Blog Post: April 14 (Bionic hands controlled by iphone app)

“Bionic hands controlled by iPhone app”

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/12/health/bionic-hands/index.html?hpt=he_c2

            In 2008, Jason Koger, a young husband and father was riding his four-wheeler on his grandfather's farm when he came in contact with a downed power line His body was jolted with 7,200 volts of electricity. Since his accident, Koger has had a variety of prosthetic hands to help him function with his "new normal" in everyday life. In recent years, the prosthetic devices field has seen remarkable developments. And Koger is the first double amputee in the world to receive one of the most innovative products on the market: bionic hands that are, in part, controlled by an iPhone app. The i-Limb Ultra Revolution is the latest innovation from UK-based prosthetic developers Touch Bionics. The hand offers "unparalleled dexterity and control, enabling wearers to more easily perform activities of daily living and thus increase their quality of life," said Ian Stevens, CEO of Touch Bionics.

            This is a huge breakthrough in the world of technology and prosthetics, to go from basic hand shaped ballistic gel that was mainly for looks to a fully bionic hand that has motor skills and can be controlled by an app. This man is part robot, how long has someone been waiting to say that? This innovation has allowed for this man’s life to be returned to almost as it was. He can do most skills that are required for everyday use, although it takes a little longer. Regardless, this is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. You can see the gratefulness in Koger’s  attitude and how happy he is in the video on the link, truly a remarkable piece of technology that will help many amputees return to their normal lives.

Blog Post: March 24 (The County Where No One's Gay)

“The county where no one's gay”

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/24/opinion/sutter-franklin-county-mississippi-lgbt/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

In Franklin County, Mississippi, there are no gay couples, statistically speaking. The middle-of-nowhere rectangle in southwest Mississippi -- known for its pine forests, hog hunting and an infamous hate crime -- is home to exactly zero same-sex couples, according to an analysis of census data.

Never once have I heard about somewhere where gay’s “don’t exist”. I don’t think that gays want to be in the closet there, it is just that their culture and surroundings make them get shut in. There are many reasons for this, most of them most likely coming from the historical ethics that are still around in this small county, and that is no assumption. When people around town were asked about gay-marriage, one answer was: “I don't believe in them kind of people. I don't believe in it. We don't need that same-sex marriage. That is wrong!" Obviously this is extremely offensive to anyone who is gay, and with more examples of people from that county saying things like this, it makes me realize more and more that the way of life there really does shut in anyone who would like to be open about their sexuality. With people being raised from the same ideas as 5 generations back, it is clear what their beliefs are. Personally I think it’s a sad thing that this county has no gay couples and I don’t think it’s a coincidence. 

Blog Post: Feb 10 (L.A. posts 1 million dollar reward for Dorner)

“Los Angeles puts up $1 million reward for Dorner”

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/10/us/lapd-attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

The continuing story of the ex-cop, Christopher Dorner, is getting more interesting. Now police are offering a 1 million dollar reward for him. For anyone who doesn’t know the story, Dorner is suspected of killing three people in a vendetta against his old department for the police. He was fired in 2009. Los Angeles mayor commented on this act, saying, “We will not tolerate anyone undermining the security, the tranquility of our neighborhoods and our communities. We will not tolerate this reign of terror that has robbed us of the peace of mind that residents of Southern California deserve. We will not tolerate this murderer remaining at large."

Obviously one million dollars isn’t placed for bounty for just any crime or on any criminal. There must be a bigger picture here, either a lot more people are vulnerable to being hurt in the near future or there is something the police haven’t let out yet. I think it is the first one, because he is a trained killer and can evade police like it’s no big deal. I just wonder why getting fired from a job back in 2009 would lead to this volatile of revenge. It doesn’t quite make sense to me. Another topic that I've seen been brought up with this event is gun control. Some say that if gun control laws had been more regulated, this situation would have been avoided. That is complete b.s. Even if gun control was regulated, this guy is a trained killer and would have gotten his hands on a gun no matter what. This seems to be a new situation for the police because they haven’t really had to deal with a trained killer with survival skills in that area before. So hopefully they can get the job done without any more fatalities. 

Blog Post: February 3 (Super Bowl Commercials)

"Super Bowl Commercials 2013: Grading the Best & Worst Ads"

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1514409-super-bowl-commercials-2013-grading-the-best-worst-ads?hpt=hp_c2

            If there’s one thing that gets people more excited on Super Bowl Sunday than the Super Bowl, it’s the highly anticipated commercials that are always critiqued very particularly. They make the game that much better. This can be seen through the price of having one thirty second being 4 million dollars, ninety percent more than a decade ago. As the rise of YouTube and social media has grown, so has the popularity of these ads, and the reputation is still growing.

Since it is Super Bowl Sunday, I thought a Super Bowl related blog post would be in order. I myself am not a big supporter of Football (unless the patriots are playing), so the commercials in this game are just as important as the game itself. In the past years, they have been ads that I still remember and watch on occasion; they are always a good source of entertainment during the breaks of the game to keep your attention. I have come to see that ads are really hit or miss, you love them or you hate them, there’s not really an in-between.  This year, the best ad that I have seen so far is the Etrade baby commercial. I don’t know what it is about that baby, but he just knows how to make people laugh. Just the idea of a baby acting like a grown man is hilarious to me. BUT when it’s all over, whether you think the ads ruin the actual game or make it better, you can’t deny they are one of the biggest components in what makes the Super Bowl, Super. 

Blog Post: Jan 27

"How America's top general came to endorse women in combat"

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/24/us/military-women/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

On Thursday, General Martin Dempsey opened up the field of combat (front line combat duties) to women so they could also fight alongside the men of the military. Gen. Dempsey said this decision had been floating around his mind and forming since 2003, when he introduced himself to his new Humvee crew just outside of Baghdad. He slapped the turret-gunner on the leg and said, “Who are you?” A woman leaned down and said, “I’m Amanda.” From then on he realized something had to change, women had become an integral part of military operation so why shouldn’t they be allowed to fight at front line posts? So Thursday he announced his decision.

From this decision, I have tried to be as objective as I can. I am not against the decision for women to fight on the front lines, as long as they meet the physical and mental requirements that come with this type of diehard fighting. It seems to have been a positive thing, they can bring their own skills into the battlefield and I predict this mixture of soldiers will provide a plethora of abilities for the army, making them very dynamic for utilizing every possible positive entity. I do wonder why they are implementing this right now though; it doesn’t seem to be the most opportune time to. I guess time will tell, I am interested to see how this will play out.