DJ's 4/15

[elizabeth.smith.24]

[isabella.cuan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/us/explosions-reported-at-site-of-boston-marathon.html?_r=0

The New York Times has just reported breaking news about several explosions that have occurred several hours ago on the site of the famous and widely publicized Boston Marathon. Two people are declared dead and more than two dozen injured. The first two explosions took place about four hours after the start of the men's race, so several thousand runners were still completing the course. About an hour later, a third explosion was heard (around 4 pm), and supposedly the police were aware of the device before the explosion occurred. According to spectators and runners, a few runners were seen crying and some even saw limbs lying on the ground; blood was widespread. I am still in shock about what has just unfolded in the past few hours, and at first, it was hard to believe. The Boston Police and the F.B.I. did not receive any reports about a threatened attack on the marathon. I am just just extremely perplexed about who was behind the explosions and more importantly, the reasons for them. The Boston Police has confirmed that they are investigating the scene, but I hope that some evidence is found soon so Americans nationwide do not have to feel such a sense of confusion and fear that has resulted from this tragedy. 

On Monday, April 15, 2013 3:37:14 PM UTC-4, elizabeth.smith.24 wrote:

[Matt Saba]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/

Today at approximately 2:50, two explosive devices went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon approximately two hours after the first of the racers crossed the finish line.The two bombs are estimated to have killed two and injured more than fifty. At this point there is no knowledge about who committed this atrocity. There was another explosion that occured about 5 minutes away at the JFK Library and it is not certain whether the two are connected. The general tone that con be taken from the videos and articles is one of fear, awe, and uncertainty.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/15/justin-bieber-hopes-anne-frank-would-have-been-a-belieber/

If anyone needed another reason to hate Justin Beiber, you got one. When visiting the Anne Frank memorial house, Beiber wrote in the guest book, "“Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.” Now as you can probably imagine, this comment has already pissed off quite a few people. This is just another example of how immaturity and complete stupidity run rampant in today's music industry. This extremely insensitive act is just the latest in the stream of Beiber's gaffes.

[isabella.cuan]

http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/10/alcohol-doesnt-affect-ability-to-survive-breast-cancer/?iid=hl-main-belt

In a recent study, it was found that drinking alcohol before and after a breast cancer diagnosis did not hurt women's survival from the cancer, and in some cases, it even seemed to improve survival. Contrary to an earlier study that showed that alcohol consumption can increase a woman's chance of breast cancer by 15% compared to those who abstain, the new findings invalidate this theory. The study followed nearly 23,000 women over a span of eleven years, studying the risk factors for breast cancer. I found it particularly interesting how alcohol provided survival benefits for heart disease: women consuming three to six glasses of wine per week during the years before they developed cancer were 15% less likely to die of heart disease compared to women who did not drink at all. The study following the years after they developed breast cancer were astounding: women who drank in moderation were 39% to 50% lower risk of heart-related death. Alcohol, just like everything else, can be conducive to life, but moderation is key. 

[merstriolo]

You know what's sad, and this is completely unrelated to my own dialectic journals, but the fact that all we hear about in the news these days are hellish acts of violence. It's sad that I have to log on here every Monday to read others' posts about social discrimination, gun and bomb violence, the government's negligence, and the infringement of our freedoms. Hopefully we can get our act together soon, because I'm getting sick of this nonsense. 

This political cartoon stresses not only the ignorance of the "Feds," but their redundancy. The cartoon creates a two-part allusion to the idea of duplication by making the comments, which are based on duplicate spending, repeated themselves. I like this cartoon because of its simplicity, humor, and efficiency.

This cartoon stresses not just Obama's, but the governments inability to prioritize or address the major issues at hand. Obama seems to have turned his shoulder on unemployment now that gun control has become a major theme of his candidacy, but it seems that neither is advancing towards any form of resolve. 

