A cold case team has been combing through evidence for five years in an attempt to solve one of World War II’s enduring mysteries. The cold case team has found the “most likely scenario” of who betrayed Jewish teenage diarist Anne Frank and her family during the holocaust. Their answer is outlined in a new book called “The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation” by Canadian academic and author Rosemary Sullivan. “We have investigated over 30 suspects in 20 different scenarios, leaving one scenario we like to refer to as the most likely scenario,” said film maker Thijs Bayens, who had the idea to put together the cold case team, that was led by retired FBI agent Vincent Pankoke, to forensically examine the evidence. Bayens was quick to add that, “we don’t have 100% certainty. There is no smoking gun because betrayal is circumstantial.”
What happened to the Frank Family?
The Franks and four other Jews hid in a secret annex, reached by a staircase hidden behind a bookcase, from July 1942 until they were discovered in August 1944 and deported to concentration camps. Only Anne’s father, Otto Frank, survived the war. Anne and her sister died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Anne was 15.
The diary Anne wrote while in hiding was published after the war and became a symbol of hope and resilience that has been translated into dozens of languages and read by millions. While much is known about Anne and the others from the secret annex, the identity of the person who gave away their location remained a mystery, despite previous investigations.
What did the Cold Case Team Find?
The cold case team’s findings suggest Otto Frank was one of the first to hear about the possible involvement of a prominent member of the Jewish community in Amsterdam. A typed anonymous tip delivered to Otto Frank after the war, names Arnold van den Bergh, who died in 1950, as the person who informed German authorities of where to find the Frank family. The Anne Frank House museum has welcomed the new research, but said it also leaves questions unanswered. The museum gave the researchers access to its archives for the cold case project.
“No, I don’t think we can say that a mystery has been solved now. I think it’s an interesting theory that the team came up with,” said museum director Ronald Leopold. “I think they come up with a lot of interesting information, but I also think there are still many missing pieces of the puzzle. And those pieces need to be further investigated in order to see how we can value this new theory.”
Arnold van der Bergh is believed to have given the location of the Frank’s secret annex hiding place to German Nazis to save his own family from being murdered in Nazi concentration camps. Cold case investigators say the hunt for the betrayer is a way of highlighting how Nazi occupation forced some members of a close-knit Amsterdam community to turn on one another. “We went looking for a perpetrator and we found a victim,” Bayens said.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Colorado officials are urging residents to test for an odorless and colorless gas that can be deadly. Governor Jared Polis proclaimed January National Radon Action Month. The gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the country, killing up to 500 Coloradans a year. “Radon is a silent killer that more people should know about and have an easy-to-use product to detect on a weekly basis. PRO-LAB is dedicated to increasing awareness of this dangerous gas, to ensure all are safe,” said PRO-LAB founder and CEO James McDonnell.
What Is Radon?
Radon is a naturally produced radiation caused by uranium breaking down in soil. The gas is known to cause lung cancer, and it can seep into homes and workplaces through cracks and openings in floors and crawl spaces. Over many years of exposure, radon increases the risk of cancer. Some studies say Radon is one of the many forms of radiation that affect children more. A person is 10 times more likely to get lung cancer when combining the gas with the number one cause of lung cancer in the country, smoking.
Radon In Colorado
Half of Colorado homes may have naturally occurring radon levels higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended action level of 4 PCI/L. All of Colorado’s 64 counties are rated at increased risk for elevated radon. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says you can buy a cheap test for as little as $10. CDPHE encourages the protection of families by testing for radon and provides links to reduced-cost kits. PRO-LAB is one of the providers of Radon Test Kits.
Radon Testing And Mitigation
With a PRO-LAB Short Term Radon Test Kit, homeowners can find out whether their house has high radon levels by opening the kit’s vials and leaving them exposed to air for 96 hours. After the necessary exposure time, the vials are recapped and mailed to PRO-LAB’s laboratory for an EPA-certified analysis with guaranteed results within one week. PRO-LAB is the only test kit manufacturer that owns its own laboratory. If the kit produces a result higher than the EPA’s acceptable radon level, one should immediately call a professional radon mitigator to install a radon mitigation system.
Mitigation systems can be pricey, but only take a few hours to install. Low income assistance is available for those who have high levels of Radon, but can’t afford a mitigation system. With so many things working against people and their health, Colorado wants you to be sure Radon is not one of them. It is always better safe than sorry. Do you think you should check your home for Radon exposure?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned on Sunday among the growing political issues and widespread pro-democracy protests following a military coup that ruined the country’s transition to democratic rule. Protests have been met with violent force from security officials. Hamdok, a former U.N. official and face of Sudan’s transitional government, was reinstated as prime minister in November as part of an agreement with the military following the October coup. In that time he failed to name a Cabinet. Now, Hamdok’s resignation has thrown Sudan even farther into uncertainty.
Why is Sudan Having So Many Issues?
In April 2019, a popular uprising forced the military to overthrow longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government. Then the recent October military coup upended Sudan’s plans to move to democracy. Now, the military and protesters have attempted to come to a power-sharing deal until elections in 2023. However, the relationship between the military and protestors was strained considerably by the military takeover threatening to return Sudan to international isolation. The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, an umbrella group of Sudanese political parties and pro-democracy organizations, has rejected the deal and urges for the end of military rule. Many who accused Hamdok of allowing the military to dominate the government are still organizing anti-coup street protests which are being met with extreme force, in some cases. Allegations surfaced last month of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape by security forces against female protesters, according to the United Nations. According to the Sudanese Doctors Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement, many protesters have been injured and even killed.
Sudan Protesters Met With Extreme Force
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged security forces to “immediately cease the use of deadly force against protesters” and to hold those responsible for violence accountable. “We do not want to return to the past, and are prepared to respond to those who seek to block the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a civilian-led, democratic government.”
This did not seem to hinder the Sudan security forces. Hours before Hamdok’s resignation speech, Sudan security forces violently dispersed pro-democracy protesters, killing at least three people. Sunday’s fatalities have brought the death toll of protesters to 57 during the current military coup, according to the Sudan Doctors Committee. Hundreds have also been wounded. The protests came despite tightened security such as blocked bridges and roads in Khartoum and Omdurman. Internet connections were also disrupted ahead of the protests, according to advocacy group NetBlocs. Authorities have used these same demeaning tactics repeatedly since the beginning of the coup. Amid all of this violence and political turmoil, Prime Minister Hamdok has decided he is no longer fit to run the country.
Hamdok Resigns as Prime Minister of Sudan
Many have predicted Hamdok would step down, despite efforts to convince him to stay in office. In a televised national address Sunday, Hamdok called for all entities to agree on a “national charter” and “draw a roadmap” to complete the transition to democracy in accordance with the 2019 constitutional document. “I decided to return the responsibility and declare my resignation as prime minister,” he said, adding that his stepping down would allow a chance for another person to lead the nation and complete its transition to a “civilian, democratic country.”
“I tried as much as I possibly could to prevent our country from sliding into a disaster. Now, our nation is going through a dangerous turning point that could threaten its survival unless it is urgently rectified,” he said. “I have had the honor of serving my country’s people for more than two years. And during his period I have sometimes done well, and I have sometimes failed,” Hamdok said. He did not name a successor. The U.S. State Department took to twitter to urge Sudan’s leaders to “set aside differences, find consensus, and ensure continued civilian rule” following Hamdok’s resignation. The State Department also called for the appointment of the next government “in line with the 2019 constitutional declaration to meet the people’s goals of freedom, peace, and justice.”
“It’s time for the deployment of an international mediator who can do the job Hamdok was incapable of — finding political compromise between the military, the street and the FFC, to rewrite a roadmap for going forward,” said Cameron Hudson, a former U.S. State Department official and Sudan expert at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. Do you believe it was the right move for Hamdok to resign and let someone else attempt to rule the country? Should he have at least named a successor? What will Hamdok’s resignation mean for Sudan going forward? When should the United States become involved, if at all?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Calls are growing to change the 110-year prison sentence handed down to a truck driver who caused a fatal crash near Denver in 2019. A Colorado judge sentenced Rogel Aguilera-Mederos after a jury found him guilty on four counts of vehicular homicide and 23 other charges related to the accident. There has been considerable backlash, with more than 4.6 million people having signed the change.org petition, asking Colorado Governor Jared Polis to grant clemency to Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, or commutation for time served. Various groups and activists will convene at the state Capitol Wednesday to urge Polis to reduce Aguilera-Mederos’ sentence as soon as possible. Governor Polis’ office has received a clemency request and is reviewing the sentence, according to a spokesperson.
Driver’s Lawyer Files Motion in Court
A motion filed on Tuesday, which will be a major part of wednesdays proceedings, says as follows:
“As Colorado law required the imposition of the sentence in this case, the law also permits the Court to reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances,” the motion states. “This would allow for the conditions to be met for a modification of the defendant’s sentence as was discussed by the People in the initial sentencing hearing. The purpose for the People’s expedited request is so that the named victims in the case, as well as their families, have an opportunity to be heard by the trial court who is fully aware of the facts of the case,” the motion continues. “We have spoken to the living victims and the families of the deceased victims, and it is their specific desire to be heard on this modification, in this forum, as quickly as possible.”
Driver Gives Tearful Apology in Court
The sentence has since set off a torrent of criticism of prosecutors and Colorado’s sentencing guidelines. Even Colorado District Court Judge A. Bruce Jones seemed not to agree with it but said he was bound by state laws on mandatory-minimum sentencing that required him to impose the punishment to run consecutively as opposed to concurrently. Aguilera-Mederos said in court last week that he is devastated over what happened. While tearfully begging for forgiveness, he told the court that he “cries all the time” when thinking about the accident. “I would have preferred God taken me, instead of them,” he said while fighting back tears. “I don’t get to have my dad for the rest of my life, but I hope the defendant’s son can have his dad for the rest of his life,” one woman said in court.
Prosecutors Treat Case like a Joke
Kayla Wildeman, the prosecutor in the case, has come under fire after a now-deleted Facebook post on her personal page showed an image of a trophy made from a brake shoe to celebrate the conviction. “Get yourself a trial partner as great as Trevor Moritzky,” the post reads. “He turned a brake shoe from a semi truck into a memento. What a special gift from a truly special person. I never asked for a new bff at work, let alone one that is old enough to be my father (no offense) but I sure am grateful this trial brought you into my career as both a colleague and a friend! Words will never convey how lucky I am to have gotten the opportunity to learn from you!” Mortizky is a senior district attorney who worked with Wildeman on the case, according to local reports. The piece was not from evidence in the case. A spokesperson said the joke was “in poor taste” and “handled internally.”
It is absolutely outrageous that people, who are essentially representatives of the states, could be allowed to make such a joke and keep their position. This was a horribly tragic accident, which ended in loss of life and many injuries. How could you think it would be okay to turn something that has deeply impacted so many people into a personal joke? Do you think the driver’s sentence should be reduced or commuted? Should the amount, or lack of, training the driver had been a factor that should have been determined? What do you think you would have done in this tragic situation?
Last year, Colorado voted to reintroduce wolves into the state’s forests.The narrowly-passed Proposition 114 was the first time a state’s voters have forced their government to re-introduce an imperiled species. The proposition directed Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop a plan to reintroduce an undetermined number of gray wolves into the state, west of the Continental Divide, by the end 2023. This week we have seen the first wolf-related livestock fatality in over 70 years. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association says a 500-pound heifer was found dead in Walden after being attacked and eaten by a pack of wolves. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is aware of the report and actively investigating, according to a spokesperson. “If it is determined to be caused by the wolves that have naturally migrated into the state, we will compensate the landowner through the current game damage program,” said Rebecca Ferrell, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson.
Will Wolves Continue to be an Issue for Farmers?
