All Mr. O'Malley's Classes , 11/24-29/2009
Open to ALL of Mr. O'Malley's periods.
***EXTRA CREDIT***
FOR 10 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT DO THE FOLLOWING:
Find a current event in the news, either on-line or in the newspaper, write two paragraphs on the topic:
1. The first paragraph is a summary of the article and the current event.
2. The second paragraph is your opinion of the situation.
To receive full credit for the assignment you must post your paragraph on my homework blog. Due BEFORE MIDNIGHT Sunday, 11/29/2009
Please include your name and period in the comment so I can give you credit.
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Homework for Mr. O'Malley's Alameda High school students.
11 comments:
The article I have read, "Coma recovery case attracts doubters," pertains the story of man named Belgian Rom Houben who had awoken from a 23 year coma after a car crash in 1983. Rom was misdiagnosed in a vegetative state, where his body was completely immobilized but his brain was still functioning. Rom is now conscious and is able to communicate, but many scholars and scientists believe that when Rom's aide helped his fingers touch the keypad screen, it was her that was doing the typing, and not Rom. However, some argue that the aide was just guiding him through the process and that he was able to communicate fluently. Others argue that it was obviously the aide that held his hand; she was the one doing the typing, and not Rom, so this raised questions and confusion as to whether Rom is really capable of communicating. As Rom continues to improve his movements, doctors and scientists hope to use science as an answer to the widely-known controversy.
When I stumbled upon this article on Yahoo, I could not believe that anyone could have been in a coma for that long! 23 years is an extremely long period of time that almost anything could have happened to the outside world. Science and technology had advanced for far, even over the last few years, so I can understand that doctors and scientists misdiagnosed Rom to having a coma. I saw pictures of Rom Houben, and it's true that he was paralyzed and used a touch screen keyboard in order to communicate, but I have doubts that it was his own hand that controlled what was being typed. It's skeptical to believe that he did it himself while the pictues showed that his assistant held his hand and moved it along the keyboard. I have very little confidence that science can assure the press that Rom's movements were independent, but only time will tell when science and technology advances even farther in the future.
Good work and you receive full credit...however you need to put your name and period on the post.
Mr. O'
Shuying Yu Period 4
The article I have read, "Coma recovery case attracts doubters," pertains the story of man named Belgian Rom Houben who had awoken from a 23 year coma after a car crash in 1983. Rom was misdiagnosed in a vegetative state, where his body was completely immobilized but his brain was still functioning. Rom is now conscious and is able to communicate, but many scholars and scientists believe that when Rom's aide helped his fingers touch the keypad screen, it was her that was doing the typing, and not Rom. However, some argue that the aide was just guiding him through the process and that he was able to communicate fluently. Others argue that it was obviously the aide that held his hand; she was the one doing the typing, and not Rom, so this raised questions and confusion as to whether Rom is really capable of communicating. As Rom continues to improve his movements, doctors and scientists hope to use science as an answer to the widely-known controversy.
When I stumbled upon this article on Yahoo, I could not believe that anyone could have been in a coma for that long! 23 years is an extremely long period of time that almost anything could have happened to the outside world. Science and technology had advanced for far, even over the last few years, so I can understand that doctors and scientists misdiagnosed Rom to having a coma. I saw pictures of Rom Houben, and it's true that he was paralyzed and used a touch screen keyboard in order to communicate, but I have doubts that it was his own hand that controlled what was being typed. It's skeptical to believe that he did it himself while the pictures showed that his assistant held his hand and moved it along the keyboard. I have very little confidence that science can assure the press that Rom's movements were independent, but only time will tell when science and technology advances even farther in the future.
IS THAT BETTER, MR. O'MALLEY???!!
Juston Dea
Per 4
11/28/09
On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, there was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that really caught my eyes. The article suggests that people should be able to pay $200 to climb the Golden Gate Bridge because a famous bridge in Australia, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, charges visitors to climb the bridge rather than raise the tolls. Since we are currently in an economic crisis, some people say that this idea of paying to tour the Golden Gate Bridge will be a very good money maker. Also, the people that have to transit everyday across the bridge won’t have to pay as much toll increases if the tours of the bridge are successful.
Personally, I wouldn’t pay to take a tour of the Golden Gate Bridge but I do think it’s a good idea for raising money. Having tours on the Golden Gate Bridge might be extremely dangerous in various ways. First of all, if you have ever walked on the Golden Gate Bridge, you would know how windy it is because it’s the entrance from the ocean and someone who doesn’t know may be blown off the bridge. Also, I don’t know how much security will be available since the tours may include strategic areas of the bridge, because a crazy terrorist may decide to plant a bomb on the bridge and that would be a disaster. Another issue is if people are suicidal, this will give them a chance to get it over with. In addition, in order to prevent the suicide leaps, barriers will need to be installed therefore, adding another expenditure rather than revenue to the bridge. I think a better way to raise money of the Golden Gate Bridge is to charge people that want to walk on it. But don’t charge $200 but instead maybe $5 for children and $8 for adults.