[Liz Anderson]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/us/missouri-school-trains-teachers-to-carry-guns.html?ref=us&_r=0

This article investigates a school in Missouri which encourages its students and their families to posess and in some  cases use firearms. This school in particular armed some of its faculty and encouraged firearms to be present through out their school. As a direct result of the Newtown tragedy many schools have implemented heavier security, but is training and arming a teacher too far? This article was interesting to me because I am someone who thinks that the stricter the gun control laws, the better. Arming your faculty and promoting the use of guns to children isnt going to solve your problem, ultimately it will give a gun and a purpose to the wrong person and has the potential to create another catastrophic event. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/business/media/clues-emerge-about-twitters-music-feature.html?ref=technology

This article is about the integration of music into twitter. As of friday you will be able to visit their website and log in using your twitter username and password to then be able to not only access music but have music recommended for you based on your interests. This article is interesting to me because it fascinates me how far technology has come and where it is going. When iTunes came out it was a big deal, when Twitter came out it altered the social media world all together, and with all of these major conglomerates integrating together who knows what we will be exposed to next. 

[Orion Farr]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/gitmo-is-killing-me-inmate-describes-horror-of-being-force-fed-by-tube/article11220025/

In a dramatic first-person account, a detainee has described being
force-fed at the Guantanamo Bay military prison. This is an atrocity,
the US claims to be at the forefront of freedoms and democracy, but
yet they hold prisoners overseas without trial, without evidence, and
without anything substantial besides claims. Even if the men are
terrorists that are being held there, then they must be tried in an
American court if we are truly a Democracy. Close this hell-hole down.
"One of dozens of men on a hunger strike, Samir Naji al Hasan Moqbel
says he has lost more than 30 pounds in the past two months. A fellow
inmate weighs just 77 pounds, he says“I will never forget the first
time they passed the feeding tube up my nose. I can’t describe how
painful it is to be force-fed this way,” Mr. Moqbel, a 35-year-old
Yemeni citizen who is accused of being a guard for Osama bin Laden"

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...c+News+-+Main)
In the mountains of northern Laos, a three-year-old Asiatic black bear
has become a medical pioneer: the world's first bear to undergo brain
surgery.
The bear, named Champa, has lived most of her life at a sanctuary run
byFree the Bears, an Australian nonprofit group. About 20 miles (32
kilometers) south of the city of Luang Prabang, the sanctuary protects
bears that Lao officials have rescued from wildlife traffickers. The
Asiatic black bear, or moon bear, whose bile is considered a valuable
ingredient in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, is listed as
vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

An endangered bear has undergone brain surgery, what bright news for
the almost extinct species of black bear in Asia. IT is also a medical
marvel that we can do this on animals other than humans. Also shaved
bearshttp://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/661/overrides/neurosurgery-for-bears_66160_600x450.jpg

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[Alexandra Chin]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/?hpt=hp_t1

I'm sure many of you are well aware of the events at the Boston Marathon that occurred today. Two people have been killed and over 90 have been wounded or injured. From cross referencing with other sites it seems as though one of the people dead is an eight year old. There have been a total of four bombs confirmed but only two were detonated. Cell lines have been shut down temporarily due to the traffic on those lines. They currently have one suspect in custody, although that does not mean that he is the "one". It is confirmed that the bombs were homemade. Google currently has a person finder up in case anyone needs to find someone from the marathon. My thoughts go out to those in Boston right now.

Person Finder here --> http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions/

http://us.cnn.com/2013/04/10/tech/innovation/orig-ideas-4-d-printing?iref=obinsite

It turns out that there is something even cooler than 3-D printing and it is in the form of time-sensitive printing, also known as 4-D printing. In the examples shown in video the man takes one of his 4-D printing strands and places it in water. Over time the strands become 3-D shapes. This technology would be used to make robotic type objects and pieces of technology sans motor or actual wires. Pretty neat, huh?

[sian.barry]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/14/cancun-drug-murders-6-strangled-1-decapitated-mexico-resort_n_3081836.html?ir=World

Authors of the Huffington Post report on an incident in Mexico where 6 people were strangled and one decapitated in the southern tourist resort of Cancun, Mexico on Sunday. It is noted that Cancun largely escapes most of the drug-related violence as a major tourist destination; however, this information may make travelers weary about heading to Mexico. According to the Juan Ignacio Hernandez, deputy attorney general of Quintana Roo state, the victims appear to be independent drug deals without any specific cartel. As I have heard both frightening and magnificent things about Mexico, this story highlights the negative side to the country in addition to the statistic that 70,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since 2007.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22150754

As reported on by the BBC, the comic book action film known as The Avengers won three MTV movie awards out of a possible four prizes. Silver Linings Playbook won both best actor and actress. Beating hits like Django Unchained, Skyfall, Ted and the Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers proved to be a success with the public and the movies gurus. One thing I though comical about this article was Taylor Lautner’s best shirtless performance award. Who doesn’t like a little bit of abs to spruce up an otherwise dull Twilight movie?