This is the question Colorado farmers and other raisers of livestock are asking themselves. Especially since gray wolf puppies were already seen in Colorado this year, now we see this attack on livestock. This unfortunate incident shows us several issues that must be addressed by the Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, including methods for conflict minimization and a funding source to “fairly provide the needed tools for prevention and compensation from wolf impacts.” The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association said it’s encouraging Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and other wolf-related working groups, to “consider this wolf attack and the widespread impacts as a sentinel example of how livestock can be impacted by wolf introduction.” Wolves are not the only big predator that could potentially threaten livestock in Colorado.
How Can You Keep Your Livestock Safe?
Predators that threaten livestock are often more intelligent than farmers would like them to be. According to Hobbyfarms.com, there are a number of options for predator control, exclusion and removal on your farm. From building fences to adding a donkey to the mix, there are predator control options for everyone. Here are some of the options they list for predator control.
1. Exclusion
The first place to start is preventing predation because once a predator establishes a pattern of attack, it’s difficult to break. Fencing is a farmer’s best friend in this case, and there are many types to choose from: Tall, woven-wire fencing buried partly in the ground will prevent predators from jumping over and burrowing under. An electric strand at the top will keep raccoons and opossums, which love to climb, from getting over. High-tensile, electric-wire fencing with strands spaced 6 inches at the bottom graduating to 12 inches at the top so predators cannot squeeze through is another option. If you keep your smaller livestock in a small, fenced lot, you could potentially put a mesh fence overhead.
2. Guardian Animals
Properly socialized guard dogs, donkeys and llamas can be effective predator protection. Dogs are useful for land-based and aerial predators, but could “become friends” with other dogs preying on your animals. Donkeys and llamas are useful against dogs and coyotes. However, if you live in an area with a large presence of wild dogs or coyote packs, your llama or donkey could become prey to them. Each farming situation needs to be considered individually.
3. Removing Attractants
Predatory animals are attracted to your farm for more than just your livestock. Keep your property clean so they have one less reason to visit. Leaving things like eggs, meat, and dairy in your compost pile can attract predators. Keep food for pets and livestock properly put away. Clean up the area properly after animals die or give birth. Lastly, keep small livestock in a confined predator proof area at night if possible.
4. Lethal Force
Before taking lethal action against a predator on your farm, consider the legal and ecological implications. Predators such as hawks, owls and wolves are often protected species and cannot be harmed or killed. Other predators, such as bears, might require a permit for hunting. Even the less endangered animals causing problems on your farm still have a role in the ecosystem. Removing them from an area can invite other predators to move in or growth of pest species that they prey on, such as rats and mice. If you believe lethal force is your only choice for predator removal, first be sure you can legally hunt the animal, and get the proper licenses. If you are in Colorado, you can contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife for instruction on how to deal with an excessive predator problem. If you are not in Colorado, work with your local wildlife management especially if your predator problem is more than you can handle.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will continue to assist the public with any issues concerning local predatory wildlife, including wolves. It is hard to find a balance between humans and animals, especially when both are simply trying to survive. Have you had issues with large predators on your farm? Do you believe reintroducing wolves to Colorado was beneficial? Reintroducing wolves to Colorado could understandingly be seen as bittersweet. However, with the right precaution humans and predatory animals, such as wolves, can live side by side.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Recently major media, such as snopes, have been recently trying to cover the fact that major public health officials have known COVID vaccines have major health risks associated with them. Public health entities, and Leaders such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, admitted the COVID vaccines could actually make your case of covid worse, and you could end up more sick than if you hadn’t gotten the vaccine. The National Medical Library e-published an article from the Journal of Clinical Practice stating the results of a study of COVID vaccine subjects. In the study they realized COVID vaccines made some patients more sick. Now we see these leaders pushing for people to be vaccinated again. What type of agenda do they have for pushing these vaccines?
Vaccines Could Make People Sicker?
The article from the National Medical Library said, “COVID-19 vaccines designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies may sensitize vaccine recipients to more severe disease than if they were not vaccinated.” The article went on to say, “This risk is sufficiently obscured in clinical trial protocols and consent forms for ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials that adequate patient comprehension of this risk is unlikely to occur, obviating truly informed consent by subjects in these trials.” The fact that you can actually end up more sick, is something that patients should absolutely “adequately comprehend.” How many people have died due to the vaccine making them more sick than they would have been. Could COVID vaccines be contributing to variants such as Delta and Omicron? As of Dec. 10, there have been 791,130 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. during the entirety of the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those deaths, 385,361 were in 2020 and 405,769 have been in 2021 as of December 2021.
Fauci Knew Vaccines Made People Sicker
In an interview with Mark Zuckerberg, which has stayed under the radar of the public since March 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted that the COVID vaccine could make people more likely to be infected by the virus. During that time period there were so many articles, and news pieces about COVID circulating, it is no surprise some things slipped through the cracks. “This would not be the first time, if it happened, that a vaccine that looked good in initial safety actually made people worse,” said Fauci in the interview. “If you vaccinate someone, and they make an antibody response, and then they get exposed and infected, does the response that you induce enhance the infection and make it worse? The only way you’ll know that is if you do an extended study, not on volunteers, but on the public.” In other words, vaccines were just one big experiment. Fauci is again pushing for people to get vaccinated, now that cases of COVID variants, such as the delta and omicron, are surging across the country. Yet, we don’t hear him openly tell people the major risks associated with the vaccines. Isn’t it unethical to push a medication without properly alerting patients to the side effects they could experience? A side effect is literally defined (1) as a peripheral or secondary effect, especially an undesirable secondary effect of a drug or therapy. (2) An unintended consequence of any action in addition to the intended consequence of that action. (3) An adverse effect, an unintended consequence of a drug or therapy; usually not a beneficial effect. Any definition you choose would qualify “this vaccine made you sicker” as a side effect.
Fauci Covering Severity of Omicron?
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief adviser to the White House on the coronavirus response, says early data appears to show that the omicron variant “does not make people more sick,” though he cautioned that scientists need more data before they reach any firm conclusions. He said omicron is cause for concern but not panic. “Thus far, the signals are a bit encouraging regarding the severity,” Fauci told CNN’s “State of the Union.” He said that while omicron is surging rapidly it does not appear to be resulting in high levels of hospitalizations. “But again, we’ve got to hold judgment until we get more experience” with omicron, Fauci qualified. “Boosters are going to be really critical in addressing whether or not we’re going to be able to handle this,” Fauci said. Does this feel a little like the twilight zone, or have we heard this all before? I wonder what other major side effects health officials have publicly announced but attempted to keep quiet at the same time, this time aorund. What happens if in a few months we begin to hear of major cases caused by the Omicron variant? Could the vaccines cause variants to make you even sicker? Still, with much unknown and the delta variant continuing to rage across the country, Fauci and other federal health officials are urging people to take mitigation precautions and get vaccinated. Can we even trust Fauci at this point?
The delta variant is still the nation’s biggest threat. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said it accounts for 99.9% of all cases in the U.S. and is driving up hospitalizations and deaths. No one can deny COVID is an ongoing issue for the world. The question is not, is COVID an issue. The question is, are vaccines making stronger variants and sicker people? What reason health officials have been quiet about vaccines possibly making people sicker? Any other widely advertised medication or vaccine has major risks included in the advertising, up to and including death. Why are COVID vaccines not marketed the same? What else is there to hide?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Abortion, perhaps more than most other issues, has divided the United States for decades. A new decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the 48-year-old decision that forbids states from outlawing abortion, would be the product of more than 40 years of tireless conservative activism. The change could come as early as next summer. We are now seeing how some Democratic states plan to respond. California clinics and their allies in the state Legislature have revealed a plan to make the state a “sanctuary” for those seeking abortions. The California Future of Abortion Council, made up of more than 40 abortion providers and advocacy groups, released a list of 45 recommendations for the state to consider if the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. These plans include things like paying for travel and procedures for patients from other states.
Who Wrote California’s Plans for Roe V. Wade Overturn?
Some state lawmakers have helped write California’s plans for the event of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Toni Atkins, the San Diego Democrat who leads the state Senate, is one of the contributors. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom started the group himself. “We’ll be a sanctuary,” Newsom said, adding he’s aware patients will likely travel to California from other states to seek abortions. “We are looking at ways to support that inevitability and looking at ways to expand our protections.” California already pays for abortions for many low-income residents through the state’s Medicaid program. California is one of six states that require private insurance companies to cover abortions, although many patients still end up paying deductibles and co-payments. These same rules will likely apply to out of state patients.
California Plans to Cover Abortions for Out of State Patients
California plans to perform state-funded abortion services for patients from other states. California’s financial resources have soared throughout the pandemic, fueling a record budget surplus this year. Next year, California’s independent Legislative Analyst’s Office predicts California will have a surplus of about $31 billion. These are the funds they plan to use for abortions for out of state patients. California’s Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, got a sneak preview of how people might seek abortions outside of their home states when a Texas law outlawing abortion after six weeks of pregnancy was allowed to take effect. California clinics reported a small increase in patients from Texas. It’s unclear exactly how many people will come to California for abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned, we can guess… a lot. The Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights, said 132,680 abortions were performed in California in 2017, or about 15% of all abortions nationally. That number includes people from out of state as well as teenagers, who are not required to have their parents’ permission for an abortion in California. Planned Parenthood, which accounts for about half of California’s abortion clinics, said it served 7,000 people from other states last year. Now, California abortion providers are asking California to make it easier for those people to get to the state.
What Will California Cover for Out of State Patients?
The plans recommend using funding to help patients seeking abortions for travel expenses such as gas, lodging, transportation and child care. The plans ask lawmakers to reimburse abortion providers for services when patients can’t afford to pay, including out of state patients who have an income low enough to qualify for state-funded abortions under Medicaid if they were to live there. However, as stated earlier, all of these conditions could cause a huge influx of people. This large amount of people coming in from other states “will definitely destabilize the abortion provider network,” said Fabiola Carrion, interim director for reproductive and sexual health at the national Health Law Program. She said out-of-state abortions would also likely be later term procedures, which are more complicated and expensive. While California’s plans call for actions to ease this inevitable complication, will their solution actually help?
Scholarships for Medical Students Who Pledge for Abortion
The plans ask California lawmakers to help clinics increase their workforce by giving scholarships to medical students who pledge to offer abortion services in rural areas. “We’re looking at how to build capacity and build workforce,” said Jodi Hicks, CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “It will take a partnership and investment with the state.” Abortion opponents in California are also preparing for a potential surge of out of state patients seeking abortions, only they hope to convince them not to do it. Jonathan Keller, president and CEO of the California Family Council, said California has about 160 pregnancy resource centers designed convince women not to get abortions and provide a resource during the pregnancy. He said about half of those centers are medical clinics, while the rest are faith-based counseling centers.
Clinics Against Abortion in California
Many of the centers are located near abortion clinics to entice patients to seek their counseling before opting to end pregnancies. Keller said many centers are already planning on increasing their staffing if California begins to get an increase of patients.“Even if we are not facing any immediate legislative opportunities or legislative victories, it’s a reminder that the work of changing hearts and minds and also providing real support and resources to women facing unplanned pregnancies… that work will always continue,” Keller said. “In many ways, that work is going to be even more important, both in light of the Supreme Court’s decision and in light of whatever Sacramento decides they are going to do in response.”
Do you believe California should become a sanctuary for abortion services? Should California be performing state funded abortions for out of state patients? Will this inevitable influx of medical students to the abortion sector cause even more shortages in the medical field? If more students end up in the abortion sector, what will happen to traditional clinics and offices?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
All private sector employers in New York City will now be required to get a Covid-19 vaccine mandate by December 27, according to the city’s mayor Bill de Blasio. This means everyone who works in the city will now be subject to a vaccine mandate, whether or not they are in the private business sector. Children, ages 5 – 11 in New York will now also be required to show proof of at least one shot before being allowed access to indoor dining, fitness or entertainment, the mayor announced. Adults will now be required to show proof of two vaccinations for those areas. All of this basically means that unless you get the vaccine, you might as well stay home in NYC because you won’t be allowed… well, anywhere. Many city officials say this is to keep everyone safe, and prevent cases from rising. Will this mandate actually do that? Or, will this mandate cause the labor shortages to slide down even farther?