Jocelyn Nguyen
period 5
This article, "Surgery Mental Ills Offers Both Hope and Risk" is about when people who are diagnosis with brain problems such as obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)have a very hard time living. there was two guys, a middle age man and a teenager both were diagnosis with OCD. The man, Leonard did not want to wash himself nor brush his teeth. on the other hand the teenager, Ross was very terrified by germs that he would take shower for seven hours. they also never left the house. But finally they both traveled to the hospital in Rhode Island for brain surgery. The surgery changed the young man Ross's life forever. Unfortunately the man, Leonard was still the same. He did not change at all. So people who get brain surgeries are not always guaranteed to change. The risk is that you might stay the same or get worse. there's a small amount of people who change.
When i read this information i was truly amazed. i thought it was sad how these two guys live in this condition. i think its a great idea to have surgery at a young age because people who are diagnosis with OCD can be cured easily and they also can have a better life in the future. i know that their is a chance that people can not change but if scientist do more research on it and make sure their accurate then more people would be cured.i also think that the brain surgery works on younger people so scientist should focus more on older people.
The article I read called, "Where dropouts get pay, diploma and job," is about John Muir Charter School on Treasurer Island. This school is for students who are dropouts at other schools. The purpose for this school is so that teenagers who have been convicted of crimes or expelled from previous schools can receive a high school diploma. They do not only receive a diploma but also receive work training in various construction fields. Another incentive for the students to attend school is that they get payed: $50 per week they attend class and $7 per hour of construction work, health care, transportation, and housing. This support is often needed for these teens because they are not only students but parents too. Already 200 out of 500 students who are currently attending or previously attended have graduated. One of John Muir's students, Makia Johnon, was previously expelled and dropped out of two San Francisco high schools. She said "It changed my life"; currently having a high school diploma and working for a salary of $15.63 per hour. John Muir Charter school is also helping 20 students get on track to go to college, and an additional 60 are in pre-YouthBuild students classes so they can qualify for vocational programs.
When I read this article I was very shocked there was a program like this. I think this school is and can be very affective for these students. I think any teenager in this position would be more willing to go to school with all of the financial help they receive. It will also help them in the future because even if you just have a high school diploma and some of the job training they have, they are more likely to succeed. I hope this school continues to supply any resources to all kids in need because I know if I was in a similar situation it wold benefit me a lot.
Kelsey McKeon
Period 5
Brandon Morales
per.2
Today there was an article online called,"4 Officers Slain in Coffee Shop Ambush". It is about a shooting in Parkland, Wash. Four cops where killed in a coffee shop as they where working on there laptops. They believe that this shooting was a "targeted ambush". They do not know who shot the police officers or why. All they know was that there was one male suspect who fled the scene.
I think that these cops where targeted. There is no way a guy would walk in a coffee shop and randomly shoot the cops. Also, i think these cops must of did something in order to be targeted like that. They wouldn't shoot a police officer for no reason. I hope that they find this guy and find out why he did this.
Today I read an article about four police officers that were shot down in a coffe shop in the city of Parkland Washington. They shooter is still unknown and the police are offering 10,000 dollar reward for any information that leads to an arrest. They say that the police officers were the main target because nobody else that was in the coffe shop were hurt. They suspect left on feet and is known to be african american.
This is really sad. It seems that now a days more and more police officers are being murdered. There is something that these police pfficers must have done to provoke this. Weither it was something to his friends or possible someone from his family. I think that i would be very intresting to find out why this man did this.
The article I had read was from the alameda sun. It spoke of changing our school systems around, "grades K to 5 to grades K to 6; its middle schools to from grades 6 to 8 to grades 7 to 9 and the high schools to from grades 9 to 12 to grades 10 to 12". They called this plan of action the 'master plan'. This change would supposedly help increase attendance rate. Encinal high school would be closed and kids sent to Alameda High. Those who wanted to attend the new charter school on the island would be sent to Encinal. It is possible that a magnet school would be created. Also Wood Middle School would close.
As a previous Wood school student I understand what it's like to try to keep your school going. On my last year at Wood my fellow friends and classmates all worked on letters and petitions. It was difficult, but showed how much kids appreciate their school. When kids show their consideration about school(of all things) it should be taken harshly. So in my opinion I think it would be a very bad plan of action to close our schools and change the system. Plus as we've seen our school loves our social activities (Homecoming Assembly), and if we changed the school system we would not be able to participate in such activities. All together in my opinion it would be a poor-choice to put the 'master plan' into action.
Alexandra Lee
Period 5
Juliana Hui
Per. 4
Earlier today an article was posted that disclosed information on a magnetic disc being able to destroy cancer cells. The article was titled: "Tiny magnetic discs could kill cancer cells: study". It tells of how a disc, made with iron-nickel alloy, is able to disrupt the cell membranes of cancer cells and cause them to self-destruct.
In my opinion, this is a quantum leap from previous attempts at curing cancer. Although it might be expensive (and we are experiencing an economical crisis) I believe that with perserverance the world can cure cancer one day.
"U.S. Cool to Surge in Afghanistan's Own Force"
-the article is about the ever so wavering number of Afghan police. this is controversial because of the fact that this would mean that President Obama would be sending more American troops over seas to help with the matter. the newly acquired troops in Afghanistan would then crumble the amount of troops we have ever had there since 2001.
-my personal opinion on the matter is that the fact that we have been there for so long that it almost sounds stupid that we are sending more troops to train the Afghan police forces. its almost as if the American society has become so familiar with war that we have distanced ourselves from every nice house on the hill with a white picket fence dream behind and has embraced the anger that is the red-blooded American way.
Zane Little Per. 2
P.S. when you try and correct Obama, Alabama comes up LOL
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