[elizabeth.smith.24]

On Monday, April 15, 2013 3:37:14 PM UTC-4, elizabeth.smith.24 wrote:

Wow, these advertisements are strong and really make you think. In the wake of several high profile shootings, especially with the explosions that have happened this afternoon in Boston, they really point out the wrongs in society and how something so simple, a book, a chocolate egg, or a dodgeball, could be banned in schools, yet it is still relatively simple to buy a firearm. I do have to say, the commercial at the end is by far the most powerful aspect of this advertising line- hearing the parents, seeing the bullets and all of the places these shootings have occurred really makes you think. While some people do not agree with these ads, "This is a stupid poster. Guns ARE banned in schools, people. BOTH of these things are banned in schools," there are also quotations such as, "Notice how we have limited the 1st Amendment for the safety of our children? Now let's do the same for the 2nd!" that definitely appeal to the emotion of the majority of Americans. 

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/little-red-riding-hood-and-ar-15s--new-ads-contrast-school-bans-and-gun-regulations-174614434.html 

[grace miller]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/?hpt=hp_t1

 

In this article, by the CNN staff, the tragedy that occurred in Boston today is reported. Two people were killed, including 8-year-old boy, in bomb blasts near finish line of the Boston Marathon. Area hospitals say at least 132 are injured, including eight children.

Two explosions happened at about 2:50 p.m., more than two hours after the first of the race's nearly 27,000 runners had crossed the finish line. This article includes a lot more information about the aftermath and has a tragic tone with tear jerking photos included. This article is scary when thinking about the capability of some people and the willingness to take other peoples lives. Whoever placed those bombs knew how populated the place was going to be and did it just for that purpose.

 

 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/tech/web/eric-schmidt-internet/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

 

In this article Doug Gross reports on the prediction that everybody in the world will be on the Internet within seven years. That's what Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said this weekend in public comments. The statistic was then reported that for every person that is on the internet today there are two people who are not. This surprised me at first because in my world and my knowledge (that does not go far beyond Sparta New Jersey) it seems like everyone is already on the internet. To think that the internet is a relatively new technology and is soon going to be a part of every single human beings life is outrageous

--

[Julie Daniels]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/08/sport/rutgers-athletic-director-payment/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

With the Rutgers Basketball scandal all over the news, it is almost impossible to ignore. The scandal involving the videotaped abuse of basketball players by the team's former coach, revealed a lot about the way we view athletics and value them so much. However, the University is now giving ex- athletic director $1.1 million after his resignation in the wake of it. Since his resignation on Friday, he will continue to be paid for many months after and even still receive his health benefits. I do not think this is right at all because he was fully aware for all the abuse that was happening and he is still being paid even after not reporting it. I think that they should not give him the money and put into bettering the school and the community around them to make up for this horrible discovery. 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/18/us/florida-ucf-body-found/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

This is very scary news especially since we are going to be going off to college in just a short amount of time. The fact that this could have happened to anyone sickens me. This person who was found with many assault weapons as well as homemade explosives. It was later revealed that he was a student who had shot himself.  If he hadn’t, who knows what kind of damage he would have caused or who else he would have wounded other than himself. I hope this doesn’t happen again. 

[elizabeth.smith.24]

Wow. This article truly encompasses all of the feelings that the country has suffered in the wake of the bombs today, and almost brought me to tears in some places. One of the most touching things I have read today would have to be a tweet from NBC Sports Network announcing that several of the runners turned off route or started running again to run to Mass General Hospital in order to give blood for the victims. The fact that runners other than those in the initial explosions were hurt due to hypothermia setting in from the early stop definitely  saddens me, but I am glad they did not reroute the race out of respect for the casualties. I hope that the victims get better soon and that the bomber(s) are found before anything big happens again. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/04/15/boston-marathon-bomb-explosion-twitter/2085467/

[Ben Skalla]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/15/17765373-you-cant-go-anywhere-newtown-runners-wife-speaks?lite