Why Is NYC Making Vaccines Mandatory?
De Blasio said the need for this new vaccine mandate is due to the potential for additional cases, emergence of the Omicron variant, and the coming of cold weather forcing people to congregate inside more frequently. At a press conference, de Blasio said, “the more universal they [the mandates] are, the more likely employees will say okay, it’s time. I’m going to do this. Because you can’t jump from one industry to another or one company to another. It’s something that needs to be universal to protect all of us.” According to de Blasio, what they really don’t want to see is the kind of spike in cases that requires a shutdown or stay-at-home orders now being put in place in parts of Europe. “We need to take very bold action. We’re seeing restrictions starting to come back. We’re seeing shutdowns,” he said. “We can not let those restrictions come back. We can not have shutdowns in New York. Our health care leadership was adamant that this was a step we could and must take,” he said. “We know from extensive conversations over months with private sector employers what their concerns are. The number one thing I’ve heard … is that we must avert shutdowns.”
Will NYC Vaccine Mandate Hold up in Court?
The mayor is confident the mandates will hold up in court. “Our health commissioner has put a series of mandates in place. They have won in court, state court, federal court every single time. And it’s because they’re universal and consistent. And they’re about protecting the public right now from a clear and present danger,” de Blasio said. However, in instances such as the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for employers with 100 or more workers, the mandate has been held up by court challenges. Many major employers, including some Wall Street banks and tech companies with offices in the city, already have their own vaccine mandates in place. Other business leaders are concerned about navigating the maze of federal, state and city health policies. For instance, unlike the city, New York State does not have a vaccine mandate for private employers.
Details about how the rules will apply to businesses are due to be announced December 15. The rules will not allow employees to opt out of vaccination through regular testing, as a proposed federal mandate for employers with 100 or more workers will do. The vaccine mandate rules will require workers to have at least one vaccination dose by the December 27 deadline.The penalty that will be imposed on businesses that do not enforce the mandate were not disclosed. “It is part of life that there have to be some consequences,” de Blasio said. “We’ll figure out what makes sense between now and December 15.”
Business Owners Angry Over Vaccine Mandate
The announcement of the new vaccine mandate caught business leaders off guard. “We had no heads up,” Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, an influential business group, told CNN. Wylde said she was “surprised” to learn about the new health restrictions through the media. “It’s unclear if the city has authority to issue such a mandate,” Wylde said, adding that “Employers do not want to be enforcement agents.” Wylde said there is concern over a lack of coordination for federal, state and city health policies. “Public health protocols generally, and vaccine mandates, should be coordinated and consistent with each other,” Wylde said. De Blasio claims the businesses he spoke to about Covid were supportive of the new vaccine mandate. “I’ve heard from so many business leaders, including in those sectors, like finance and tech, that the best thing for them is for the government to lead the way,” he said. “It’s always better for the private sector if the government sets a single, universal standard, so they don’t have to … say to their employees, ‘Hey, this is something we’re going to do on our own.”
Will New NYC Mayor Keep New Vaccine Mandate?
The mandate itself will begin only four days before the end of de Blasio’s eight-year term in office. Mayor-elect Eric Adams, who is currently traveling outside the country. Adams will take office on Jan. 1 about a week after the vaccine mandate is set to go into effect. De Blasio told reporters that he had spoken to Adams, and although he said he would not speak for Adams, he’s confident that the new mayor wants to follow the advice of medical professionals and keep the vaccine mandate in place. “In every conversation we’ve had about fighting Covid, he’s been really consistent on the point that he is feeling urgency, about these new threats, and that he understands my job is to keep New Yorkers safe until Dec. 31,” he said. “I feel very, very good about the conversations we’ve had.” And he said that the medical professionals he has spoken to are united in the need to increase the rate of vaccination, and their belief that a vaccine mandate will work to do that. De Blasio may be confident the new NYC mayor will keep this mandate but Adam’s spokesman said that the mayor-elect would evaluate the measure once he takes office.
Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown law professor who specializes in public health, said “New York City has considerable home rule and very broad public health powers, but Mr. de Blasio did not get specific authorization from the City Council to enact the mandate, and an inevitable avalanche of legal challenges could argue that the mayor is overstepping.” A group of retailers pushing back against the mandate cited labor shortages in their opposition. A survey of employers last month found that a number of respondents with vaccine mandates had seen a surge in resignations. This is likely due to the fact that some people don’t wish to be vaccinated, (as is their right) so they leave their current job for a company with relaxed regulations, that won’t force them into making medical decisions against their will. What were months and millions of dollars in incentive payments for if de Blasio’s end game was just to require everyone get vaccinated? If you were mayor-elect Adams, would you ax this new mandate once you were sworn into office?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Rita’s reality check on this crazy world, with her unique take on the big issues facing us all.
While school shootings remain rare, there have been more in 2021 than in any year since at least 1999, according to a Washington Post database that tracks acts of gun violence on K-12 campuses during regular school hours.Tuesday’s shooting in Oxford was the deadliest school shooting in more than three years. Oxford High School student 16-year-old Tate Myre was one of the four teenagers killed when student Ethan Crumbley, opened fire at the school. Tate Myre laid down his life for other students when he attempted to disarm Crumbley, according to witness reports. 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana shared a heart breaking text exchange where she told her father she loved him and he was the best dad before her tragic death. 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, and 17-year-old Justin Shilling were also killed, and 8 other students were injured. Then the rest of the entire staff and student body have lasting deep emotional damage. A mountain of evidence suggests the shooting was planned, though that will be for the court of law to ultimately decide. In response to the horrific incident many are calling for tighter gun control laws. This situation, at least from the outside, seems to be less an issue of gun control and more an issue of mental health awareness and knowing what your kids are doing in general.
Evidence Suggests Crumbley Planned the Shooting
Evidence that suggests Crumbley planned the shooting in advance includes a video law enforcement officials say he made the night before the shooting that detailed his plan for killing students. A journal was also recovered from his backpack that detailed his desire to “shoot up the school,” officials said. Law enforcement officials said a social media post on Crumbley’s page showed the gun used in the attack. It was purchased just four days before the shooting, by Crumbley’s father, investigators said. The night before the attack 15-year year old Crumbley changed his Instagram bio to “‘Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.’ See you tomorrow Oxford.”
What Happened During the Shooting?
Investigators said the suspect walked into a school bathroom around 12:50 local time Tuesday with a backpack and walked out with a gun in hand. He then walked down the hallway “aiming the firearm at students and firing,” officials added. Senior Mitchell Williams fled his classroom as soon as he heard the gunshots. “It was horrific. It was really startling, hearing everyone come out and not knowing where the gunshots would be next,” said Williams. “It’s really sad and no one really knows what to do because of it and it’s something that should have never happened.”
A video which has surfaced on social media since the shooting shows one student saying Crumbley was “living up to his word.” Which makes us question: If people knew Crumbley was planning this type of event, why didn’t the school do more to prevent it? Another video that has surfaced on social media shows a classroom full of students and someone, allegedly Crumbley, is at the door of the classroom asking to be let in, claiming to be the sheriff’s office. During the exchange the person on the outside of the classroom used the word “bro,” which raised a red flag with students. The students in the classroom decided not to let the person in, but rather exit from what looks to be either a large window or glass classroom door located opposite the threat, running to the safety of the REAL sheriff’s office.
What Happens to Crumbley Now?
Michigan prosecutors acknowledge their decision to file a terrorism charge was not a usual charge filed during school schootings. “It’s not a usual, typical charge,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said Wednesday. She explained that Crumbley would be charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as well as one count of “terrorism causing death.”
The terrorism charge was chosen to address the harm caused to those who suffered from the violent rampage but who were not killed or injured. “The children [who were killed] and those that were injured, they are the victims in the first-degree murder charges and the assault with intent to murder, but what about all these other children? What about all the children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks?” McDonald said at a news conference. “What about all the children at home right now who can’t eat and can’t sleep and can’t imagine a world where they could ever set foot back in that school? Those are victims, too, and so are their families, and so is the community. And the charge of terrorism reflects that.” Terrorism is not the only unusual charge the prosecutor’s office has considered as part of this case.
Crumbley’s Parents Possibly Facing Charges
Officials have said that Crumbley’s father bought the semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting four days before-hand, last friday. It is currently unclear how Crumbley obtained the gun from his father. McDonald says “gun owners have a responsibility to secure their weapons, particularly when young people are involved. Prosecutors will make a decision soon on whether to charge Ethan Crumbley’s parents.” Could such charges, though rare, be warranted in a case like this? After all, with the mountain of evidence that suggests the shooting was planned and even openly spoken about well in advance, this is an issue of not being aware of what your child is doing or getting them the help they clearly needed. Isn’t knowing what your child is doing online, how their mental health is, and addressing troubling behaviors that are brought to your attention, your number one responsibility as a parent?
The school had a meeting with Crumbley’s parents the same morning the shooting occurred, according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “We have since learned that the school did have contact with the student the day before and the day of the shooting for behaviors in the classroom that they felt was concerning,” he said. “In fact, the parents were brought in the morning of the shooting and had a face-to-face meeting with the school. The content of that meeting of course is part of the investigation.” Why did the school allow him to be in school if he had openly made these threats? This is clearly a case of negligence on behalf of the adults involved in the life of a young man who was clearly very troubled, and needed help. This does not in any way excuse his actions, he knew right from wrong, it is sad he was troubled and needed help but that does not excuse his actions. However, we have to look at these facts in order to prevent an event like this shooting from occuring due to adults not getting troubled children the proper help.
Schools Close Due to Copycat threats
Many schools have closed Thursday, Dec. 2 in response to numerous reports of threats of violence spreading across social media. Sheriff’s deputies were in multiple schools Wednesday, Dec. 1 investigating “copycat” threats, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a Wednesday news conference. “There’s some weird anomaly where every time something happens like this in the country there’s a whole bunch of copycat threats and texts and pictures, and it really burdens law enforcement all across the nation,” Bouchard said. This shows that other students who may be bullied, as some outlets suggest Crumbley was, or just have a desire to be seen in some way, may abuse these types of tragedies to gain a feeling of power. Something that needs to be addressed through some form of mental health help, otherwise could lead to major social issues in the future.
Colorado has been no stranger to school shootings, or even more recently, violence in and around high schools in Aurora. This violence resulted in enhanced security measures and mental health resources. Colorado seems to realize the issue does not lay within gun control, but in the declining mental health of today’s youth. Today’s youth finds themselves in a set of weird and extreme circumstances. It should not be a shock that those extreme circumstances are breeding mental health issues and personality disorders. The issue is not within tighter gun control laws, the issue is we don’t address the mental health of teenagers until it is too late.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Colorado has recently seen a rise in violent crimes. The instances range from fatal accidents, senseless acts carried out in anger, and victims doing what they must to survive. Stabbings and shootings have both been seen as recently as over the past holiday weekend. In all of this violence there have been many victims who were fatally wounded. One of the biggest questions: what is causing this surge in violence?
Woman Stabs Home Invader
Police with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened at a home in the 10400 block of Ammons Street in Westminster on Monday. According to a police statement, the male victim was a “home invader” who broke into the property. He engaged in a “physical altercation” with one woman living in the house. In a statement, the sheriff’s office said, “upon arrival, deputies discovered one deceased adult male inside the residence. According to a female witness who lives at the residence, the male forced entry into the home and was stabbed by another female resident during a physical altercation between the male and witnesses.” Deputies said the man was known to the residents. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says they are investigating the death thoroughly.
Man Stabs Denver Rescue Mission Staff Member
Denver police a staff member at the Denver Rescue Mission was stabbed and killed this past Saturday night. Police responded to the area near 48th Avenue and Dahlia Street outside of the men’s shelter at 4:45 p.m.. The victim is only described as a 30-year-old man. The victim was taken to the hospital where he later died. Witnesses who also work at the facility told police the victim was stabbed in the area of his ribs. Police say they arrested a man, identified as Christopher Christian, who now faces a charge of first degree murder. Witnesses told police Christian was asked to leave the facility the night before due to a physical fight with another resident, and not return for 30 days. The stabbing victim was not involved in that decision or the fight.
