through the terribly cold winter, wouldn’t it be nice to have a glimpse of Florida where we live? That sounds pretty amazing. Yet in reality it’s just a repeat of history.  

We all remember learning about the revolutionary war. But do we all remember learning about the mini ice age going on during the time of the war? And what about the warming period? I don’t think anyone can remember that. But it’s true. There was another period of when the earth could only take so much solar radiation and in result had global warming. In effect to global warming, the earth had a mini ice age, in which it was indeed freezing during the summer as well as winter. 

NASA has recently stated that over the last 100 years the climate change for hot weather has went up to .80 Degrees Celsius. NASA has also looked into the time frame of 2005-2011 at the amount of carbon dioxide concentration in the air. It has gone from 378 to 392. 

This carbon dioxide creates a thicker ozone layer in which traps the solar radiation that enters Earths hemisphere, and stays inside! With so much radiation, what do you feel the Earth will do? Go from a warming period to a cooling period. Great reasons for the Carbon Dioxide would have to come from burned fossil fuels. 

People continuously burn these fuels in order to have the energy we need to support our modern life styles. But it also only causes trouble for the earth’s layer of protection. Not only does carbon dioxide thicken the layer, but also other chemicals in the air deteriorates the layer in which is the result of the hole we have it in now. 

Many people find Global Climate Change not a very large problem because if the earth warms and our fresh water ice caps melt, then eventually earth will cool everything back up and the fresh water will be there and our ozone layer will be fine. Blah, Blah, Blah.

No. They’re wrong. It won’t be fine. This earth is our life and our being of which we survive. Energy might not be the simplest to try and fix but it’s a large step to a better future. People only see the face of this problem and the fact that Philadelphia may one day feel like Florida. Yet in reality, Philadelphia will one day feel like Alaska and smell like the pollution from Los Angeles, California. 

Support our living with energy conservation and better ways of production. Like saving up so your kids can use solar power or wind and water. Such things are expensive but with hard work and great minds, it can be achieved. 

Development is one of our nation’s key issues. From infrastructure like roads and schools, to educational and societal development, which allows our country to move forward. Our nation’s developmental goals allow us not only to push forward, but gives the people something to look forward to. However, this nation’s goals of development are constantly merged with the goals of other nations. Is this the right direction?

 

At the turn of the millennium, the United Nations issued an ambitious set of goals entitled the “Millennium Development Goals”, which were to insure rights for hundreds of people around the world. These goals include things like give every child a suitable education; reduce child mortality rates, and many other great things that would, theoretically, better the lives of many people. However, what’s the expense to the US, and other super-nations, left to pull the weight of these poor nations?

 

For one, this should not be taken as a justification of selfishness and excuse to become frugal and hesitant with giving, especially in major times of need, such as natural disasters. That isn’t the goal here, and that thinking will leave one nowhere. However, the belief is that one shouldn’t blame themselves for situations and predicaments that are not one’s fault, nor should we take the reigns of other nation’s problems.

 

Foreign aid is an issue that is no “foreigner” to America. In 2008, figures estimate that nearly 25 billion dollars was reserved for foreign aid. Though a percentage of these went to issues of natural disasters and universal democratic uprisings, however most of these went to those precedents set by that list theoretical dreams known as the “Millennium Development Goals”.  These goals, in the expert opinion of many, cannot be reached within the allotted goal set, which is 2015. In short, from 2000 to the present, the US has spent an approximate of 100’s of billions of dollars, for goals that the majority believes will not be reached. This proves a major waste of many taxpayers’ money and many politicians ‘ time.

 

Also, who’s to say that America has any part to play in any of this? As a nation, we have no blood on our hands, no position to blame, and therefore no legitimate reason, beyond the kindness of our hearts, to continue our continued support. However, we do, and we should, as once again, that is not the issue. However, in a time where money is tight and people are struggling to make ends meet, this “kind giving” needs to meet its limit.