This article mentions one part of the Boston marathon bombing that took place today at finish line of the race.  It explains how mile 26 of the marathon had been dedicated to Newtown Connecticut and the 26 lives lost back in December during the shootings that took place there.  None of the runners from Newtown Connecticut were among those injured or killed by the bombs detonated about 4 hours and 10 minutes into the race.  The title of the article, "you can't go anywhere," is pretty scary to think about.  In the past few months, recent tragedies like this where a person or group of people intentionally tries to harm or kill other innocent people have been happening just about anywhere.  Victims of this type of attack are so unsuspecting and whether they were just going about their average day at school, going to see a movie, or taking part in one of the largest annual events in Boston, they would never have imagined such a tragic event would end or change their lives forever. 

http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/12/17661517-the-eye-popping-truth-about-why-we-close-our-eyes-when-we-sneeze?lite

This caught my attention because it was about something I had wondered about from time to time but never looked up.  This article is all about why people close their eyes while they sneeze.  Although the myth was told that it prevents a person's eyes from popping out, that has only happened on one occasion in which the person had been suffering extreme pain in their eye.  This was only able to happen because the woman had sever eye muscle problems and an eyelid contains nowhere near enough muscle to prevent an eye from popping out.  The simple explanation of why we close our eyes when we sneeze was that it is an involuntary reflex.  It is the same idea as when a physician taps on your knee with the small hammer and you kick your leg without trying to.  I found this article pretty interesting, but it did not offer an explanation as crazy as to prove the old myth that it keeps your eyeballs in their sockets!

[Randy May]

The news of this bomb going off at the Boston Marathon is just astonishing. There hadn't been a real serious incident like this in so long, and I thought that America was not going to see another terrorist attack for a long time. Although they do not know if it was a terrorist attack, they will probably soon find out one of those groups was behind it. It just makes me sick how pathetic and cowardice these people are that they plant a bomb at a world wide popular sporting event, and detonate it. They took the lives of two people, one of them being an eight year old. This is absolutely shocking to me.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-deliver-statement-boston-explosion-214731520--politics.html

This article is about President Obama's reaction to the bombing and his statement. He says that those who committed this horrible crime will feel the weight of justice. I just really hope that private investigators and other specialists will be able to find the horrible people who did this and planned this. They need to be caught, and they need to be punished for what they have done.

--

[stephen.voc]

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/7e4d26d7-9c22-4356-8ede-153d0883a289.html

The cartoonist of this piece presents to his viewers an interesting outlook on communism.  Holding a nuclear missile, Korean communist dictator Kim jong-un is reprimanded by the original Chinese communism advocate, Mao Tse-Tung, from a painting.  In doing so, the cartoonist points out the flaws in modern communism.  Today, communism is essentially totalitarianism.  By referencing past communist generations, the cartoonist reminds his readers that true communism is rooted in the ideals of working together to eliminate poverty.

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/6767753e-ea7f-4f11-91e9-6077cad1d754.html

I was worried that when I searched for political cartoons referring to the Boston Marathon Attack that I would witness a myriad of racist, bigoted cartoons.  Instead, I was pleased to find this cartoon.  I believe it says a lot just by simply depicting two people, a sprinter and a police officer, running in separate directions.  The cartoonist presents the police of Boston to be heroic in this to-the-point piece.  I found it refreshing that the cartoonist did not use this timely piece to rant about terrorist threats but instead took it as an opportunity to lionize the Boston policemen who readily responded to their call to help the people in this horrific moment of danger.

[rippeyrachel]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/04/photos-of-the-boston-marathon-bombing/100495/

So many people were affected by this bombing tragedy. I'm still in shock as we learn who was in the midst, and who was injured. Even bystanders, children and families who went to cheer on their loved ones, were the most affected. My mom could have ran in this race, and I might have been there at the finish line with my family. Her injury prevented her from running, but it still makes the situation as raw as can be knowing I could have been there. 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/us/boston-marathon-explosions/index.html

In essence, this situation is still happening. People are in the hospital in critical condition, some of whom have had to have limbs amputated. Three are dead, including an eight-year old boy. I have an eight-year old  brother, and knowing this young boy was killed in such a spiteful attack breaks my heart. Whoever did this, is a terrorist. We live in a turbulent time.

