#FreeHongKong

By: Kinnda Klauss

What is going on in Hong Kong right now?

Hong Kong is facing the threat of Chinese communist rule. While Hong Kong is still considered a part of China, they are under what is known as “One country, two systems.” According to Becky Little from the History channel, Hong Kong came under British rule temporarily in 1898, and was handed back to the Chinese in 1997 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. This law allowed Hong Kong to keep their freedoms in communist China for 50 years and will end in 2047.

Since the signing of Sino-British Joint Declaration, 23 years have passed, and China has increased their attempts to suppress the citizens of Hong Kong by:

• Meddling in Hong Kong elections
• Implementing laws that prosecute Hong Konger’s freedoms
• Using violence to stop protests

China Meddling in Hong Kong Elections

Hong Kong’s government does not have a president or a prime minister, but they do have a chief executive who, at the moment, is Carrie Lam. She was chosen by a group of a officials that make up 6% of Hong Kong’s electorate. Although she was elected by those officials, she also had a final evaluation which is done by the Chinese government. This final evaluation ultimately allows the Chinese government to control who is in office.

Not only can they veto the chief executive elect, they also implement their own officials who are apart of the pro-Beijing party. The pro-Beijing officials make up at least 30 of the 70 seats in Hong Kong’s legislative council (LegCo) because only 35 of the seats are open for every electorate in Hong Kong, while the remaining 40 seats are left to small businesses and banks.

During the last election in Hong Kong, the officials of the pro-democracy parties won by a landslide, and China reacted by closing down the elections this year. Carrie Lam announced that the elections would be closed down because of Covid-19, and that China wholeheartedly supports them.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam arrives for a news conference in Hong Kong, Friday, July 31, 2020. She announce to postpone legislative elections scheduled for Sept. 6, citing a worsening coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

The National Security Law (NSL)

This new law was implemented by the Chinese government on July 30, 2020. This law criminalizes secession, subversion, organization and perpetuation of terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The definitions of this law are so broad that any citizen can be arrested and even sent to mainland China for trial where they could possibly get a lifetime sentence just for protesting.

Under this new law, a 15-year-old girl was arrested for the criminal offense of “inciting secession” because she waved a flag that had the words “Hong Kong Independence” on it. There was also a 36-year-old woman who was arrested for the same offense for possessing publications that said “One Nation, One Hong Kong.”

The NSL also applies to those who are not from China. If you were to openly support Hong Kong’s independence, you could be arrested immediately after landing in Hong Kong or China.

Police Brutality

Many protests began in Hong Kong in 2019 after the extradition law was passed. The protests have started to increase in 2020 after the NSL was passed. Protests in Hong Kong have become increasingly dangerous as the Hong Kong police become more imprudent by using excessive violence towards the protesters.

Here’s a link to a video of a disturbing attack on pro-democracy protesters from the Hong Kong police.

Because of the increasing violence used by the police, protesters have to wear protective gear in hopes to leave the protests unscathed and anonymous. The protesters usually show up wearing all black, hard hats, masks, goggles, and gloves. Although even after the protests are over the protesters are not safe from police abuse.

How to Support Hong Kong Protests

A couple of ways to help those fighting for their freedom in Hong Kong are signing petitions, sending monetary and non-monetary donations, showing support for the citizens of Hong Kong, and boycotting companies that support the CCP for example, Disney, the NBA, and Vans.

This article includes a lot of specific ways to support the protests in Hong Kong.

Please share what’s going on in Hong Kong right now, and if you don’t want to share this post, here’s a video that you can share with others that gives a good summary of Hong Kong’s situation after the passing of the NSL.

Renewable Energy

By Doug Patterson

What Are Renewable Energy Sources?

Renewable energy sources is… energy that has been derived from earth’s natural resources that are not finite or exhaustible

The seven renewable energy sources are:

• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
• Geothermal Energy
• Hydrogen Energy
• Hydroelectric Energy
• Ocean Energy
• Biomass Energy

Wind Energy:

Pros of wind energy:

• 1.Wind energy is a clean energy source, which means that it doesn’t pollute the air like other forms of energy.
• 2.Wind energy doesn’t produce carbon dioxide, pollution, smog, acid-rain or any heat trapping gasses

Cons of wind energy:

• 1. wind turbines are built in rural and remote areas, the areas that need them the most like cities won’t be available to build or to have
• 2. Wind energy must be transported via transition lines, leading to higher costs and more risk factors

Solar Energy

Pros of solar energy:

• 1. With solar energy, sunlight is functionally endless, so we would never run out of sunlight
• 2. We could rely on that more than fossil fuels and it wouldn’t hurt the environment at all.

Cons of solar energy:

• 1. Solar power would have a significant upfront cost and is an unrealistic expense for most households.
• 2. for house owners, they wouldn’t have the ample sunlight and the space to be able to have the solar panels.