These instances are not the only stabbings colorado has seen this year. In october a group of 5 male teens stabbed an uber driver when he couldn’t fit them all in his vehicle safely. Those young men were never found. Then, back in January, a man stabbed 8 people in Colorado Springs before he was detained. According to Statista, 1,739 people in the U.S. were murdered by people who used knives or other cutting instruments to carry out the killing in 2020. It was the third most common way a victim was murdered in the United States, behind unstated firearms at 4,863 and handguns at 8,029. Colorado is no stranger to gun violence.
Five Injured in Aurora Shooting
According to Fox News, five people were being treated at a hospital overnight after a shooting in Aurora, Colorado, according to authorities. All five victims were expected to survive, police wrote on Twitter. The shooting was “possibly connected to a large party,” a police post read. No arrests were immediately reported. It was unclear how many suspects were linked to the case, police wrote in a Twitter message.The shooting occurred in the area of East Colfax Avenue and Dayton Street, according to police. A heavy police presence was in the area, the department wrote.
Denver Woman Shoots Jefferson County Man
A Denver woman was arrested Sunday after a man was found fatally shot inside of a camper in Jefferson County, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to gunshots just before 1 a.m. in the 11000 block of Cochise Circle in Conifer. The victim was dead when deputies arrived. The suspect in the shooting, 36-year-old Sarah Kalan, fled but was quickly found and taken into custody. Deputies have not released the identity of the victim or any information about how Kalan is connected to him. According to public records, Kalan was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder in 2006 in El Paso County, a charge which was later dropped for second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Records indicate she was sentenced to six years in prison in that case.
6 Teens Injured in Aurora Shooting
Six teenagers were wounded a week and a half ago in a shooting near a high school in Colorado, authorities said. Aurora police said there are likely multiple suspects responsible for the shooting, all of whom remain on the loose. The shooting occurred in Nome Park, across from Aurora Central High School, just before 1:00 p.m. Five students between the ages of 14 and 17 were found wounded at the scene, and an additional 18-year-old student self-transported to the hospital with “minor” injuries. Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said initial evidence suggests that some suspects may have been on foot, while others were in a vehicle. She said there were multiple shell casings of different calibers at the scene. “When I got the call, my heart dropped,” Wilson said at a press conference on Monday afternoon. Wilson said she believes first responders “saved a life.” In a statement late Monday night, police said first responders applied tourniquets to two of the victims to stem their bleeding.
Man Shot Outside of Colorado Springs 7/11
One person was injured in a shooting near the Olympic Training Center early this morning (Tuesday). Police were called to the area of North Union and Willamette just before 12:30 a.m. on reports of a shooting and found a single victim at the scene. The man’s injuries were serious but reportedly not life-threatening. Officers didn’t confirm the exact location, but an employee at the 7-Eleven on the corner of Union and Willamette tells 11 News the shooting occurred outside the store.
These are just a few incidents out of many. These don’t include the incidents which the media never reports, or that never get reported in the first place. Why is violence seemingly on the rise in Colorado? Will these numbers continue to rise? What causes people to become so violent? Could this surge in violence be linked to a surge in drug use, which is seen not only in Colorado but across the U.S.?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
How would you react if your partner asked you to add a romantic third party to your existing relationship? Would you be open minded or is that something which is completely off the table? This is the situation many people, especially in our younger generations, are finding themselves in. In recent times we have seen the practice of polygamy and other similar relationship styles, such as polyamory, explode in generation Z especially in cultural subsets. Could media glorifying polygamy, such as the Tiger King series, be responsible for this sudden surge we see on Tinder-style dating apps and social media, especially TikTok, of couples seeking to add third parties in their relationship? Why is this alternative lifestyle suddenly gaining traction and popularity? Could the US be headed towards legalizing polygamy and polyamory in the future?
Polygamy Vs. Polyamory
Polygamy and polyamory fall under the broader umbrella non-monogamy. Polygamy is a relationship style in which a relationship consists of more than one spouse at a time. Polyamory is having more than one romantic partner, not necessarily all spouses, with all parties aware of one another. The term “Ethical Non-Monogamy” is often used to describe people who practice polygamy or polyamory. This term is used to differentiate the two communities from other forms of non-monogamy such as infidelity, “open” relationships, and swingers. True ethical non-monogamous relationships have set boundaries that have been openly communicated and are practiced in a way, so everyone is safe and happy in the relationship.
A paper published in the journal Psychology & Sexuality found that those in ethical non-monogamous relationships are seen in a more positive light than either swingers or those in open relationships. Those in polyamorous relationships were regarded as more moral, motivated by loyalty, and family-oriented than swingers and those in open relationships. According to an article from BBC published in March 2020, people engaging in polygamous relationships are less likely to have anxious and avoidant attachment styles due to the open communication required to make sure the relationship is healthy.
Who Practices Polygamy and Polyamory?
People who engaged in polygamy and polyamory in the United States range from those religious practitioners of Islam or the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), who are often personally and politically conservative. These religious groups often practice polygamy and, often, men take more than one wife. Then on the opposite ends of the spectrum we see polyamory practiced by cultural subsets who are generally liberal and progressive. Significant overlap is seen with non-monogamy and Pagans, gamers, the goth or alternative sectors, and science-fiction enthusiasts, and LGBTQ community. People within these sects, and Gen Z alone, are 15 percent more likely to be in an alternative relationship style, such as polygamy or polyamory.
Where are Polygamy and Polyamory Legal Today?
Today, most countries that permit polygamy, such as India and countries in the middle east, only allow people of certain religions such as Islam practice it. In others, such as Russia and South Africa, polygamy is illegal but not criminalized. In those countries we see significant instability socially and economically. Judge Richard A. Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected a right to plural marriage because it would lead to gender imbalances if ‘the five wealthiest men have a total of 50 wives.’ Similarly, the same-sex marriage advocate Jonathan Rauch has argued that polygamy allows ‘high-status men to hoard wives’ and destabilizes society. While arguments could be made that we have significantly higher populations of LGBTQ in the US so the numbers should even out across the board, historically speaking, the dynamic of one many with many wives has been the most common seen in polygamous and polyamorous relationships.
Despite having many religious freedoms in the US polygamy is still illegal. However, According to PewResearch.org researcher, Stephanie Kramer during the February 2020 Utah passed a bill to reduce the penalties for adults who voluntarily live-in polygamous relationships, making the practice an infraction, a low-level offense that is not punishable with jail time. When it comes to legalization of anything, in the past we see one state decriminalize, and within a few years, a snowball effect causes whatever was illegal to be legal almost anywhere. Would you vote to legalize Polygamy or Polyamory if given the opportunity? Do you think non-monogamous relationships could negatively affect the already fragile social stability of the US?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Many rumors surrounded Former President Donald Trump as he left office. One of those rumors was that Trump was planning on quitting the Republican Party to start his own party. Between the beliefs like the election was stolen and the riot at the capitol was started by Trump, it is hard to know what to believe when it comes to the Former President. One journalist/ author claims Trump backed out of the plan to start his own party because the RNC threatened to retaliate against him if he did. In the same book, they claim Trump wanted to leave in order to punish the GOP in some way. What does Trump have to say about these claims?
RNC Threatens Retaliation Against Trump
The RNC threatened to retaliate against Trump, costing him millions of dollars, according to the book “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show” by ABC News Chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl. If Trump formed his own political party, the RNC threatened they would stop paying legal bills from challenging election results, as well as give his large email list to Republican candidates for free. Trump made money renting out the list, estimated to be worth $100 million, to other Republican Leaders. Trump changed his mind five days after the threat was made, according to Karl’s book. He also claimed RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called Trump to “wish him farewell.” Karl describes the call, which Trump’s son was also on, as “very unpleasant.”
“Donald Trump was in no mood for small talk or nostalgic goodbyes,” Karl wrote. “He got right to the point. He told her he was leaving the Republican Party and would be creating his own political party. The president’s son Donald Trump Jr. was also on the phone. The younger Trump had been relentlessly denigrating the RNC for being insufficiently loyal to Trump. In fact, at the Jan. 6 rally before the Capitol riot, the younger Trump all but declared that the old Republican Party didn’t exist anymore.” After Trump told McDaniel he was “done” with the RNC, she implored him to stay, saying if he didn’t “we will lose forever,” Karl writes. “Exactly,” Trump reportedly said. “You lose forever without me.” A source who claimed to have witnessed the conversation between Trump and McDaniel said Trump spoke as if destroying the party was punishment for the mistreatment from Republican leaders. Karl recently said on “Good Morning America,” “Trump didn’t care if the move destroyed the party that brought him to the White House.”
Did Trump Really Want to Leave the GOP
The day before Trump left office, The Wall Street Journal reported he told several aides and others associates that he wanted to start a new party called the “Patriot Party,” but he backed away from it days later. On Jan. 25, the Trump campaign filed a notice with the Federal Election Commission saying “Patriot Party” groups that had popped up were not authorized by Trump or his campaign. “It’s a totally made up and fabricated story, it’s fake news,” Trump said in a statement provided to The Hill. “Jonathan Karl is a third-rate reporter working for ABC Non-News,” the former president added. McDaniel also denied the story. “This is false, I have never threatened President Trump with anything,” McDaniel said. “He and I have a great relationship. We have worked tirelessly together to elect Republicans up and down the ballot, and will continue to do so.”
Despite rumors of mistreatment and borderline blackmail Trump is allegedly on the receiving end of, support for the former president has grown recently in the GOP. An October Pew poll found 67% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents believe Trump should remain a major national political figure, up from 57% in January. With support for Trump increasing, could we see Trump run for office again at some point? The Former President’s daughter-in-law, Lara, is believed to be running for senate and his son, Donald Trump Jr. is believed by many political strategists to be running in the 2024 presidential election. Would you ever consider re-electing Donald Trump, or voting for his children? People say Donald Trump wanted to leave the GOP and start his own party, a plan thwarted by the RNC. The former president says that is fake news… What do you say?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Mars is the tiny planet that is Earth’s neighbor and the fourth planet from the sun. Sometimes called the Red Planet, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. The planet’s two moons were named Phobos and Deimos after the sons of Mars and Venus. Civilizations have always contributed Mars to war and battle, even the names of the moons mean “Fear” and “Terror.” Due to having a larger orbit and slower rotation than Earth, Mars has a longer day than earth by just an hour and 37 minutes. However, one year on Mars is 687 Earth days, roughly the length of two Earth years. According to NASA, if you weigh 100lbs on Earth then you would only weigh 38 lbs on Mars. All of this is due to the Gravity of the Red planet and how Mars is formed.
What is Mars Made of?
Like Earth, Mars has an atmosphere, crust, mantle, and a core. The rocky layers are similar in composition. In fact, all of the rocks and all of the minerals that have been identified on Mars so far are also found on Earth. Mars Rovers and spectrometers on orbiting spacecraft have indicated Mars’ surface is composed of things like basalts and is high in sulfur, chlorine, and other volatile elements. Mars has soils consisting almost entirely of sulfates or silica. Many of the rocks appear to have been affected by warm volcanic fluids or weathered as a result of warm surface conditions. Minerals such as clays are common throughout Mars’ cratered terrain. According to Britannica, there are indications that surface conditions changed dramatically around 3.7 billion years ago. Prior to that time, warm and wet conditions were believed to be common and resulted in extensive rock alteration; after that time such conditions were rare, and rock alteration was minor. Mars’ atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide, which means humans can’t breathe without support. None of these conditions have stopped humans all over the world from planning missions to Mars.
