Bernecia Guercio, an SLA Biochem 9 student, received an honorable mention for her entry in an essay contest entitled, "The New Green Economy."

Her submission, called, "There is a New Thing Called the Green Economy" can be found by scrolling down on this web page.

Special thanks to the Lit Lab for helping Bernecia proof her essay.

Bernecia Guercio, an SLA Biochem 9 student, received an honorable mention for her entry in an essay contest entitled, "The New Green Economy."

Her submission, called, "There is a New Thing Called the Green Economy" can be found by scrolling down on this web page.

Special thanks to the Lit Lab for helping Bernecia proof her essay.

 A person's condition is diagnosed based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). "The DSM lists specific and concrete criteria for diagnosing nearly 400 disorders in children, adolescents, and adults" (Ellen Pastorino & Susann Doyle-Portillo).

What causes psychological disorders?

This has been the question facing medical practitioners, theologians and psychologists for years.  Since then, they have grown to understand these disorders through a cohesion of multiple theories.  Diagnoses have been known to fall under more than one theory.

Theories, according to "What is Psychology? - Second Addition":

• Biological: Abnormal behavior is due to biological, genetic, and physical processes such as an imbalance in hormones neurotransmitters.
• Sociocultural: Abnormal Behavior is a result of social and cultural influences.
• Psychological:
  • Psychoanalytic Perspective: Abnormal behavior is due to unresolved unconscious conflicts.
  • Social Learning Perspective: Abnormal behavior is due to learning processes like classical and operant conditioning.  It happens in response to environment.  
  • Cognitive Perspective: Abnormal behavior is due to thoughts, expectations, assumptions, and other mental processes.
  • Humanistic Perspective: Abnormal behavior results from distorted perceptions of the self and reality. 
    

Sources:

Pastorino, Ellen, and Susann Doyle-Portillo. What is
Psychology?. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, Inc,
2009. Print. 

According to "Cambodia - Funding law approved for hydropower dams" by Vern Weitzel, "Cambodia remains starved for power and must import most of its electricity from Vietnam and Thailand"

According to "Sustainable Cambodia", their goals for Cambodia is to get: 

• "Fresh Drinking Water Wells
• Biosand Water Filters
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Vegetable Gardens & Irrigation
• Pass-On Farm Animal Program
• Micro-Business & Crop Micro-loans
• Beekeeping
• Village Healthcare Program
• Sylvia Lasky Memorial School (300+ grade-school students)
• Kravanh Bright Futures School (240+ grade-school students)
• University Scholarships (for grade-school graduates)
• Village Preschools
• Adult Literacy
• Mobile Libraries
• Vocational Education"

This list makes me feel sad because Cambodians living in Cambodia don't have freshwater that's accessible compared to us. Also in that list, is water filtering, so even if they have access to water, the water isn't even safe to drink and might even cause a deadly illness or disease. This list is very long, but has many ways to think of resourceable ways to keep things clean with a small price. From my previous post about children works picking up recyclables, if these volunteers teach  them about filtering and how to make them, they can affoard to get water no matter what. One thing I just do not agree with, is the scholarships, mainly because half the population in Cambodia aren't in school, so the money should be put more into get teachers.

According to "Brookline Cambodia Partnership", Education is the key to bringing about significant and lasting change and progress to the people of Cambodia."

According to "Brookline High Teacher Spur Drive to Build Cambodian Schools" by By Neal Simpson/staff writer

• "Staff and students at Brookline High School are helping to build a new school in Cambodia"
• "Brookline Cambodia Partnership to raise about $24,000 to help fund
  construction of an elementary school in a rural area of nation of about
  14.4 million people."
• "Cambodia is roughly the size of Oklahoma"
• "educational opportunities are limited"
• "more than half the population of nearly 14.5 million are under age 21"

Cambodia is in need of help with, not only the works and jobs, but also the education. From my previous and past posts, children in Cambodia are forced to do labor to make money for their family to live and because teachers need to be paid also to teach, the kids dont have a oppurtunity to go to school. Their aren't many school that are free left in Cambodia, so seeing people trying their best to give Cambodia an oppurtunity makes me happy because it's my family's native country and I love seeing all the support people give them.

 By: Emma Hersh & Marina Stuart

Staff Writers

The Rocket Press 

This week's "Man on the Street" question was: What's your favorite food to eat in and around school? 

