A Magic School Bus Field Trip

Figure 1: Hi everyone, I'm Ms. Frizzle!(4)

"Buckle up! Today we are going to learn about conformity," announces Ms. Frizzle (Figure 1).
"How are we going to do that Ms. Frizzle?" asks Meagan.
"We are going to be a fly on the wall, throughout the elementary school, for a field trip. No one there will be able to see us, because we are going to shrink," Ms. Frizzle explains.
"Shrink!", shrieks Arnold.
"Yes, how else will we be a fly on the wall? Here we go; hold on!" exclaims Ms. Frizzle as the bus got smaller and smaller.
"Oh no, I don't like the look of this Ms. Frizzle! Why is the look of everything getting so big? I can see the dust particles on the walls. They look like a giant dust mountain!" shrieked Arnold.

Figure 2: Coloring Page of a Frog (1)

In the Class Room

In the mountains of dust, the bus flew to their destination, the second grade classroom. "Now, that wasn't so bad was it kids?" Ms. Frizzle remarks. Conformity is “when people yield to real or imagined social pressure” (2). In other words, conformity is when someone does something because they want to be like everyone else. "Let's see if there are any examples of conformity in the class room." Ms. Frizzle suggests. "Coloring a picture the same as your friend is an example of conformity. This student, that isn't coloring what they want to, feels pressure from their friend to be like the other students." Ms. Frizzle clarified. If the student in Figure 2 colored the frog purple instead of green, that student would not be conforming the the pressure from his or her friends. Another example of a student resisting conformity would be if the student decided to color the water pink. "Ms. Frizzle, what about how those two guys are dressed the same? They have the same shirt on and everything!" says Marilyn.
"Yes Marilyn that would be another example of conformity." says Ms. Frizzle.
"According to my research, all of those examples are how everything stays running smoothly in a classroom. They are the rules Ms. Frizzle," says Becca.
"Yes, they are Becca, well done. Let's go to the lunch room!" Ms. Frizzle instructs.

In the Lunch Room
While watching everyone in the cafeteria, Ms. Frizzle spots an example of conformity. "Here, there is an example in line. There are a group of students talking about what they want for lunch. The one kid just said that he wanted the meatball hoagie instead of the pizza, which is what his friends want. His friends just told him that the hoagie was a bad idea. Let's get a closer look and see what he gets," suggests Ms. Frizzle. "He has gotten the pizza, which is why this is an example of conformity. He was scared that his friends would leave him out because of what he thought was tasty (3)." Ms. Frizzle explains. In this situation, the student uses conformity in order to relieve his worry of being left out.

Why Conformity is Good

Figure 3: Two People at a Fancy Restaurant (6)

"Let's go to a restaurant for another example of conformity! Conformity is not just following rules or doing what your friends are doing. Conformity is also when someone does not know what to do." Ms. Frizzle explains. Imagine the guy, in Figure 3, did not know how to eat his spaghetti properly in a fancy restaurant. This guy on the right, in Figure 3, could look to other people eating spaghetti to see the correct way to eat it. This is called the informational influence(5). The guy wants to impress his date, and not look like a barbarian, so he looks around and conforms his behavior into what others are doing. "Back to class. Buckle up!" Ms. Frizzle instructs.


Back to the Classroom
As the class comes back to normal size and settles back down into their desks for the end of the day Ms. Frizzle asks, "Class, what did we learn today?"
 "We learned, that conformity is when someone copies another person in order to fit in to their surroundings." says Becca.
"We also learned that conforming to other's behaviors is good in some cases, if you want to impress someone." says Marilyn.
"That's called the informational influence!" says Arnold.
 "We also learned that following the rules is considered to be conformity, but this allows for everything to run smoothly." says Meagan.
 "Very good class! Let's go to lunch, I'm starving!" Ms. Frizzle instructs.

References

(1) Coloring of a Frog [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from:  

http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-welfare/water-safety-for-kids

(2) Dunn, D.S., Hammer,Y.E., & Weiten, W. (2012). Psychology applied to modern life. Belmont,

CA: Wadsworth.

(3) Gylling, H. (2014). Desire for conformity. Homo Oeconomicus, 31(4), 561-580.

