Current Events

Reports now say that this prison is now "humane".

This social networking site changed its Terms of Service, only to do an "about face" after so many users protested.

President Obama has authorized air strikes in Pakistan.

An 11-year-old boy is being charged in the shooting death of his father's pregnant girlfriend. The shooting took place near New Castle.

Quiz hints

• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton kicked off a four-nation Asian tour on Monday, and talked to reporters while en route to Tokyo.
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be able to serve an indefinite number of terms.
• Two men in China were sentenced to death for their role in the milk poisoning scandal.
• Israeli troops began to pull out of Gaza after three-week fighting period.
• A Seton Hill student was shot and killed by police at the end of a three-hour standoff.
• Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps will not face criminal charges" for the now infamous photo showing him smoking out of a bong.
• The Catholic Church has reinstated the practice of issuing plenary indulgences.
  

Students in Period 4A or Period 7: Don't forget that your Bay of Pigs questions are due on Tuesday!

Upcoming Assignments/Quizzes

Students:

If you missed the viewing of "Thirteen Days", you will need to rent it or see me during activity period to watch it. The questions that go along with the movie can be printed
here and are worth 13 points.

On Friday we are taking a step backwards, chronologically speaking, to read about the Bay of Pigs invasion. We will answer questions that go along with the reading-- see me if you are not here on Friday so that you can get the worksheet.

Since there is an in-service day on Monday, you will take your Current Events quiz on Tuesday upon your return. Tuesday we will also be working on a Nordstrom Desk Atlas activity about nations involved in the Cold War.

On Wednesday of next week, you will have a 30-point mid-Cold-War-unit test. Details will follow.

Current Events Quiz tomorrow

• German Chancellor Angela Merkell called the Pope to discuss Bishop William Richardson, whom the Pope welcomed back into the Catholic Church last week. What is the controversy surrounding Richardson?
• Nearly 100 people have died amidst wildfires in southeastern Australia.
• Two years after Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was removed from power by Ethiopian forces, he is was elected president of Somalia.
• Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the iconic Obama "Hope" posters, was arrested this week. What were his warrants for?
• Senators convened for a rare Saturday meeting in preparation for Monday's key vote. What will they be voting on?

Mixed Economies

In class today we learned about Traditional, Command, and Market economies. Tomorrow we will pick up where we left off and start to distinguish between communist, socialist, and capitalist systems.

Students who had Civics last semester will find this material familiar-- consider it a short "refresher course". Those who did not (and who miss Monday and/or Tuesday's class) must be sure to get notes and see me during activity period for an abbreviated lesson.

"U.S. Intelligence Monitoring 3 Ailing Foreign Leaders"

I heard an interesting bit on NPR's "Morning Edition" on the drive to school yesterday and thought I'd post it here. It's fitting for our Modern World class since we will spend time learning about North Korea, Cuba, and Saudi Arabia. What will happen in these countries (and to the U.S.'s relationship with them) once these leaders are gone?

Click here to read the story (or to listen to the 6-minute story.)

Here We Go!

(Click on the above photo to view in its entirety.)

Don't forget your current events quiz tomorrow, young historians. It will be worth six points, and given in the same format as last Monday's quiz.

• How do you feel about the women who gave birth to octuplets? Read the story and feel free to chime in with a comment on this or any other story (it might earn you a bonus point.)
• A UC-Davis professor has found a way to breed a new variety of rice that might help alleviate some hunger in the world. What is special about the rice?
• The mood in Iraq about Saturday night's elections was much different from the mood in 2005.
• Israel's Prime Minister Olmert vows this if rocket fire continues from Gaza.
• There seems to be some controversy brewing about Slumdog Millionaire. (Have you seen it yet? I have not, but still want to. Not tonight, though, because...)
• Pittsburgh's goin' to the Superbowl!