 Maxime Damis, 10th Grade

"That Stand; bacon, egg & cheese."

Dario Rainone, 12th Grade

"I usually eat lunch during class otherwise I'd  probably get it across the street."

Ms. Bowers, Librarian 

"TamPoPo; I the tuna bim bim bop."

 Ayanna Robinson, 10th Grade

 "Scoop De Ville, it has the best ice cream ever."

James Seward, 11th Grade

"The school store, I get noodles." 

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You can save up to 20,000 gallons of
water a year by not letting the water run

20,000 gallons of water can fill a
fish tank.

Methods to help the water from
running:

1. When brushing your teeth, just wet your brush, then
   turn off the water. Turn the water on again to rinse your brush.
2. When washing dishes, fill up the basin and rinse the
   dishes in it instead of running water over each dish and piece of cutlery.
3. When running a bath, plug the tub before you start.
4. For when you are thirsty, leave a bottle of water in
   the refrigerator instead of running water to fill your glass.

Tips From:  http://fun.familyeducation.com/activity/conservation/39433.html

Note: Don't waste water by pouring it
down the sink. Instead, pour it on a thirsty plant or top off your goldfish
bowl. For more information about water conservation and more tips, go to www.wateruseitwisely.com.

Link to
another blog site about water conservation: 
http://climatechangewater.org/

What IS Planned Parenthood?

Planned Parenthood is a health care provider, educaton and advocate.

What does Planned Parenthood DO?

Planned Parenthood provideshealth car, sex education and worldwide

information.

Planned Parenthood practices in-clinic abortion procedures.  These

procedures are said to be "safe and effective" to women terminating

pregnancies. 

Are any abortions really "safe and effective?"

Physicians For Life states, "Since the Supreme Court's 1793 Roe and Doe

decisions, at least hundreds of women have died from what pro-abortion group

insist on calling "safe and legal" abortions." According to Moments In Time,

abortions kill atleast 70,000 women a year. 

What does an illegal abortion look like?

Welcome to the first special-theme issue of The Rocket Press...

This month, it's all about food!

In News: The Wonder of the One-Hour Lunch

 "Kabbour Rizq feels that the long lunch is “really good because it gives
us time to make up homework and work for classes.” Others feel that
lunch should be spent with friends: “Nothing. I usually sit and talk or
play cards,” said Kyara Broady." 

In Commentary: Why I Became A Vegetarian

 "I’m one of those preachy vegetarians.  You know what I’m talking
about.  That girl who gives you a nasty look while you eat your
burger?  That’s me.  The one who lectures about living conditions in
slaughterhouses when you order the chicken?  Me again.  The crazy chick
that cries over the turkey sandwich you brought for lunch today? "

In A&E: Hallway Style Profile featuring Christine Walden

 Technically this feature has nothing to do with food, but her interview reveals that she is in want of a tea set.

In Sports: The Great Debate: Gatorade vs. Water

"Jeremy Spry (you know, that short guy in the office) stated that he
likes water. He would not comment any further on why he prefers it to
Gatorade."

INTERESTED IN JOINING US? We meet every Thursday after Advisory in the Lit Lab!

By Theodora Farah

Staff Writer

The Rocket Press 

  I’m one of those preachy vegetarians.  You know what I’m talking about.  That girl who gives you a nasty look while you eat your burger?  That’s me.  The one who lectures about living conditions in slaughterhouses when you order the chicken?  Me again.  The crazy chick that cries over the turkey sandwich you brought for lunch today?  That’s an exaggeration.  The point is I’m always looking for new recruits.

    One thing worth noting is that I call myself a vegetarian, but some people would say that I don’t “count” as vegetarian.  I feel that fish and shellfish lack the intelligence to enjoy life, so eating them is alright from a moral standpoint.  There are actually a number of types of vegetarians, and I am what is sometimes known as a pescatarian—someone who eats seafood, but no meat.  Most people, however, don’t know what that is, and the word “pescatarian” is considered a misspelled word by my spelling checker.  For the sake of clarity and to avoid those annoying red squiggles, I refer to myself as a vegetarian.