Geothermal Energy

Pros of geothermal energy:

• 1. Not as common as other types of renewable energy sources, but it does have the potential for a great energy supply
• 2. It can be built underground, it leaves little footprints on the land

Cons of geothermal energy:

• 1. It costs a lot to build the infrastructure
• 2. it also depends on the vulnerability to earthquakes in certain regions of the world

Hydrogen Energy

Pros of hydrogen energy:

• 1.Hydrogen can be used for a clean burning fuel
• 2. can be used as fuel cells, which can be used to power an electric motor

Cons of hydrogen energy:

• 1. Since hydrogen needs energy to be produced, it is inefficient when it comes to preventing pollution

Biomass Energy

Pros of biomass energy:

• 1. The use of biomass in energy production creates carbon dioxide that is put into the air, but the regeneration of plants consumes the same amount of carbon dioxide, which is said to create a balanced atmosphere.
• 2. In 2017, energy from biomass made up about 5% of the total energy used in the U.S. energy came from wood, biofuels and energy generated from methane captured from landfills or by burning municipal waste

Cons of biomass energy:

• 1. New plants require carbon dioxide to grow, plants take time to grow fully
• 2. We don’t have the widespread of technology that can biomass in replace of the fossil fuels

Hydroelectric Energy

Pros of hydroelectric energy:

• 1. Hydroelectric power is very versatile and can be generated using both large scale projects, and small scale projects
• 2. Hydroelectric power does not generate pollution, and therefore is a much more environmentally-friendly energy option for our environment.

Cons of hydroelectric energy:

• 1. The storage systems may need to use fossil fuel to pump water.
• 2. hydroelectric power does not pollute the air, it disrupts waterways and negatively affects the animals that live in them, changing water levels, currents, and migration paths for many fish and other freshwater ecosystems.

Wave Energy

Pros of ocean energy:

• 1.Unlike other forms of renewable energy, wave energy is predictable and it’s easy to estimate the amount of energy that will be produced. 
• 2.  Instead of relying on varying factors, such as sun and wind, wave energy is much more consistent. 

Cons of ocean energy:

• 1. People who live in landlocked states won’t have ready access to this energy. 
• 2. Another factor to consider is weather, when rough weather occurs it changes the consistency of the waves, thus producing lower energy output when compared to normal waves without stormy weather.

The iPhone

The first generation iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007 by co-founder Steve Jobs. When this devices was announced it took the world by storm because it was revolutionary. This device changed people’s expectations on what a phone should be. One of the greatest features of the first generation iPhone is that it brought the internet with you giving you access to the web at all times. The iPhone also later released with an App Store which also was a game changer giving it further expanded the things you could do with your phone. From maps to mobile games all that was available on the iPhone. This App Store is also the reason we have apps like Uber and DoorDash. The iPhones camera also made photography an easy and simple everyday activity and it also had apps to edit those pictures.

The first generation iPhone released with a price tags of $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for double the storage of 8GB. The iPhone influenced a lot of smartphones and still do to this day. Companies like Google have taken inspiration from the iPhone. Google’s Q gestures in its software and hardware design with camera are cues of Apples iPhone Google’s pixel device on the left and Apple’s iPhone on the right.

The iPhone is a very popular device some of you may be reading this blog on one, have it in your reach or you know someone that has one. The iPhone is usually the first thing people see or use in the morning. Whether you are turning of your alarm or check your messages. Apple has sold at least 1.4 billion iPhones in the last 10 years. Over 900 million iPhones are in active use today.

The modern day iPhone “iPhone 12” is a huge leap from the original featuring a sleek box design which is a call back to the iPhone 5. This iPhone has a faster processor and upgraded 4K camera that puts itself way ahead of its competition. There are pro models of this phone for people who want a little more out of their iPhone. It come with a better camera, longer battery life, and bigger screen. The prices for this device has inflated over the years as expected with better technology. The iPhone 12 ranges starting at $649 and the pro starting at $999. These devices are expensive but they are well worth it.

Evolution of the iPhone-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWM5Ygz1Y1I

The original iPhone-https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/steve-jobs-debuts-the-iphone

What is Batten disease?

A blog by Jenna Jajjo

Have you ever known somebody with Batten disease? The odds are quite low that you have because it is estimated that it affects 2 to 4 out of every 100,000 children in the United States. Batten disease is a rare group of nervous system disorders, also known as NCL’s, or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. The only reason that I even know what Batten disease is happens to be that my aunts and uncle passed away from this fatal disease.

Family History

My grandparents on my mom’s side of the family are both carriers of Batten disease. For those that don’t know, this is an autosomal-recessive genetic disease, meaning that to have the disease, you would have to have two recessive (or defective) copies of the gene that causes the disease. Those at risk for this disease are only those whose parents are both carriers of the disease and those whose parents have the disease. My grandparents are both carriers, meaning they each have one normal copy of the gene and one defective copy. This means that whenever they have kids, there will be a 25% chance of the child receiving two defective copies of the gene, resulting in Batten disease. Unfortunately for them, 3 out of the 5 children they had were diagnosed with Batten disease. First, my grandmother birthed my mom, who is healthy. Then she had my uncle Murad who is also healthy. After that, she had my other uncle Manar, who had infantile Batten disease and passed away at a very young age. The next time my grandmother got pregnant, the doctors concluded that the fetus would also have Batten disease and they decided to terminate the pregnancy. She still regrets her decision to this day. Next, she was pregnant with twin girls. They were named Candice and Crystal. They both were born with the disease, however Crystal passed away at birth. On a side note, my mother named her first born daughter (my older sister) after Crystal. Candice had juvenile Batten disease and lived well into her twenties. I never had the pleasure of meeting my late uncle, however I do remember spending time with my Auntie Candice as a child. For as long as I can remember, she was bedridden and unable to speak. There were always nurses at my grandparents house taking care of her.

