Another week down, with a dozen more presentations in the books! Hopefully this week we’ll finish up Persuasive Presentation I. Our odds are certainly quite a bit better now, at the very least.
Let’s start this week’s discussion with a bit of controversy. A recent archaelogical find is already being called “the major discovery of Christian history.” A set of 70 lead codices — basically, stone books — were discovered in a remote Jordanian cave five years ago, and some scholars now believe they could hold clues to the last days of Jesus’ life. Of course, a tense conflict is brewing over ownership of the credit card-sized codices, but given that initial metallurgical tests indicate that they are about 2,000 years old, they could be landmark finds indeed. Or perhaps they’re just a two millenia-old shopping list. What are your thoughts on these scrolls? Do you buy the claims that they have deep religious significance? How about scientific tests of their authenticity? For that matter, what do you think about the interaction between science and religion in general? Are they mutually exclusive entities or easily blended? What is the role of the scientist, as you see it, pertaining to religion?
In Spain, researchers from a small company called Bio Fuel Systems are working on mixing carbon dioxide and algae to promote the production of fossil fuels identical to those naturally created millions of years ago. According to engineer Eloy Chapuli, “We are trying to simulate the conditions which existed millions of years ago, when the phytoplankton was transformed into oil. In this way, we obtain oil that is the same as oil today.” There is speculation that this alternative fossil fuel could be available for public consumption in 5-10 years, representing an alternative to limited natural fossil fuels, electric power which demands lengthy vehicle charging, and nuclear power which, given the ongoing crisis in Japan, the public is less apt to support. Do you think that this alternative is as promising as many seem to think? How might it change the world around us and the subjects of major concern to us? By the same token, is this an ideal solution to possible energy crises, or are there problems with this alternative? What do you think should be done in the energy industry — and what plans do you think will actually be implemented?
In other world news, Libyan rebels are trying to hold recent gains after six weeks of fighting against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, although the U.S. says it has no plans to send ground troops as support. NATO air strikes have had mixed results; a recent effort against Gadhafi’s army accidentally killed 13 rebel troops instead. The violence in Syria has also continued, with dissidents being seized from their homes and at least nine demonstrators killed and dozens more injured by security forces on Friday. That hasn’t slowed down protests, which continued on Saturday, inspiring some shops to close “in solidarity with with the protesters.” Attacks in Afghanistan have also recently increased, with seven U.N. staff killed on Friday and a suicide attack in Kabul on Saturday. The Taliban in claiming no responsibility, with a representative instead saying that “it was a pure act of responsible Muslims” in response to a March 20 Koran burning by Florida pastor Terry Jones. As for the Japanese nuclear crisis, Japan’s Prime Minister says that officials may have discovered why radiation has been leaking into the sea: according to Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), a crack in a concrete pit at the No. 2 reactor in Fukushima has been leaking water, releasing radiation at a rate of 1,000 millisieverts per hour. TEPCO staff have begun pouring concrete into the leak in an effort to limit further damage.
Okay, we’ll talk about the NCAA tournament one last time (unless Butler wins it all, in which case I’ll be obligated to at least mention it next week). Let’s return to the student-athlete dilemma first. Consider the superstars of college hoops who ultimately use the NCAA as a minor league of sorts on their way to professional basketball (or other sports, for that matter). What does that mean for the college scene that they leave behind (especially if they enter the pros before finishing four years of school), both on the court and in the classroom? As a student-athlete, how do you weigh the money from immediately jumping to the pros against the education of the last 1-3 years in college? On the university level, do the millions of dollars earned from collegiate athletics outweigh the (probably slight) decline in graduation rates or any social phenomena that may unfold around student-athletes who have little intention of finishing their degrees? What about coaches who make more money than anyone else at their university? Taking it to the larger organizational level, does it benefit the NCAA or the NBA to establish a minor league system akin to that of Major League Baseball? Why or why not? What about allowing NCAA athletes to be paid, as some have suggested? Would the benefits of such a change outweigh the drawbacks? And what about renewed allegations of NCAA rules violations by staff on two of the Final Four teams?
Finally, in stupid-internet-posting news, on Thursday a New Jersey first-grade teacher was suspended without pay for saying that “she felt like a warden overseeing future criminals.” Apparently the post spurred a large group of parents to demand her removal from what is, to be fair, one of New Jersey’s most troubled school systems. She’s hardly the first teacher to be suspended for online comments; a Pennsylvania high school teacher was recently suspending following similar comments on her blog, and a Chicago second-grade teacher is facing disciplinary actions after posting and mocking one of her student’s school photos on Facebook. What are your thoughts on these recent incidents? Should internet activity be used against employees in their real-world lives? I know that some of you have expressed interest in primary education, so what do you think about these teachers and their behavior? For that matter, how does the crossover between online activity and real-world consequences relate to the Rebecca Black story we discussed last week?
As always, please feel free to discuss any of the above or below stories, or post on another topic of your choice, if you prefer!
Other articles of interest:
Snooki Earns Higher Speaking Fee Than Toni Morrison
Google v Microsoft: Oi! You looking at me?
One-Armed Surfing Star Says Upcoming Biopic Is ‘Spot On’
BCS conducts shallow probe as party rages on
How did the tradition of cutting down the nets begin?
Israel, The Third Nation on the Moon?
AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring more on economy
President Obama intervenes in budget standoff
More US Women Having Children With Different Biological Fathers
Loophole means Utah sex offender set to be freed
New census data shows which areas of America are growing, shrinking
No ring? Will and Kate break from tradition, along with more couples
Rebecca Black’s Not To Blame: Meet The Man Who Wrote “Friday”
Stephen Colbert & Jimmy Fallon Sing Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’
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