(4) Ms. Frizzle [Photograph]. (2013). Retrieved from:

http://blog.nwf.org/2013/05/5-reasons-ms-frizzle-rocks-as-a-teacher/

(5) Oh, S.H. (2013). Do collectivists conform more than individualists? Cross-cultural differences in

compliance and internalization. Social Behavior and Personality, 41(6), 981-994.

(6) Two people  at a fancy restaurant [Photograph]. (2017). Retrieved from:

         http://cliparts.co/restaurant-menu-clipart

Body Modification and Ear Piercings

Let's Go To the Mall!! 

                                                            

Claire waiting to go to the
mall with her mom. 

Hey guys! This is Claire. Claire and her mommy are on their way to get Claire's ears pierced at the mall. Claire turned three years old today and that's what she wanted for her birthday because all of her friends at pre-school have them. Claire is so excited to go get her ears pierced, she wants more than just one, but mommy won't let her because she's too young. Let's follow Claire and her mom on their way to the store!

Woman with 11 piercings in
her ear.

Claire never knew that you could get your ears pierced at the mall, she didn't know anything about getting your ears pierced actually and there's some things she thought you should know. In most malls that you would go to with your mommy or daddy, there are a few different places that you could visit to get your ears pierced. One place is called The Piercing Pagoda and they can pierce your ears for you. They can also pierce your nose if you're old enough, so that's when mommy says so. Another place is called Claire's! Funny, right? Now, how many of you are good at counting? I need a special helper, how many piercings does this lady have? That's right!! 11 piercings! That sure seems like a lot but her mommy and daddy told her she was old enough to get that many piercings. Do you have your ears pierced? Did it hurt? Probably, I remember getting my ears pierced. That was a long time ago though. 

My mom and dad told me I was old enough to get another piercing in my belly button! In some cultures, they pierce lips and tongues and other stuff that we may normally think is weird but they do it so they can grow up the right way or do other things like get married or have a baby (#). 

      Something that Claire thought you should know that was important is what she was told about cleaning your ear piercings after you get them done. The lady who pierced Claire's ears gave her and her mommy some important instructions on how to keep her ears clean and healthy so she wouldn't have to take them out. The lady said to make sure whoever was cleaning Claire's ear to wash their hands before touching anything! Just like your mom or dad or even the doctor wash their hands before touching a boo boo, you should too. Washing your hands prevents all the mean and nasty germs, like Mr. Meanie on the right, from getting inside your body and making you sick. The person who pierces your ears should have given you or mom a bottle of cleaner to use on your ears after you've washed your hands. This bottle is all the good stuff that is going to keep your piercing nice and happy so it can look good for a long time. You also should not take your piercing out. If you do, that could cause the hole to go away or bad germs to get in and that would not be good. You should wait about 6-8 weeks before changing your ear piercing so that way, your piercing can fully heal and make it so when you change it to something better, it won't hurt or your hole won't close up. Other piercings may take a longer time to change them because different parts of your bodies work in different ways and it may be harder for the workers in your body to create new good skin to keep your body happy. Once you have washed your hands and grabbed your magic bottle of cleaner, you should take a clean cotton ball or even a Q-Tip and put some of the cleaner on it. Now it's time to clean! Gently, so you don't hurt yourself, clean around the area of your piercing to make sure you've gotten all areas nice and clean. Then, you should get another cotton ball and squeeze some more cleaner on it. After you've done that, clean the back of your piercing. This makes sure that the bad germs on the front and on the back pack their bags and move away from your piercings because they are not welcome! Finally, you should twist your piercing to make sure that the hole gets some air. Air is a key ingredient to a happy and healthy piercing. If you want to learn more, go online with mommy or daddy and go to this website and they'll tell you all about how to clean your piercings; http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/pierced-ears.html?WT.ac=ctg.

