The American Genocide

  When martial law is declared it is the intellectuals, artists, and free thinkers that will be massacred. We must learn to not rely on the system. We must leave our respected cities and live in trustworthy communities. We need to stop relying on technology. Our only source of knowledge seems to be in a digital form it is extremely easy to cut off any information that may help us resist the up coming genocide. Horde physical books, guides, maps, guns, food, water, tools, metal, first aid supplies, acoustic instruments, generators, human powered vehicles, axes, shovels, pots, pans, fertilizer, medicine, blankets, fabric, etc. We will be re-educated whether we like it or not. Torture will be used regularly. Torture will be a daily routine for all of us. When they murder us they will just say that we committed suicide. Its as easy as that.

The funny thing is all of this will be considered legal. Remember the American Indefinite Detention Act? Remember the Patriot Act? What constitution? We have no rights. We are legal slaves.

Do not fall victim to the government hypocrisy.

Read up on the cambodian genocide, this is what we will be subjected to.

Cambodian Genocide

Here are some pictures of the people of cambodia that were executed:

Pictures From Inside Pol Pots Secret Prison

You should also read up on the mass killings in the Stalin era Soviet Union.

Soviet Genocide

Also read up on the human rights in modern day China, and the treatment of the Falun Gong practitioners.

Treatment of Falun Gong Practitioners

Chinese Re-education through labor

  Resist. Do not let these scum achieve their vision of the future. Do not let them win.

Can Cameras Improve the Classroom?

Can Camera’s Improve the Classroom?

The classroom is a security black hole, to be talked about only in stories. Even in schools were every other area is lined with security cameras, sparse information is known about what goes on in classrooms. In the UK things are a bit different though, In Britain schools now have cameras in classroom in multiple amounts.” Now they’ve “gone to school”…literally. Not just at front gates, in corridors, and cafeterias, but right in the classroom, sometimes a few at a time!”(Palkot par. 2). Cameras are bridging the gap between fact and knowledge, making researching education a completely new process. But not all administrators agree that classroom surveillance will be a step in the right direction, “Putting cameras on children trains them to believe that being watched every minute of the day is O.K., that Big Brother is ok,” said Steve Lilienthal, a director at the conservative Free Congress Foundation (qtd. In Dillon B9). Some teachers are even concerned that the cameras will be used to “victimize” them (Palkot, par. 8). Either way, cameras can finally provide the community with visual records of the classroom, and make educational research a more in-depth process.

      If the cameras watching the classroom are used the wrong way they can cause great harm to the community. A Child who grew up under constant surveillance would not think about privacy the same way as a child that had class in complete privacy .In August of 2003, “schools in Biloxi, Mississippi, became the first in the country to install webcams in every hallway and classroom,”(Scott 20). “Some students feel they are being watched all the time,” says Maryann Graczyk, President of the Mississippi American Federation of Teachers (qtd. in 20). Only administrators have access to the camera footage, and “if parents, students, and teachers want to see this they must first go to court,” (20). If a student is accused of wrongdoing and is disciplined, the proof should be shown and not just described. If the misbehavior happens in a camera blind spot the administrator might just assume the individual did it. Parents will never believe their child is innocent if a supposed tape exists so why would they want to go through the excruciating court process. Maybe paranoia can make classroom supervision seem so scary, but there are certain truths to the suspicion.

      There are many positive aspects to having classroom supervision. To start, the videos could be used to improve the educational system, instead of relying on test scores and statistic for making adjustments, the classroom itself could be the statistic. Imagine researchers watching videos of class in session, and listening to the actual lesson plan. A state wide test can show them that a certain classroom isn’t very good at fractions, but after reviewing the tapes a research group can discover the students where never taught how to divide fractions properly. Evidence of the active classroom can help improve flaws within the educational system.

      The cameras, of course, would also be used for identifying mischievous behavior. Lynch Hill Primary in Slough, Berkshire, used their classroom surveillance camera to catch a girl who stole another girl’s shoes.  “No one was owning up so we rewound the tape. If the teachers say ‘I will rewind the tape’ it makes them own up.” says School bursar Lyn Hazell (qdt. in Lewis et al. 1).  Having cameras in the classroom would be a great deterrent for would be iPod thieves, and can be even be used to stop bullying. "Kids are scared," said Doris Coy, associate professor of counseling at the University of North Texas. "They think, 'If I tell on somebody, then they are going to be twice as hard on me.' Bullies use that power and fear to reinforce their actions."(qtd. in Vargas). If parent are given the ability to view their child’s classroom they might have a chance of observing their child being bullied or doing it. There is no substitute for the amount of information cameras can obtain.

