Current Connection 2.1

In an article titled "SES Approves Satellite Shipment for Falcon 9 Launch Despite Questions" posted at SpaceNews, Peter B. de Selding informs us of the decision from SES, the second largest satellite fleet operator, to go ahead and authorize the shipment of the satellite to florida is questionable due to SpaceX's demo launch of the Falcon 9.1 which did not meet a key milestone.

According to the article "the U.S. Defense Department was still tracking nearly double the number of objects associated with the launch than had been expected". This caused Elon Musk, founder of Spacex and Tesla, Inventor of the Hyperloop, to rebuttle the claim that the first stage exploded. Elon Musk, rebuttleing the claim, says that the 1st stage did not explode but instead some insulation may have fell off causing more objects to be detected.

Reported from the article "SES has insured the SES-8 launch for $200 million and paid a premium of about $24 million, or 12 percent, to cover the launch and the satellite’s first year in orbit, industry officials said. A 12 percent premium rate is considered low for a rocket without a commercial track record ". Spacex, succeeding the competition, is showing a brand new rocket the falcon 9.1; although the rocket have a insufficient track record,failing far behind the Soyuz rocket, they are still needed which has helped keep the insurrence low.

According to the article "One insurance industry official said the industry is likely to be paying some $500 million in satellite-related claims in 2013". The immense cost is a waterfall, never ending, the ammount that needs to keep moving keeps coming as if from nothing. The cost to insure a satellite is very expensive but SES wants SpaceX to help change the market for space launches to commercial.

I've seen a lot of arguments that SpaceX is nothing new and all based on old technology, but I believe that SpaceX is new. SpaceX is taking something we already have and enhancing that to the full potential and making something even better. SES is correct to choose to go ahead with the SpaceX launch because I believe SpaceX has the full Potential.

Current Connection 1.2

In ABC News' Article entitled "BlackBerry Reassures Customers in Open Letter: 'You Can Continue to Count on Us'," the writer Joanna Stern informs us that Blackberry is telling customers than they can still count on them. Blackberry wants people to know that they can still turn around and be counted upon today and that they have a way out of the troubles they are having now.

Blackberry right now is have major problems which are making customers think twice about them. As written in the article "It has reported a $1 billion quarterly loss, that 40 percent of its workforce will be laid off before the end of the year and its much anticipated BBM app for iPhone and Android was delayed." Blackberry has lossed an incredible amount within a single quarter and has layed off a large percentage of their workforce which makes investors worry about whether to support blackberry or call quits. Black berry

Blackberry believes they can change though. Written in a letter from blackberry "You can continue to count on us." Blackberry believes in itself to be able to turn itself around and be desired, but for blackberry to do this they must have support in which they try to muster by sending a letter out with this in the letter.

Something blackberry shows to prove that they have a plan and are capable of turning themselves around is that they have a "substantial amount of cash on hand" and a "balance sheet that is debt free." Blackberry does have the cash and a plan to regain market.

To me, I think Blackberry does not have a change to repair what has been done. They have lingered too long and have not done enough to survive a very competitive market.

Blackberry has a plan and the resources to pull through if they can put the resource to good use, Blackberry is hoping for people to come back and count on them again.

Current Connection 1.1

In abc news' "Tesla Motors Announces Plan For Automated Driving", Jon M Chang informs the reader that automated driving is the next step towards fully autonomous driving but not all will accept this new technology.

Fully autonomous driving may be far off, but technology is bringing us there still.According to the article, "While it's difficult to get 100 percent of a car's controls automated, Iagnemma said that splitting it between the driver and the car's computer is not an insignificant bump in the  road. We are able to do this much sooner than autonomous driving. This technology, semi-autonomous driving, will help up move forward toward autonomous driving.

With this new technology, some people are likely to disapprove of this. As written in the article, "Surveys show that while many people are open to the idea of an autonomous vehicle driving them to work, far fewer are willing to let one drive their child to soccer practice." People may find this new technology good, some will still fear the change. By entrusting their child,future of mankind, in this new tech that has yet to prove itself, they risk endangering lives.