This photo shows me, Candice, and one of her nurses as we celebrated Candice’s birthday.

The effects of the disease

This disease causes the functions of the brain and nervous system to deteriorate over time. This fact sheet provided by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke provides information as to the specific functions that are affected by Batten disease:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Batten-Disease-Fact-Sheet#:~:text=Over%20time%2C%20affected%20children%20may,and%20lose%20all%20cognitive%20functions

The fact sheet linked above states that “Over time, affected children may suffer from worsening seizures and progressive loss of language, speech, intellectual abilities (dementia), and motor skills. Eventually, children with Batten disease become blind, wheelchair bound, bedridden, unable to communicate, and lose all cognitive functions.”

This photo shows my older sister Crystal and my beautiful Auntie Candice celebrating one of Candice’s birthdays with her favorite cake that we got for her every year.

Cure? Treatment?

In Batten disease, the mutated genes do not produce the normal amounts of proteins vital for the function of lysosomes, which break down and recycle the wastes and lipids of the cell. There is no cure for this as of today. Batten disease is ultimately fatal. Currently, there is one treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Batten disease. This website provides reliable information about this treatment:

Batten Disease Treatment

According to the website linked above, “Brineura (cerliponase alfa) is an enzyme replacement therapy developed by BioMarin that helps slow the progressive loss of walking ability in patients with a type of Batten disease known as CLN2 disease…Brineura is a recombinant human proenzyme, meaning that it is not active when first infused into a patient. This proenzyme is taken up by specific cells in the brain and then transported to lysosomes. Once inside the lysosome, the proenzyme becomes active, replacing the missing TPP1 enzyme and functioning to break down waste material.” During the study of Brineura, it was found that Brineura helped children with CLN2 disease maintain their ability to walk or crawl over two years. Additionally, the seizures caused by Batten disease can be controlled or reduced with certain anti-convulsant therapies that work by reducing the brain activity that causes convulsions. Physical and occupational therapy may help retain functions longer than without it. Support groups are also available for those affected and their loved ones to cope with the struggles.

More photos with my beautiful Auntie Candice

This photo shows my sister, my second cousins, Candice, and my great aunt and uncle.

This is a photo of my grandparents, my mom, my sister Crystal as a baby, and my Auntie Candice.

Exercise Can Be Beneficial To Our Mental Health

by Calista Summers

Mental Health is the condition of one’s psychological and emotional well-being, and if someone doesn’t take care of their mental health it can dramatically affect that person’s life. Most people at some point in their  lives have gone through some mental health problems and have struggled to find ways to relieve the burdens it brings on them and those around them. It can have a toll on not only one’s mental state, but their physical health as well. Working out can be a way to take care of your mental health. It  can help with disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress, and much more. With everyday problems controlling our lives, simple exercise can help us and make it easier to handle those everyday issues. Mental Health is something everyone struggles with, but working out can relieve some of the stress we battle with. 

Mental Health tends to usually go untreated, and millions of Americans suffer from mental health symptoms and this causes their physical and mental health to decline as well. Some of those physical health problems include

• Random aches and pains
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Obesity
• Premature death

Many also lose their jobs and end up homeless due to mental health affecting oneself. This can cause an increase in other mental health issues and it also can increases the chance of those attempting and committing suicide.

While these illness and health issues can cause a big toll on one’s life, studies have found that regular exercise has a positive impact on those suffering from depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental illnesses. Exercise can also be helpful with those who suffer from PTSD and trauma. It helps them from getting their minds stuck and wondering about those bad thoughts and past trauma. Exercise makes those feel more energetic and feel a sense of healthy well-being which can make everyday tasks seem a lot easier and capable to succeed. Working out regularly can improve sleeping, feeling less anxious, more aware of surroundings and better memory, and overall an increase of self-esteem. People who exercise regularly tend to get better sleep which can help others suffering from a mental illness or disorder and decrease the chances of getting other health problems.

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Working out can be a “medicine” for our mental health.

Since working out can be a form of replacement for medications, it can help produce proper amounts of chemicals in our brain that affect mental health.Working out can increase serotonin levels and allows us to decrease our chance of mental health problems. Serotonin is a chemical our body produces that controls mood such as happiness. If we have low amounts of serotonin it can cause mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Exercising is shown in studies to work as antidepressant medication and reduce depression by 26% in people.

