http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/30/showbiz/actor-paul-walker-dies/
Paul Walker, star of the Fast and the Furious movie series, and a friend, Roger Rodas, died on November 30th, 2013, at around 3:30 PM, while they were on their way home from a charity event to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The cause of death was a car crash, as the car (2005 Porsche GT) slid off of the road and into a light pole before bursting into flames. They were just meters from their destination, which was probably Rodas's shop. Multiple fire extinguishers were used to try to stop the flames from killing the two men inside the car, but they were trapped, and the flames continued to burn. The site was surrounded for hours by fans and curious onlookers for hours, and was later decorated with flowers to pay tribute to the actor. According to the press, Paul Walker was also a philanthropist, who would often give money to those in need. Recently, it was decided that all proceeds from the Fast & Furious franchise would go towards Walker's charity, Reach Out WorldWide.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
TOW #12
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ap-gfk-poll-health-law-131659580.html
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was flawed in its institution according to many Americans. Rising premiums and deductibles have been blamed on the health care overhaul, which adds to Obama's list of problems. This list, including the functionality of the healthcare website, healthcare.gov, has been under America's spotlight recently. The overall turnout was the opposite of what the White House was expecting, as they were looking forward to a positive reaction from people as they saw how well the law would slide in to current society. Now, on the contrary, the Republicans are using it as another reason to pick at the Democratic party. The benefit, however, is that 11% of people who responded to a survey conducted by the Associated Press tried to sign up for healthcare that they were previously not able to. The survey was conducted via the internet, and the respondents were interviewed online.
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was flawed in its institution according to many Americans. Rising premiums and deductibles have been blamed on the health care overhaul, which adds to Obama's list of problems. This list, including the functionality of the healthcare website, healthcare.gov, has been under America's spotlight recently. The overall turnout was the opposite of what the White House was expecting, as they were looking forward to a positive reaction from people as they saw how well the law would slide in to current society. Now, on the contrary, the Republicans are using it as another reason to pick at the Democratic party. The benefit, however, is that 11% of people who responded to a survey conducted by the Associated Press tried to sign up for healthcare that they were previously not able to. The survey was conducted via the internet, and the respondents were interviewed online.
TOW #11
http://news.sky.com/story/1181130/australia-gay-marriage-law-reversed-by-court
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25344219
Last Saturday, the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) passed a law that would guarantee same-sex partners marriage. Soon afterwards, the Australian High Court ruled unanimously against the ACT's ruling, saying that it was inconsistent with federal laws because in Australia's Marriage Act explicitly states that marriage can only be between one man and one woman. All of the couples who had been married on Saturday had their unions rendered invalid, which was heartbreaking, but, on the other hand, they did have the moment of marriage which some said was invaluable. Although this is a step backwards for Australia as a whole, the ruling is a baby step in the right direction because it cements the fact that the federal government controls marriage, not individual state governments, like in the United States.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25344219
Last Saturday, the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) passed a law that would guarantee same-sex partners marriage. Soon afterwards, the Australian High Court ruled unanimously against the ACT's ruling, saying that it was inconsistent with federal laws because in Australia's Marriage Act explicitly states that marriage can only be between one man and one woman. All of the couples who had been married on Saturday had their unions rendered invalid, which was heartbreaking, but, on the other hand, they did have the moment of marriage which some said was invaluable. Although this is a step backwards for Australia as a whole, the ruling is a baby step in the right direction because it cements the fact that the federal government controls marriage, not individual state governments, like in the United States.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
TOW #10
http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/notorious-anti-gay-activist-flees-russia-over-extremism-case
In Russia, neo nazi groups led by Maxim Martsinkevich have been spreading videos where they lure, capture, humiliate, and physically abuse young gay men around the country. Social media allows them to easily broadcast their cause to young adults and children, some of whom support it, especially when the Martsinkevich's actions align with the recent anti-LGBT law "banning gay propoganda to protect children." This video, however, prompted the Russian police to investigate, and found Martsinkevich guilty of hate towards the Iraqi gay subgroup. He then fled the country instead of facing a court hearing. The Russian police have currently searched his apartment and that of his parents, and his girlfriend has taken pictures of the searches and posted them to her instagram. The video of Martsinkevich shows him shaving the man's head, painting different graphics on his body, and hitting him several times before the screen fades to a graphic that says, in Russian, "no to violence." Hopefully he returns to the country to face trial for his crimes, and the support for the anti gay movement dies down.