    I became vegetarian in second grade, when I was seven.  It was a snap decision, something I did on impulse, but I stuck with it.  While my mother assured me that I was simply “trying out” vegetarianism for a little while, and could stop if I wanted to (since I’m pretty sure she thought I would quit within the week), I knew that I had made a permanent decision.  I was far too stubborn to do anything but stick with it.  Not only that, but vegetarianism was surprisingly easy.  While I was—and still am—often tempted by meat, which I did love the taste of, I had chosen to abstain from meat because I felt that killing animals for food if it wasn’t necessary for survival was cruel and immoral.  If ordering the pork meant that some innocent pig would lose its life, then unless I had been stranded in the Himalayas for seven years and was about to drop dead from chronic pig meat deficiency, it wasn’t something I could do in good conscience.

    A lot of people ask me how I could live without meat.  When I try to explain why eating meat is morally wrong, the most common counterargument I get is, “But it tastes so good!”  I can’t say I disagree.  But living without meat is far easier than a lot of people think.  I have grown used to meat simply not being a part of my diet.  After seven years without it, I skip over meat dishes when I read menus and I pull the pepperonis off my pizza without even thinking about it.  I eat tofu—no, seriously, and it can actually be good—and other protein-rich foods to make sure I get the protein that I would otherwise get from meat.  I trade vegetarian recipes with my other herbivore friends.  I even made a website for vegetarian teenagers, which I presented as my project for my interview at SLA.

    Being vegetarian isn’t just a way of keeping my conscience clear, either.  It makes me feel good.  I feel accomplished for having stuck with my commitment for so long, I enjoy having a “cause” that I support by simply living a certain lifestyle, and I know that I’m much healthier for it.  I won’t go into full preach-mode now, but I do strongly encourage anyone and everyone (unless they have some kind of dietary condition that makes it a problem) to at least give vegetarianism a try.  You don’t have to be the typical, “regular” vegetarian.  There’s good old pescatarianism, as well as “flexitarianism” (eating meat occasionally but not regularly).  There are also more diets that are more extreme than vegetarianism, like veganism (eating no meat or animal products—i.e. no eggs or milk), raw veganism or raw food-only diets (nothing that has been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit), and the macrobiotic diet (only unprocessed foods).  Even simply cutting down on meat will do great things for both you in terms of health, and the world around you in terms of supporting animal rights, keeping your money out of the hands of greedy corporations, and helping reduce your impact on the environment.  Vegetarianism might seem like a huge commitment, but I know from experience that it isn’t half the challenge it seems, and the benefits are well worth it.

By Abraham Musselman

Staff Writer

The Rocket Press

SLA is not your typical school. We are tied to the Franklin Institute. We have ILPs. Everyone has a laptop. Even our bells are different. However, many students at other schools would agree that our biggest difference shows up in our favorite, or least favorite, part of the day: lunch.
    Some students at SLA seem to be taking good advantage of the one-hour lunch. Here’s what they have to say: “An hour-long lunch is awesome!” William Marsh. Digging deeper, Kabbour Rizq feels that the long lunch is “really good because it gives us time to make up homework and work for classes.” Others feel that lunch should be spent with friends: “Nothing. I usually sit and talk or play cards.” Kyara Broady.
    While a one-hour lunch can be a blessing or a curse, other schools don’t have close to one hour for lunch. Take Masterman for example, where students have a 45-minute lunch. Xavier Zambrana, an 8th Grader at Masterman uses his lunch in a way that isn’t exactly possible at SLA. “I usually eat, then play football.” In response to hearing about our school lunch and “weird schedule”, Xavier said, “In my school, lunch is 6th period every day. Eating lunch at one o’clock is really long. Your schedule sounds better because it changes but the lunches seem too long.” Given an hour for lunch, Xavier would “play recess longer and hang out with friends.”
    We can all agree that an hour-long lunch is unusual. Uses for such a lunch could really be pushed either way. Other schools have a great amount of activities to do at lunch, but less time than SLA in which to do them. SLA has an hour for lunch and a laptop. Whichever is better is a matter of opinion and interest.
 

By: Jerome McLeod

A&E Editor

The Rocket Press

What item are you coveting right now?
I don't ever ask for clothes. My mother likes patterned vests and jeans with waists high enough to eliminate the use of a bra.

Oh, no clothes then?
A tea set and a zune.

So do you entertain?
Of course! Everyone should own a tea set. It's right up there with oxygen and water.