[Mikaela Litchfield]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/world/asia/north-korea-ultimatum/index.html? hpt=hp_t3

This CNN article by the CNN staff reports that North Korea has announced that they will strike South Korea without warning. After withdrawing the armistice of 1953 last month, North Korea keeps getting crazier and crazier. Is it worth our time panicking about a country that has repeatedly had tantrums like this over the decades?

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/us/boston-marathon-eyewitnesses/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

The terrorist attack in Boston earlier today is such a horrendous act against humanity. The eyewitness accounts as given in this article depict a confused panic and blood everywhere after the bombs went off. On twitter, countless amounts of people were talking about how horrible the world is followed by #prayforboston but, while thoughts and prayers help develop a supportive community for the victim, I don’t think this is the time to lose faith in people, but rather it is a time to rely on them more than ever. Just because a few people are twisted enough to do something like this doesn’t mean the entire world is corrupt; on the contrary actually, it is in situations like these where the goodness and compassion in humanity is really shown. 

[jamiemelville1]

http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/15/17763225-nasa-hopes-to-make-water-on-the-moon?lite

this NBC article describes how NASA is looking to make water on the moon. they have a "tight $250 million budget" but I just find it interesting that Science has had so many advancements, and continually comes up with new missions. The rover is to be launched in 2017, and it basically extracts oxygen from lunar soil and mixes it with hydrogen. Furthermore than this, if they can extract water from lunar soil, eventually living on a different planet wouldn't seem as far-fetched as it did a few years ago. Obviously it is still a huge stretch and still extremely far fetched, but it just goes to show that NASA's rapid advancements could lead to these types of things.

http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/15/17764335-fainting-runs-in-families-new-study-says?lite

This article just describes how fainting can run in families. I just thought it was kinda funny because it never appeared to be a genetic trait. It says over 1/3 of the world comes from a family of frequent fainters, but I just thought the entire article had an odd approach, i.e calling it things like "a family of frequent fainters." 

[Dylan Panicucci]

The Boston bombing is entirely shocking.  I was at a lacrosse game when I heard about.  I just could not believe that this happened.  The worst part might be the uncertainty surrounding the whole situation.  Is this just an isolated event?  Are there more people and more attacks planned?  Was this the doing of a terrorist group or just some American crazy?  Hopefully, the details will come forward in the near future, and those responsible for this heinous crime will face the consequences.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/showbiz/bieber-anne-frank/index.html?hpt=hp_inthene

Justin Bieber is a true self-centered, immature jerk.  The fact that he hopes Anne Frank would have been a "belieber" is completely disrespectful.  Anne Frank, who faced the worst of trials, deserves more respect than what this one-hit wonder gave her.  When he finally does drop off, Anne Frank's influence will continue.  For a second there, he almost did something note-worthy, and then he completely screwed it up.  Way to go J Biebs.

[Julie Daniels]

I think this is a horrible thing that happened. The runners in the Boston Marathon train for ages just to be able to compete in it. The fact that someone would choose to bomb and intentionally hurt innocent people including a little girl is absolutely horrible. In my eyes, whoever did this should be severely punished; or they need a new hobby. 

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[Julie Daniels]

I think that this is very funny as well. I know things such as diabetes and other diseases are heredity but fainting? That just seems ridiclous. The data that you presented was very surprising and I hope I am not a victim of family passes down fainting. 

[rippeyrachel]

 Honestly, this kind of concerns me. If South Korea was under attack, can we honestly trust that the US would stay out of it? Looking at past conflicts, the United States was just unable to meddle, and that got us into a whole heap of trouble. If  North Korea acts on these threats, it will be not only devastating, but tempting for the US.

[rippeyrachel]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57579886/victims-killed-in-boston-marathon-bombings-identified/

As my reply to the articles of the Boston Marathon Bombings, after reading this article, I cried. I also have an eight-year old brother and cannot imagine what I would do if something had happened to him. Also, allegedly, the girl runner's boyfriend was waiting for her at the finish line when this bomb took her life. Unfortunately things like this happen, and no one will ever know why.

[isabella.cuan]

I completely agree with the message this political cartoon is trying to send to its viewers. Because communism has taken on an entirely new identity in the modern era, I would not doubt that most of today's population is not well educated about its original roots. Like Stephen noted as well as the cartoonist, communism is extremely distorted. Perhaps this is due to the virtual impossibility of actually attaining the true meaning and intentions of communism. However, we are positive that the 21st century version of communism certainly destroys society more than it betters it. 