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Working out can be a distraction and a powerful tool to let you push through negative and depressive thoughts and actions. Many people struggle with anxiety from everyday life issues. If one takes time to work out they can reduce anxiety in themselves. Working out can be a method to calm down some of the anxiety we face and it also can keep our minds busy from overthinking and working ourselves up, which is something those with anxiety tend to do. If we keep our bodies active and moving, it can decrease the body’s anxious feeling and tension. Exercise gets our heart rates up which makes our body produce endorphins and therefore allows our brains to increase serotonin levels.

short video about mental health and exercise

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What Types of Workouts

There are many examples of workouts that we can do to improve our mental well being. Not everyone has the ability to participate in high-intensity workouts. There are many simple exercises that are beneficial to our mental health.

Simple Workouts

Yoga gives people that soothing sense and can be very therapeutic. It will help reduce stress levels by simply calming your body down. Even if someone isn’t flexible there are many different yoga exercises that are easy to accomplish and there are different levels people can join to fit their needs.

• Walking
• Jogging
• Swimming
• Yoga
• Cleaning/House work
• Bike Rides

High Intensity Workouts

• Weight Training
• Cross-fit
• Biking
• Boxing
• Running
• Yoga

https://www.getthegloss.com/article/7-exercises-to-boost-your-mental-health

But Where Do I Start?

You might be thinking, well that sounds great and all but where do I start? When it comes to exercising, if someone has depression or other mental health disorders, the loss of motivation can also have an effect on this as well. A way to just start exercising if one feels lost, just take a walk outside.

Walks are great for getting simple exercise, especially walks outside. Going on walks can enhance one’s mental state and will guide the steps to improving your mental health and physical health. Walks outside tend to bring oneself in a better state since one is also getting fresh air and can “get away” from the business of work and life. Many people also take walks together with friends which can also boost one’s mental state to just talk about their feelings with one another.

From experience, I went from working out constantly with sports to stopping once Covid-19 hit us so fast. I know this method of going on walks does help especially during a lockdown, it can help keep yourself busy and feeling good during such tough times.

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Some motivating stories people shared on BuzzFeed of the positive affects exercise had on peoples health.

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/theresatamkins/how-exercise-can-save-your-life. 

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If we find ways such as working out to release some of the pain we go through when battling mental health, we will be able to enjoy life and our surroundings better. Everyone goes through mental health issues at some point in their life and most people struggle to find ways to help with them. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as taking care of our physical health because it can have major effects on body. Working out is one way that all people could utilize to help relieve some of the issues mental health brings on people.

With Covid-19 happening, many people had a spiked increase in their anxiety and depression during the first shutdown,  and with a possible chance there will be another quarantine happening, if those who know they will struggle with these mental health disorders, exercise might be in their best interest during these times.

If you are going through mental health issues and you are struggling to find a way to help, working out or exercising could perhaps be the solution. 

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References

Hunter, Anna. “7 Exercises to Boost Your Mental Health.” Get The Gloss, Get The Gloss, 7 May 2020, www.getthegloss.com/article/7-exercises-to-boost-your-mental-health. 

 John J. Ratey, MD. “Can Exercise Help Treat Anxiety?” Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Health Publishing, 22 Oct. 2019, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-exercise-help-treat-anxiety-2019102418096. 

Robinson, Lawrence. “The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise.” HelpGuide.org, Help Guide, June 2019, www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm. 

Scaccia, Annamarya. “Serotonin: Functions, Normal Range, Side Effects, and More.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 Aug. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/serotonin. 

Tamkins, Theresa. “19 Moving Stories From People Who Used Exercise To Change Their Life.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed News, 19 Jan. 2019, www.buzzfeednews.com/article/theresatamkins/how-exercise-can-save-your-life. 

Young, Joel. “Untreated Mental Illness.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 30 Dec. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-your-adult-child-breaks-your-heart/201512/untreated-mental-illness. 

Nikola Tesla

By: Ermal Capollari

Nikola Tesla at 34 years old

Who is Nikola Tesla?

According to History, Nikola Tesla is an engineer and scientist known for designing the alternating current (AC) electric system. AC is an electric current that occasionally changes direction. Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan, Croatia on July 10, 1856. He studied math and physics at the Technical University of Graz and philosophy at the University of Prague. At age 22 he dropped out because he lost all of his money due to a gambling addiction. Six years later he moved to the United States to work at Thomas Edison’s Laboratory but only stayed for a year because Thomas Edison would not pay him for the job that Tesla was asked to do. He would then go on to leave a memorable legacy and die at age 86 in a New York Hotel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok8JDXSYw1U&ab_channel=TheLifeGuide

Alternating Current vs Direct Current

The war between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. They both had different ways to provide electricity. Thomas Edison’s direct current is an electric current that moves in only one direction. Nikola Tesla’s alternating current moves in opposite directions. The world would then realize that Nikola Tesla’s alternating current was better as it could power more homes at a much longer distance.

Nikola Tesla Facts

There were a lot of strange facts about Nikola Tesla. According to Mentalfloss, he had a

• Tremendous talent for visualizing his inventions
• Had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Claimed to have created an earthquake machine
• Invented the Tesla Coil that would send electricity wirelessly

How Pets Influence Our Health

By: Brianna Geiger

Background

Imagine this: you come home after a long day of work, and you are greeted by a friendly pup who is just waiting for your arrival. She wags her tail and jumps up to hug you, clearly happy and excited to see you again. This feeling of being loved unconditionally by an animal is one an individual never forgets. Many people own pets because they provide companionship and create a special bond. Dating back to thousands of years ago, our earliest ancestors saw dogs and cats as companions too. The first domesticated dogs came from wolves and helped ancient people with hunting and guarding their villages. Today, we still think of dogs and their ability to protect us in times of danger. There are many kinds of animals that have different needs. Before choosing to adopt or rescue an animal, the owner must be aware of what kind of care the animal may need. But, there are many more benefits to pet ownership than just companionship.