The Future of Mars Exploration
Both NASA and SpaceX have expressed their plan to put the human race on Mars sooner rather than later. Other countries are also interested in Mars and sent their own versions of rovers there. In 2020 the US Mars 2020 Rover, ExoMars rover from the European Space Agency, the United Arab Emirates Hope Orbiter, a Japanese orbiter, a Chinese rover and the SpaceX Dragon capsule were all launched to Mars. NASA says they are “planning to send humans to Mars sometime in the future. Preparations are being made, primarily through our robotic exploration in collaboration with the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) and the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).” SpaceX’s website says they’re going to “Mars and beyond: the road to making the human race multiplanetary.” On their website SpaceX also answers the question: Why Mars? They give a number of reasons from the ability to grow plants by compressing the atmosphere to the cold temperatures not being an issue because we have the ability to warm the atmosphere. According to SpaceX, it takes 6 months to get to Mars but they believe their Starship Rocket could eventually get the human race there.
What Issues Could Humans Face on Mars?
One issue that is not easy to predict is the health of the Mars crew. Spending large amounts of time in space could have major effects on the body. The circulatory systems could be affected, and bones could demineralize. The Mars crew could also experience psychological issues during the several hundred days in a confined space. According to Britannica radiation could also be significant, particularly if solar storms occurred during the trip. How will the crew study Mars? Mars should not be contaminated before the potential for pre-existing life has been assessed. Robotic spacecraft sent to Mars have rigorous cleanliness requirements, parts that touch the surface are sterilized to minimize the possibility of interfering with the possible indigenous life. Another concern is back contamination. International protocols require that materials returned from Mars be quarantined until they have been proved to be safe. The astronauts may similarly have to be quarantined.
The idea of indigenous life on Mars and humans going to Mars has always sparked an interest for people. The human race will always be fascinated by Mars until we have the chance to see it ourselves. Do you think humans could thrive on Mars despite the conditions which aren’t exactly ideal? Do you think the human race should be on the road to possibly colonize mars? Did you know Mars had two moons? Find out about Asteroids, Stars, and Blackholes on the next installment of Five Minute Planetarium.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Back in September the Whitehouse issued a vaccine mandate saying all federal contractors must be vaccinated by December 8, 2021. Will hundreds of Federal workers be able to get vaccinated by then? Are they willing to get vaccinated? Will Federal Contractors be forced to terminate workers who aren’t vaccinated by then? That deadline rapidly approaches, but is it actually an attainable goal? Many Republicans do not think so. Some Republicans are concerned the intelligence community will be forced to terminate hundreds of workers by enforcing the vaccine mandate. “It’s not a train wreck that’s coming years from now. It’s within a few weeks,” said Representative Chris Stewart during a House Intelligence Committee hearing, according to FoxNews. Could he be correct in his assumptions? Are federally contracted companies like the CIA preparing to terminate hundreds of workers?
Will the CIA be Terminating Hundreds of Workers?
Representative Darin LaHood asked CIA Director William Burns: “Is the agency prepared to terminate hundreds, if not thousands, of CIA employees, case officers and intelligence professionals if the vaccine is not abided by?” Burns said the agency has a 97% vaccination rate but he might have to terminate hundreds of workers. “We’ll follow the process that’s been laid out under the law but potentially it could come to that,” Burns said. LaHood suggested the intelligence community should not implement the vaccine mandate until the Supreme Court issued a decision. Both Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines noted that they didn’t anticipate the vaccine mandate affecting their agencies. “I look at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and it’s actually – the numbers are quite small in terms of ones that have indicated that they are not vaccinated,” she said. The numbers are small for those agencies. What about the agencies whose numbers are in the thousands?
What Other Contractors Will be Terminating Hundreds of Workers?
Federal Contractors have told hundreds of workers they risk losing their jobs if they do not comply with the vaccine mandate. Raytheon Technologies’ Chief Executive, Greg Hayes, warned the U.S. aerospace and defense firm could lose ‘several thousand’ workers as it prepares to comply with the vaccine mandate. A group representing FedEx Corp, United Parcel Service Inc, and other cargo carriers told the White House it would be virtually impossible to have all of their workers comply with the vaccine mandate by the deadline. Republican Senator Roger Wicker urged Biden to abandon the plan, saying “we cannot afford to gut our transportation network of tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of essential, good-paying jobs.” What happens if these Federally Contracted workers do not comply with the vaccine mandate? Will hundreds of workers who are highly skilled and paid be terminated? What effect would that have on our economy?
According to Reuters, Some airlines and industry-watchers initially feared an exodus of unvaccinated airline or government employees involved in travel just before the Christmas season. Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly said last week: “We want our employees to know that nobody is going to lose their job on December 9 if we’re not perfectly in compliance.” The White House says federal contractors have significant flexibility in enforcing the vaccine mandate and will not be required to terminate hundreds of workers. Federal Contractors will be given time for education, counseling and other measures before they face the possibility of termination. What happens if workers go through education and counseling, but still do not wish to get the vaccine? Will the vaccine mandate eventually lead to mass termination of hundreds of federally contracted workers in the beginning of 2022? Do you think the government should force contractors to comply with the vaccine mandate?
The Earth is a complex sphere flying through space, which is life sustaining. Our planet has so many different places that sustain all kinds of life. If our individual solar system is any indication, that doesn’t have a very high chance of happening often. Earth completes one rotation every 23.9 hours and takes 365.25 days to complete one trip around the Sun. To keep our calendars consistent with our orbit around the Sun, every four years we have a leap year, adding a day in February. Earth’s axis is tilted 23.4 degrees causing our cycle of seasons. One hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, and the other is tilted away. The one tilted toward the Sun will have summer, the other will experience winter. Six months later, the situation will reverse. During spring and fall begin, both hemispheres receive roughly equal amounts of heat from the Sun. What lies beneath the weather and things we see? How are we able to breathe? How does our only natural satellite affect everything?
What is Earth Made of?
Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets and the fifth largest planet overall. Earth’s core is made of nickel and iron and temperatures can reach 9,800 degrees F. The Mantle is Earth’s thickest layer and is a mixture of molten rock containing iron, magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and other minerals. The rocky surface layer of Earth’s crust is mainly covered with water. Earth’s crust runs around 19 miles deep on average on land.
Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen, oxygen, and small amounts of other elements. The atmosphere also contains water vapor, along with traces of dust particles, pollen, plant grains and other solid particles. The Earth is an average distance of 93 million miles, or one astronomical unit, from the sun. It takes around eight minutes for light from the Sun to reach the Earth. The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth’s crust was 136 degree F in the Libyan desert. The coldest temperature was -126 degrees F at Vostok Station in Antarctica. Even though Earth is the only habitable place in our solar system, that hasn’t stopped humans from wanting to leave and explore our only natural satellite.
What is Earth’s only Natural Satellite?
Earth’s only natural satellite is simply called “the Moon” because people didn’t know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. Earth is the only planet that has a single moon. Our Moon is the fifth largest moon in our solar system. Some moons are bits of rock that were captured by a planet’s gravity, but our Moon is likely the result of a collision billions of years ago. Scientists speculate when Earth was a young planet, a large chunk of rock smashed into it. The resulting chunks clumped together and formed our Moon. Our Moon is the brightest object in the night sky. The moon is extremely important because it stabilizes our planet, making our climate more predictable. The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles away from Earth.
The Earth and Moon’s rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the Moon. Humans didn’t see the far side of the Moon until a Soviet spacecraft flew past in 1959. Twenty-four humans have traveled from the Earth to the Moon. Twelve had the privilege of walking on its surface, the last in 1972. NASA currently has three robotic spacecraft exploring the Moon. In the near future, NASA hopes to set up a permanent base on the Moon. This base will hopefully be a step towards humans exploring Mars. Some believe Mars could have possibly once had life. Find out what we know about Mars on the next installment of Five Minute Planetarium: Mars.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
If you are looking for things to do in Colorado for Halloween, look no further. This spooky season is seeing many events planned across the state. There is something for every walk of life in this list. Be safe while driving to Halloween festivities. Here are things to do in Colorado for Halloween:
Colorado Springs
Spook-Out Shoot-Out
Colorado Springs is hosting the annual Spook-Out Shoot-Out. The Spook-Out Shoot-Out event features haunted mini golf, trick or treating, carnival games, a costume contest, hayrides and plenty more. So put on your best costume and head to Colorado Springs to embrace Halloween this October 22nd – 24th and 29th – 30th, 2021.
Boo at the Zoo
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is hosting a family-friendly event called Boo at the Zoo. Kids and parents can dress in costume and trick-or-treat while exploring the zoo. You’ll get a chance to view the animals, especially the nocturnal ones, while you enjoy events and festivities to celebrate the Halloween holiday. The zoo will hold festivities October 23rd – 24th and 29th – 31st, 2021.
Denver
Elitch Gardens Fright Fest
Elitch Gardens theme park is a fun outing every month of the year. During weekend nights in October, Elitch Gardens turns into a freaky experience for those 12 and older. Elitch Gardens Fright Fest is a fully immersive haunted house. During the day, younger children can Trick or Treat and other fun Halloween festivities.
Terminal Bar Carving & Cocktails
If you are looking for things to do in Colorado for Halloween that are geared towards adults, look no further. From 3-6 p.m on October 24,2021, Terminal bar will be hosting Carving and cocktails. The event costs $35, which includes a pumpkin, carving necessities and a spooky seasonal cocktail. Registration required before the event. Terminal bar will be having other events in the surrounding days, such as Howl-A-Ween Yappy Hour on October 27. This event will include a pet costume contest. Check their website for more information.
Haunted Field of Screams
The largest haunted attraction in the state, Haunted Field of Screams is a tradition for Colorado haunted house fans. Spanning 40 acres, Haunted Field of Screams: A Ride to the Riverdale Gates of Hell is a thrilling indoor/outdoor experience. The attraction runs through October 31 and is conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown Denver.
Victorian Horrors
Literary fans looking for a Halloween experience should come to the Molly Brown House this October. The Molly Brown House is already known as a historic home that could quite possibly be haunted. The Victorian Terrors tour features authors like Poe, Lovecraft and Wells; you’ll hear of terrifying tales as you make your way through the mansion. Tickets are required and cost $18-$20, you can buy them at mollybrown.org
Aurora
Young Frankenstein
Aurora’s Vintage Theatre will be showing Young Frakenstein, starring Gene Wilder every weekend through October 31. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Come enjoy this Halloween classic before enjoying the local nightlife.
Littleton
Corn Maze
Chatfield Farms will be hosting a Corn Maze every weekend in October from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.. This family friendly event is affordable with tickets under $20 and children under 2 being free.
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
Hudson Gardens will be hosting a Halloween display. A magnificent glow of 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins and larger-than-life pumpkins displays will get your whole family in the Halloween spirit. This display will be up until October 31.
Canon City
Boo at the Bridge
Boo at the Bridge is a Halloween event that occurs at the Royal Gorge Bridge. Games, entertainment, and treats, ensure this Canon City Halloween event will be fun and family-friendly. Many locals say Boo at the Bridge enhances the Royal Gorge experience, so come in your costume for this one-day event October 23, 2021.
There are so many different things to do in Colorado for Halloween. No matter what you prefer there is an event for everyone. Always remember to practice safe driving and never to drive under the influence. Halloween is a fun time and should be celebrated safely.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Within a few weeks of starting our Thanksgiving shopping trips to the grocery store, and in a little over a month before we start our Christmas shopping, a high school in California is ensuring that our shelves at the stores that we shop at are completely stocked.
A Great Need
With many bare shelves at the grocery stores across the country, the truck driver industry is facing a driver shortage. Industry experts say that the average truck driver is 54 years old, but with the shortage of drivers, that is now changing.
Here To Help
Patterson High School in Patterson, California is one of the first non-vocational high schools in the country to offer a truck driving training program for students. The elective course, which is open to high school seniors is a part of the school’s Career Technical Education Program, which is geared toward helping students learn workplace skills through hands on training.
A Proven Leader
The program is led by instructor Dave Dein.
Many of the students who are enrolled in the program have never considered truck driving as a career. This program shines a new light on truck driving jobs, and it helps promote truck driving jobs to youth.
Life Skills
The Truck Driving Training program also helps guide students through the basics of the trucking industry and trucking safety, it also teaches the regulations of getting a commercial driver’s license and it equips students to deal with real world scenarios that truck drivers face while on the road.