What do you do creatively?
When I dress? Well, I have fleeting attention span when it comes to everything. For at least 10 minutes I know I will be completely successful. So.

And after 10 Minutes?
After 10 min. I come to the discovery that I am not as good at what I aspired to do. So after that 10 minutes anything I'm doing leads to a cookie baking feast.

Trends, what do you see people wearing right now?
I'm so far away from trends that I don't think I catch up to them in time. I mean, I might catch up to hair spray in time that I'll be fashionable... like in the 80s and that terrible mishap. But... right now I see everyone is leaning toward the British regency as it relates to their boots. All the riding boots that are far up to the knee. I tend to tie most things to the English regency, it's the Jane Austen in me.

What are your do's and don'ts?
Okay, Don't: If your wearing a striped shirt, don't wear plaid pants. It confuses the mind.

And Do: If your considering putting 2 colors together that you don't normally see together, do it. It will most likely work out.

Do you thrift? Where?
Do I ever! I always thrift! Anywhere! But I really love flea markets in the Mt. Airy area. And awkward suburbs. I found the my favorite Balaclavas? Maybe?

What are you reading?
Orlando by Virginia Woolf and the collected poetry of Dorothy Parker.

By John DeSalis

 Staff Writer

The Rocket Press

“Gatorade or Water?” A debate that has crossed many of different sports events and players alike. Some may prefer Water or some may prefer Gatorade. Personally, it does not matter to me because they both do the same thing, but I feel as thought I drink less Gatorade. Unlike water, Gatorade comes in many different flavors as well as different forms, whereas water only comes in one flavor but many companies.

              With an interview with A.J Vagliani, a player of Roman Catholic’s baseball team, I was able to find out what he prefers better. He told me that he has no preference on either of the drinks, but if he had to choose he would choose Gatorade, because he does not get as many cramps nor does he get as tired.

              Also, Jeremy Spry (you know, that short guy in the office) stated that he likes water. He would not comment any further on why he prefers it to Gatorade.

              Next, you will notice that on a professional level that a majority of the teams in their respective leagues; NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, all use either Gatorade or the other type of sports drink like Powerade. In addition to this, you will notice that in a celebration on a football field, you’ll see the coach being “showered” with a cooler full of Gatorade. You normally only see this happen when the team wins the “Big One” and it’ll only happen when they know for sure that their team has won it.

On a final note, I would like to take this time to tell the athletes of SLA and the number of other athletes that might be reading this article on the web. Drink whatever you prefer weather it be Gatorade, Water, Powerade, Vitamin Water, or any other type of drink you might like, just remember to not drink a lot of it, but take a few sips, and if your going to take a HUGE gulp try to spit some of it out before swallowing.

Stigma - Any mark of infamy or disgrace; sign of moral blemish; stain of reproach caused by dishonorable conduct; reproachful characterization

"From this we can imagine that people’s highly judgmental attitude stems from fear that they may one day find themselves ‘on the other side’ of the great divide between the sane and the mad."
- Sarah Luczaj

The other day, Thursday the 28th of January,  I was riding the bus home, when a woman got on who didn't seems quite right in her mind.  I only noticed her after I looked up due to a certain smell.  Despite the fact that the bus was fairly crowded, nobody seemed to want to sit near her. Some people even moved.  
    I don't think it applies to just my bus experience in saying that people attempt to avoid those they deem to have mental illness or be in any way unstable.  They don't want to put themselves in a situation that could possibly be dangerous, unpredictable or in any way uncomfortable.  
    Sarah Luczaj writes, "72% of adults in Great Britain believe that there is a stigma associated with having a mental illness...over half of British adults (52%) agree that being diagnosed with a serious mental illness and being diagnosed with cancer are as bad as each other." This is perhaps a naturally built in reaction, or something that "we" as a public have been taught to believe or simply grew into.  According to SAMHSA, "Stigma leads others to avoid living, socializing, or working with, renting to, or employing people with mental disorders - especially severe disorders, such as schizophrenia."
    This doesnt refract well in the minds of these "upredictable" people, who often feel so ashamed and isolated by their problem, that it leads to further amotional damage and can deter their motivation to seek help. (SAMHSA) Additionally, with the way people are being diagnosed these days, most people will technically have some type of mental disorder at some point in their lives (but not necessarily to an extreme.) After all, adds Sarah, "we are all capable of being ‘dangerous’, ‘unpredictable’ and ’scary.’"