[isabella.cuan]

In response to the Boston tragedy:

I am still in disbelief about what has unfolded in the past several days. Just like the Newtown and Colorado shootings, I cannot stop thinking about the victims and what their lives must be like at the moment. Every time I am on the Internet, I find a new story about the event, each as devastating as the next. I recently read about how one of those killed was a graduate student at Boston University. The fact that we will be attending college in a little over a year makes this story that much more real. My heart broke when I heard about the eight-year-old boy whose father had been in the race and whose sister and mother had been critically injured, one needing emergency brain surgery while the other lost a limb. In a matter of seconds, the family was torn apart forever. What did they do to ever deserve this? What did any of these people do to deserve this? Nothing, of course. But life is brutal and unfair and cruel, and the saddest part is that we cannot do anything to change that reality. 

[sian.barry]

In Response to Isabella's first article:

The recent bombing that occurred during the prominent Boston Marathon just two days ago is an utterly devastating tragedy in and of itself. Upon hearing about this incident, in hindsight of the Colorado and Newtown shootings, America was at a standstill once again with yet another horrific event to endure and overcome. There is much curiosity as to who is responsible for the attacks and more importantly, why they occurred. Hearing about the eight year old boy who was killed as a result of the explosion literally broke my heart. Like Rachel, and so many others, I have an eight year old brother as well and I cannot begin to imagine the devastation and anguish that his family is experiencing. It is scary to think that I was just in Boston over spring break, visiting BC, BU and Northeastern. While at a BC information session, some current students were required to answer the question "What is your favorite BC tradition?" and one of the girls said that it was the Boston Marathon, which serves as an interactive event for all in the city of Boston. However, it is shocking to know how catastrophic this day must have been for all attendees when it is supposed to be a fun, lighthearted and unifying event. 

[sian.barry]

In response to Liz's Second Article:

I too think it is really amazing, yet scary to see how far technology has advanced in just the past few years. Like Liz noted, iTunes was a phenomenon when it first came out as was the first iPod. I remember my dad getting it as soon as it came out, yet if you look at the difference between the original iPod and for example, an iPod mini, now touch screen and almost as thin as a slice of pape, it is easy to recognize the tremendous leaps we have made on the technological front in this past decade.I don't have a twitter, which in my opinion, is one of the more recent forms of social media, but it seems to be trending at such a startling rate that we don't know what's coming next. Now with music incorporated, Twitter will surely continue to surpass Facebook in its social media endeavors and continue to grow, change and advance. 

[OliviaPasserini]

I recently saw an article similar to this one, about how alcohol is not necesarily as bad as everyone seems to think it is. I found this article particularly interesting because it said that alcohol actually may IMPROVE survival against cancer. I was very surprised to read that and would love to learn what theories professionals have on why that may be true. Because to my knowledge I cannot fathom how cancer and drinking alcohol could be related at alll, let alone be a good combination.

[OliviaPasserini]

In response to Dylans second article:

I also found what Justin Bieber said to be absolutely hilarious! When I first heard that he said something along those lines (I think I first heard it on twitter) I assumed that it was just a rumor, or at least something that was grossly exaggerated because I gave Bieber the benefit of the doubt that he could not possibly be stupid enough to say something like that.... and now I find out that it's true. Justin Bieber is truely as dumb and ignorant as he seems.

[elizabeth.smith.24]

In response to Dylan's second article

I fully agree with Dylan and Olivia when they say that Justin Bieber is truly ignorant self-centered. I am the first to admit that I have never been a fan of the singer, but this comment definitely makes me like him less. Anne Frank is one of the most revered victims of the Nazi concentration camps and is easily one of the characters that help us to remember the Holocaust. I respect Beiber for taking the time out to visit the museum, but his comment took his ideas way over the top. Honestly, I feel that Beiber is losing popularity and feels that he is much more important and popular than he truly is. 

[elizabeth.smith.24]

In response to the second cartoon.

I really love the simplicity and respect that this cartoon shows. Without using blood, violence, or mentioning terrorism, it properly depicts the horrifying event of Monday while simultaneously exemplifying the heroism that the police and first responders showed. This attack claimed a good number of casualties, a fact that the media is constantly reminding the public, but this cartoon reminds the viewer of other victims who were not wounded and turned to help. 

