Gold Nugget Discovery
An “amateur explorer” in Australia unearthed a 5.5 kilogram gold nugget estimated to be worth $300,000. The nugget was found buried just 60 centimeters bellow the surface just outside of a small town west of Melbourne. The Finder wishes to remain anonymous and only he, his wife, the shop owner and his wife know that he found it. It is known that a $7000 Minelab GPX Model 5000 metal detector helped him in his search. New technology like this puts him far ahead of old prospectors who have been searching for riches there for decades. Kent the shop owner stated that, “My guess is that it would sell at 20% or 30% above its weight in gold.” Not a terrible pay off for someone who only started searching for gold last year.
We’ve all have heard of success stories of treasure hunters but I never thought I’d hear one in the 21st century. In my opinion, the founder got way luckier than winning the lottery. It’s quite exciting that some “amateur explorer” was able to find such a valuable hunk of gold. It’s adrenaline pinching and expiring to me. I almost want to go out on my own treasure hunt. Unfortunately, I can’t afford a $7000 metal detector so I’ll probably be sticking with Geocaching. It will be interesting to see if this was just blind luck, or if he truly has found a mother lode in his “secret” location.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/18/business/australia-gold-nugget-discovery/index.html?hpt=wo_mid
Unjust Ruling on Hate Crime
Johnny Butts (61 years old) was hit from behind while taking his morning walk. The car contained 2 teenagers and an 18 year old driver Mathew Darby and hit Butts without slowing down at 55-70 MPH. The two passengers turned themselves in the following day and told police that they believed Darby intentionally hit Butts. Currently, only Darby is in jail, being charged with murder. Butt’s family is outraged that he isn’t being charged with a hate crime claiming that “They knew he was black and that’s the only reason they ran him over because he was black.” Prosecutors say that one reason that they haven’t charged Darby with a hate crime at this point is because there is no proof that at that time of the morning he could have known whether the walker was black or white. This is contradicted by the statement of one of the passengers who said that he had been able to tell that he was black at the time.
As appalling as it seems, I think the motive of this crime was quite apparent and obvious. Clearly Darby purposely hit Butts from behind because he was black. This isn’t the first time this has happened in rural Mississippi as CNN recalls a previous incident of similar fashion. I think that the testimony of the two teen passengers should be more than enough to convict Darby of a hate crime. It certainly won’t ease the pain of his family but it will hold a bit more justice to the case. I believe, as Donny Butts (brother) does, that this was a “modern day Lynching” and that should be recognized. It’s pathetic that people still hold such old grudges and racism in this country.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/17/us/mississippi-hit-and-run/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/22/justice/mississippi-hate-crime/index.html
Girlfriend Hoax
Manti Te’o, linebacker for Notre dame, claims that he is a victim of a sick joke. After he made claims that inspiration to lead his team to victory came from the death of his girlfriend to cancer. His girlfriend as it turns out, did not exist. She was simply someone that Te’o had met online and had had a relationship with without ever actually meeting her in person. No record of her existence could be found anywhere. On top of all this, his coaches apparently knew this information but choose to keep it secret in light of the upcoming championship. There was an investigation done by the Notre Dame athletic director who claims the story was not released because the school had “no idea of motive.”
Something strikes me as a little fishy with this entire story. I’m skeptical that a college football star could only find a relationship online. It seems a bit farfetched that such an athlete would have any trouble finding a date. To me it seems that he may have just made up some silly story to tell the public about what inspired him to win the big game. We certainly all want to have a story book style life don’t we? The athletic director is right to question the motives of Te’o and the suspected fake girlfriend. Messing emotionally with a player before a big game is certainly a low blow tactic but it’s not unheard of. Still I think that more facts are needed to fully clear Te’o from this mess.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21064161
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2013-01/18/content_16136892.htm
Fake Jefferson Qoute?
Recent shootings have sparked a renewal in the gun control debate. The “Founding Fathers” are largely quoted to defend the rights of the second amendment as they were so in favor of it. Unfortunately, a few of these quotes are met with discrepancy. The claimed quote from Jefferson reads “When governments fear the people, there is liberty, when the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” It is largely disputed and staff from the Thomas Jefferson foundation site claim that they have found no evidence that he either said or wrote such a piece. Some argue that the words, regardless of who spoke them, ring true and should be recognized for that. Others feel that quotes from that time period, even from such a great man of freedom, are somewhat outdated.