Sources:
Luczaj, Sarah. "‘Dangerous and Scary’: The Stigma of Mental Illness ." Counselling Resource. Counselling Resource, 12 Sep 2007. Web. 2 Feb 2010. <http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/09/12/mental-illness-stigma/>.

SAMHSA. United States. Violence and Mental Illness: The Facts. , 2009. Web. 2 Feb 2010. <http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov/topic/facts.aspx>.

The Science Leadership Academy and The Franklin Institute hosted EduCon 2.2 this weekend. Over 500 educators from all over North America came to SLA to learn with us. For more information, be sure to read the Philadelphia Inquirer story about the conference! Thank you to all the teachers, students and parents who helped make the conference an incredible success!

 Low self-esteem and domestic violence are like 2 peas in a pod. According tothe writers at examiner.com "If a person suffers with a low self-image they will be more likely to tolerate abusive behavior from their significant other". An abuser is seeks a person who will accpet their abusive ways. People who suffer from low self-esteem has already encountered a lot of abuse from their cirles of influence. They are attractive to an abuser for this very reason.  The abuser will normally start off with small offenses and increasing the level of abuse over
time.

Here are some way in which a person that has low self-steem can aviod domestic violence:

• A person with low self-esteem should protect themselves by improving
  the way they see themselves before seeking out a life partner.  
• The
  person should realize they deserve a partner who treats them as equals
  who will respect healthy boundaries in the relationship.
• Often people with low self-esteem suffer from major depression.
•  If a person is single with low self-esteem and depression; it would be
  wise to refrain from dating until these issues are worked through with
  counseling and other effective treatments.

Latino America is a huge colony of countries whose presidents are cowards in the face of economic imperialism. You see, third world countries are rich places, abundant in resources, and many of these countries have the capacity to feed their starving people and the children we always see digging for food in trash on commercials. But plutocracies, in other words a government run by the rich such as this one and traditionally oppressive European states, force the third world into buying overpriced, unnecessary goods while exporting huge portions of their natural resources.
    -Immortal Technique
  

• Although people working in sweatshops is a big problem, there is really no alternative. If you want to solve a problem like poverty, then you must start with the children. The problem lies in the overall state of the country, the children are forced to work in sweatshops because they must help support their family. They then get no education and when they grow up, they end up in the same place as their parents. Unable to provide for their children, their children can't get an education, and the cycle will continue for ever and ever.

• We must start breaking children out of the cycle. Taking them out of sweatshops by reducing demand won't do it. These children go to sweatshops because if they didn't their family would have no support and they would die. Raising wages in these shops may work so that they aren't considered weat shops anymore, and that would provide money for families so that the children aren't forced to work there.

• The workers would get higher wages, but most of their governments don't meet their financial goals because our government  as well as European governments force them into buying overpriced goods while exporting their own countries national recources.

History of Rape

 When people talk about rape we always talk about the suffering of young women and men  today, but we never bring up how it started. We never talk about how this whole idea came abou. So in this post I want to talk about how rape first came about in the world.

The first historical evidence of rape was found in religious text. In Greek Mythology rape is seen as abduction. They often talk about the legendary rapes (abductions), which are the rape of Europa by Zeus, the rape of Ganymede by Jupiter, and the rape of Chrysippus by Laius. Each of the inncidents were represented in completely different lights. But this type of rape really has no relation to the rape today. 

The picture above is painting reprecenting the Rape of Ganymede, where Jupiter has taken shape as an eagle in the abduction.

The crime of rape in the sexual sence is also seen in the bible. In that case the women are completely blamed for the assualt and the only way to gain her honor again is to remove herself from the family and commit succide. The English Law, which was represented in the "Commentaries on the Laws of England" has many ways they look at rape. The way they use to handle the during those times was by the women's status and where the rape occured. All the laws and rules (in simplier terms) are stated on the History of Rape site. In general though women were simply treated as objects. Not seen as having feelings. In the most part they only consider the feelings of the woman's father, brother, and husband.

In history the only text where women had some justice was in the Islamic text. The only one punished in assualt is the actual rapist, whos punisment was always death. There is no sin on the women forced to have ses and rape is called Hiraba or Disorder in the Land. To me this seems like only fair representation.

