radio waves

3 interesting facts:

1.)  radio waves are electromagnetic waves propagated by an antenna

2.) when you listen to the radio  the stations like 94.5 it really means that you're listening on an fm signal of 94.5 megahertz

3.) radio waves are used for the radio, television, and telephones

2 things that i have learned from another source:

1.) Megahertz means  millions of cycles per second, so if the station is at 91.5 megahertz that means the frequency is 91,500,000 cycles per second

2.) When your listening to the radio and the station is Fm it's measured in megahertz, and when you're listening to Am it's measured in kilohertz.

My opinion:  I think that this information is pretty interesting because radio waves are the reason we can watch television or listen to music on the radio.  Also, radio waves are the reason we can talk on the telephone.  Life would be really different if we couldn't go home after school and watch t.v. or call our friends on the phone whenever we want.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/radio-spectrum.htm

N.J. School Report Card results show high failure rates for middle schoolers

Social Studies blog 2- State News

This article discusses a new test that most middle schoolers are failing.  In the article, it is stated that, ".. huge numbers of middle school students are failing rigorous new tests designed to prepare them for the next level.  Fifth and six graders are taking the test and around forty percent of sixth graders and  over seventy percent of fifth graders are failing in language arts.  It is stated that all this started when "Corzine announced an ambitious agenda last year for making the state's high schools more rigorous.."  It is also stated that New Jersey changed the rules in the middle and got lower scores, while, there was progress in the classrooms.  My opinion on this is that if the test is not preparing the students for high school any more than previous tests they should not continue using it.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/tough_new_state_tests_spur_hig.html

Environmental Blamed in Western Tree Deaths

Who: Scientists like Nathan L. Stephenson of the United States Geological survey and western trees.

What: Scientists find that trees in the west are dying at twice the pace they did a few decades ago.

When: Now

Where: The west

Why: Rising temperatures and drought from the summer time increasing due to global warming.

My Opinion:  My opinion on this article is that this is a very important issue and global warming is really taking affect.  I think that the people of the United States need to do somthing about this now, because if we don't the trees will keep on dying at a faster pace.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/23trees.html?_r=1&ref=science

Barack Obama's Inauguration

Social Studies   National News   

Article one:

Barack Obama's Inauguration Is One for the History Books

In this article the inauguration of Barack Obama was discussed.  Barack Obama's theme for his inauguration is mainly the topic of this article.  In the articles it says "A new birth of freedom, was the theme for Barack Obama's inauguration today."  Also, in the article it says that Obama was trying to stick with Abraham Lincoln's idea.  Obama went to all the same countries that Lincoln went to on his inauguration parade as well.  My analysis on this article is that  the  information in it was very informative and the writer showed all the ways Obama tried to be true to the way Licoln was inaugurated.  I think he did his inauguration that way because he felt like he was in a similar position as lincoln was coming into his presidency.

Article 2:

World Reaction to Barack Obama's Inauguration

This article about Barack Obama's inauguration mainly focused on how it was a Wold Wide event.  The article shows how Obama being elected will effect the whole entire world.  In this article it says towards the beginning that ".. partygoers romped along the Champs-Elysees in Paris, and there were celebrations in the Kenyan village where Obama's father was born.."  This article not only shows how Barack Obama being the next president of the United States is a World Wide affair, but how he will make his presidency different than the Bush's.    My analysis and opinion on the information given in this article is that I now realize how big of a deal having Barack Obama as our president is.  His family went from slavery to becoming the president of a country and I think that is a great accomplishment. 

http:www.usnews.com/articles/news/obama/2009/01/20/barack-obamas-inauguration-is-one-for-the-history-books.html?PageNr=2

http://chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-obama-worldjan21,0,19898.story

On Whale Wars and Bison Burgers

Who: Japan and the Sea Shepherd Society Vessel Steve Irwin (animal planet celebrities)

What: Japans government has been supporting whaling fleet killing hundreds of minke whales and other species.  The animal-rights crusaders and animal planet stars aboard the  Sea Shepherd have been harassing them.  The founder of the Sea Shepherd Paul Watson insists that only terrorists are using "explosive-tipped harpoons." 

When: The article does not state.

Where: The Southern Ocean.

Why: The japanese kill the whales and other species for their meat.

My Opinion:  My opinion about this article is that the japanese are doing a very wrong thing.  I think that they should be stopped and that the Steve Irwin Sea Shepherd is trying to do the right thing by stopping them.  I think that they are not only polluting the ocean, but killing hundreds of whales and what they are doing should not be allowed.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/on-whale-wars-and-bison-burgers/?ref=science

Symbiotic Relationships

3 interesting facts:

1.) Mutualism is a form of a symbiotic relationship where both of the organisms benefit.

2.) Commensalism is a form of a symbiotic relationship where one of the organisms benefit and the other is unaffected.

3.) Parasitism is a form of a symbiotic relationship where one of the organisms benefit and the other is harmed.

2 pieces of information i learned from another source:

1.) Neutralism is a form of a symbiotic relationship where neither of the organisms benefits or are harmed from the relationship.

2.) Competition is a form of a symbiotic relationship where neither of the organisms benefits.

My opinion:

My opinion on symbiotic relationships is that they are very important to the environment.  Certain Symbiotic relationships keep the organisms living and feed.  For example, human and pet cat would be mutualism because the human gives the cat a home and food.  The cat gives the human a friend. Without all the symbiotic relationships many animals would starve and die. 

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent591k/symiosis.html

Alternative Fuels: Retooled approach may make bio-based butanol more competitive with ehanol

Who: Agricultural Research Service chemical engineer Nasib Qureshi

What: A modified method of producing biobutanol could make the fuel more competitive with ethanol as a clean-burning alternative to gasoline

When: In 2003 the research began

Where: Article does not mention

Why: This is to help stop poluting the earth

My Opinion: My opinion on this article is that it is good information to know.  Biobutanol can be transported in existing pipelines, it can be mixed with gasoline or used alone in internal combustion engines, it's less corrosive, and it packs more energy per gallon than ethanal. A modified method of producing biobutanol could help with decreasing the amount of polution in the earth.  This is because it packs more energy per gallon than ethanal.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081031212844.htm