Semi-autonomous vehicles may be coming soon, but will we accept the change? as written in the article, "Even if the Tesla has a road-ready product in three years, it's not guaranteed that the public will welcome it with open arms" we, the people, have what is considered almost revolutionary. But with that change can bring both good and bad, so some people will be reluctant to accept this. Not all of us may open arms to accept this change.

Semi-autonomous vehicles is the future I say. Having computers take a load off of a human driver can be good. Especially if the computer can do the task safer than a human. Some people are bad drivers and i have witnessed them and do wish that this technology can help change driving.

Short Story!

The idea for my story revolves about a man named Arthur Kinley. He is Eighteen and studying in a law school in New York City. The conflict of the story are about Chinese spies in the United States and he accidentally got wind of their plans and so he is now their target. Anyone he speaks to might go missing and so he must find a way to survive and possibly thwart a operation conducted by Chinese spies.

Me being able to think up a story that I want to read and giving me the possibility to make it how I want is rewarding for myself. Instead of having to rely on other authors and somethings getting disappointed, I can make this short story into exactly how I want.

Deciding on a topic and figuring out small background information is what was difficult for me. It frustrated me while trying to find something that I would like but would make sense to some degree. The frustration and difficulty was only a roadblock in my path that I eventually past and now my story has been planned.

Arthur Kinley, in deep thought gazing upon the board, analyzes the information to be put to good use in his career which requires knowledge of the law and persuasive skills. He takes mental notes of everything and also does the most beneficial choice. Arthur Kinley is capable of solving complex riddles and developing tactics in the middle of the heat.

Arthur Kinley who is brilliant is faced with a starking situation. The story can be a exciting one showing deep thought and not far fetched. This story may have took me some thinking, but past those roadblocks, I have came up with one that i like and can make to my perfection.

CC#4 China's Gaokao

In The New York Times magazine Upfront, an article entitled "Failure Is Not An Option" Sharon LaFraniere Informs us of the importance of this test. This test is very important to the people and can make or break you. This test is something you should fail, and if you do, this will break you.

The Gaokao, China's college exam, is very serious. stated by the author "He studied 14 to 16 hours a day for the test which will determine the fate of more than 9 million Chinese students this year." This test is incredibly hard and students will have to spent most the day for long times to prepare for this test. Putting this must effort means the test is something they are putting all their effort into.

This exam will set you out for life. Stated by the author "In a country where education is so highly prized, a student's score on the gaokao is believed to set the course of one's life." The Gaokao will determine your future for the rest of your life depending on how you did on it. With it determining how you will do in the future, the need to pass it makes it ever more important.

The Exam will take some people to extremes so they can pass the test. Written in the article "Last year in sichuan province in southwestern china, some students studied a hospital, hooked up to oxygen containers, in hopes of improving their concentration." These students are going by far beyond the norm and going to hospitals and learning which on oxygen tanks believing the they will be able to focus better. They are doing extremes to do this.

I know test for colleges are important. The ACT is important to us but not at important as the gaokao to the chinese. This test will help determine my future by allowing me to help get into certain colleges. So to do this test, I study and prepare myself for it. The ACT and the Gaokao are very important exams and i understand why these people are taking the Gaokao very seriously.

The Gaokao is a test not to be underestimated. The exam will change you life if you make a mistake and with china's growing number of universities and colleges, the exam becomes more important if you want to get into one of them since admission to Chinese universities and colleges is often the sole admission for them.The students over there are preparing themselves and some by doing the extreme to learn as much as they can to overcome this test which will determine much of their future.

Topic of Choice SpaceX

Space Exploration or SpaceX, is a first of a new wave of companies who will venture out into space. SpaceX is an American company which wants to bring the power to bring our american astronauts to the International Space Station by means of an American Rocket. SpaceX is an incredibly company who will show that we americans are still ahead.