     Now that you know what to do to keep your piercing happy, ask your mommy and daddy if you're allowed to have one! Tell them you know how to take care of it and you think you're old

enough. Chances are, they may so no at first so you should always have a back-up plan. 😉 Tell them you know all the steps on how to clean your piercing and you only want another hole in your ear, nothing crazy just yet. You're still growing up and when you're young, you're only allowed to pierce your ears. When you get older though, then you can pierce a lot of other things but remember, only if mom and dad say you're allowed. Piercings are expensive and a lot of work, just like puppies. Rufus over there wants to remind you that if you want a piercing, you have to remember to take care of it, just like you have to remember to feed your animals or brush your teeth before bed. Now, go ask mom and dad if you can get another piercing in your ear, but don't be sad if they say no. Be happy with the body you have, you can always spice up your look with something simple for the time being like a necklace or a ring. Now, Claire has to go clean her ear piercings before it's too late!!

What is Punishable?

Top Four Crimes for Capital Punishment

Today, thousands of inmates in prison are on death row for crimes that are so extreme and unimaginable. These inmates have received the ultimate punishment of death called capital punishment. 

What is capital punishment? Capital punishment is the authorized killing of an inmate for a capital crime they have committed. You might ask, how does someone receive capital punishment? Here we will count down the Top Four Crimes for capital punishment.

4. Mental Issues

Figure 1: An illustration representing a
mentally unstable inmate

In the United States today, inmates who have committed some of the worst crimes can be excused from receiving capital punishment if they are mentally unstable. In other words, a lot of inmates go under a mental examination to see if they are mentally unstable after they commit a capital crime. If an inmate is not mentally stable, they are excused from receiving capital punishment because it is ruled by the government that it is unconstitutional for an inmate with mental issues to receive such a punishment. The inmate was not in a normal mental state when they committed their crime. Although the United States excuses inmates from capital punishment because of mental issues, other countries still continue forward with capital punishment. Although most countries are able to stop capital punishment against those who are mentally unstable, some fail to identify disabilities in many crime cases (1). In Japan, many people have been executed even after a mental instability was found (1). 

3. Treason, Drug Trafficking, Aircraft Hijacking

Treason, drug trafficking, and aircraft hijackings are just one of many crimes on the same scale of receiving capital punishment (2). These crimes are punishable by death if they are extreme cases, resulting in someone's death. Some of these crimes are considered capital crimes. A capital crime is a crime usually against ones own country resulting in capital punishment. These crimes are only one of many that could end with capital punishment whether the criminal has committed murder or not.

2. Rape of a child

Figure 2: Inmate, Patrick O' Kennedy

In some states, if the case involving the rape of a child is extreme enough, capital punishment can be considered as the ultimate consequence (2). Capital punishment for the rape of an adult is considered to be too extreme and unconstitutional (2). Because a child is a minor, it makes the crime far more justifiable for the death penalty, especially if the crime is done more than once. In figure 2, a man named, Patrick O' Kennedy, in Louisiana committed the awful crime on his 8 year old stepdaughter and coached her to lie to police and blame two innocent boys that lived in the neighborhood as suspects in the crime (4). The rape of a child is not a common crime for capital punishment so it is rare if a case reaches the level where capital punishment is considered. Kennedy is one of two inmates on death row for committing a crime that does not involve murder.

1. Murder

At number one, murder is the top and most common crime for a criminal to receive capital punishment. The death of another person is considered one of the ultimate crimes and most justifying for capital punishment (2). Every single person on death row today has committed the act of murder except two. Not every murderer receives capital punishment, in other words, most inmates receive a life sentence in prison (3). Capital punishment exists for some of the worst murders. Murderers that receive capital punishment usually have committed a first degree murder. A first degree murder is a murder that has been planned out beforehand and usually done in a brutal way (3). In extreme murder cases, capital punishment is considered as one of the ways of harsh punishment for these criminals.

References

(1) Amnesty International. (2017). Death Penalty. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/

(2) Crimes Punishable by the Death Penalty. (2017). Retrieved from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/crimes-punishable-death-penalty

(3) Punishment for Murder. (n.d.). Retrieved May 03, 2017, from http://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-   library/punishment-for-murder/

(4) Vogue, A. D. (2008). Death Penalty for Child Rape? Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/SCOTUS/story?id=4650696

Dictatorship and the Media

Figure 1:The leader speaks and no one else is allowed to speak out.  