On Monday, April 15, 2013 9:46:39 PM UTC-4, stephen.voc wrote:

[Liz Anderson]

This article is honestly mind blowing. This attack hit home for many people in Sparta and all over the world who know someone in school, or residing in the Boston area. For me, two of my good friends are at Boston College and I couldnt believe my eyes or ears when I heard about this horrific event. Its scary to think that the next site for such an attack could be Sparta New Jersey. 

On Monday, April 15, 2013 8:39:01 PM UTC-4, grace.miller07 wrote:

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[merstriolo]

Now that we have further information on the two incident's I would say that we are handling it very well. Having the JFK Library incident out of the scenario, for it was only an accidental fire, the police can focus on the bombings in Boston. I am happy to see that the media isn't being fully informed on the situation so that they cannot warp the story and make speculations based on biases and racism. Much progress has been made, including photos of the suspected criminals, but no one is safe until they are captured so it is important everyone contributes to the search.

On Monday, April 15, 2013 5:48:16 PM UTC-4, Matt Saba wrote:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/

Today at approximately 2:50, two explosive devices went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon approximately two hours after the first of the racers crossed the finish line.The two bombs are estimated to have killed two and injured more than fifty. At this point there is no knowledge about who committed this atrocity. There was another explosion that occured about 5 minutes away at the JFK Library and it is not certain whether the two are connected. The general tone that con be taken from the videos and articles is one of fear, awe, and uncertainty.

[Mikaela Litchfield]

I completely agree with you Matt; what Justin Beiber wrote in the Anne Frank guest book was a perfect example of not only his immaturity and insensitivity as you mentioned, but of his blatant narcissism. He may have been trying to be funny, but there is a time and a place and that place is certainly not a place meant to memorialize a Holocaust victim. 

[Matt Saba]

At this point North Korea has made so many threats that it is difficult to determine how serious they really are. I believe that it really is not worth time to worry about all of Kim Jong Un's threats because it is implausible that most of them could even be carried out.

On Monday, April 15, 2013 10:08:36 PM UTC-4, Mikaela Litchfield wrote:

[merstriolo]

After the Penn Sate incident and now this, people need to begin to realize that we are placing way too much value on athletics over the integrity of the people that represent these colleges, and the facade that they put up to protect themselves from the behind the scenes felonies they commit. I hope that people like this get the greatest punishment that is warranted under the law because they are truly convinced that because of their authority they are protected from the law, which gives no one the right to be abusive. 

[Ben Skalla]

I agree that putting guns in the hands of teachers may not be the smartest move.  Who's to say that one of these teachers won't use one of these weapons to harm other people.  Also this action is only bringing firearms closer to students.  Recently, a four year old picked up a gun that was left lying around in his house and killed his six year old neighbor with it on accident.  If some people are careless enough to leave these extremely dangerous weapons lying around their houses to be picked up by somebody not responsible enough to deal with it, I can imagine these guns given to the teachers getting into the wrong hands.  

On Monday, April 15, 2013 7:02:02 PM UTC-4, Liz Anderson wrote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/us/missouri-school-trains-teachers-to-carry-guns.html?ref=us&_r=0

This article investigates a school in Missouri which encourages its students and their families to posess and in some  cases use firearms. This school in particular armed some of its faculty and encouraged firearms to be present through out their school. As a direct result of the Newtown tragedy many schools have implemented heavier security, but is training and arming a teacher too far? This article was interesting to me because I am someone who thinks that the stricter the gun control laws, the better. Arming your faculty and promoting the use of guns to children isnt going to solve your problem, ultimately it will give a gun and a purpose to the wrong person and has the potential to create another catastrophic event. 

[Matt Saba]

The past few weeks have been a very crazy and violent period. Between this event, the two incidents in which four year olds got a hold of guns, the bombing at the Boston marathon, and the explosion at the Texas fertilizer plant last night, it has been a very tumultuous time. Hopefully these events will only serve to strengthen our nationalism and pride.

On Monday, April 15, 2013 8:42:03 PM UTC-4, Julie Daniels wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/18/us/florida-ucf-body-found/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

This is very scary news especially since we are going to be going off to college in just a short amount of time. The fact that this could have happened to anyone sickens me. This person who was found with many assault weapons as well as homemade explosives. It was later revealed that he was a student who had shot himself.  If he hadn’t, who knows what kind of damage he would have caused or who else he would have wounded other than himself. I hope this doesn’t happen again. 