Personal Story
Dave Dein the instructor for the course is a part time trucker himself. Mr. Dein has been proudly delivering our favorite products and freight nationwide since 1988. Ever since earning his Master’s Degree in education, he still drives on the weekends and part time.
On The Decline
As of 2021, The Trucking Industry is short 68,000 drivers that are needed on the road as 25% of current truck drivers have reached retirement age, or are close to retirement.
Quick Fix
Hiring high school graduates to drive trucks might be a help to the truck driver shortage. In the current training session at Patterson High School, students undergo 180 hours of classroom training along with 30 hours of lab sessions outside of the classroom as they gain experience in trucking. Those students who would like to pursue a career as a truck driver once they are 18 years old, must undergo further training. Current Truck drivers must be at least 21 years of age to haul goods across state lines.
The Right Time
For Some Students enrolled in the program, it’s a good way for them to receive their Commercial Driver’s License before their Graduation. A true Pathway to drive them to success on the road of life, wherever they may go.
Written by: Gary Taylor
As the snow descends and we see winter in Colorado for the first time this season the biggest question stands: how do I prepare myself for the cold weather? Here are a few things you can do to prepare your car and yourself for an outing in the coming winter weather. Winter in Colorado can be brutal and scary but with the right preparation you can live and travel comfortably without finding yourself dangerously caught in the snow.
Is my Vehicle Ready for Winter in Colorado?
You should ask your trusted mechanic to give you the proper advice for winterizing your personal vehicle, but here are a few things they will likely recommend. Make sure your fluids are the ones designed for winter weather if necessary. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, everyone MUST have some type of snow tire in order to be safe during winter in Colorado. This rule, called the active traction law, went into effect last August. According to the active traction law, during winter in Colorado you must drive a 4-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicle, as well as have snow/mud tires and/or snow chains. It is a good idea for ALL vehicles on the road to have a set of snow chains, just in case a passenger vehicle chain law is put in motion. This means everyone driving on the highway must have chains on their vehicles and is enacted during bad winter storms. You never know when one of these bad winter storms could hit and you end up stranded.
To prepare for winter in Colorado you should keep an emergency kit in your car. An ideal kit would have tire chains, abrasive material such as sand or kitty litter, and a small shovel to help you get out of snow or mud. A flashlight with extra batteries as well as ice scraper, rags, and paper towels. Another item that isn’t thought of, but a good idea to include, are elbow length rubber gloves to cover thinner winter gloves and keep your hands dry while working in the snow. Flares or other warning devices are good things to have as well as booster/jumper cables and a first aid kit. Have blankets or extra jackets, hats and gloves for you and your passengers just in case. It is also a good idea to have snacks and water for you and passengers, even the four legged kind, in case you are stuck for a while. Lastly, keep your phone charged before you hit the road and have either a car charger or portable charger with you. Drive safe, buckle up, stay in when you can. However, when you just can’t resist hiking in the beauty that can also be winter in Colorado, make sure you do it safely.
Winter hiking in Colorado
One of the most important things to remember while hiking during winter in Colorado is LAYER, LAYER, LAYER. This is important as the saying represents the three layers you should have. The goal is to have enough to stay warm but not enough to sweat profusely under your clothes, making you cold in the long run. Your base layer should be something moisture wicking, but warm, such as thermals. The middle layer should be something heavier such as flannels or fleece. Then an outer layer of warm winter coat and pants or rain gear. Boots should always be waterproof, with layers of warm socks. It is also a good idea to carry sunglasses, hats, and facemasks. When you go hiking you should always carry some type of Navigation or map, Headlamp with extra batteries, Sun protection, First aid, Knife, Fire (matches, lighter, firestarter), Shelter, Extra food, Extra water, Extra clothes. You never know when conditions could worsen and you could end up stranded during winter in Colorado. Always check the forecast of where you want to go and it is essential to take a class about avalanche safety before heading out. Avalanches can be extremely dangerous and you should be well informed or with an experienced group before going to places where one could be a possibility.
Before you go back country skiing, snowboarding, or even hiking during winter in Colorado you should look into getting a “COSAR” card also known as a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card. The costs of these cards go towards any cost teams incur during rescue missions, which you could wind up being thankful for later. It is important to leave a detailed itinerary with someone at home. This person should understand their role to report any known emergent circumstances, serious injuries, medical episodes, or failure to communicate after the planned timeline of your trip.
They should have the following information:
Number of persons involved as well as the Name, age, and gender of each person. Phone numbers for each person and their Physical descriptions, including clothing and equipment. Details and timeline from the itinerary and Last known location of the lost party. Last known Location of the lost party’s vehicle and the Vehicle description as well as license plate number. They should also know how much experience the group has.
Before you set off to enjoy winter in Colorado, you should make sure your car and the people with you are ready and prepared. Animals should have snow boots and thermal gear just like people in order to ensure their safety. Winter in Colorado can be fun and beautiful but in a moment things can turn dangerous. Be aware of the dangers in nature such as weather, terrain, and predators. It is important to be informed and prepared for whatever might lay ahead in order to enjoy Colorado’s beauty safely.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
The price of bitcoin has once again reached an all time high, with the cryptocurrency shooting above $57,000. This brings bitcoin to a five-month high, October being up 32 percent. Bitcoin has surpassed the value of many US tech companies. This recent surge could be due to many things such as being able to invest small amounts in bitcoin on Cashapp leading to wider availability. Countries in South America are starting to recognize bitcoin as a form of currency, which could have helped this surge. In the past weeks a mysterious investor, or group of investors, who placed an order to buy $1.6 billion worth of bitcoin, were a part of the surging price. It has been a good few months for bitcoin prices, but not everyone agrees bitcoin is worth anything.
Is Bitcoin Worthless?
The CEO of America’s largest bank, JPmorgan, has not changed his very vocal opinion of bitcoin. “I personally think that bitcoin is worthless,” Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, said during the Institute of International Finance’s membership meeting. Dimon has been an outspoken critic of digital currency, calling it a “terrible store of value” which is “going nowhere” and “will not survive.” Dimon has also accused the cryptocurrency of being “a fraud” and “fool’s gold with no intrinsic value.” Dimon cautioned that “it’s going to be regulated, whether you like it or not.” None of the CEO’s opinions have stopped JPmorgan’s customers from having major interest in bitcoin, so the bank will go where the customers go, even if Dimon thinks they’re “stupid” for buying bitcoin. “Our clients are adults. They disagree. If they want to have access to buy or sell bitcoin, we can’t custody it—but we can give them legitimate, as clean as possible access,” Dimon said. A few on Wall Street share Dimon’s doubts of the cryptocurrency such as Berkshire Hathaway CEO, Warren Buffett, and vice chairman, Charlie Munger.
Bitcoin Supporters
The market value of bitcoin is so high many believe one more price surge could push it above silver. Analysts and investors, such as MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor, believe the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency will one day “flip” gold, due to its inbuilt scarcity. That would put the price of a single bitcoin at around half a million dollars. Miami Mayor Frances Suarez is a strong advocate for cryptocurrency. The Miami Mayor said Bitcoin is “definitely not worthless,” pointing out the cryptocurrency has “gone up significantly since we last talked about it.” The Miami Mayor went on to explain that bitcoin support has been seen around the world in places like South America, Central America and Africa. A crypto analyst and CEO of on-chain data firm CryptoQuant, speculates that traders may be investing in large numbers ahead of possible approval by the US Securities and Exchange Commission of a “futures-based bitcoin exchange-traded fund.” The White House is also considering an executive order to direct a range of federal agencies to study cryptos and recommend regulatory changes. This would prolong the surge in bitcoin’s value, especially since US approval of a bitcoin exchange system could convince other countries to follow.
Bitcoin has quickly gained popularity and worth since it was at $300 a bitcoin in 2013. Will the cryptocurrency snowball continue to roll and grow? With more and more countries backing bitcoin, could the cryptocurrency surpass the value of gold? Some say bitcoin is the best investment you could make right now. Since you can now invest small amounts through apps like Cashapp, it certainly is one of the easiest investments to make. Do you believe bitcoin will continue to grow and be a good investment?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
You have probably seen a few of these in your community, although they are very small, they are continuing to make a big difference in many people’s lives.
An Open Door
Just recently, tiny homes have become a way to combat homelessness across the Country. The basic tiny home is 64 square feet. It features a bed, an air conditioner, clothing racks, and a door that locks.
Helping Hands
Currently, in Hollywood, California, The Chandler Boulevard Bridge Home Village currently provides transitional housing in tiny homes to help combat homelessness. Tiny home villages like The Chandler help the homeless by placing them inside of protected fenced off communities as they try to get back on their feet again. At Chandler, case workers can offer residents much needed help for anything ranging from drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and mental health issues. They also assist residents in navigating the complexities of job applications, health insurance, and more.
Rules and Regulations
Even though the name sounds good, The Chandler along with most tiny home communities focused on helping the homeless have rules. The top of the list is No weapons, or drugs allowed on campus, and paraphernalia must be checked at a locker outside.
Other Help
Hope Of The Valley, another tiny home community says that residents are allowed to live in their homes for free and can stay, as long as they are on a pathway to permanent housing, which usually takes three to six months.
Growing Trend
In the city of Los Angeles, there are currently more than 41,000 homeless people according to the last count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Counting The Cost
A company located in Everett, Washington called Pallet, which builds tiny homes for homelessness and temporary housing also but homes for The Chandler Village. The company estimates the cost of each tiny home to be $5,495. Pallet reports that it has helped build 44 tiny home communities most of which are located on the West Coast, with 13 more projects in the works.
Hope Of The Valley plans to house more than 900 people by November.
Bright Futures
Even though these tiny home communities are in existence today through the creative thinking and brilliant minds of many people of all walks of life coming together to share their gifts and talents with everyone around them, these tiny homes are truly making a big difference, one person at a time.
Written by: Gary Taylor
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and one of earth’s neighbors. No planet approaches closer to Earth than Venus. The planet is always roughly in the same direction in the sky as the Sun and can be seen in the hours near sunrise or sunset. Venus along with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were the few planets known in ancient times. Venus was known in ancient Greece by two different names Phosphorus when it appeared as a morning star, and Hesperus when it appeared as an evening star. The modern name comes from the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The ancient Greeks equivalent referred to the planet as Aphrodite. Venus has been called Earth’s twin.
Long Hot Days on Venus
Venus orbits in a nearly perfect circle. One year on Venus is 225 Earth days. One day on Venus is longer than one year: One day is roughly 243 Earth days.This is the slowest rotation of any planet. At the equator, Venus is rotating at about 6.5 kilometers in an hour, or 4 miles in an hour. Venus doesn’t have any moons or ring systems and its magnetosphere is weak due to its slow rotation. Venus may be called Earth’s twin but from Earth it can be seen in cycles of waxing and waning, like the Moon but on a slower timeframe.
Why is Venus called Earth’s Twin?
If we could slice Venus and Earth in half and place them side by side, they would look pretty similar. Each planet has an iron core, hot-rock mantle, and rocky exterior crust. Even though Venus has a similar-sized iron core, the planet does not have its own magnetic field. Instead, Venus has a magnetic field created by the interaction of the Sun and the planet’s outer atmosphere.The similarities in their masses, and sizes, along with their relative locations in the solar system leave some astronomers to believe the planets could have started out much the same way. Early observations of the planet revealed a perpetual veil of clouds, leading to belief Venus was a warm, wet world, similar to Earth during its prehistoric age. Venus has mountains, valleys, and tens of thousands of volcanoes. The highest mountain on Venus is called Maxwell Montes and stands 20,000 feet high.
Could Venus Sustain Life?
Atmospheric pressure on Venus is believed to be similar to the deep sea on Earth. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system. The average surface temperature is hot enough to melt lead. Venus does not tilt on its axis so there is no seasonal variation. The dense atmosphere of around 96.5 percent carbon dioxide traps heat and causes a greenhouse effect. The current conditions would not be conducive to life as we know it. However, that has not stopped us from visiting.