 

Op Ed

 

In today’s world the standard for protection is completely laid upon the police. Police are supposed to serve and protect so that people don’t take any matters into their own hands. As a result, civilians are not expected to engage in any violent behavior.  A person will be arrested and prosecuted for harming another person even though they may not have been the aggressor. However, the law states that anyone can use non-lethal non-deadly force to defend him self or her self when another person tries to unlawfully harm him or her, deadly force if needed. This should mean that any person who is in danger should have the right to kill if needed. However there is a strong double standard.

 

There was a case in England when a martial artist killed two men and seriously wounded a third. The three men broke into the victim’s house and threatened his family with knives. The victim defended him self and the two women killing two men and putting one in the hospital.  The law says this act should have defended this man’s rights, but because he was a martial artist he “should have” used non-deadly force to defend his family as the police say- Even though the attackers threatened to rape and kill the two women if he did not tell them where the money was.

 

The act of this prosecution is very wrong. How can you hold someone responsible for defending people he cares fore? The 28-year-old Asian was arrested for deadly force even though very hurt. It is very understandable that he would be taken in for his actions as should all people if they kill, it is for the purpose of investigation. However, once the police found out what really happened he should have been set free by law, but since he was a martial artist a few charges were brought up against him. This is because he simply knew what he was doing more than someone who has not practiced a form of self-defense. The press didn’t help the situation by saying “The butchery worthy of a Quentin Tarantino film”.

 

In a similar story, a woman in Maryland shot and killed her husband in an act of self-defense.  Even though the man was shot and killed the women was arrested but never charged. The police said it appears to be an act of self-defense. Witnesses say that the man was always in a bad mood. From the report it sounds like the women was right to defend her self, if she felt like her life was in danger. She was released from custody a few hours later. She went home and continued to live her life.

 

I fail to see a major difference in the situation the two were in. One man protected two women and him self. One woman defended her self because she felt like her life was in danger. The man was charged with using excessive and unneeded force. Even though the threat to his life was clear and other victims said that they were about to be killed, the martial artist was still arrested and charged. The women, on the other hand had, no witnesses in the room with her. Therefore no one could fully verify her story. The police only had her voice and the people who knew the man’s opinion to go on. This double standard needs to stop it is highly unfair to all martial artiest. Just because someone is more skilled than another, does not mean they should be treated any different.

 

 

 

Hey you guys want to go to the circus, how about to your neighborhood video game store and pick up the latest ‘Pokémon’ game? Hey you know what, this is just like asking someone do you want to go see a cock-fight or maybe a dog fight, wrong right?

Everyday in the United States animals are being beat, set on fire, and killed because of something someone needs such as food, shelter or someone to take their anger off. Most animals do not live to see the day of light before someone is taking them away from their mothers, habitats, etc.  When you think about animal abuse where do you see it happening? The basement of some unknown man, children, people who abuse their families. Animal abuse comes in different forms from everywhere, any zoo that took the animal out of its habitat to put it in a cage and watch it, the circus, practically if there is a animal in a show or anything such as these things, and their not being used for what they should be used for it is animal abuse.  

Most people do not understand that animal abuse is like someone abusing a child. Animals are living beings just like you and I, and they have feelings too, and they also can do things that would help us if we were ever in any type of horrid situation.

People who abuse animals are not taken through the consequences of people who abuse other people. In Belmont County there is this man named Jeffery Nally who tortured a lot of animals. When he was sentenced he had only gotten trialed for signs of a serial killer., not only is this event more then signs of a serial killer he should’ve been given 30-life in jail. He killed all of those animals like it was nothing, then he saved their skin, teeth, and bones for souvenirs. Nally was booked into the Northern Regional Jail on 29 counts of animal cruelty, one count of domestic battery and one count of kidnapping. Bail in his case has been set at $450,000, with a bail like that most people say he won’t be bailed out, but what if he breaks out, he shouldn’t have bail; murders don’t have bail nether should he.

