DUE MONDAY, 11/23: Current Events Assignment

[Sandra Derstine]

A true understanding of history is demonstrated by your ability to
connect events across time and to recognize significant themes.

STEP 1. Find a news article in an online database (approved sources
are below). Read the article thoroughly. Post a 2-paragraph
response, using the guidelines below. BE SURE TO POST A LINK TO YOUR
ARTICLE!

In Paragraph 1, summarize the article using the prompts below.
Remember that to truly understand the article, you may need to do some
side research!
• Who is the article about? Who are the major players in this
issue?
• What event/issue is this article about? Explain the facts/
opinions of your article.
• When did the story take place? Does it have anything to do with
past events or issues?
• Where is this event or issue occurring?
• Why is this event happening? Is it interconnected with anything
else that is going on or has gone on in the past? What are the events
that have preceded and influenced this?
• How is this story significant? How does this article fit in
with a study of government?

In Paragraph 2, respond to the article using one or more of the
following prompts:
• What did you find interesting about this article? What did you
learn from the article?
• What are the implications of your article for you? Your
community? The US? The world?
• What questions do you have after reading this article?
• If this is mainly an opinion article, how would you respond to
the author?
• Predict what you think may happen as this article develops.

STEP 2: Post at least one thoughtful response to another classmate's
current events post, or continue a current events discussion.

[Hennessy C.]

Hennessy Cruz
Current Events HW
November 21,2009


.This article is mostly about how government auditors raised doubts
yesterday about number of jobs created by the economic stimulus
program. Roughly 10 percent of the recipients of stimulus dollars
failed to submit quarterly reports last month. People that dont submit
their reports is making others think that it is distressing and that
it
must be addressed. Some people even said tha the Congress should
penalize the people that fail to fill out the report. This relates to
our study
of the government because these reports are important and it is
making
people go understress and Congress have to fix it, this relates
because we
are also studying about Congress and what they do.

Secondly, this article was interesting in many ways. For example, this
article
explains that some people arent filling out their reports yet the
Congress has
done nothing yet to stop it. I do agree that those people should be
penalized
or have to do something so that they wont skip filling out that
report. This is a
very important situation becuase it has to do with future jobs that
help people.
Especially when we are going trough a hard time and people need jobs
to get by.


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/11/20/auditors_criticize_stimulus_jobs_data/

[Abby Perez]

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/11/22/report_finds_wide_disparities_in_education_for_gifted_students/

This article is about gifted students, children who have high
intelligence. This is about states that doesn't have classes or school
for gifted children. There are a lot of places for gifted children but
some places they don't have any where for them like Taliaferro County,
they wouldn’t have been an option for gifted students because all the
gifted classes were canceled because of budget cuts. it says in the
article "Just six states pick up the whole tab for gifted programs,
and 13 don’t put any money toward such curriculum, according to the
study. That means poor urban and rural school systems often have no
money left for their highest achievers, according to the Nov. 12
report." This takes place on November 22, 2009 in Atlanta. This is
happening because there are a lot of gifted children all around the
world but some don't support them. For example, it says in "The
report, “State of the States in Gifted Education,’’ hits at a basic
element of the federal government’s focus on education: Most of its
money and effort goes into helping low-performing, poor and minority
children achieve basic proficiency. It largely ignores the idea of
helping gifted youths reach their highest potential, leaving those
tasks to states and local school districts." This is important because
with a lot of children being gifted, they are being ignored and this
needs to change, both low-performing children and gifted children
should be helped equally.

What I found interesting about this article is that the gifted
children are being ignored in a lot of places instead of being helped
just like the low-performing children. I learned that the government
isn't really helping every student which doesn't make it right, not
everyone is getting the education they need. The question I have are:
Why are low-performing students being more helped then the gifted
children? Shouldn't all students be helped equally? Doesn't every
student matter in the world? Why is all this happening? I think this
article is an opinion article in a way because yes it has a lot of
facts and details but it also brings out the fact that a lot of people
are curious about why there isn't a lot of gifted students that are
not being helped! I would say to this author that we should do
something to change that. I think that if a lot of people read this,
we can make the government change the fact that not every child is
being helped in their education. I think that the World could do
something to change education to help everyone in the world!

[Abby Perez]

This is really good Hennessy but what are your thoughts on this?