      Most schools in Las Vegas have cameras but they are only outside the classroom. There are instances many times a day where the future of a student rests upon a single statement. The administrators usually look in to the credibility but when it comes down to it those decisions are made upon guesses. A lack of security in the classroom doesn’t accomplish anything. I propose surveillance cameras and microphones are placed in every classroom so there is always a credible source of information in the classroom. The cameras could be connected to a secure connection and be viewable on a password protected website. Parents and teachers could be issued usernames and use the service whenever they feel the need to. The footage would be useful as evidence in case of a theft, and can even be used for students too ill to go to class.

In todays complex world being on camera is a daily form of life, and the only reason to be scared of them is if someone is doing something they aren’t supposed to do. Cameras are just there to make sure individuals are doing what they are supposed to do, when they are supposed to do it.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to having cameras in the classroom. Cameras sacrifice privacy for safety, but when it comes down to it, safety is more important. The added benefit of having a constant source of uncorrupted information in our youth’s place of learning would only help improve our society. If you think about it when you grow up you are video taped at work so why not be used to it. I say Las Vegas should have cameras in every classroom, with the video online for parents to view anytime. Concerned parents will finally be able to be in peace knowing they are always informed about their child’s participation and behavior (Sugden 21).

Works Cited

Lewis, Jason, and Condron, Stephanie. “CAUGHT ON A CLASSROOM SPY

CAMERA - THE PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL WHO HID THIS GIRL'S SHOES.” Mail on Sunday; 1/11/2009: p68-68, 1p. Article. EBSCOhost. 26 October 2010

Dillon, Sam. “Cameras Watching Students, Especially in Biloxi.”

New York Times (2003): pg. B9. ProQuest. Newspaper. 26 October 2010

Palkot, Greg. Cameras in the Classrooms. 2009.     

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/10/19/cameras-in-the-classroms/

Sugden, Joanna. “School to let parents see 'class spy' film.” Times, The (United Kingdom);

04/03/2009, p21-21, 1p.Newspaper. EBSCOhost. 26 October 2010

Scott, Gretchen. “Eye on the Classroom: Should Webcams Be Allowed In Schools?”

Scholastic Scope. (2003): 20. Magazine. EBSCOhost. 29 October 2010

Vargas, Melissa. “Bullying is a vicious cycle for kids.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (2006):1

EBSCOhost. Article. 31 October 2010

Humans are the main cause of extinction

 

Humans are the main cause of extinction

Human beings are slowly depleting the planet earth of its biodiversity. Habitat loss and fragmentation, wildlife trade, the introduction of an invasive species, and extensive hunting are only a few causes humans contribute to the endangerment and ultimately the extinction of many species across the globe. Eliminating an animal from its habitat affects the whole ecosystem, causing an imbalance that is very difficult to repair. For example, the displacement of wolves may be the cause of the overpopulation of white tail deer in Maine. A normal deer population should be between twenty to twenty-five deer per square mile, but Maine’s deer population is an astonishing one hundred deer per square mile  (Mere). The effects of the overpopulation can be seen in the forest itself. ” Deer change the makeup of forests with their appetites. They prefer certain saplings such as the sugar maple, pin cherry, and black and yellow birch leaving other species largely untouched. In open areas, deer grazing can allow ferns to spread, stealing valuable sunlight from some trees” (Crissey). Life lives off life, and as a predator becomes extinct or critically endangered, their prey flourishes. As time goes by and overpopulation sets in the species food source will not be able to keep up with the steadily increasing animal. The food source will not have time to replenish effectively, causing a famine. This can cause the species itself to be frequently mal nourished, and even cause some to die off due to starvation. The other animals that ingest the same food will suffer the same fate. This evaporation of nutrients can cause some hungry animals to start eating things that they aren’t supposed to eat, which can affect an even wider range of life forms. 