            Some people who look at animal abuse are also just blinded by the good things. Circuses, everyone loves a circus. All the animals are happy a joyful and love their jobs right, WRONG. Most circuses put their animals through tortured to get them to do that famous stand up trick you guys like. What about jumping through that flaming hoop you love that. In an investigation of a Ringling’s Circus you saw things that most people would say, oh that was an act or something like that to save their points that circuses are filled with good people, but most are not. Circuses train animals as if they are not living, they take things like whips, belts, sticks and repeat hit them with it. When you think of this what would you label it as, simple horseplay, some animals need more force to learn then others. This is not labeled as a simple case of animal abuse.

            Animal Abuse is labeled by two things, what is and what isn’t animal abuse. Any torture or harmful acts towards animals is, and always will be animal abuse. When people treat their animals like it’s their child that is not animal abuse.

  Nuclear power, sure, it has it's pros to it - It's a powerful source for electricity, which is also very reliable and affordable. There have only been two accidents, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. While there are benefits to this form of energy, there are also many cons to it as well.

  The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant is a prime example of the irresponsibility's of people when it comes to building the Plants. Wikileaks, a website that's controversial for it's amount of leaked Govt. documents has information stating that these Nuclear power plants were incapable of taking hits from an Earthquake. This was disregarded during the placement of the Nuclear plants. Because of this, Japan has been facing a server pandemic of Nuclear contamination from their drinking water to dairy products, the results of this disregarded concern are still growing in effect.

  Belarus, a country that shares a border with Russia has recently invested their time into creating a Nuclear plant. Belarus is going to use Russian contractors for the creation of their Nuclear Plant. This plant is going to cost 9 billion dollars, which Belarus has gotten on loan from Russia. Belarus will most likely also have nuclear fuel supplied from Russia, and have their nuclear waste will have to be sent to Russia. This makes Belarus dependent on Russia for power, instead of becoming more independent. Their thrive to gain Nuclear Power has put them into a situtation where they’re relying on Russia for an essential, energy. 

    Nuclear Power Plants have the potential for causing massive amounts of destruction. The Chernobyl disaster was a Nuclear Power plant failure that happened in Russia back in the mid 80’s. At this plant, they were testing to see if the turbines in the plant were capable of producing energy. An unexpected incident happened where the plants power went down to less than 1% power. Afterwards, a surge of power came on, and the reactor’s emergency shutdown failed to work. The death tool from this incident is somewhere around 985,000, many suffering from cancer and various defects that were caused after the meltdown. Sudden changes like what happened with Chernobyl’s power, can drastically disrupt a Nuclear Power Plant. The city where Chernobyl Power Plant existed is abandoned now, with no one living there. Currently, it’s a tourist attraction to see the now abandoned city.

  Even though Chernobyl happened over twenty years ago, anything is possible. In France, they have fifty-eight operating nuclear power plants, and they get OVER SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT of their countries power from Nuclear power. If a Nuclear Plant were to face operating issues, or even a meltdown, the results would be critical for the country.  There are many health issues with contact to nuclear radiation, from cancer to birth defects, such as excessive bone growth, organ failure, and the growth of ligaments.

  There are many other options for power, other than Nuclear. For instance, there’s Solar energy, which has become more affordable in recent years. Wind Power,  which works incredibly well in windy areas.  Hydrop-ower, which is powered by damns. Nuclear Power isn’t the only source of energy, and it surely isn’t the safest. We, as people need to use safe sources of energy to not only protect ourselves, but our environment.

The shootings at Columbine high school were blamed on many things. Among drugs, alcohol and mental disorders was the first person shooter video game called Doom. Many people blamed the video game because there was not a lot of drugs or alcohol that showed up on the tests. Bill Manville on NY daily news said “"Doesn’t that sound like they were trying to rack up a record score in some video arcade?" This isn’t a very realistic idea, there is no way that a violent video game can make you think that on your own.

 

Many studies say that when testing violent video games on kids, they test whether the games made kids more violent. Almost all of the studies concluded that the kids who played violent video games became more aggressive after playing them. Many people who play violent video games become more aggressive, but they don’t make you act on these emotions.