In Russia, neo nazi groups led by Maxim Martsinkevich have been spreading videos where they lure, capture, humiliate, and physically abuse young gay men around the country. Social media allows them to easily broadcast their cause to young adults and children, some of whom support it, especially when the Martsinkevich's actions align with the recent anti-LGBT law "banning gay propoganda to protect children." This video, however, prompted the Russian police to investigate, and found Martsinkevich guilty of hate towards the Iraqi gay subgroup. He then fled the country instead of facing a court hearing. The Russian police have currently searched his apartment and that of his parents, and his girlfriend has taken pictures of the searches and posted them to her instagram. The video of Martsinkevich shows him shaving the man's head, painting different graphics on his body, and hitting him several times before the screen fades to a graphic that says, in Russian, "no to violence." Hopefully he returns to the country to face trial for his crimes, and the support for the anti gay movement dies down.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
TOW #9
http://news.yahoo.com/typhoon-deaths-climb-thousands-philippines-200523335.html
Typhoon Haiyan struck the eastern seaboard of the Philippines on Friday and left behind destruction and devastation in all affected areas. Houses were swept away, flattened, or simply destroyed by the force of the storm. In Tacloban, a ship was even pushed ashore and now lies amongst the wreckage and debris from ruined houses. The death toll from this typhoon sits somewhere around 10,000 at the moment, with more people missing and even more needing critical supplies like food and water. At the moment, typhoon Haiyan is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, which explains why the cost was so great. Now, the Philippines looks to the rest of the world for support as they try to rebuild their community. This was posted on Yahoo news through the Associated Press, so it appears to be a credible article, especially because of the fact that multiple other sites and channels on TV have been reporting on the same story.
Typhoon Haiyan struck the eastern seaboard of the Philippines on Friday and left behind destruction and devastation in all affected areas. Houses were swept away, flattened, or simply destroyed by the force of the storm. In Tacloban, a ship was even pushed ashore and now lies amongst the wreckage and debris from ruined houses. The death toll from this typhoon sits somewhere around 10,000 at the moment, with more people missing and even more needing critical supplies like food and water. At the moment, typhoon Haiyan is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, which explains why the cost was so great. Now, the Philippines looks to the rest of the world for support as they try to rebuild their community. This was posted on Yahoo news through the Associated Press, so it appears to be a credible article, especially because of the fact that multiple other sites and channels on TV have been reporting on the same story.
TOW #8
I'm finished reading the book I Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. This book was a collection of essays about the author's life. Overall, the book was very funny and told a lot about the author's life and personality. David Sedaris is obviously a very funny man and has a comic talent, especially when it comes to telling personal stories. He's always able to put a twist on these stories to make them relatable, or at the very least, take something that wouldn't normally be humorous and make it funny and exciting. David Sedaris is clearly a credible author because he writes frequently for Esquire, does commentaries on NPR, and has written a number of New York Times best sellers. In this book, I believe that his purpose was to demonstrate his own skill as a writer and to allow the audience, the common crowd of readers, to learn something about him or get to know him better. He was also able to connect to the readers even though all of his stories were personal, and the audience may or may not have been able to connect to them. I would give the book a 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone who needs something funny to read.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
TOW #7
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/10/27/us-saudi-womendriving-idINBRE99Q05H20131027
In countries like Saudi Arabia, where the religious, conservative mindset still controls a lot of the social policies, women are prohibited from doing things like showing bare skin and riding bikes. Recently, however, women have been pushing for their right to drive, seeing as no law in Saudi Arabia explicitly bans them from doing so. However, when women are seen driving, they are stopped by police and forced to sign pledges saying that they will not drive again. Police had even set up blockades around the city so that they could peer into the windows of oncoming cars to ensure that no women were behind the steering wheels. Women, however, are taking more and more control of the situation. Activists have started filming themselves driving and publishing videos on places like Youtube, and have also been taking pictures of themselves and sharing them using social media. Male Saudis who support the movement have also been sharing social media clips, including a parody of the Bob Marley song "No Woman No Cry" called "No Woman No Drive". This seems like a positive movement for the women's campaign, although it may become dangerous for some of the women involved. However, they seem prepared to sacrifice a lot for this civil rights campaign, and are continuing to drive regardless of police actions and conservative cleric riots. This article was published on Reuters, and covers the topic adequately. It seems to be written for an audience of people who are globally aware, or they wouldn't understand why women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.
In countries like Saudi Arabia, where the religious, conservative mindset still controls a lot of the social policies, women are prohibited from doing things like showing bare skin and riding bikes. Recently, however, women have been pushing for their right to drive, seeing as no law in Saudi Arabia explicitly bans them from doing so. However, when women are seen driving, they are stopped by police and forced to sign pledges saying that they will not drive again. Police had even set up blockades around the city so that they could peer into the windows of oncoming cars to ensure that no women were behind the steering wheels. Women, however, are taking more and more control of the situation. Activists have started filming themselves driving and publishing videos on places like Youtube, and have also been taking pictures of themselves and sharing them using social media. Male Saudis who support the movement have also been sharing social media clips, including a parody of the Bob Marley song "No Woman No Cry" called "No Woman No Drive". This seems like a positive movement for the women's campaign, although it may become dangerous for some of the women involved. However, they seem prepared to sacrifice a lot for this civil rights campaign, and are continuing to drive regardless of police actions and conservative cleric riots. This article was published on Reuters, and covers the topic adequately. It seems to be written for an audience of people who are globally aware, or they wouldn't understand why women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.
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