Stuff YOU Should Know

U.S. Embassies Closed

On August 4, nineteen U.S. embassies and consulates (sometimes called diplomatic missions) were closed in response to feared attacks by al Qaeda. Most of these government operations were located in the Middle East. U.S. Intelligence agencies such as the CIA intercepted conversations between two high-level al-Qaeda operatives plotting an attack. All but one of the embassies were reopened on August 12. The embassy in Sanaa, Yemen will remain closed for the time being in because of “ongoing concerns.” In addition to these threats, U.S. military drones recently killed 34 suspected militants in Yemen. Embassy employees were ordered to leave the country. United States government officials are also advising against any travel to that country, as the threat of being kidnapped is very high.

Some believe the caution comes in response to the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. A heavily armed group stormed the grounds, killing four persons and injuring ten others. The Obama administration has been criticized here at home for miscommunication and general mishandling of the Benghazi situation. Some believe the latest closings is a way for the president to show that he is capable of acting with appropriate caution when it comes to national security.

What Do You Think? Do you think it was a good idea for President Obama to close the embassies temporarily? Follow this story in the news. Find out the kinds of consequences associated with closing embassies on Americans abroad as well as our relationship with other countries.

Hip Hop Turns 40

Every art form has its origin story of where and how it got started. Sometimes these are called “creation myths” because very often the true birth of a culture is complicated and made of many different people being influenced by similar things and becoming linked together. Hip hop music was said to have begun on a single hot August night at a party held in a Bronx apartment recreation facility.  A man called DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy called their party a “back to school jam” and attracted a few hundred people. What made the music at this party different was that Herc mixed “samples” or parts of existing songs together and would shout or “rap” over them.

Hip hop eventually became identified by its four distinctive elements–music (DJing), rap (MCing), breakdancing, and (mostly in those earliest days) graffiti. Sometimes the musical description hip hop gets used interchangeably with rap music. Depending on who you ask, hip hop is considered more of a culture, where rap is a particular style of hip hop. Notable pioneer artists include Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Fab Five Freddy, Kurtis Blow, LL Cool J, Run DMC and Kid ‘n Play.

Dig Deeper–Do you like hip hop? If so, who are some of your favorite artists and why? If not, what is your favorite genre of music? Do you know its “origin story”? If not, look it up. Share your answers with your classmates.

Medal of Freedom Awards

Last week, President Obama announced this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees. This award is the highest civilian (non-military) honor given by the U.S. government. The sixteen recipients selected this year are: former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey (media mogul and talk show host), Gloria Steinhem (activist), Benjamin C. Bradlee (newspaper editor), Ernie Banks (athlete), Daniel Kahneman (Nobel-prize-winning psychologist), Richard Lugar (former Senator), Loretta Lynn (country singer), Mario Molina (scientist), Arturo Sandoval (musician), Dean Smith (athlete/coach), Cordy Tindell Vivian (activist), Patricia Wald (judge), Daniel K. Inouye (senator), Sally Ride (astronaut) and Bayard Rustin (activist).

The original Medal of Freedom was created by President Harry Truman in 1945 as a way to recognize civilians who made significant contributions to the United States in time of war. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy expanded the award to include the areas of national interests, security, cultural and world peace. In a recent statement, President Obama said that each of the recipients had “dedicated their lives to enriching ours.” A formal ceremony will take place at the White House later this year. More than 500 people have received this award so far.

Dig Deeper–Choose one recipient above, preferably one you haven’t heard of, and do some research on their life and work. Write a one-page paper about who they are and why you think they are deserving of this award.

More Professional Athletes Accused of Doping

Last year, Lance Armstrong created a storm of controversy when he admitted to using performance enhancement drugs (PEDs). This summer, Porter Fischer, a former employee at the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami, Florida came forward to say that Biogenesis owner Tony Bosch had provided PEDs to several professional baseball players since 2009. Among the athletes named are Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees), Melky Cabrera (Toronto Blue Jays), Nelson Cruz (Texas Rangers) and Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers). If these allegations are proven true, the accused may face multi-game suspensions or possible lifetime bans. As many as 20 more players face some kind of discipline from Major League Baseball.

While the famous baseball players are getting all of the attention, the now-closed Biogenesis clinic exposed athletes from other sports–basketball (NBA), boxing, tennis, mixed martial arts and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Some people wonder why no other league has come forward to respond to these allegations. Professional boxing in the U.S. does not have a central authority to lead an investigation. The NCAA reports that each college is responsible for its own drug-testing. But last fall the NBA was criticized by the World Anti-Doping Agency for not testing for Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Still, there was no response from the NBA regarding the Biogenesis allegations.

What Do You Think? There are some who say that it is impossible to compete at a professional level without PEDs. Others believe stricter testing policies can effectively level the playing field. Find out how difficult it is for both sides. Make a list of pros and cons. Do you believe cheating can be effectively eliminated from professional sports? Why or why not?