Global Warming?

Is the earth heating up?  Is the earth cooling off?  Are traditional places around the world that experience traditional winters becoming tropical?  Or is the planet experiencing yet another flux in its history of temperature changes?

Your answer may vary depending on what side of the global warming (now officially known as "climate change") debate you may be on.  Some believe that if you don't believe in global warming than you are "uneducated" - even to the point that some scientist that have spoken out against the argument that there is a dangerous rise in temperatures around the world have been shunned by members in the science community.

Yet, there is evidence that shows that the throughout the history of the earth it has always fluctuated between a number of years of which the planet warmed and a number of years of which the earth cooled.  Scientist that argue against the idea of global warming state that the earth's rotation "wobbles" and throughout time the earth's axes moves slightly; which has a direct effect on the temperatures around the globe.

There is plenty of information out there that present both sides of this argument.  I would highly encourage you to take a look at them.  It's always important to know both sides of a debate.

BLOG QUESTION:
What is your opinion about Global Warming (or if you want to be politically correct today, you can call it "Climate Change")?  Defend your point of view.

No Work...No Money....

Some call it "Welfare" while others call it "Entitlements"... Some can argue that it is a nation's "moral responsibility" to aid those that are less fortunate, while others will argue that doing so on the back of others is an unfair system.  Regardless of which side of the issue you may be on, one thing is for sure - the welfare debate is only beginning; not only in the United States, but elsewhere in the world, as governments around the globe begin to struggle with mounting debt and having to make serious budget cuts.

Without a doubt, it is going to be a topic that the United States is going to have to address in the very near future; especially in light of new figures that have recently been released that indicate that over 100 MILLION Americans are currently receiving some type of Federal Welfare.  Opponents of the growing welfare programs argue that the United States is becoming a "Welfare State" and that the middle class and the wealthy are the ones that are being "forced" to pay for these programs - mainly through increased taxes.  Likewise, those that proclaim that the programs are vital due to the current economy, make the argument that those that have jobs should be assisting those that are without and even more so, that the weight of the funding for these programs should come from "taxing the rich" at a much higher rate.

Furthermore,  most individuals that are against the increased funding for the numerous federal welfare programs that exist claim that a large portion of those that are receiving these funds are abusing the system and "just lazy" - getting money for nothing.  Why would they want to work if they are going to get "free money" and "free healthcare"?  Those that are benefiting from these programs claim that there aren't any jobs and that it's not their fault.

One of the ideas that has recently gained traction is that those that receive a welfare check should be forced to work.  The argument is that there are plenty of volunteer jobs that recipients can work at; soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, picking up litter, etc.  Those that disagree with this approach argue that "forcing" people to work would be the same as slavery - forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do and that doing so would be unconstitutional.

So... I bet you can guess what this week's blog topic is.....

BLOG TOPIC: Should those that receive welfare benefits be forced to work x-number of hours per week in order to qualify to receive the benefits?

This week's blog topic was contributed by Lady Tank.....

Nelson Mandela

OUR TRIBUTE TO A GREAT WORLD LEADER!

This week, the world lost one of the greatest leaders it has been blessed to have, Nelson Mandela.  This week, we're going to discuss one of his many great quotes that will now live forever within the annals of history.  I hope that each one of you take some time to do some research on this great leader and that read some of his work, at some point in your life.  He was a positive light upon this world and learning more about him will only have one effect on your life and that effect will be a positive one!

This week's Blog Topic:
Analyze the following quote from Mr. Mandela:

"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man."

BONUS: Feel free to add any knowledge you may have about this great man, or something that you learned recently about Mandela that has left an impression on you, personally.

SPECIAL NOTE: This week's blog topic was suggested by one of my APUSH 2 students.  If you have a topic you'd like for us to discuss, drop me an email.  If I like it, I'll post it!!!

Good Science...bad science???

Oddly enough, we’re going to continue on our “science” type theme this week, but with a slight (or major) twist.  I didn’t actually plan it this way, originally, but heard this great discussion on how “beneficial” science really is…or isn’t…

Science, for the most part, is the accumulation of knowledge in a systematic method to create general truths on the operation of the universe, most commonly referring to “the physical world and its phenomena, the nature, constitution, and forces of matter, the qualities and functions of living tissues.” (Webster’s) For this blog it can be understood to be the development and utilization of new technology and the expansion of human knowledge in the modern era, though it should be noted that not all technological advances are from rigorous scientific analysis (such as the industrial revolution) and science has only significantly influenced technology in the last two centuries. What it means to be human is itself another debate, but here it can be understood to be both the collective entity of the human race and the defining features of humans which make them distinguishable from other beings (you know, what separates you from your dog or cat or other life forms).