According to Childhelp, each week, child protective services agencies throughout the
United States receive more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse
or neglect. In 2002, 2.6 million reports concerning the welfare of
approximately 4.5 million children were made.

In 67% of these cases, the
information provided in the report was enough to start an
assessment or investigation. As a result of these investigations,
about 896,000 children were found to have been victims of abuse
or neglect—an average of more than 2,450 children per day.

Most people don't realize, but it is imperative, to help them. Many people are scared to intervine in other people's lives, becayse they feel it isn't any of their business, but if you know of a child that's being neglected or abused, it is your job to help. Some people have their reasoning, according to my research some examples are:

• "I don’t want to interfere in someone else’s family."
  The effects of child abuse are lifelong, affecting future
  relationships, self-esteem, and sadly putting even more children at
  risk of abuse as the cycle continues. Help break the cycle of child
  abuse.
• "What if I break up someone’s home?"
  The priority in child protective services is keeping children in the
  home. A child abuse report does not mean a child is automatically
  removed from the home - unless the child is clearly in danger. Support
  such as parenting classes, anger management or other resources may be
  offered first to parents if safe for the child.
• "They will know it was me who called." Reporting
  is anonymous. In most states, you do not have to give your name when
  you report child abuse. The child abuser cannot find out who made the
  report of child abuse.
• "It won’t make a difference what I have to say."
  If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, it is better to be
  safe than sorry. Even if you don’t see the whole picture, others may
  have noticed as well, and a pattern can help identify child abuse that
  might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

Like other things, people have their own opinions about what happens to children after they are abused. Which isn't always true. No one can predict the future of an abused child. But something to think about is the fact that, the abuse CAN have a strong affect on the child as well. Some of the effects of abuse can cause serious problems. While child abuse and neglect occurs in all types of families—even in
those that look happy from the outside—children are at a much greater
risk in certain situations.

According to the Helpguide, some of these include:

• Domestic violence. Witnessing
  domestic violence is terrifying to children and emotionally abusive.
  Even if the mother does her best to protect her children and keeps them
  from being physically abused, the situation is still extremely
  damaging. If you or a loved one is in an abusive relationships, getting
  out is the best thing for protecting the children.
• Alcohol and drug abuse.
  Living with an alcoholic or addict is very difficult for children and
  can easily lead to abuse and neglect. Parents who are drunk or high are
  unable to care for their children, make good parenting decisions, and
  control often-dangerous impulses. Substance abuse also commonly leads
  to physical abuse.
• Untreated mental illness. Parents
  who suffering from depression, an anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder,
  or another mental illness have trouble taking care of themselves, much
  less their children. A mentally ill or traumatized parent may be
  distant and withdrawn from his or her children, or quick to anger
  without understanding why. Treatment for the caregiver means better
  care for the children.
• Lack of parenting skills.
  Some caregivers never learned the skills necessary for good parenting.
  Teen parents, for example, might have unrealistic expectations about
  how much care babies and small children need. Or parents who where
  themselves victims of child abuse may only know how to raise their
  children the way they were raised. In such cases, parenting classes,
  therapy, and caregiver support groups are great resources for learning
  better parenting skills.
• Stress and lack of support.
  Parenting can be a very time-intensive, difficult job, especially if
  you’re raising children without support from family, friends, or the
  community or you’re dealing with relationship problems or financial
  difficulties. Caring for a child with a disability, special needs, or
  difficult behaviors is also a challenge. It’s important to get the
  support you need, so you are emotionally and physically able to support
  your child

  Over the years, people have made their own assumptions and opinions about child abuse. People often don't know the whole truth about child abuse, such as its many aspects and facts. This post is a "Myth" vs. "Fact" post, to inform people of the differences. According to the Child Abuse Learning Center, here are some common myths and their truths:

MYTH #1: It's only abuse if it's violent.

Fact:
Physical abuse is just one type of child abuse. Neglect and emotional
abuse can be just as damaging, and since they are more subtle, others
are less likely to intervene. .

MYTH #2: Only bad people abuse their children.

Fact:
While it's easy to say that only "bad people" abuse their children,
it's not always so black and white. Not all abusers are intentionally
harming their children. Many have been victims of abuse themselves, and
don’t know any other way to parent. Others may be struggling with
mental health issues or a substance abuse problem.