SpaceX started in 2002 by Elon Musk. Elon Musk is a South African born but is a American Citizen who resides here in the United States. After selling PayPal to Ebay, he amassed a large fortune and used 100 million of it to start SpaceX. Elon Musk has started an American Private Space Company that will do the first of many for America.

SpaceX developed by itself the Falcon 1 rocket. Which they launched from a military base. After three failed launches, their fourth launch was a success which help paved way for their Falcon 9 rocket. Due to this success, they eventually got help from Nasa to help with the falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX is a man driving forth American Innovation around the world.

Nasa aided SpaceX with their COTS program which is Commercial Orbital Transportation Service which many companies participated in and SpaceX won along with another company. Due to this, Nasa sent them a large sum of money to develope the falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon Capsule. The Dragon Capsule from the start is designed for people but used currently for cargo until human rated. SpaceX is like a lion, it's small and awesome when its new, but when it ages, it is ferocious and you must watch out for it because SpaceX is destroying the competition one by one.

With their Dragon Capsule, SpaceX got a contract with Nasa to supply the ISS several times for 1.6 Billion. A huge milestone for SpaceX due to them geting new contacts and more recently got a few military contracts. They also have several irridium contracts for their Falcon 9 which are due to launch in a few years. SpaceX a little big company who started small but has all these contracts to increasing in size every day.

Recently SpaceX have applied to get their Falcon 9 rocket to become a EEVL or Evolved Expendable Vehicle Launch which are launch vehicles the military uses. In the arsenal of EEVL, their are the two american rockets Atlas 5 and Delta 4. Soon another american vehicle will be added, the Falcon 9.

SpaceX started with one American with a passion and a goal. He put much of his own money and effort to start this company up and now they are a driving force. This American Company has even told the European Space Agency which is a government space agency that if they don't make the Ariane 6 rocket and keep with the Ariane 5 rocket, SpaceX will surpass them indefinitely due to SpaceX's goal to make going to space much cheaper yet much safer. SpaceX is a true american company who has used innovation to be in league with governments. They are conquering the new frontier as us americans did earlier many times in our history.

Click Here for more information on SpaceX.

CC#3 Obama 'Betrayed' Terrorist Victims

Posted on Yahoo, 'Fort Hood Hero Says Obama 'Betrayed' Her, Other Victims' The author of this article informs us about how victims of a terrorist action are neglected by the government and are not receiving what they should.

The attack was definitely an act of terrorism but even with evidence, the government thinks of the event as workplace violence. "Despite extensive evidence that Hasan was in communication with al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki prior to the attack, the military has denied the victims a Purple Heart and is treating the incident as 'workplace violence' instead of 'combat related' or terrorism." Hasan was in contact with Al Qaida which is evidence that he was a terrorist but the government doesn't recognize this and doesn't even give the victims a Purple Heart.

The government didn't do anywhere close as they should have. "Some of the victims "had to find civilian doctors to get proper medical treatment" and the military has not assigned liaison officers to help them coordinate their recovery, said the group's lawyer, Reed Rubinstein." Some of the soldiers couldn't get help from the government so they had to go to civilian doctors instead due to the government not helping. This is a disgrace and should not have happen.

Due to the governments listing the event as a Workplace violence, some of the veterans cannot receive the money they need to heal. Manning says the "workplace violence" designation has cost him almost $70,000 in benefits that would have been available if his injuries were classified as "combat related." If the government would have instead did what was right and listed the event as a terrorist attack, this would have happen and the veteran could actually get the help he needs.

To me, this is unacceptable. Americans are going out to fight against terrorist for our country to protect our freedom. Yet the government is not helping the victims that have done much more than a lot of people in the united states. They are being deprived of help.

With this happening, I feel the government is failing us. When they stop trying to help their own citizens, they are no longer needed. The victims of this attack should be helped by the government without any need for suing due to lack of help.