The Benefits on Physical Health

5 Health Benefits of Loving a Pet

Pets help encourage their owners to exercise, especially dogs with their daily need to walk. When a person walks their dog, they are exercising themselves as well, even if that is not the main goal. In Australia, a quarter of dogs owners walk their dogs at least 5 times a week, and they are more likely to exercise at least 90 minutes each week than those without dogs. Even pets such as cats still require play time and exercise, although they do not need to be walked like dogs do. Exercise is important to include in your everyday life because it strengthens cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol and helps you maintain your weight. Exercise also improves your strength, endurance, mood, and energy. It makes you feel like your best self.

The Benefits on Mental Health

Pets lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression as well as help their owners cope with other mental health issues. Playing with or petting a dog or cat can be relaxing and distract your mind from the real world, increasing your happiness. Pets make owners feel a sense of belonging and reduce loneliness by being a loving companion. A pet will never judge you and will always be there to comfort you when you need it. Caring for an animal gives a person’s day purpose and makes them feel valued and needed. This is especially beneficial for those who have depression since they may feel as if no one cares for them. Walking a dog can also lead to new relationships with other people.

The Effects on Children

Pets help teach children valuable life lessons such as responsibility, trust, and compassion. This is one of the main reasons why families adopt a pet. Through daily feeding, exercising, grooming, and giving attention to a pet, a child learns how to be accountable, consistent, and responsible. Pets help children trust themselves, which results in higher self-esteem and self confidence. Early exposure to animals may also reduce the risk of developing allergies and asthma in children.

Dogs Help Assist with Special Needs

There are two main types of dogs who assist those with special needs or illnesses: assistance dogs and therapy dogs. Assistance dogs are highly trained to do certain tasks, which help a disabled person with daily activities. Therapy dogs provide comfort and affection to others by volunteering in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools with their owner. The purpose is to bring therapeutic benefits to people by supporting those with mental illnesses, reducing loneliness, and being a companion.

Emotional support animals are similar to these dogs because they provide comfort to those diagnosed with psychological disorders, but they can be any type of animal species. Therapy dogs and emotional support animals do not have the same legal rights as assistance dogs and cannot accompany their owner everywhere they travel. Assistance dogs is a general term and can be broken down into several groups:

• Guide dogs, who ease those who are blind or have vision impairments
• Hearing dogs, who ease those who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Service dogs, who assist those with autism, epilepsy, or other disabilities

The Disadvantages of Pet Ownership

While there are many incredible benefits of owning a pet, the reality is that taking care of an animal is not always easy and is not for everyone. Dogs and cats require more attention to their needs than say, a turtle, so it is crucial to choose the right animal for you when adopting.

Negatives of owning a pet

• Expensive when you add up food, veterinary costs, and toys
• Requires a lot of the owner’s time and energy
• Can make allergies or asthma worse
• Possibility to spread diseases through bites or scratches
• Accepting that they will die one day

Summary

Pet ownership enriches people’s everyday lives by improving their physical and mental health, but not everyone can manage caring for an animal. If an owner gives their pets everything they need from food and water to being played with, their pet will provide their love in return.

Sources

Myers, Jonathan. “Exercise and Cardiovascular Health.” Circulation, vol. 107, no. 1, 7 Jan. 2003, doi:10.1161/01.cir.0000048890.59383.8d.

“Pets and Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, 14 Aug. 2018, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health.

Saunders, Jessica, et al. “Exploring the differences between pet and non-pet owners: Implications for human-animal interaction research and policy.” PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 6, 2017. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A496624302/OVIC?u=lom_oaklandu&sid=OVIC&xid=ad95f522.

“The Five Health Benefits of Loving a Pet.” Edited by Connie Wilson, Modern Dog Magazine, Connie Wilson, 13 Feb. 2015, moderndogmagazine.com/blogs/modern-pets/five-health-benefits-loving-pet.

“The Power of Pets.” Edited by Harrison Wein, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2018, newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets.

Trautner, Tracy. “The Benefits of a Family Pet.” MSU Extension, MSU, 14 Dec. 2017, www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_benefits_of_a_family_pet.

The United States and Israel Relationship by Ben Husic

Since 1948, Israel has been recognized as an official country. Since this, tensions in the Middle East have never been worse. As of 1985, the United States has sent a total of 142 billion dollars to Israel in aid. Why does the United States do this? The United States reason for doing this is to, have a strong US presence in the Middle East. A lot of citizens in the United States do not know that we send an average of three billion dollars to Israel every year. The United States and Israel relationship have caused many problems within the United States and the countries itself.

Israel in 1948 and Israel in 1967 after the Six-Day War.