MYTH #3: Child abuse doesn't happen in “good” families.

Fact:
Child abuse doesn't only happen in poor families or bad neighborhoods.
It crosses all racial, economic, and cultural lines. Sometimes,
families who seem to have it all from the outside are hiding a
different story behind closed doors.

MYTH #4: Most child abusers are strangers.

Fact: While abuse by strangers does happen, most abusers are family members or others close to the family

MYTH #5: Abused children always grow up to be abusers.

Fact:
It is true that abused children are more likely to repeat the cycle as
adults, unconsciously repeating what they experienced as children. On
the other hand, many adult survivors of child abuse have a strong
motivation to protect their children against what they went through and
become excellent parents.

By researchering these facts and myths, I ,myself learned things I didn't know. It helps to bring people a new outlook, because not everything you hear is true. 

Human Traffickers: People who participate in buying and selling humans and their labor.

• Investors- fund trafficking

• Recruiters- find victims

• Transporters- facilitate the transnational movement of victims

• Corrupt Public Officials- obtain unlawful travel documentation or accept bribes for victims to enter and exit countries illegally

• Informers- investigate immigration systems and procedures to avoid apprehension

• Supporting Personnel and Specialists- provide accommodation

• Debt-Collectors- collect fees

• Money Movers- launder proceeds of trafficking

Who are Traffickers

Traffickers may operate as individuals, families, or organized groups of criminals. Indirect beneficiaries such as: retail, distribution and advertising companies and consumers, facilitate them. Both men and women can take part in the operation of trafficking.
Human Trafficking: Facts

Traffickers transport their victims across borders or engage the in the act within one country. Often, the traffickers and victims share the same nationality. Traffickers are driven by high profits and low risks. For one to become a trafficker, they must be willing to exploit vulnerable people and work by the demand of cheap labor and commercial sex.
Traffickers

I have been wondering whether the controversial Canadian Seal Hunt will ever come to an close. Because it is so controversial, do you this it's possible for the seal hunters to cave in and give up the fight?

After reading a blog topic on a website called "Calorie Count", I found many people to be pondering the same question. In response to the question of whether it will ever end, many replied with yes answers. However, some managed to look past the cruelty of it and found reasons for it to keep going. One of the replies, from a user named Juleroo, said "any of the Inuit in Canada depend on the seal hunt to provide for their families for the entire year."

It is a part of culture for many people. In Canada, seal hunting is something that has to be done in order for people to live. Seal fur, meat, and natural oils are very important items to market and sell to make a living. Without Canadian seal hunting, living comfortably would be quite difficult for numerous families.

Although seal hunters have to deal with a lot of criticism from the media and organizations like PETA, they still are obligated to hunt for the good of their country. According to Humane Society of The United States, "Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans has said that the only way the seal hunt will ever end is if Canada's fishing industry asks for it." Therefore, the thought of giving up any times soon must be far from their minds.

 Citations:

 "Boycott Canadian Seafood." The Humane Society of The United States, Web. 30 Jan 2010. www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/seals/Protect-Seals-Boycott-Bro.pdf.

"Do You Think The Seal Hunt Will Ever End?." Calorie Count . 03 Nov 2008. The New York Times Company, Web. 30 Jan 2010. <http://caloriecount.about.com/seal-hunt-end-ft119601>. 

Animal abuse is an act of being inhumane and because of that, Animal cruelty is against the law in every state in the United States. People who abuse animals may also have a pattern of other violent or illegal acts. It's hard to see child abuse. To some people it's harder to see animals abused. When you see someone you love done wrong, you get feelings of hatred, revenge, sadness, pity and other emotions. Pets are no different.

So many animal cruelty cases are present and many people aren't doing anything about it. Some people enjoy the rush of abusing animals. Other cases of animal abuse aren't even nessary to commit. In some circuses, animals used in the act
are trained through the use of intimidation and physical abuse. Animals can be trained with inflicting harm. Tens of thousands domesticated horses from the United States are slaughtered
every year to be used for horsemeat in Europe and Asia.

You can do something about it. If you witness animal cruelty in progress and do not know the number to the appropriate agency, CALL 911.

Human trafficking is what people call the sexual exploitation of any persons, this includes children. Currently, the world faces a very hidious problem that is not reported enough. Places such as in Southeast Asia, South Asia and former Soviet countries is where trafficking has become a very serious problem.