Book Review Q3 #1

An amazing book with battles between gods, demigods, monsters, this book will take you on an adventure in the modern day revolving about Greeks and Romans. Rick Riordan's book The Mark of Athena is a incredible book that has a great story that will entertain most readers with the likeability of the characters and the action between the Protagonist and the antagonist.

I learned from this book that just because you are scared, does not mean you can't do it. Athena was scared of the challenge the Mark of Athena was bring her to. She would like to have done it with Percy but does it herself even though she was fearful because many before her have died. But she didn't waver in her fear and did it.  As Annabeth said to Percy "'It's all right, Percy.' Annabeth  squeezed his hand. 'I need to do this.'" Annabeth tells Percy it's all right and that she will do this herself which she alone has too. Leo Valdez is another character who was scared but he did it anyway. As written in the book "A problem you cannot solve, said a voice in his mind. Nemesis...she'd told him to expect this moment. Leo thrust his hand into his pocket and brought out the fortune cookie. The goddess had warned him of a great price for her help-as great as losing an eye. He broke open the cookie." Leo Valdez know that opening the fortune cookie would take something from him. He's afraid to use it not knowing what it'll take away from him but uses it anyway despite that fear to save his friends.

Percy Jackson is the main protagonist. He is very kind and cares deeply for his friend. That's why he is one of my favorite characters in this book. As written in the book "Percy hated it. He would've preferred to fight any monster in the world." When Annabeth has to go by herself to finish the mark of Athena, he hates it and would rather fight anything than to leave her. As Percy told Piper "'Piper,' Percy said, 'I can help.'" Jason is in trouble and Percy is the only one that can help. So Percy helps him. Percy told Annabeth "'We're staying together,' he promised. 'You're not getting away fro me, Never again.'" Percy is holding onto Annabeth but he knows he won't be able to pull her up. He can either drop her to go with her, so he decides to go with her and stay with her without abandoning.

This book reminds me of The Hunger Games. In the Hunger Games, each district has to send people. In this book, both camps have people going to fight an enemy because they have to due to a prophecy. Like when Katniss and Peeta decide to do suicide together, Percy and Annabeth decide to go into the pit of tartarus together instead of leaving the other behind.

This book is absolutely amazing. Telling the story from the viewpoints of many characters and the situations they are in are spectacular. They use real places and put the scenes their. This book I would recommended to anyone in a heartbeat because that is how much I love it.

CC#2 Israel Jet Fighters Strike at Syria

Posted on BBC, "Syria 'Confirms' Israeli Air Strike but Disputes Target", this article was written by January 31th, 2013. Posted to describe and tell us the events of what Israel did when they did an airstrike against them.

Over in the area around Syria, tensions are growing and the people fear invaders. "The attack came as Israel voiced fears that Syrian missiles and chemical weapons could fall into the hands of militants such as Lebanon's Hezbollah. Israel is fearful that the weapons could come into the hands of the Lebanon's Hezbollah, a terrorist organization who could use those weapons against Israel.

The situation is fragile and with this, the scene may change in the near future. As written in the article "However, an attack on the Syrian side could cause a major diplomatic incident, they say, as Iran has said it will treat any Israeli attack on Syria as an attack on itself." Since Israel struck against Syria, Iran may intervene and if it does, chaos will ensue. With tensions flaring, the middle east is becoming much more dangerous.

Quoted from a Syrian Official "Israeli fighter jets violated our airspace at dawn today and carried out a direct strike on a scientific research center in charge of raising our level of resistance and self-defense." Israel is very worried about weapons getting into the hands of much worse enemies. They are even willing to violate another country's airspace to stop the weapons from getting stolen.

Israel is very fearful of the weapons getting into the hands of terrorist. So they are deciding to destroy the weapons so no one could get them. They are taking this very seriously and are may make cause war in the middle east more dangerous.