Problems created with the aid given to Israel

Tensions with the Middle East and the results from it

• As we know in 1948, Israel was recognized as an official country. But the problem is no Arab state recognized them as a country. Matter of fact, most of the Middle East disliked this as before Israel that area was known as Palestine. Since the recognition of Israel, Palestine has lost more and more land each decade and become much smaller as time goes by. Once Israel was officially recognized as a country, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had started.
• With the tensions rising in the Middle East, a lot of terrorist groups were created because of this and have attacked the United States and Israel. One example is the terrorist group known as Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda was created on 1988 in Peshawar, Pakistan. The reason for the formation of Al-Qaeda is, because they believe that a Christian-Jewish alliance is conspiring to destroy Islam. Al-Qaeda attacked the United States in the popular terrorist attack known as 9/11 which killed 2,977 people.

This pictures shows an airplane crashing into one of the World Trade Center buildings as a result of the tensions between Al-Qaeda and the United States/Israel.

Relations with countries in the Middle East and the United States/Israel

Issues in the United States itself

• A problem that occurs in the United States is simply that the United States can use the money that they give to Israel on things that American citizens could benefit from such as education and health care. The United States can use the three billion dollars to help young adults pay off college tuition or the United States can use it to improve health care prices in the US.

US aid to Israel from 1946-2017

How the US can stop giving money to Israel and fix relations with the Middle East

• As we know we cannot just off the bat stop giving Israel money in total. A good solution is to gradually stop giving them aid every year. What this means is every year decrease the amount of aid given to Israel to the point where eventually in a couple of years the aid hits zero or very minimal.
• Another solution to help Israel is to set up bases around Israel and deploy soldiers in areas where the conflicts are very large. Doing this will protect Israel from conflict with surrounding countries and will protect them from conflicts with Palestinians.

A Palestinian women getting into the face of an Israeli soldier.

The Israeli and Palestinian conflict.

What American Citizens think about the relationship with Israel

• While more than 60 percent of Americans were more sympathetic to Israel than Palestine, in a 2016 Gallup poll, sympathies differed along partisan lines, with around half of Democrats being more sympathetic to Israelis versus nearly 80 percent of Republicans. 
• Roughly half of Democrats who responded said that Israel has too much influence on the United States government.
• On the other hand, younger Americans are far less sympathetic towards Israel. A 2014 Gallup poll found that only half of those aged 18 to 34 favored Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict, “compared with 58 percent of 35- to 54-year-olds and 74 percent of those 55 and older.” 

US Citizens support for Israel

The other side of the argument

• Of course there are two sides to every argument. On the negative side of eliminating the aid given to Israel some would be, that Palestinians can use this opportunity to fight the Israelis and attempt to take back land that they believe is there’s. This could cause a huge civil war that could kill thousands of innocent people.
• Another negative effect of removing the aid is that the United States would not have a strong presence in the Middle East which would result in the conflict in the area to increase and certain terrorist groups would grow in power.
• Removing the aid would have Israel lose some power and would perhaps cause them to be invaded.

Control of the Middle East between certain groups.

Sources

2020, https://www.arabamericannews.com/2018/10/05/why-americans-give-4-billion-of-their-money-each-year-to-prosperous-israel/. Accessed 8 Dec 2020.

Akbar, Jay. “A Beginner’S Guide To Who’s Who In The Middle East Crisis As Old Rivalries Flare Over Trump’s Jerusalem Move”. The Sun, 2020, https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5089242/an-idiots-guide-to-whos-who-in-the-middle-east-crisis-as-old-rivalries-flare-over-trumps-jerusalem-move/.

“Al-Qaeda | History, Meaning, Terrorist Attacks, & Facts”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/al-Qaeda.

Gallup, Inc. “Americans, But Not Liberal Democrats, Mostly Pro-Israel”. Gallup.Com, 2020, https://news.gallup.com/poll/247376/americans-not-liberal-democrats-mostly-pro-israel.aspx.

“IS ‘Caliphate’ Defeated But Jihadist Group Remains A Threat”. BBC News, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-45547595.

“Map Of Israel During Declaration Of Independence 1948 Al Nakba”. Christians-Standing-With-Israel.Org, 2020, http://www.christians-standing-with-israel.org/map-israel-declaration-independence-al-nakba-1948.html.

“Responsibility For The September 11 Attacks”. En.Wikipedia.Org, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_for_the_September_11_attacks#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%20evidence%2C%20authorities,other%20suspects%20were%20ruled%20out.

“The Israel-Palestine Conflict – World Affairs Council Of Greater Houston”. World Affairs Council Of Greater Houston, 2020, https://wachouston.org/educator-resources/the-israel-palestine-conflict/.

“U.S. Foreign Aid To Israel”. Everycrsreport.Com, 2020, https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL33222.html.

“Why The U.S. Supports Israel – Institute For Policy Studies”. Institute For Policy Studies, 2020, https://ips-dc.org/why_the_us_supports_israel/.

Color In Design

The use of color in design is diverse. Colors can influence peoples emotions and because of that they are a very important tool in design. The use of color in design is very important and the emotional influence it has is a powerful tool a designer can use to make their work more appealing and effective.

