Ann's Blog On Math and Science Funding:

Blog #1:

“Senate passes bill to keep U.S. competitive in math, science” (cnn.com, April 26, 2007)

In Washington on Wednesday, the senate decided to pass a bill that will add $16 billion to the wallet of the math and science departments in the next four years. Legislators are concerned about staying in the lead of technology. The bill is called America Competes Act and it passed with 88 votes in favor and 8 against it. The bill will now be sent to the House. With the extra $16 billion the total amount that will be spent over the next four years is $60 billion. Some of this money will go to funding for the training of math and science teachers and to promote advanced placement education and international baccalaureate programs.

I am really glad that all of this development is happening in the education department. I am a firm believer that not enough attention or money is given to the schools across America. I have met people from other countries and it seems like we, as Americans, are falling short in pretty much every sector. Even the foreign exchange students that come to Alexandria seem to be one step ahead of us here. Especially with language, which I think is also very important. People my age from other countries know up to five different languages and are fairly fluent in them too. I guess I think its terrible and very narrow minded that I can’t say I am fluent in anything but English. It seems really self-centered to me, like all we are concerned about is ourselves and we don’t need to be able to communicate with other people across the world. I understand that we should have kind of a chip on our shoulder about being Americans, that kind of patriotism, but I can see how if I were from a different country I would judge us on that little fact alone. I think that it is phenomenal that we are putting more money into the science and math departments. I can see the opposing view that would say that our national debt is already way too high and the last thing that we need is more reckless spending. My defense to that is that, in the long run it will only help boost our economy. If we put the money into the technology and scientific programs now, then we can develop new things fast and before other countries so that we will prosper in the end.

Article from:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/25/america.competes.ap/index.html
Picture from:
http://laurelwoodbooks.com/images/science%20&%20math.jpg

Ann's Blog on CNN shooting:

ANN’S LAST BLOG FOR 3rd QUARTER!!!!

“Woman injured in shooting at CNN center” (cnn.com, April 3, 2007)

Today in Atlanta, Georgia a woman as shot in the CNN building. A witness, who is a CNN employee, said that he saw the man shoot the woman twice in the street-level lobby of the complex. The suspect is in custody and the condition of the woman is unknown. Two people were taken on stretchers to different ambulances. One of the two people could have been the shooter. A security person said that the man with the gun and the woman were engaged in a verbal fight before the gunshots. Immediately after the shots, people in the building ran for cover. Charles Williams, a worker of the technology services, saw a man dragging the woman by the hair one level above where the shooting was. The man told him to get out of the way and Williams went to get a guard. He heard gunshots less than a minute later.

This breaks my heart…the last two blogs that I have done have involved people shooting other people. HUMANS ARE SO INSANE!!! It is ridiculous and immature. Why do people have to be full of so much hatred and resentment towards others? It makes no sense, if people have issues they should work them out with sentences. Instead people turn psycho and decide that what they want is so important that they can kill someone else on some little whim that they have. Never even thinking about consequences for themselves or the things that loved ones will have to go through with their loss. Its not fair. People loose sight of what life is all about. They can be so selfish and attention craving. It is insane. It makes me ashamed to be a human. To be a part of humanity sometimes makes me want to cry. People never think before they act and they can’t ever step into someone else’s shoes and see life from their perspective. That’s all it takes. I bet this man who shot this woman had no idea if she had a husband and a two year old daughter. Maybe her sister lived next door. How are these people supposed to go on with their lives with a loved one shot and dead? Who is supposed to read the nighttime story to little Jen? ... Or whatever this woman’s situation is. I’m so disgusted with people right now.

Article from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/cnn.shooting/index.html
Picture from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/cnn.shooting/index.html

Ann's Blog On Billy Joe Shaver:

Ann’s Blog #8:

“Country singer wanted in shooting incident” (cnn.com, April 3, 2007)

In Austin Texas, a country singer by the name of Billy Joe Shaver has been issued arrest warrants for shooting another person. His attorney explains, though, that it was in self-defense because the man came at him with a knife. Apparently after leaving a bar late on Saturday night, a heavily intoxicated stranger followed him into the parking lot with a knife. The Austin police issued the warrants late on Monday and Shaver tried to surrender to them but something was wrong with the warrants. The victim was shot in the cheek and was alert and talking afterwards and was hospitalized. Firearms are not legal to carry around in the state of Texas.