With the situation getting out of hand and weapons possibly going into the hands of the terrorist. This reminds me of when we thought Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. To prevent anything from happening any further, we decided to attack directly and ignore the consequences.

American Dream

 

Is your American dream to be rich or famous? Maybe your dream is to have a loving family or even to have to not work a single day in your life. Dr. Martin Luther King's famous speech, "I have a dream" made me think, do I have a dream? And if so, what is my dream. After pondering, I realized the dream but this is only a dream and for me to make it a reality. I would have to work hard which everyone in America has to do achieved their hard earned dream because they deserve it after the effort put forth towards it. My dream is no different, Martin Luther has a dream and he strived to achieve it through effort, and I am no different, so I too will have to work and I know that I will be able to reach it through my hard work and dedication.

To begin, what is a dream in the first place? A dream is some goal or reality that you would love to become true and be yours instead of just imagining it. But to achieve, you must put forth effort into your dream to bring your dream into your reality. Being it rich, famous, or having a loving and caring family, the American dream can be anything and everything you want that dream to be. That dream will never be out of your reach as long as you strive to achieve that dream. My American dream is something for the stars. To break past the barrier that only a select few will get to pass, to work with them in achieving the ability to make bring forth more people into outer space and learn about the space with much more effort than ever before. To gather knowledge that wills our people ever closer to commuting into space a commodity.

What is the dream for me? Well, that is to not have to work a single day in my life and work on what I want. To research spacecraft and technological advancements in space. That is to work at Nasa or SpaceX which if I held a job there, I truly would never have to work because they say, If you love your job, you'll never have to work a single day in your life. That is why my dream is to work at either Nasa or SpaceX. My dream is to work for either of these great companies.

Ever since I was a kid I have always been fascinated with space. Like how big space is and how diverse everything is out there. SpaceX and NASA work with outer space by developing launch systems and doing research in outer space respectively. Being able to go to space on a rocket designed by SpaceX and working for Nasa would be an American Dream for me. To go into outer space and visit the International Space Station for NASA. NASA and SpaceX are my dream and future.

Everyone in America has sought after their American dream. But only those that put forth effort may achieve success. My American dream is not just a dream, but a goal to which I strive for. Something that I will put all my effort into so I can make my dream a reality. Work at NASA or SpaceX is my American dream.

 

 

CC#1 : Syrian rebels seizing large airbase in war against the government

I've read an article entitled "Syria: Rebels Seize Key Air Base In Northwest, Activists Say" The article was posted on the Huffington Post written by Bassem Mroue to inform us about the recent achievements the Syrian rebels have accomplished.

Written in the article "The Taftanaz air base in the northern Idlib province is considered the biggest field in the country's north for helicopters used to bomb rebel-held areas and deliver supplies to government troops." This shows how important the airfield was to the government, it was the biggest field in the north and used by helicopters to bomb and also to deliver supplies. This airbase has now been taken by the rebels and so can no longer do what it was meant to do which takes a blow at the government.

Another written section from the article "While its fall will embarrass the regime and dent helicopter operations, it will do little to stop air strikes by government jets, many of which come from bases farther south." While taking the airbase was important for the rebels, the governments attack was not affected much. The government will still bomb and attack from southern airbases.

Quoted from Kanaan about the ammunition they seized from the airbase "another big nail in the coffin of the regime." Even though they did not gain much from the airbase, they still got the ammunition which will help them last better against the government. Another nail in the coffin, this will symbol them nailing the coffin to ensure that the government one step closer to death. That with the ammunition gained, they are closer to the destruction of the corrupted government.

I find this event to be similar to our country during the revolutionary war Great Britain. Which we were fighting a country stronger than ours but we fought for our freedom against the odds. They are attacking the government they feel is harming them and not caring for their rights so they are attacking back at them like we did.

The Syrian rebels have managed to take over an airbase in which they will use the supplys from it to further the battle against the corrupted government. The airbase may not do but much the moral of this is great as they see they are capable of taking over enemy bases.