 

The reality is that millions of people play violent video games, and there are not millions of school shootings or violent crimes every year, so it cannot be affecting people so much that they want to act on their emotions. Recently, video games have become more popular.  As an article on PBS says, “According to federal crime statistics, the rate of juvenile violent crime in the United States is at a 30-year low." This combined with the fact that many of the other studies only said that the people playing violent video games only became more aggressive supports the idea that it makes people more aggressive, but they don’t act.

 

Violent video games do make people more aggressive, but they don’t act on these emotions. If the violent video games were having such an impact so that they made the kids to things like the columbine shootings, then there would be a lot more juvenile violent crimes. The study was only for the United States, but these statistics could be different for other parts of the world. A lot of these studies are not 100% accurate because they don’t account for everything in the game players life. This is almost impossible to do, so the data will never be completely correct for these kinds of studies.

 

The shootings at Columbine or any other school shootings are not majorly caused by the kids playing video games. Many people try to blame video games because they are something that many people can easily put the blame on, even though according to PBS 83% of video games that kids shouldn’t be playing are bought by their parents. Less of the blame should be put on video games, and more on other factors like illegal substances, or mental problems.

 

Overall many people find that violent video games are something easy to blame problems on. In fact the video games do make the players more aggressive, but not as violent. Although violent video games do hold some blame in violence today, there are many other factors such as drugs, alcohol, or mental problems that contribute to this violence more than violent video games.

​ Is the U.S. a helping hand?

 Does the U.S. actually help when it says its helping? Or do they do what ever they can to help? Let me explain. In the recent news the revolution in Libya has received some help from the United States and the United Nations.  Lately, they bombed government factories and government hangers hoping to stop Qadaffi’s reign of terror.  They hoped to give the rebels an edge on the government forces since they are barley making any headway. Many think this is going way to far to try to help the people of Libya.  Many more think this is exactly what is needed to stop him.  Is the U.S. helping the people Libya? Or are they helping their suffering?

 

The U.S. in particular has been in question of whether or not its actually helping when it says its “helping”.  Foreign Aid’s objective is to benefit countries by volunteering goods and services.  According to globalissues.org, in 1970 “the world’s richest countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official international development aid, annually”.  Many of the countries in this agreement do not meet with this criterion.  As of 2009 the U.S. has been giving 0.2% of their gross income. Although, this does not meet the requirements the U.S is ahead 15 million dollars on other countries. 

 

In January 2010 a devastating 7M earthquake hit Haiti. Of course being the kind country that we are we sent 10,000 troops in the next few days following the earthquake.  Our Military leaders were too interested in securing the island to send groups like the Red Cross overseas first.  According to Slate, a news website, “Aid flights from Mexico Russia and France were refused to land” on the 18^th of January.  It took convincing from the U.N. to let airdropped aid reach Haitian soil.  Lt. General of the U.S. southern command told Associated Press “It is calm at this time”.  If it was calm couldn’t the forces be more directed toward giving aid to people?

 

Three weeks ago a 9M earthquake hit Japan followed by a ruinous wall of water that crippled the entire coastline up to 6 miles inward.  Since Japan is an important ally to the U.S., a relief effort was made to help the people of Japan bounce back from this two part natural disaster.  20,000 troops were sent to Japan.  Some of the 20,000 Marines cleared the Sendai airport, the biggest regional city hit by these calamities.  Now airplanes with supplies can land and deliver aid. "But I still have reservations about having U.S. troops in Japan. ... I'm happy today, and I appreciate their help, but it doesn't fundamentally change the way I feel", says Yoko Hiraoka from STL today.  Even though the U.S is making a good effort to get supplies there, their presence holds tensions of conflict.

 

            With all this evidence before us can we make a definitive judgment? The U.S. feels obligated to help other countries even if the ties with them are bad.  The U.S. makes mistakes by over estimating the problems, like what happened in Haiti, and tries to not show them. All in all, this help is great for countries that need support in times of need.  It shows decency to help Japan even though the ties are bad.  Just sometimes the U.S. goes about this wrongly but never the less it is help and it is needed.  Even though it doesn’t seem beneficial it actually is helping a lot, more than we know or think.