Use of color

Color is used in design in different ways. Some designs rely on color to get their message across while others use colors to simply elevate their message. The graph below shows different brands and the primary colors in their logos. As you can see from the graph, the primary and secondary colors are used in many logos, however if you notice almost all the tech companies are in the blue section while there are no food companies.

How color affects emotions

Different colors have different effects on peoples emotions.

• Red: Passion, Love, Anger
• Orange: Energy, Happiness, Vitality
• Yellow: Happiness, Hope, Deceit
• Green: New Beginnings, Abundance, Nature
• Blue: Calm, Responsible, Sadness
• Purple: Creativity, Royalty, Wealth
• Black: Mystery, Elegance, Evil
• Gray: Moody, Conservative, Formality
• White: Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue
• Brown: Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability
• Tan or Beige: Conservative, Piety, Dull
• Cream or Ivory: Calm, Elegant, Purity

Each color has a different influence on peoples emotions. Some of the influence overlaps certain colors. For instance orange and yellow can both represent happiness. This is because yellow and orange are very similar in their hue.

Hues and shades

Shades of colors are what can determine the specific influence the color may have. For example, red can represent danger and boldness itself but, a darker version is more limited to representing anger, rage and jealousy. Now even though it can still represent many emotions they all follow the same pattern or influence your emotions in a similar way. Hues generally are used to describe the colors.

Above is a few different hues and their shades and tints. Normally when black is added to a color it is a different shade but if white is added it is a tint.

Designer’s use of color

The way designers go about using their colors and the way that colors work is referred to as color theory. They normally start by creating a color palate. This consists of a few different hues of color with their various shades on a chart or sometimes a wheel. Having all the colors next to each other is important so that designers can see the contrast of them before implementing them into a design. Designers color choice has a big impact on the effectiveness of the design. When working in such a subjective field it’s very important to remember you’re making things for everyone to see and like not just yourself. That’s why the color theory and way it’s used is so important.

Colors emotional response is greatly used by designers to influence consumers to buy their products or persuade them in some way. This information is super important for a designer to know to make their designs more appealing and effective. A designer with good designs like that can find work more easily and start make a solid career out of it.

Sources

https://www.canva.com/learn/color-psychology-the-logo-color-tricks-used-by-top-companies/

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/#:~:text=Red%3A%20Passion%2C%20Love%2C%20Anger,%3A%20New%20Beginnings%2C%20Abundance%2C%20Nature

https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2018/03/29/polishing-gitlabs-ui-a-new-color-system/

Animal Testing

By: Mackenzie O’Callaghan

We all use products such as shampoo, mascara, Windex, Vaseline, etc. Have you ever thought about who the companies test these products on before we get the luxury of using them? They are locked in cages most of their lives and only allowed out to be burned with chemicals, blinded, and even killed by these underdeveloped products. Testing on these innocent creatures is unethical and should be banned for eternity. 

Alternatives for animal testing

 Many alternatives have been brought to the attention of the experimentalists including the most important one, human tissues. Using these tissues makes sense considering the fact that all of the products are going to human use not animals, why wouldn’t we test on something more accurate? This human tissue test is called the h-CLAT which inspects changes in the human skin from the sensors provided. These sensors are stimulated when the tissue rejects the chemical put into it. Not only is this test a better alternative, scientists have also created others such as:

• 3D Structures

• Volunteer Studies

• Microdosing

All of these alternatives should terminate the abuse that animal testing is and relieve the pain they suffer through.

What kinds of tests are studied on them?

 Everyday of their lives they are stuck in small, cramped cages and taken out a few times a day to get chemical put in their eyes to see what type of reaction they’ll get, which is intensely painful for the animal, or even get tubes in their stomachs to be pumped with products until they die. They can also receive drugs and become addicted to them or be forced to consume or inhale toxic chemicals. These are just a few examples of what happens in scientists labs but as you can tell, their way of giving us unessential products is inhumane.

The expensive unnecessary testing

Animal testing is very, very expensive. We waste millions of dollars every year we test on them, not to mention the results can take months or years to be conducted. Also, sometimes when we get the final product of the tests, they are inaccurate because animals are not the same as humans! We both react to illness differently which is why we shouldn’t use them as test subjects. We should be using something more similar to us, like human skin models or tissues.

Long term effects to our decisions

Animal testing has shown to negatively affect us in the future. We are taking so many animals from their homes to abuse them for our benefit but no one realizes that at the rate the captured ones are dying, eventually there won’t be many rats, bunnies or dogs to test on anymore. Not only will this affect animals, it will hurt people also when our ecosystem is not the same so our agriculture will be damaged beyond repair. Losing all of these animals will result in an imbalance of ecosystems that could end up ruining our environment as a whole.

Another reason experimentation is useless in the future is because most of the results aren’t even published. Only about 60% of the results are actually used to further studies about the things we tested them for. The people who test on them say that they test to help find cures for humans or make products able to be used by humans but if only a little more than half is published, what’s the point?

What can we do to help?