[Tatyana McAfee]

Tatyana McAfee
Current events HW
Nov 20, 2009

Obama plans to close down the military detention center at Guantánamo Bay Jan. 22. 
They mentioned that 205 detainees will remain in the prison, and that the  "goodly number"
 would  be relocated before the end of the year( another senior Administration official said).
This is

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1941141,00.html#ixzz0XgTZ57Lo

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1941141,00.html#ixzz0XPuCCiul

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1941141,00.html

[Tatyana McAfee]

On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 7:21 AM, Tatyana McAfee <taty...@gmail.com> wrote:

Tatyana McAfee
Current events HW
Nov 20, 2009

Obama plans to close down the military detention center at Guantánamo Bay Jan. 22. 
They mentioned that 205 detainees will remain in the prison, and that the  "goodly number"
 would  be relocated before the end of the year( another senior Administration official said).

This issue is something that is serious becuae it is an issue that can possible anger the left

and the right side of the gov. in Washington. The Administration officials would expect some

Yemenis who were once thought to be dangerous to win habeas corpus cases currently

under way in Washington, D.C., courts. So this is something to look carefully at.

   Secondly  I think that this is a interesting topic it is something new to me. I have never even
   herd of this place before. All the and all the  things that the gov and pres are thinking seem to
   be as if they are not sure what they want or should i say they are disagreeing. I think that if this
   never happened they wouldn't have to worry about it. Also I sometimes think that the government
   comes up with all these issues to destract from all the other issues and promises the president said.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1941141,00.html#ixzz0XgWDgNWL

[Catherine Denis]

Obama had an eight-day tour through Asia and his focus was mostly on
jobs here in the U.S. He spoke from Seoul, South Korea about what he
has gone to do in Asia for America. However, there's speculation over
whether or not he has actually accomplished anything while there. He
spoke of their nuclear arms and climate control and then of our
economy. It felt a bit like Obama wasn't really there for their
country's concern in the beginning of the article and throughout.

I really wanted to read about Obama's trip to Asia. I was curious in
what he said to the people and what he'd like to improve there. I
would believe that would be the only reason to go to another country.
I'm not sure why they would be interested on what is happening in the
U.S. It is nice to give them an education on that but I don't think
it's a reason to go there. However, it does make sense to try and
improve our economy anyway that we can that is plausible.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/11/obama_asia_sojo.html

[Catherine Denis]

I think that's great and all but I wonder how they would transfer them
from prisons. You can't really just put them all on a bus and 'ship'
them off and expect everything to go smoothly even with reinforcements
there with them.

[Catherine Denis]

That's nice and all but I wonder how they would transfer them from
prisons. You really can't just put them all on a bus and 'ship' them
off and expect everything to be okay, even with reinforcements there.

[Hennessy C.]

Well Abby, i do think that the government should make more jobs. I
mean how would we live with out money or something to get us trough
the tough times? What do you think??

[Pedro Ferreira]

This article is about Dick Cheney. What the article states is that
Cheney should and people are trying to have him run for presidency in
2012. This story was written November 27, 2009, it doesnt have
anything to do with past event but what might happen in the future.
This is happening because most Republicans think this is best for the
country. With Dick as a Vice-President from 2000-2008 the events that
occurred influenced people to want this to happen. This article is
significant because a lot of people are against this and if he ends up
running for president there might be a lot of conflicts.

I found interesting that after all these years and all the people that
hate Dick, some Americans still think its a good idea that he should
be president.

> •     Predict what you think may happen as this rticle develops.

[Ayan]

AYAN

The white house says if Iran follow through on there plan to build 10
new uranium facilities then it would be another attempt to show off to
the United Nations. In the past Iran didn’t pass its duty under the
various U.N resolutions. Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs stated if
Iran does this. There going to isolate them selves. Iran reported the
government has accepted the nuclear building plan. They did this after
the U.N demanded that Iran stop building a newly revealed enrichment
facility. Also to freeze all uranium enhancement activities.

I agree that there plan will put them in isolation. They should follow
the U.N regulations because they wouldn’t make any enemies. They
shouldn’t challenge the U.N because there helping everyone and Iran
will only harm it’s self
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/29/white_house_iran_isolating_itself_with_nuke_plans/

[carla torres]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/11/18/senate_passes_sweeping_changes_for_underperforming_schools/

 

This article is about how in Massachusetts the Senate passed an education reform bill which would double the number of charter school seats that can be created in the lowest-performing districts.The bill would create a process in which districts and eventually the state education commissioner can intervene in schools that have been underperforming for three consecutive years.The reason why this is taking place is because it is seen that the the funding formula unfairly takes too much money from public schoolsand also charter schools fail to take some of the most challenging and expensive students, including those with severe disabilities and those who are homeless ect.Currently, school districts can use up to 9 percent of total funding for charter schools; the bill would allow low-performing districts to direct up to 18 percent of funds to charter schools. The first two new charter schools created in any year would need to be in districts that rank in the bottom 10% on state tests; only successful charter operators would be able to apply for charters in these districts. This article article fits in

with a study of government because the bill would create a process in which districts and eventually the state education commissioner can intervene in schools that have been underperforming for three consecutive years.