Advancements in science have occurred for thousands of years as far back as the Ancient Greeks (who many believe invented scientific principles), and their effects are becoming ever more pronounced. Production has shifted to mechanized factories and even killing in warfare is being replaced in parts with unmanned drones. The boundaries of medicine are being expanded with possibilities of cloning and stem cell research. Science has allowed acts that would otherwise be impossible for humans to consider undertaking. It has created previously unknown abilities to heal the sick or destroy all of humanity with Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Blog Topic: The question is whether or not being able to undertake those acts is a benefit, and whether science does more to improve lives or harm them.

Foreign STEM Graduates

Here at Secaucus High School, we have what is known as the STEM Academy (aka Science & Math Academy...or the Math and Science Academy... depending on your preference.... kind of like which came first, the chicken or the egg...)

As the U.S. economy staggers out of recession, many see the growth of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, known collectively as STEM, to be crucial in keeping the United States competitive on the global stage.

In addition to facilitating the study of these fields among American youths, some STEM proponents argue that immigrants who come to the United States to learn about the sciences should be encouraged to stay here once they have graduated. They fear that otherwise, foreign STEM grads will take their skills and education to their home countries, costing America the opportunity for job-creating innovation. The STAPLE Act, which would grant immigrants who earn Ph.D.’s in STEM fields permanent residency and exempt them from immigrant quota limitations, is one initiative being proposed to keep foreign STEM graduates on U.S. soil in the hopes that they will create successful companies and more jobs for Americans.

Opponents say this and similar measures would have the opposite effect, taking jobs away from Americans and suppressing wages in the fields. In addition, many opponents feel that the over emphasis on STEM related subjects belittles the other equally academic fields in the Arts and Humanities.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies and author of The New Case Against Immigration, Both Legal and Illegal and How Obama is Transforming America Through Immigration, feels that the idea is a good one, as long as it's restricted to those receiving a Ph.D.  He stated:

""Staple a green card to every foreign STEM grad's diploma!" say the politicians and lobbyists. But the real question is, which foreign STEM graduates should get green cards?
Foreign students getting bachelor's degrees most certainly shouldn't, because that level of achievement is hardly special. Even the tech companies pushing for the "staple" legislation don't want that; Texas Instruments's human resources director testified before Congress last year that her firm doesn't sponsor foreign students with bachelor's degrees because there are plenty of Americans to choose from. In fact, there were in 2010 1.8 million Americans with engineering bachelor's degrees who were not working in engineering. And that's not all STEM fields—just engineering."

Dr. Norm Matloff, a professor of computer science at the University of California opposes this idea and any legislation that would promote this program.  Dr. Matloff wrote:

"Flooding the STEM labor market with foreign students produces stagnant wages. This disincentivizes many of our best and brightest young Americans who hold STEM degrees from seeking careers in the field; instead, they often pursue law or M.B.A. degrees. Reportedly 25 percent of Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineering graduates now go to Wall Street instead of launching careers in technology. Proponents of "staple a green card" proposals should worry about an internal brain drain in the United States."

Blog Topic Question:
Should foreign STEM graduates get green cards? If so, should it be restricted to only those that obtain a Ph.D in their field

Blast off to Mars!!

Ok, I know that the title of this blog may sound strange (yes, I would also agree), but let me explain.  This week, we are going to pretend that all of us have volunteered to be the first people to colonize the planet Mars.  Water has been found and scientist have been cultivating the planet so that it can sustain life.  The reality is that you're a long way from home....a really long way....(it would make the separation from say the historical "Old World" and "New World" look like a simple walk across the street!!).

So, as you prepare for your trip to the Red Planet, we have to decide on a few things....

This Week's Blog Questions:

You can carry only three things with you (due to strict weight limitations)... what would you take?
Think about the make up of your class.  Someone has to be in charge...who?  What type of government are you going to put into place?  What are some of the rules that you would establish that would be non-negotiable?  What do you do with those that refuse to obey the rules?

PS> Even though this is somewhat of a "fun" blog topic this week, the answers to the above questions aren't as easy to answer as one may think.  The decisions that you make will have MAJOR implications and may determine if you survive or not!  Give your responses some thought.

Feared or Loved?

Let's say that you suddenly found out that you were a relative of a king or queen of a powerful country and the ruler is childless.  The king or queen suddenly dies and the people of that country begin scrambling to find how is the closest heir to the throne... and they discover that it is YOU!

Now you are faced with the key question of which Machiavelli wrote about in his book The Prince.  Machiavelli asked the question: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse.  Machiavelli's response was "The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared.  But since the two rarely come together,l anyone compelled to chose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."


This week's Blog Topic:
As a ruler, it is better to be loved or feared?  Be sure to defend your answer and provide clear examples for support.