What a nightmare for Shaver, and really for the victim too (his last name is Turner). I can’t even begin to imagine the guilt that would come along with shooting someone else’s face and hurting someone to the point of hospitalization. I would be a wreck, even if it was in self defense, I would still have wished I would have tried some other method, a safer method, of defending myself. I guess I can’t imagine some drunk idiot coming at me with a knife either, I suppose that would be extremely scary. I feel really bad for the guy, but I lose a little bit of sympathy for him because he carried around an illegal firearm. This is kind of asking for it. If he is that famous that he is worried about getting attacked, he should hire a body guard who can carry the gun legally. I’m sure the man with his face blown off is partially regretting the whole evening too. It is amazing to me the crazy things that alcohol can do to a person. And now this man will have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life, with half of a face. The same for Shaver, I’m sure that his CD sales will go down because of the incident. That’s rough.

Article from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/03/people.shaver.shooting.ap/index.html
Picture from
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nucountry.com.au/images/artists/billyjoe_hat.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nucountry.com.au/articles/diary/march2004/240304_billyjoe1.htm&h=336&w=280&sz=10&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=rz4UYDW4-8R2IM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=99&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBilly%2BJoe%2BShaver%2B%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

Ann's Blog on Hurricanes:

Ann’s Blog #7:

“Very active hurricane season predicted” (cnn.com, April 3, 2007)

This year’s hurricane season is said to be very active and potentially devastating, as predicted by forecaster William Gray. Last year there were only five major hurricanes. Only two of them brought major destruction. William Gray expects seventeen named storms this coming season, with five of them having the most intensity. In an average year the percentage of a hurricane coming to the Atlantic coast of the United States is fifty-two percent, this year, the percentage is seventy-four. At the same time, Gray, like most forecasters, over predicted the number of hurricanes for last season. The hurricane season runs from June first to November thirtieth. Within that timeframe the averages are as follows: 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes. The record breaking season was in 2005 that had 28 named storms, 15 of those hurricanes and four of the hurricanes hit the United States coast, obviously the worst of them Katrina.

Scariness! -Especially for those living near or on the coast. It has always been crazy to me how much of an effect weather can have on humans. To me, we seem invincible, and weather seems within our control for the most part. But then these natural disasters happen and ENTIRELY prove me wrong. Looking at the pictures of Katrina and the mess it made of New Orleans makes me realize how little control we have. With statistics like the ones predicted for this year is nerve-racking. Although in my opinion, the reconstruction of New Orleans could have been a mistake. Especially considering the fact that reconstruction takes years and years. All it takes is one storm to wipe out the city again entirely. Then all of the residents of New Orleans will be left to pick up the pieces again. At the same time, it would be an even bigger challenge to say ‘okay everyone living in New Orleans…you can’t!!’ That wouldn’t work either, but I guess I don’t think that there should have been so much money put into it, especially with the national debt as high as it is.

Article from:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/04/03/hurricane.forecast.ap/index.html
Picture from:
http://earth.esa.int/ew/cyclones/Katrina_Hurricane-aug05/_images/Katrina_Hurricane_date28Aug05_rgb_big.jpg

Ann's Blog On Hilary Duff:

“Teen Star Feels Pressure to Be Thin” (cnn.com, April 2, 2007)

This article talks about all of the pressures on weight and appearance in the world, especially from the media. It talks mainly about Hilary Duff and all of the things that she goes through in her position and how it is a constant struggle to be the ‘perfect’ weight. Hilary shares how she is either getting criticized for being too heavy or too thin, which puts a lot of pressure on her. She has sold 13 million records and is constantly in front of the world to see. The media takes advantage of her limelight, which can make the job she does very challenging. She, unlike many other movie stars, is able to get through it and has never had a problem with an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are all too common in this day and age. I know what its like to be in high school and the pressures that fall onto every young woman in that period of her life. Those pressures get to A LOT of girls and it makes them very unhappy. Its crazy the effect that the media has on girls my age; we see the 110 lbs beauty in the magazines with the caption ‘has Jane been over indulging?’ and our subconscious minds start thinking, ‘whoa, I’m heavier than that…and she is getting ripped on. No thanks, an apple is fine’ I have been through that so many times and I know all of my peers have experienced that almost daily as well. Good for Hilary for not caving into those pressures and being able to stay strong and not develop unhealthy habit. Although, I have seen her get awfully thin from time to time and I know that it is really hard to get to a certain point of ‘thin-ness’ and I can for sure tell you that she has missed out on several desserts in the last few years. Especially because the public was able to see her grow up in her adolescence from the average 13 year old body to a celebrity body. It is hard not to think of her has being overly concerned about her figure for the job that she does. It’s sad…a girl can’t eat what she wants when she wants and her mind is always filled with guilt about a sweet treat. It’s really frustrating and unfair. I hope that the tide can slowly change and that the issues of overly skinny-ness can be solved by the time I have a daughter.

Article from:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/02/hilary.duff.ap/index.html
Picture from:
http://www.cool-midi.com/hilary-duff-free-midi-18.htm