I think that the debate over whether or not Jefferson is responsible for the quote is ridiculous. The quote itself is entirely out dated. It may have held truth when the colonists revolted against the suppressive British rulers during the revolutionary war, but that was over 200 years ago. The thought of an armed uprising held by citizens of the United States against their own government in the 21st century is absurd to say the least. Regardless of where you stand on the gun control debate, using the argument that they can be used as a “last resort” against the government isn’t going to convince anyone. I think that like many items in politics today, people focus on the wrong thing. It’s time to get back to the big picture and actually make some progress.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/11/opinion/jefferson-fake-gun-quotation/index.html?iid=article_sidebar
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/04/us/marine-gun-letter-ireport/index.html
Horsemeat found in Hamburger
Traces of both horse and pig DNA where found in hamburger being sold in Ireland and Britain. Of the 27 products analyzed, 10 were found to contained horsemeet and 23 contained pigmeat. All the products where traced back to 3 plants, 2 in Ireland and 1 in Britain. Tesco, one of the suppliers in question was found to contain 29% horsemeat. Tesco is Britain’s largest retailer and has removed its entire hamburger line from the shelves. Chief executive of the Irish food authority, made a public statement that there was a “plausible explanation” for the traces of pigmeat since the two animals are often processed in the same plant. It is still unclear where the horsemeat came from.
We’ve all heard of tainted burgers before but as far as a mix of exotic meat arriving in our hamburger, it’s less than common in the 21st century. Food products are recalled all the time but generally it is for a contamination of bacteria, not other meat. The idea of finding pigmeat in a hamburger isn’t that scary. The two animals are processed in the same plant and so a small mix could very easily happen. On the other hand horsemeat generally isn’t processed. I’d like to know exactly how that ended up there at all. Another thing to consider is the religious views of consumers. Some religious groups would find it unacceptable at the thought of pig in their meat.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/world/europe/ireland-britain-horses-burgers/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/10/23/multi-state-beef-recall-tied-to-potential-e-coli-contamination/
Lance Admits to Doping
Lance Armstrong finally came clean about his use of performance enhancing drugs. He has denied such claims for over a decade. All of his Tour de France titles have already been stripped. He is also banned from bike racing for life. Clearly he has nothing left to loose. An interview with Oprah was confirmed today and will air over two nights beginning on Thursday. Oprah stated that “he did not come clean in the manner that I expected,” but refused to elaborate further.
Cheating is obviously wrong and that’s exactly what he did. He should, and is being punished for this. At the same time however, we shouldn’t just focus on the bad image of this icon. Lance in his prime, regardless of any performance enhancing drugs was a fantastic symbol of strength. He is a testament of overcoming cancer and his charity has raised millions of dollars to help those with cancer. No one else could have done what he did and I think that should also be recognized. Winning isn’t everything but neither is a silly bike race. Let’s look at the bigger picture.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/15/us/lance-armstrong-public-opinion/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Oprah: Armstrong ‘did not come clean in the manner that I expected’
Flashlight App
Flashlight app is an efficient way to light up the flash of your phone for extended periods of time. Besides function as a normal flashlight, it can also act as strobe light, SOS distress siginal and contains a compass.
Features:
Adjustable brightness
10 different strobe frequencies
Built in SOS signal
Easy to read compass
Similar apps:
Camera
Strobe app
I have used this app to light up text that I needed to read in the dark and to guide my way through a city using both the light and compass. I’ve never gotten lost with this app. It is one of the most basic but at the same time one of the most necesary apps for your phone.
Top 10 News Headlines of 2012
2012 was a year that housed a number of major tragedies. Over half of my list is comprised of scandal, shootings or natural disaster. Of course 2012 was also a year of election and the Olympics which are generally more positive. Overall 2012’s major headlines where result of negative news stories.
1. Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting
Topping the list with what I consider the most tragic and depressing of the list. It also sparked interest into a number of other controversial debates such as gun control.
2. Penn. State Scandal
Apart from destroying their football program, it turned attention to the responsibility of not ignoring such matters and bringing them to the attention of proper authority.
3. Olympics
Regardless of actual achievement, the Olympics is always a top world story.
4. Treyvon Martin
This event caused racial tension and resulted in nation wide morning.
5. Election
Made the list for similar reasons to the Olympics but is lower on the list since it is a less global story.
6. Aurora shooting
This is lower down on the list than the other two shootings since it didn’t spark as large of a side debate as usual with gun laws.
7. Healthcare Law
This made the list because it was such a divided subject and was followed by such a large majority of people.
8. Hurricane Sandy
As with all hurricanes, it was well publicized. This made the list over Hurricane Isaac simply because it hit the east coast and a bigger deal was made out of it.
9. Fiscal cliff
This made the list because such a larger fuss was made about it in recent days.
10. Space jump
This ends the list simply because it’s purely entertainment but was viewed by millions. Of course it’s also an amazing feat.
To make my top ten list, each news story had to not only impact a large portion of the national population but also carry a following of viewers. The rippled result of each story is what ultimately made the list.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2012/12/20/year-top-news/1783303/
http://www.nationaljournal.com/pictures-video/biggest-stories-of-2012-so-far-pictures-20120615
Facebook Identity
http://www.startribune.com/local/179597611.html?refer=y
Consequences of what you post on Facebook are a very real thing. with this said, I still think that it is ridiculous that the church wont confirm him. People certainly do judge you by your Facebook posts and often opinions should be kept to yourself. But something that is entirely opinion based like gay marriage shouldn’t have to be kept secret though. I agree with the consequences of posting certain items online but I disagree with this specific reaction.
elliotlynch 