Venus is one the most “visited” places of the solar system, many spacecraft explored venus. Scientists wonder if the conditions of Venus could teach important lessons about the cause of environmental change on Earth. Venus and earth could have started so similar, which leads to the question: what will Earth be like millions of years from now? Could Venus give us those answers? Venus is not one of the only things people on Earth have visited often. What about things we can see from earth, and the moon that orbits us? Find out in the next installment of Five minute Planetarium.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Mercury was named after the messenger of the Roman Gods. Mercury is also known as “quicksilver,” both nicknames are derived from the swift and unusual orbit around the sun. According to NASA, Craters and features on Mercury are named after deceased artists, musicians, or authors, including children’s author Dr. Seuss and dance pioneer Alvin Ailey.
How Fast is Mercury?
Mercury orbits the Sun every 88 Earth days. However, Mercury itself rotates slowly on its axis. Mercury spins nearly perfectly upright and so it does not experience seasons as many other planets do. On Mercury, one full day-night cycle takes over two Mercury years, or roughly 176 Earth days. The non-circular orbit leads Mercury between 47 million and 69.8 million kilometers from the sun. The egg-shaped orbit creates conditions during the sunrise which makes the sun rise briefly, set, and rise again to start the very long day. The same thing happens in reverse at sunset. Sunlight takes 3.2 minutes to travel from the Sun to Mercury.
What is Mercury made of?
Mercury is a rocky planet with a huge iron core. The core takes up 75% of the planet’s diameter. Iron makes up about 70% of Mercury’s total weight making Mercury the most iron-rich planet in the Solar System. On top of the core is a rocky shell which is about 550 kilometers thick. The planet has been shaped by crater-creating impact, lava flow, and tectonic plate activity. Mercury is only about one-third the size of the Earth. Scientists theorize that Mercury’s magnetic field is due to its iron core or solar winds. Even though Mercury is closest to the Sun, the average temperature on its surface is much less than Venus. (Find out how hot Venus can get in our next installment of Five Minute Planetarium: Venus) Mercury doesn’t get as hot because the atmosphere is very thin and is composed of helium and sodium. The side facing the sun reaches 430 deg C, the other side can get as cold as -180 deg C. Mercury may have ice at its north and south poles inside deep craters, but only in regions in permanent shadows where it could be cold enough to ice despite the high temperatures on other parts of the planet.
Potential for Life
Instead of an atmosphere, Mercury possesses a thin exosphere made up of particles that chip off the surface by the solar wind and striking meteoroids. Mercury’s exosphere is composed mostly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium. The particles would not be breathable; the atmosphere would likely cause abrasions all over the skin… not to mention the heat of mercury causing major burns. Though Mercury’s magnetic field at the surface has just 1% the strength of Earth’s, it interacts with the magnetic field of the solar wind to sometimes create intense magnetic tornadoes that funnel the fast, hot solar wind plasma down to the surface of the planet… imagine a flaming hot tornado. All of this means, Mercury’s environment is not conducive to life as we know it. The temperatures and solar radiation that characterize this planet are too extreme for organisms to adapt.
Mercury may not be the biggest or hottest planet, but it is the fastest. Mercury will continue to orbit until the sun begins to die and swells, then the small planet will be sucked into the fire ball. That won’t happen for millions of years. For now, the quicksilver planet will fly above our heads and in our solar system… the majestic Milky Way.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Have you ever wondered what is above our heads, even farther than the blue sky, clouds, and ozone layer? There are so many wonders that hang in the universe light years above our heads. Our solar system is known as the Milky Way. The Milky Way is full of planets, asteroids, and stars. In this series we will look at what things are found in the solar system, as well as what they’re made of and what happens on the planets. For this first installment we will look at the center of the solar system… the sun.
What is the Sun?
According to NASA, the sun is a star… a yellow dwarf star to be exact. Hot glowing gases formed together in a ball and are giving our solar system life. There are billions of stars like our sun scattered across the universe. The Sun is the largest object in our solar system. The sun makes up roughly 99.8% of the system’s mass. One year on the sun is equivalent to 230 million Earth years. The sun is roughly 864,000 miles from Earth, or 26,000 lightyears, and 109 times the size. Think of it this way… if the sun was your bedroom door, then the earth would be a coin.
What is the Sun Made of?
“The sun is terrifying and gorgeous, and it’s also the best physics laboratory in our solar system,” Sabrina Savage, project scientist for NASA’s Hinode at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said in a statement. The sun is made of hydrogen and helium. The surface temperature of the sun is 10,000 degrees fahrenheit. The sun’s core temperature is around 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. The sun constantly turns hydrogen to helium inside it’s core, which creates the light and warmth we receive on Earth. “A star the size of our sun requires about 50 million years to mature from beginning to adulthood,” says NASA. “Our sun will stay in this mature phase for approximately 10 billion years.” Several billion years from now, the hydrogen inside of the sun will run out due to all of it being turned to helium. When that happens, the sun won’t be hot enough to burn, so the sun will go through the end phases stars go through. (which we will cover in the fourth segment of six Minute Planetarium: asteroids, comets, and stars).
What do Solar Storms Affect?
Solar storms are eruptions of mass and energy from the sun’s surface. Flares, prominences, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections are common solar activity. Sometimes these particles make it all the way to the Earth by flowing along the Sun’s magnetic field into space. When the material collides with the Earth’s magnetic field, it can dump particles into our atmosphere to cause the Aurora Borealis. The same ‘charged’ particles can produce magnetic fields, which can modify the Earth’s magnetic field and affect compass readings. The changing magnetic fields can produce electrical surges in our power grids leading to black outs.
The sun gives life to our planet and our solar system. Without the sun, the solar system would be lifeless and humans would not exist. It is important we know about the things that hang above our reach. If you would like to know what else lies to infinity and beyond, see our next installment of Five Minute Planetarium: Mercury.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
R. Kelly has been found guilty of sex trafficking. A mixture of relief and disbelief greeted the guilty verdict. Kelly, was once one of the biggest selling R&B singers but is now convicted on all nine counts after 25 years of using his fame and wealth to lure underage girls for sex. “We hope this verdict brings some sense of justice to the brave survivors who came forward,” tweeted the MuteRKelly campaign that was founded by two Black women in 2017 to try to get Kelly’s music off the airwaves.
Surviving R. Kelly
Producers of the 2019 documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” had similar sentiments. The documentary tells the stories of victims who survived R. Kellys abuse. “We commend the survivors for their bravery in speaking out and sharing their stories. Regardless of what the verdict is, they have opened up important conversations on sexual abuse that needed to happen,” Lifetime and the documentary producers said in a statement. Kelly, 54, was dropped by his record company shortly after the Lifetime documentary was aired. Musicians who had collaborated with R. Kelly, including Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Chance the Rapper, issued apologies or asked for those recordings to be taken down from streaming services.
R. Kelly Loses Airtime
Kelly’s music disappeared from radio waves but is still available on some streaming platforms. Data from music tracking service MRC showed streams of R. Kelly’s music remained between 2017 and 2021, at about five to six million a week. Billboard reported last month that Kelly was trying to sell the rights to his back catalog but had yet to find a buyer… good luck with that. Merck Mercuriadis, whose Hipgnosis Songs Fund has recently bought the rights to songs by Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, said he was not interested in R. Kelly’s catalog. “We have no interest in the R Kelly catalog. There is a strong principle here of supporting the feelings and beliefs of our songwriting community – both women and men – that is more important than economic opportunity,” Mercuriadis said in a statement.
We stand with the women who were abused by R. Kelly. We hope the survivors will be able to get the help they need as well as be able to live their lives as close to normal as possible. This is a day of justice and we hope the survivors feel the same way.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
The southern United States is known for many things such as fried foods, religion, and crops. In the recent past southern states such as Texas have been in the media for things like outlawing abortion and the border crises. Most southern states are conservative and christian. Christianity can be seen practiced in the south in many forms. Some denominations prefer to practice quietly, sitting in pews on Sunday and Wednesday then going out for lunch and dinner after. Others prefer to shout and dance, speak in tongues, or other extreme forms of the religion. Fried foods such as chicken are a Sunday tradition for most church goers, no matter their religion. The south is home to many things but today we will be focusing on the two main “belts” of the south: the bible belt and the stroke belt. Are these two things related?
The Bible Belt
The term “Bible Belt” was first used by Journalist H.L. Mencken in 1924. The Bible belt includes states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Two cities are known as the Buckle of the Bible Belt: Abilene, Texas, the location of three Christian universities, and Nashville, Tennessee, which has multiple Christian schools and over 700 churches. The states in the bible belt have the highest church attendance of the whole United states. Christians are held to a higher standard than most due to the nature of their religion. Christians do their best to live a life free of wrongdoing. Could this effort to be “christ-like” lead to excess stress? Over the years christianity has been broken into different denominations. Some more extreme versions of christianity come from pentecostal holiness, catholics, and evangelicals. These denominations practice things such as speaking in tongues, and exorcism.
Holiness churches are known for church-goers running up and down the aisles speaking in tongues. Catholics practice exorcisms when deemed necessary. Evangelicals believe in faith healing. All of these examples can be extremely stressful and taxing on the human body. Stress can manifest in many ways and is one of the top causes of heart attack and strokes. Could the stress of extreme religion… or even just trying too hard to be perfect relate to the spike in stroke and heart attacks we see in the south?
The Stroke Belt
States in the Stroke Belt include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana and Virginia. Some researchers believe that greater-than-average rates of obesity, cigarette smoking and high blood pressure account for the increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in the Stroke Belt. Many people attribute the increased health complications with diet or things such as smoking and drinking, but many southerners center their lives around their religion. This could mean the main stressor for southern people could come from their religious practices in some way. What effect does the stress of many things including extreme religious practices have on your body?
According to Mayo Clinic, “stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that’s left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.” Is the most religious part of the United States also the most stressed? Many people assume the diet and lifestyle of southern people is to blame. Do we have southern comfort foods to soothe the stresses of southern life? Do you think religion could be a major cause of stress for southern people?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has used a number of state-owned vehicles to line up for miles as a barricade along the border. Governor Abbott insisted Texas was taking “unprecedented steps,” to find a way to fix the ongoing border crisis. Abbott has had national attention in recent weeks for his signing of abortion restrictions. Governor Abbott has also been vocal in his criticism of the Biden administration. “The Texas Department of Public Safety stepped up,” he said, adding “if President Joe Biden followed a judge’s order to reimplement the Trump-era “remain in Mexico” protocols, there wouldn’t be chaos in Del Rio. Because the Biden administration has been promoting and allowing open border policies, it has been the state of Texas that had to step up,” Abbott said Tuesday during a Del Rio news conference with local officials, including Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano.
Governor Abbott has been a longtime supporter of building a border wall in Texas. He has attempted to gain approval from private landowners to construct a wall. In recent days, Governor Abbott has directed hundreds of state Department of Public Safety vehicles to create a “steel wall” to block illegal immigrants from entering Texas. The “steel wall” of cars is only one of the most recent examples of how severe the immigration crisis is unfolding in Del Rio, Texas. “We put hundreds of Texas Department of Public Safety cars and created a steel wall of DPS vehicles that prevented anybody from crossing that dam that you’ve seen people walk across,” Governor Abbott told Fox News in an interview. Abbott added the cars prevented people from “walking into the state of Texas.”
The move from the Texas governor comes during the most recent development in the immigration crisis as mostly Haitian nationals are attempting to make their way to the southern border of the U.S. after political turmoil and a natural disaster has shaken their home country. The migrants have created a makeshift camp at the border under a bridge near Del Rio, Texas. The immigration crisis has been getting worse over the past few months. This will not be the last wave of people to attempt to come into the country illegally. What is the Biden administration going to do about it? What will the leaders of this country do to solve this ongoing issue?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Heart attacks and strokes are one of the most common health issues. According to heart.org heart disease is the top cause of death in America. You are at a high risk for a stroke or heart attack if you have high blood pressure/ cholesterol, diabetes, are exposed to smoking, and have an unhealthy diet. When a heart attack happens, the coronary arteries become blocked and blood flow is unable to reach the heart properly. There are two different kinds of strokes, ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes occur when an artery that brings blood to your brain is blocked or clogged. There are two types of ischemic strokes: thrombotic and embolic. Thrombotic strokes occur when the clot is formed in an artery that already has plaque build up. Embolic strokes occur when the clot is formed in another part of the body (most often the heart) and moves towards the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by an artery in the brain leaking or bursting due to high blood pressure or other issues, such as aneurysms. Both heart attacks and strokes can affect men and women at any age, though they are more common as you get older. Do you know what signs to look for and when to see your doctor or call 911?
