Affirmative Action in Colleges - Continued

I would just like to make a small note about college admissions:
While denouncing Affirmative Action in Colleges which I believe is unfair, I cannot ignore how many prominent schools such as Harvard or Yale are also unfair. Many expensive prestigious Universities are more likely to accept students if they have alumni relatives and almost always will accept students if these relatives are donors. Not only does this deny deserving and hardworking students of the finest education available, but donors, who are often well-off, can write this off their taxes and thus cheating the US overall. Universities need to something for at least these unfair admissions.

NBA Preview

My Count Down of NBA Championship Threats:
1. The Spurs - No one ever pays much attention to solid playing Spurs. Most people excitedly talk about the Sun's and Maverick's offense. However, when the Suns, a quick paced team that tries to bury their opponents in a points hole, took on the hard nosed Spurs in the playoffs last year, the Spurs slowed down the game with tight Defense and won(note: Donaghy was the official in some of those games). Now a word or so about their coach Gregg: The Pistons and Spurs are similar teams, but their is one main reason the Spurs are better than the Pistons. Detroit Coach Flip Saunders has good plays, but Gregg puts the team together. For instance, the Pistons overconfidence and nonchalant attitude crumpled under the Cavalier's "this could be our last game" mentality, but when the Spurs took on the Suns, who have an attitude similar to the Cavaliers, the Spurs matched their intensity along with having some confidence. About the players: Tim Duncan - Center - Solid on both ends of the court; Consistent; not old; but a veteran. He is the nucleus of this team his dominating presence makes him possibly the most formidable center in the league. Bruce Bowen - One of defensive factors; made all-defensive team last year; valuable asset for teams such as Phoenix and Mavericks, who are the Spurs biggest rivals. Tony Parker - the offense of the team; last year's final's MVP; not half bad on defense either. Because they are bringing nearly the same crew back, only a year older, they are the biggest threat in the league.
2. Phoenix Suns - After acquiring the aging but still powerful forward Grant Hill, they have become an even greater offensive machine. With quick play led by Steve Nash, the team has also developed strong in the paint with Amare Stoudemare and Shawn Marion. A wiry team that loves pick-and-rolls, they have only one main obstacle in the league: The Spurs. In addition, if they make it to the finals they might play the Pistons, another defensive team they don't match up well with. While Phoenix has no trouble blowing through other teams, the Spurs loom ominously over them. Once they make it past the Spurs though, they can championship. A closing statement: the Suns have been building over these past few years, adding a new element to the team each season. This seems like if any season is THE season, then this is THE season.
3. TIE - Cavaliers - Last year's east conference champs were swept by the Spurs. While the spurs are an all around better team, the Eastern conference will be easily beaten this year by the Cavs except possibly the Pistons. Revolving around a talented shooter and dunker and blocker and passer, King Lebron, they are a scrappy team that keeps on getting better and better. While most people call this team the the Cleaveland Lebron's, the team over-all is not bad. Most teams double team Lebron, but this allows him to pass to a man with plenty of time to shoot. Last year against the Nets, they beat them handily because they left several people open trying to cover James. Lebron really brings the entire team up to their full potential. My final word: just not good enough.
3. TIE - Pistons - Finally my true love. A team that is now considered too old, they are clamoring to make another play-off run. However, without Ben(edict Arnold), they lack a strong center. My opinion: Saunders has to inspire his team. Maxiell should be put at center, but has to step up and do what we've seen him do before for more than 10 minutes. Tayshaun's still pretty young and is a definite keeper. The other three(Rip, Chauncey, and 'Sheed) are not old timers and are still some of the best players in the league. A critical point - Chauncey and Rip cannot play like they did in the off season last year. The two most consistent players folded like a tent. - They have the potential, they just need to put it all together.

Honorable Mentions: the Bulls, the Magic, the Wizards, the Jazz - They are all solid teams, they just aren't good enough.

Note: I am forming a deep contempt for Oden. First you leave college early, even though you would have led them to at least 1 NCAA championship and now, after being drafted first, can't play the entire season - you're really grinding my bones

How much truth is there in Global Warming?

Global warming is an increasingly eminent issue in the Nation as a threat to the world. With its backers speaking morbid consequences, many people are now questioning the validity of these claims.

1. Global Warming - Global Warming is the increase in temperature of the atmosphere, resulting from the greenhouse effect. Some gases that aid in the greenhouse effect have become much more present in today's atmosphere than ever before, such as carbon dioxide. Al Gore, a front-runner in the debate, points to a trend in CO2 and temperature over hundreds of thousands of years. The two trends mirror each other until recent years, when the CO2 levels skyrocketed, leading some scientists to believe that temperatures will soon follow*. However, many people also point out the climate changes the earth constantly endures, such as the medieval ice age and the heat of the dust bowl. At this point time, we are experiencing an increase in heat and sea-levels, but nothing that has not come outside the level of extremity.