 

 

I think this is a gread idea. Honestly because Charters hand pick their students, through a "lottery" system. Public Schools take what they have and do the best they can. I learned Charters also takes valuable dollars away from the public schools. That’s the reason why our public schools are failing. Public schools do not and can not say no to students who are in this country one day or students requiring the use of feeding tubes to eat. The double standard needs to be put to an end. Public Schools are doing fine, teachers are doing the best they can under the circumstances and with the raw material they are provided. They should be commended, not berated. The implications of this article toward myself is I could be receiving a greater education but due to charter schools within the districts I cant.

 

 

[Miguel Peguero]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/30/obama_seeks_new_partnership_with_pakistan/

This article is about President Obama seeking a partnership with
Pakistan. Obama wrote a two page letter to the Pakistan President Asif
Ali Zardari today. According to the article the letter included a
blunt warning that the U.S. would not tolerate support within
Pakistan's military in fighting Afghanistan. Pakistan has been the
subject of a long strategy review that concluded that a failure in
Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, would be far worse than in
Afghanistan. The White House thinks that this would increase trade and
military cooperation between the two nations.

I think that the relationship between the U.S. and Pakinstan is as
good as it should be. I think that if they continue supporting of each
other they would get results in the fight agains Afghanistan. I think
that Pakistan would have a strong response to the letter and the "will
not tolerate support" warning in the letter. I would like to know what
Pakistans responce is.

[Tatyana McAfee]

The boston election!  They say that Menino use his unprecedented fifth term to boldly tackle problems in education, public safety, and city administration. Just so he could end up with his 16th year in office. After the election he was basking in his 15-point election victory, amid fruit baskets and flowers sent by well-wishers. Not only that he was thinking about new ideas, like a thought to suggested merging city departments to save money, building a medical research and residential complex on the South Boston Waterfront. So that to Boston would be more actraive. 

 

I enjoyed reaing an article about the mayor I really don't read about him. I just know him cause he goes to the school. I need to read more .

 

 

 

 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/11/05/energized_the_mayor_wants_to_take_more_risks/

[gregory lespinsse]

This article is about president Obama decision on increasing troop in Afghanistan but in order to accomplish that step he would have to raise costs of military operations in Afghanistan, which average about $3.6 billion per month. Both parties were informing about that issue. The republicans said “they support that the president should send more troops. Richard Lugar of Indiana pointed that “the war is more important” he suggest that the president Obama should put the health care debate aside until next year.

 

President Barack Obama is expected to send about 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, slightly fewer than the 40,000 that the NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, requested. Peter Orszag have went to many over President Obama meting and gave a view of how much money would be spend “30,000 additional troops would be roughly $30 billion a year, or $1 million per fighter. But some budget analysts believe the cost would be closer to $800,000 per fighter, and because Obama intends to phase the new troops in over a period of 18 months”. Reading this article made me think of how president Obama will help the future generation?

How could president Obama make difference in our society ?

PLZ...

give your opinion

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/30/afghan_war_cost_grips_both_parties/

[Bryan D.]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/30/public_corruption_law_faces_major_supreme_court_challenges/

In this article the main players are the united states and the supreme
court. The article is mainly about this law in the U.S right now that
protects us from a corrupt government could be turned down by the
supreme court.Scalia said this open-ended law “invites abuse by
headline-grabbing prosecutors’’ who can turn minor ethical lapses into
a crime that carries a long prison term. This basically means that the
attention grabbers who actually have a little power could actually
turn some little things into something big so that they could be
recognized. This story is an on going thing but the first time I heard
about it was Nov.29. This event is happening in the supreme court.
I believe that they should actually leave this law because the law is
meant to keep the government from actually going corrupt but in all
actuality no matter what they do with the law there will always be
loop holes that people wiil try to find. This is because if people
want to be corrupt they will just do anything to do so.