Men’s Heart Attack Symptoms
The most common symptoms for a heart attack in men is chest pain. The pain will often start as mild discomfort or there will be a sudden onset of severe symptoms. The sudden onset is not as common as the slow beginning. The chest will feel “full” or like it is being squeezed. Some people mistake this for heartburn. The feeling may last for several minutes or come and go. The blood not flowing properly could lead to pain in other areas of the body such as the upper part of the stomach, jaw or neck, one (usually left) or both arms, and possibly even your teeth. Shortness of breath may also occur along with cold sweats. If you have a majority of these symptoms call 911 and/or your doctor immediately.
Women’s Heart Attack Symptoms
As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain. However, women are more likely than men to experience symptoms such as cold sweats, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain. Women are more likely to only experience a feeling of heartburn and much milder symptoms. Women may feel an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of their chest. The pain could last more than a few minutes, or go away and come back. Pain or discomfort could be present in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath could come with or without chest pain. If you believe you are having a heart attack don’t just take an aspirin and hope for the best, call 911 and/or your doctor immediately.
Stroke Symptoms
There are no stroke symptoms unique to men or women. The exact symptoms vary depending on which area of the brain is affected. Strokes often affect only the left or only the right side of the brain. Strokes can cause the inability to speak or understand speech, a strained expression, inability to move or feel a part of the body, and confusion. People can have sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden paralysis, weakness, or numbness, most likely on one side of the body. Some people throw up or feel the urge to be sick. Fatigue or trouble breathing, sudden and severe headache with no known cause, sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination are also major stroke symptoms. If you or someone you encounter are experiencing these symptoms call 911 immediately.
Acting F.A.S.T.
The CDC says acting F.A.S.T. can save a stroke patient’s life. The stroke treatments that are available only work if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do the following test:
Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase such as “the dog chased the cat around the tree.” Is the speech slurred or strange?
Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.
If you believe you or a loved one are having a stroke or a heart attack call 911 or make your way to the nearest emergency room. Note what time symptoms start and be sure to tell the 911 operator and emergency responders so they can tell the doctor. If you are alone and have to call 911 for yourself, try to unlock your door or be waiting on the porch for emergency responders in case you lose consciousness between the time you call and they arrive. This will also help you make it to the hospital as quickly as possible. Many people wait too long before seeking medical attention which can be detrimental to their life and health. Don’t take yourself for granted, recognize the symptoms and get the help you need.
As of January 2019, there were an estimated 16.9 million cancer survivors in the United States, according to Cancer.gov. They project the number of cancer survivors to increase to 22.2 million by 2030. Over 40% of confirmed cancer cases come after the patient has found something not quite right in a self exam. Oncology Health workers say “it is really important to be aware of changes in the way you bleed and bruise. Are you creating scabs properly when you get cut? Are you suddenly bruising often or bruises won’t go away? Be aware of major changes in your bowel movements. You should see your doctor about anything out of the ordinary sooner rather than later and be very aware of your body.” It is important people dont wait months before they see a doctor about a change in their health. If you wait too long, something that could have spread to other places and/or become borderline untreatable. Have you ever done a self examination for cancer? Below are some helpful hints on how to do a few different types of exams on yourself. You should see your doctor to confirm and understand what is normal for you and what is not. Asking your doctor questions can be uncomfortable, but they are there to help you and guide you in your journey of health. Confirm with your doctor the following self exams are right for you. These exams are meant to help you recognize any changes in your body that could be concerning, not diagnose you. Here are oral, breast, and skin exams you can do at home.
Oral/Mouth Cancer Self Exam
If you drink, smoke, or are sexually active you are at risk for mouth cancer. Mouth cancer has some of the highest mortality rates because it often goes unnoticed, until it has spread. Open your mouth in front of a mirror and familiarize yourself with what your normal mouth looks and feels like. Look for any new sores or swelling around the chin and neck using light pressure and the pads of your fingers. Then, with clean hands, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch and apply light pressure on your lips and cheeks. Look for lumps or bumps that are not mirrored on the other side. You should check for changes each month. Call your doctor or dentist about any irregular bumps, lumps, and lesions that won’t heal after 3 weeks.
Men’s Breast Cancer Exam
Most men find it easier to do portions of the self exam in the shower with soap on their chest in order to keep from pulling or irritating their skin or hair. Raise the left arm above your head and rest your left hand on the back of your neck. Use three fingers from your right hand to examine the texture of the left side of the chest. Start at the outer edge of the chest and use the pads of your fingers to make small circles. Use this technique to go in a larger circular pattern around the left side of the chest until you get to the nipple. check for lumps and irregularities in the skin. Squeeze the nipple and look for any signs of discharge or retraction of the nipple. Repeat this process on the other side with the right hand on the back of the neck. Then, use a large mirror to look at the whole chest to look for any overall changes in symmetry or skin markings. 80% of lumps found in male breasts are benign, which means they are not cancerous. However, a doctor is the only one who can determine that.
Women’s Breast Cancer Exam
Same as the men’s self-exam, most women find it easier to do portions of the self-exam in the shower with soap on their chest to keep from irritating the skin. Raise the left arm above your head and rest your left hand on the back of your neck. Use three fingers from your right hand to examine the texture of the left side of the chest. Start at the outer edge of the chest and use the pads of your fingers to make small circles. Work in a circular pattern around the breast until you reach the nipple, check for lumps and skin changes. Squeeze the nipple and look for any signs of irregular discharge or retraction. Repeat this process on the other side. Once you do both sides, use a large mirror to look at the whole chest to look for any overall changes in symmetry or skin markings. In addition to this, When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently covering the entire breast area and armpit. Any new lumps found should be examined by a doctor and women should have regular mammograms in order to check for smaller tumors.
Skin Cancer Self Exam
Skin cancer comes in many different forms, growths, moles or birthmarks that increase in size, and sores that won’t go away. Examine your skin in the mirror as close as possible. If needed, document what different areas look like for future reference. If you know what your normal skin looks like, it will be easier to notice when new markings pop up or existing ones get bigger. Having your partner examine your back could also help you notice anything new you can not see. Ask your doctor if wearing sunscreen as well as not excessively using tanning beds and sunbathing could reduce your risk of skin cancer. Have your doctor or dermatologist look at any new growths, moles, or open wounds that will not heal after 3 weeks.
The National Cancer Institute suggests taking one day a month to check yourself head to toe for changes in your body. It shouldn’t take you any longer to check yourself than your favorite TV show. The time it takes could potentially give you so much more time in the long-run. Ask your doctor about any other exams you could at home, or major bodily changes you should be aware of. The number of cancer survivors rises every year. Eventually the doctors of the world will cure cancer but until then, catching it early is the key to treatment, self-examination is the first step.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Dating is hard enough at the best of times. Throw in nationwide social distancing, a highly contagious virus, rapid decline in mental health for young adults, and the slow decrease in use of the top 15 major dating apps before the pandemic, one would think dating would take a backseat to other things. However, many dating sites have completely turned the rules for online dating around. Online dating over video chat doesn’t come with the physical expectation that dating in the physical world does. Is online dating over video here to stay as a new staple in life? How could that affect dating in the future and how relationships are formed? What effect could running all new relationships through the warped filter of the internet have on people as they enter the dating pool? So many new dating sites are out, and a huge number of them have become so specialized that finding a match should be easier than ever… right?
Specialized Online-Dating
Whether you want to meet someone in the local LGBTQ community or a traditonal style relationship across the globe there seems to be a specialized dating site for everyone. Sites like Geolocation allow you to meet people “across the pond,” then Taimi has become the biggest newest site for the LGBTQ community. Men and women in uniform have many sites made just for them, from police officers to military. Baby boomers are even included in this new online dating boom with sites like SilverSingles and many others. There are even online dating sites for everyone from farmers to professional clowns. Maybe you just really love a good man in a mullet… that’s an option on MulletPassions, which is not to be confused with sites for the non-mullet wearers with mullet personas such as WesternDate. Vegans and vegetarians as well as gluten-free singles have their own sites which they can find match with similar dietary needs. There is even a site for those who believe they are vampires to find their undead soulmate. All of these sites have popped up before and during the pandemic. Does joining a specialty site based on your interests increase your chance of finding a good match? The data still remains to be seen on that. The new increase of traffic to the online dating world makes it seem that it should be easier than ever before to find a new match.
The Online-Dating Boom
Before the pandemic, dating in major cities could be expensive. Video chats and Online dating are saving singles hundreds of dollars. Many dating sites such as MeetMe, Taimi, Hinge, and PlentyOfFish have come out with new features to accommodate this, such as “LIVE” in order to meet people over live video broadcasting. Bumble was ahead of the game, offering video calls beginning in 2019. Video chatting over Bumble rose 93% in the week after Trump declared a national emergency, the company said. Dating.com reported that online dating was up 82% on a global scale, beginning in March of 2020. Tinder saw the length of conversations rise by up to 30%. A dating app for the stars and elite called Inner Circle saw messages rise over 100%.
Could these statistics lead to a post-pandemic wedding boom? Those results remain to be seen as we are still under mandates in many places here in 2021. Some singles are skeptical about how long they can keep a virtual relationship and make it work. Advancements in vaccines and new mandates have opened the possibility of having limited in-person encounters, but a majority of singles say they still would rather meet someone online. How often do online relationships actually work out? What affects will all the time of isolation have on those who choose to get married after the pandemic? The burden of isolation will be seen in the ability to form relationships and mental health for the next years to come. How long will it take our society as a whole to heal from the toll of the pandemic?
Does Online-Dating Work?
Studies conducted by dating websites and relationship professionals conclude finding a partner online is about one-third of the same chance you have to meet someone in person. The chances of converting online dating to a long-term relationship or marriage is less than 10%. This leads us to the biggest question: why are success rates so low if the possibility of matches is so high? Relationship experts say the massive volume of people on these sites can cause people to not pay much attention to profiles that don’t immediately catch their eye and become “swipe happy.” If a majority of users become “swipe happy” and generate less matches this could lead to feelings of rejection and loneliness. These feelings send people back to the online dating sites and the cycle continues. This version of dating turns it almost into a game of here’s my resume, hire me for the job, but the job has millions of candidates and a lazy HR person. This can be detrimental to how relationships are formed because not only are you mostly choosing matches based on filtered images and carefully thought out bios, which may or may not accurately represent the person. Meeting someone online can cause the brain to release dopamine and make them believe they are so happy and in love with this person they have never met. Dopamine is needed to make healthy love connections but so are many other things you can only get by being face-to-face. Non-verbal cues are essential for determining if someone is right for you.
When you meet someone at school, work, or an event you have many non-verbal cues which determine important things about a person and forming a relationship. Physical non-verbal cues, such as eye contact, hand gestures, and body language that don’t match up with words spoken can raise important red flags that indicate relationship failure in the future. Without this ability to see how someone acts when they speak, we have to only trust their carefully thought out words, which is hard to do through a screen. The chemical oxytocin is extremely important for forming a healthy love connection and is only activated by the touch of someone else. The way someone smells, as in the natural pheromones that help determine true attraction and genetic compatibility, is unable to be determined through a screen. Our bodies are hardwired to require meeting someone face to face in order to form healthy love connections. Could not having initial non-verbal cues due to online-dating be one of the main reasons relationships formed over an online platform don’t seem to pan out? Has COVID changed the courtship process forever?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