One way to stop these scientists from using animals is simply not buying products that have been tested on them. Many brands that say “cruelty-free” are very good to shop from and if enough people realize this and start buying from them also the other cruel brands will no longer have any business. Another way to stop this is re-thinking your eating habits. I know some don’t want to switch to vegan meals but it can be a goal to ease yourself away from the abuse the animals go through for us to eat them.

Sources:

Rescues, PETA. “Animal Testing: Animals Used in Experiments.” PETA, 5 Oct. 2020, http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/. 

In Vitro Testing, Institute for. “Home.” Non Animal Testing Alternative Test Methods In Vitro Toxicology IIVS, 2018, iivs.org/testing-services/assays/sensitization/h-clat/. 

McKay, Michele. “The Cruelty of Lab Animal Testing.” Down to Earth Organic and Natural, 2 Sept. 2019, http://www.downtoearth.org/innocent-animals/animal-testing/cruelty-lab-animal-testing. 

Rose, Suzana. “10 Things Everyone Can Do To Help Animals: Cruelty-Free Kitty.” Cruelty, 22 May 2018, http://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/news/10-things-everyone-can-help-animals/. 

International, Humane Society. “Costs of Animal and Non-Animal Testing.” Humane Society International, 2 Apr. 2019, http://www.hsi.org/news-media/time_and_cost/. 

Social Media

By: Alexa Jarboa

How is social media shaping the world?

Over the past decade, the world has experienced a revolution in the way that messages are spread. Social media has allowed people all over the world to see and hear an endless range of messages. These message include, but are not limited to:

• Political messages
• Entertainment
• Social issue awarness
• Communication

How many people are on social media?

• Social media has made it possible for almost anyone with internet access to reach millions of people.
• There are an estimated 3.8 billion active social media users around the world equating to about 49% of the world’s population.
• This number is estimated to rise as time progresses.

Fame on social media

Link to the video that got Number Seven famous:https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJV7vJep/

TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the last year. It has become popular among:

• Children
• Teens
• Parents
• Teachers
• Employees
• Virtually anyone with a smart device

Social media has allowed virtually unknown people to achieve instant fame and wealth by using social media. The speed at which a message is transmitted is unbelievable.

• Many people have heard of “Number Seven” on TikTok.
• The Michigan high school football star, Caden Woodall, went viral after one of his peers posted a video of the team in their locker room on Tiktok.
• The video has received over 37 million views.
• Number Seven received over 1.6 million followers after posting his debut video to the platform after “lip syncing to Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston’s 2010 hit ‘Eenie Meenie’ in a locker room” on a fellow student’s tiktok page. http://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/19/business/tiktoks-viral-number-7-is-committed-play-football-harvard/. 

Tiktok star Charli D’Amelio

Charli D’Amelio is the face of Tiktok and is another great example of another normal teen reaching the pinnacle of fame via social media.

• Charli is “16 years old and the youngest member of the family, is the most-followed person on TikTok with 93.2 million followers. D’Amelio took off on the platform in July 2019 when she posted a side-by-side video of her dancing, paired with a video from a user called ‘Move With Joy.’”
• She has brought her whole family to the spotlight with her, as he mother has over 6 million followers, her sister, Dixie, has over 40 million followers, and her dad has over 7 million followers.
• The 16 year old star earns an estimated 4 million dollars per year from the social media platform of Tiktok alone.
• http://www.cnn.com/2020/10/15/media/charli-damelio-uta-greg-goodfried/index.htm

Communication

Social media has allowed for a better form of communication between people around the world.

• It has allowed for important social issues to be heard about across the world.
• Elections are often discussed.
• Political debates, messages, and conversations take place.
• Social media platforms such as LinkedIn allow for individuals to network and find employment.
• This platform allows for people to show their accomplishments to employers in order to find jobs and take on new positions.
• Social media allows for the exposure of individuals and events across the world at one’s fingertips.

Negatives

Cyberbullying is one issue that has risen in the surge of social media.

• This has caused for mental health issues to develop or worse.
• People often cyberbully for entertainment, fame, or exposure.
• It has a negative effect on those who become victims.

Unrealistic expectations of body image and social status are also negatives.

• Many people tend to compare their lives to the ultra wealthy individuals that they see on social media.
• This causes them to feel bad about their own life situations.
• Unrealistic body images are also portrayed on social media causing many to feel poorly about their own appearances.

Social issues are addressed via social media

• Social issues are made known across the globe via social media.
• Issues that are not commonly talked about are brought to light via various social media platforms.
• Police brutality is one social issue that has received much attention due to the increased use of social media.
• A high school student, Isabella Robinson, writes that “young people of her generation can affect positive social change through the power of digital messaging and social media.”
• Justice can be served through the dispersion of social issues via social media.
• Advocacy groups have the potential to work together and connect in order to make the world a better place remotely.
• http://www.uri.edu/tedx/talks/isabella-robinson-social-medias-impact-on-cases-of-police-brutality/. 

Summary

The use of social media has become more widespread and has allowed for the messages of individuals to be heard around the world. Although there are some negative aspects to the use of social media, there are certainly many positives as well. Social media use is bound to grow over the years to come; it is crazy to think about living in a world where people across the globe are not connected at the tips of their fingers.