[Ben Skalla]

It's ridiculous that Justin Beiber would consider writing that in the guest book.  It makes himself sound so self centered when he goes to the memorial for a girl who was a victim of the holocaust and hopes that she would have liked him and his music.  This is extremely disrespectful and inconsiderate to the memorial.  Beiber should have been thinking over the tragedy that had occurred to the millions of victims of the holocaust rather than wondering if this girl would have been a devoted fan of his terrible music.  

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/15/justin-bieber-hopes-anne-frank-would-have-been-a-belieber/

If anyone needed another reason to hate Justin Beiber, you got one. When visiting the Anne Frank memorial house, Beiber wrote in the guest book, "“Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.” Now as you can probably imagine, this comment has already pissed off quite a few people. This is just another example of how immaturity and complete stupidity run rampant in today's music industry. This extremely insensitive act is just the latest in the stream of Beiber's gaffes.

[stephen.voc]

In response to Dylan's second article:

The author of this piece clearly shows that Justin Bieber truly gives Benjamin Franklin a run for his money when it comes to being a pompous jerk.  Although the author of this piece is biased and only presents negative information ragarding Justin Bieber, he rightfully does so because there is no way to defend Bieber's disrespectful statement that was completely uncalled for.  This article makes me cringe at just how ignorant some people are.

On Monday, April 15, 2013 10:50:28 PM UTC-4, Dylan Panicucci wrote:

[stephen.voc]

In response to Doug's second political cartoon:

I appreciate the fact that Doug was careful to accentuate the point that the whole country is overly concerned about gun control, not just Obama, or Democrats in general, for that matter.  Although I do somewhat agree with this political cartoon in that the country might be all of a sudden blowing gun control out of proportion, I cannot help but question the legitimacy of this cartoon.  Basically, it's entirely biased in that it presents a caricature of Obama with big ears pointing a gun and using the needling fallacy to say he cannot focus on jobs.  The cartoonist fails to point out that the president, regardless of political party, cannot appease all of his people all of the time.  Jobs cannot always be the focus of every discussion when there are so many other problems in this world to also find solutions for.

On Monday, April 15, 2013 6:14:56 PM UTC-4, merstriolo wrote:

You know what's sad, and this is completely unrelated to my own dialectic journals, but the fact that all we hear about in the news these days are hellish acts of violence. It's sad that I have to log on here every Monday to read others' posts about social discrimination, gun and bomb violence, the government's negligence, and the infringement of our freedoms. Hopefully we can get our act together soon, because I'm getting sick of this nonsense. 

This political cartoon stresses not only the ignorance of the "Feds," but their redundancy. The cartoon creates a two-part allusion to the idea of duplication by making the comments, which are based on duplicate spending, repeated themselves. I like this cartoon because of its simplicity, humor, and efficiency.

This cartoon stresses not just Obama's, but the governments inability to prioritize or address the major issues at hand. Obama seems to have turned his shoulder on unemployment now that gun control has become a major theme of his candidacy, but it seems that neither is advancing towards any form of resolve. 

[Orion Farr]

If the point is that our school system does really dumb things - like
banning Little Red Riding Hood books and Dodgeball - then I agree.

I completely agree- the amount of questions I ask in some classes is
staggering. It's harder to get on with homework or class work if you
can't just get up and ask what you need to. Also when teachers like
you they can sometimes be more lenient with grading which is
fantastic; you can't have that benefit from an online course.

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[Dylan Panicucci]

I find this very interesting.  Usually, alcohol causes many more negative health affects than it has benefits.  Not in this case though.  Of course though, moderation is the key.  You don't want to stop the cancer but then have liver problems.

[Dylan Panicucci]

In response to everything about the bombings, it is still really shocking that this whole thing happened.  As we learn more, we become even more horrified.  I saw a picture of a man with the flesh of his legs blown off.  This was as disturbing as it is angering in that some people out there have absolutely no decency.  People go out of their way to attack others and commit violent, horrifying acts and for what?  It is all just sickening.  Suspects are starting to be determined.  Let's hope whoever was behind this is brought to justice.