Deforestation, especially in the rainforest, displaces animals and is a leading cause of animal endangerment and extinction. As the human population grows, and the cities and towns expand, mass amounts of animals are displaced. Life once thriving in rainforests is destroyed by human expansion displaces, and ultimately endangers an extremely wide range of animals. The extinction of a single seemingly insignificant species can have a drastic effect on the areas eco system. “The educated guess is that each species of plant supports ten to thirty species of dependent animal. Eliminate just one species of insect and you may have destroyed the sole specific pollinator for a flowering plant,” explains David Quammen (qtd in. Butler). By eliminating a source of food in an environment many species are affected, which can lead to the loss of more and mores species similar to the domino effect. It is also believed that as animals are displaced their population density decreases. Plants become too spread out to successfully pollinate, affecting the species that it has a natural relationship with. Animals that would normally live in large packs would be almost helpless if their packs are not large enough. An animals group can provide protection, assist with hunting, warn of danger, and provides easy access to a mate. As population density decreases animals would have an extremely difficult time locating suitable mates.  With more and more forest being cleared each year surviving animals have less places to flee to. With cities, roads, farms, factories, and other man made barriers in the way of the fleeing animals it is far more difficult to find a new suitable habitat. Animals may have to relocate to unsuitable locations, which can detrimentally affect their likelihood for survival. “Many tropical species are used to constant, year-round conditions of temperature and humidity. They are not adapted to climate change even if it is as small as 1.8F (1C),” (Butler).

The trading of animals is also a leading cause of the endangerment and extinction of species. In the last 100 years the tiger population has been reduced nearly 95% due to deforestation and the illegal trading of body parts. The bones, teeth and other body parts of the tiger are widely used as medicine and as an aphrodisiac even though the practice is against WWF code. The passenger pigeon were brought to extinction decimated by American hunters who sold the birds as a cheap source of meat. The birds which population was an estimated 5 billion before Europeans arrived once flourished with little known natural predators. Migrating flocks would darken the sky and take hours to pass. It was fairly easy to hunt the birds, which may have helped contribute to their demise. The poaching of white rhinos and the illegal trading of their highly sought after horns brought the species to the verge of extinction. The horns where also sought after for their uses in Chinese medicine and their aphrodisiac properties. Pet orangutans are common in Indonesia, even though they are an endangered species. “In Indonesia pet orangutans are thought of as a status symbol. Habitat loss remains the single biggest threat to orangutans, but as it turns out, the pet trade and deforestation are closely linked,” (Kneidel). 2010). “The hunting and capturing of orangutans for the pet trade is, in a way, a by-product of the timber trade and the conversion of forests to palm-oil plantations,” (Kneidel). The loss of their protection leaves them vulnerable to capture. After the young are captured they are typically shipped to market in groups in the hopes of at least one surviving. “Up to 15 orangutans die to get one live infant to market,” (Kneidel). It is disturbing how the traders disregard the position these species are in. Measures must be made to stop the trading of endangered animals, and future animals that may become endangered due to trading. The fur of leopards, tigers, cheetahs, wolves and other fur bearing animals were once highly sought after and thought of as a luxury. Unfortunately the fur trading of these animals was not stopped soon enough.

Life should be cherished, no mater what form it comes in. Our planet is being taken over by our own race and we will not truly realize this until it is too late. That is why every human being should be more aware of the impact our species makes upon our planet. Instead of contributing to the seemingly unavoidable destruction of our planet we should all honestly think of what it would be like to be in an animal. The fact is Homo sapiens are animals but we somehow gained an extremely unfair advantage. The decline of biodiversity on our planet and our mass farming of domesticated animals may keep life from evolving in appositive direction. With all the diversity depleting all our soon to be extinct race will have are a couple of species that are living crops. The future will only be filled with animals that are bred only to be slaughtered; a free roaming animal would be the thing of the past.

 

Works cited

"Animal Extinction and Endangerment, Main Causes." Rainforests, Rainforest Animals, Other

Environmental Issues And Practical Environmental Solutions. Sept. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Animal-Extinction.html>.

Butler, Rhett. "Impact of Deforestation—Extinction." Rainforests. 24 Nov. 2010. Web. 29 Nov.

2010. <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0908.htm

Mere, R.J. "ADWA - Deer Overpopulation Is a Serious Problem."ADWA - American Deer and

Wildlife Alliance. 24 Oct. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.deerwildlifealliance.org/Deer-Overpopulation-is-a-Serious-Problem.htm>.

Kneidel, Sally. "Laws Flaunted: Flourishing Pet Trade Threatens Orangutans' Survival –

Sumatran Orangutan Society." SOS – Sumatran Orangutan Society. 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.orangutans-sos.org/news/309_laws-flaunted-flourishing-pet-trade-threatens-orangutans-survival>.