2. What do we do? - While no definite proof for global warming exists, greenhouse gases produce many other problems. People around the Los Angeles and San Fransisco valley do not come out of their homes because pollution is so bad. In addition, greenhouse gases cause acid rain which destroys crops. Subsequently, the byproducts that are made alongside greenhouse gases(a.k.a., industrial waste) also hurt our environment. Thus, while Global warming is not yet confirmed, greenhouse gases present many more problems than commonly seen

3. What's being done? - Automakers, who are receiving a push from the government, are building more efficient cars, such as the Toyota Prius or the Ford Escape. Additionally, people are planting trees to equalize their carbon emissions. However, these programs merely sweep the problem under the rug. If America truly wants to "go green" we must look away from coal burning plants, which emit large quantities of CO2, to renewable energy, such as wind, solar, or even nuclear. We must also abandon petrochemicals which decompose ridiculously slow and produce greenhouse gases in the making.

4. What needs to be done?- For America to sever its shackles with oil and coal, the government could place restrictions or taxes on such products and tax-breaks to companies who support these restrictions.

5. What can you do? - For a person to live entirely petrochemical, gasoline, or coal-powered electricity free is nearly impossible. Walking places helps, but to truly reduce your carbon footprint, write your congressman or local power supplier and voice your dissidence with greenhouse emission.

*http://www.architecture2030.org/images/current_situation/CS02-CO2-Temperature.gif

Affirmative Action in College Admission: Ineffective and Unfair

Last year, Michiganders voted to amend their constitution and ban affirmative action in college admissions. Affirmative action is a set of policies to help minorities and women receive education or employment*. Used in some government jobs, these policies encourage hiring and promoting people in jobs like law enforcement to better represent the people of the area. However, much focus lately has been on College admissions.
Most people in Michigan now look at Affirmative Action in colleges as a way to help lower class inner-city minorities, such as African Americans in Detroit get out of a vicious cycle of poverty. Yet a financially wealthy minority could be receiving this help. It is plausible that these students could give back to the community, but this method is indirect and not effective.
In addition, a study done by Richard Sander, a UCLA law professor states 43% black students attending law schools do not graduate**. While unclear whether these students were aided by affirmative action that number still looms overhead. Trying to balance out equality, these Colleges may be just handing these students debt. Also, how fair is it that a poor Caucasian is declined from a college because a rich minority usurps his place but fails out?
Instead of using affirmative action in University admission to have a class who represents the ethnic background of the area, colleges could give scholarships to minorities who need financial aid or the government could work on inner city projects, where an uneducated, unemployed, and lower-class minority tends to exist. Affirmative action in college admissions is ineffective and unfair to both the majority and minority. As mentioned before, there many other more equitable systems.
In order to fully document such systems, I will publish a second article about the inner city, affirmative action, and poverty.
* wikipedia.org - keyword "affirmative action"
** http://www.law.ucla.edu/sander/Systemic/final/SanderFINAL.pdf

Are your phonelines safe?

Paranoid people had a field day when congress legalized warrant less phone tapping of suspected terrorists to the National Security Agency. An agency made for cryptology, the NSA was secretly authorized to phone tap by the president after 9/11. Many people are wondering "how much should the government know?"

Bush has once again run into the alley on the bad side of the town as many clamor angrily against him for his authorization without the project's legalization. Unfortunately, most have already been subdued by the seemingly omnipotent question "What can we do?". This is truly a tragedy where the man on top remains unscathed for his wrong actions, such as Clinton's last day pardons. We need laws against such actions, but I cannot stray from the subject.

While its authorization was wrong, the warrant less wiretapping of the NSA has made substantial findings. In 2003, using satellites to identify his position, the NSA nabbed Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind*. Utilizing a huge computer system called Echelon, they look for "phrases, names, phone numbers, and addresses"* trying to draw connections between them. In addition, this surveillance is a two-sided economic issue as well. Since 9/11 the estimated budget of the NSA has doubled to $9 billion, yet people doubt the proper management of the money as the NSA struggles keeping up with today's technologically advanced world*. On the other hand, it employs 30,000 to 40,000 people, pumping money back into the tax-payers*.

All in all, it comes down to how much we wants the government to know. I feel that there is no problem with the wiretapping. They wiretap only suspected terrorists and I myself have nothing to hide. As long as we treat these suspected terrorists innocent until proven guilty as well as with dignity and respect, and if the NSA program uses its budget effectively, no one should have a complaint. Hopefully, America can someday be a beacon of peace in foreign relations and the NSA will no longer be necessary, but until we resolve our conflicts this program only adds to our security.



* "America's most secret agency"; The Week; August 31, 2007; http://www.theweekmagazine.com/