According to madebysurvivors.com 

"The FBI estimates that as many as 18,000 are trafficked into the US
each year [from many other countries], to work in brothels, strip clubs, nail salons and massage
parlors, or as domestic servants, nannies, and farm laborers. People
can also be trafficked within their home countries, often from rural
areas to large cities. Trafficking can be transnational, meaning across
country borders, or internal, meaning within one country."

Everyone has heard of the recent earthquake that struck Haiti. Well a report states that Haiti has had a rise in human traffic since the earthquake. More air vehicles coming in and out of the country has increased durastically due to disaster relief groups, but this has cause an increase in human traffickers.

There have also been a high rise in "supposed familes" who want to adopt. Thankfully  Save the Children and World Vision has called for a halt in human adoptions because

"It is too difficult to discern at this time who is truly interested in
adoption and who are traffickers. Also, there are many orphanages in
Haiti that are barely regulated and so some are working directly with
human traffickers."

 Haiti has already had this problem especially since Haitian childeren were being sent to the Dominican Republic as sex tourist (Martin Fletcher in Port-au-Prince)

It is a fact that many countries face this issue but we must ask ourselves what is the key factor that drives this issue or that makes it an even BIGGER one. From the countries I have researched it seems as though poverty and times of disaster tend to elevate a problem that must be stopped. 

Who uses drugs?

Most of the people who do drugs are under the age of 25.  

Many folks are confused about the difference between discipline and child abuse. Abuse and discipline are not the same. A light spanking seems to be okay in this country but some parents go the extra mile.

A helpful chart from chilabuseeffects.com:

According to child-abuse-effects.com " In January, 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Section 43 of the Criminal Code, stating parents had the right to spank their children without fear of being charged with a criminal offence. But this spanking law has some new restrictions. The law now states that spanking is permitted with children between the ages of 2 years and 12 years, that the use of weapons like belts and paddles are prohibited, that strikes to the face and head are also prohibited, and that only reasonable force can be administered. "

And if adults still can't distinguish the difference between abuse and discipline or flatly just don't care. They could suffer sever consequences because  according to policyalmanac.org, "Child abuse in the United States is principally the responsibility of states and local governments. Each of the 50 states has enacted laws defining child abuse and maltreatment, determining when outside intervention is required, and establishing administrative and judicial structures to deal with maltreatment when it is identified."

Possible Penalties
    •    Jail time
    •    Probation and electronic monitoring
    •    Parole
    •    Lifetime requirement to resister as a child sexual offender with sexual abuse charges
    •    Mandatory anger management classes or parenting classes
    •    Fines and court costs
    •    Termination of parental rights
    •    Removal of the children from the home until court ordered programs are completed
    •    Supervised access with the children or child

Another table to show child abuse crimes by state, including the District of Columbia, and the penalties for violations. 

Free Dance: Philadelphia Youth Create the "Hidden City Festival"

by Abe Louise Young

Walkers in downtown Philly must have been astonished. On a rainy day in May, the streets were alive with dancing teenagers.

Sixty-five students in teacher Joshua Block’s English classes at Science Leadership Academy teamed up with Leah Stein Dance Company, to “make dances spontaneously, rigorously, on location, in collaboration, in connection with the moment.”

Click here for complete story and video. Congratulations all for creating an amazing experience!

There are additional reasons as to why it is important to go
to college. When students experience a post secondary education, they
essentially have the resources to do whatever they want - whether that is to study
abroad and learn about a different culture, or listen to the lectures of top
experts in their fields.

However, suppose an individual needs more motivation than
that. College can potentially be endlessly entertaining. From game rooms to
parties and other forms of networking to gyms and swimming pools there is always a way to stay active and to
stay entertained – so long as you do the work.

Although that sounds great, many people are turned off when
they see the price of different colleges. This is no reason to not go to
college. There are a myriad of different way to pay for a college education
ranging from merit to federal grants.

After
reading these blog posts, If you are still asking yourself why should you go to
college, it is important to remember the significant amount of opportunities
available for college graduates. The global economy is becoming increasingly
more competitive, and in order to give yourself the best chance for a
well-paying job, you must first understand the importance of college education,
and those range for more than just financial reaons.