Have you ever wondered what is would be like to live in a country where the government controls everything you read in the news and what you hear on TV? Do you ever wonder what it would be like to not be able to express how you feel toward your government or issues that the government deems dangerous? To live in fear of what might come to you or your family if you say something the government doesn't like. Dictators tend to use media in order to make themselves look better. This is what it is like to live under a dictatorship. 

Media for the Government
Dictators tend to use the media in order to gain the people's trust. The dictator will use propaganda in order to convince people that they are right and everyone else is wrong so people will be swayed to their side. They will control how the people see them in order to maintain your support. Adolf Hitler was in a film to show the people how good he was talking to the people. The film showed people cheering him on as he gave the speech and young and healthy children as happy as can be in the fount of the crowd (1). Hitler did this to show other countries that everything was great and working under his rule. If the dictator is shown in a light that he is charming and loved by the people. People will follow you even if they aren't sure where the leader is going. Why use the media? The dictator uses the media to frame themselves as heroes of the people and that they are making the country better for everyone. A dictator can't control what people think so they will control how people see them in order to make themselves appear better than they actually are. 

Figure 2: The media chained up by the government and not letting people hear another side of a story.

Media conflicts with the Government 
 Chances are that you, a parent, or someone else that you know read the newspaper watches the news or looks at current events online. When you do that you're exposed to many different types of sides. Well in a dictatorship you get one point of view and that is the point of view of the leader. If the government deems your topic dangerous there will be consequences to you or maybe your family. In China the government watches everything you do online. In China there was a documentary called Under the Dome that pointed out the pollution problem in China. The documentary caused a spark in conversation about pollution that the movie was taken down in two days and no one was allowed to speak of the pollution problem or movie with fear of being imprisoned. Then out of nowhere the leader of China decided that the documentary was not to be destroyed and anyone caught doing it was to be punished. It is unknown why he completely changed his mind (2). When the documentary came out it exploited in China and was the most talked about thing. The government decided it was dangerous to have this in the hands of the public so they made it illegal to have and to talk about. Then a short time later it was illegal to destroy the film or get rid of it in any way. In a dictatorship the government decides what is ok and what is too dangerous for the people to know about. 

The Media and the government go hand and hand nowadays. The government need the media in order to paint itself in a better light and convince people it's on their side. But with most people having media nowadays it helps the government mover forward little by little. 

References

(1) Petersen, K. (2013, September 24). Triumph of the Will. Retrieved May 02, 2017, from https://sites.stedwards.edu/comm4399fa2013-kpeters3/2013/09/24/triumph-of-the-will-film-art-or-nazi-propaganda/

(2)Kuhn, A. (2015, March 04). The Anti-Pollution Documentary That's Taken China By Storm. Retrieved May 02, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/03/04/390689033/the-anti-pollution-documentary-thats-taken-china-by-storm

THE BAD BOYS

Figure 1: Billy pushing little Johnny into a locker

"Hey you!", said Billy the school bully to little Johnny, "what did I tell you about walking in my hallway?!". "I was just getting my books out of my locker that's all" said little Johnny. "Yeah? Well now you can" says Billy as he shoves little Johnny into his locker (Figure 1). Billy picks on little Johnny everyday at school and bullies him just because he's different. A bully is the same compared to how a dictator runs a country and treats their people. 

A bully is the same compared to how a dictator runs a country and treats their people. A dictator is basically someone who runs something, like a country, by controlling the news, the laws, and the people and what they do. Billy can be considered a dictator to little Johnny because he treats him unfairly, controls what he does, and bullies him. This is only an example of what a dictator can be considered among kids.

The Grown-Up Bullies

As explained before, a dictator is someone who runs something, like a country, by controlling the news, the laws, and the people and what they do. This means that a dictator controls the government, the news, the military, the people, and many other things (1). They make their own decisions without needing the approval of anyone else. Dictators are usually really mean people who don't like a certain group of people. Like Figure 2, a dictator can be seen as a person who has more power than others that tends to make others around them feel inferior to them. This is also exactly how a bully can be explained, because like a dictator they use their power to make the weak more powerless. A bully yells at their victims in order to get what they want; the same can be said when looking at a dictator. This is due to the fact that a dictator puts pressure on the people living in their country in order to get what they want. A bully and a dictator, therefore, can have an impact on many individuals. In this case a dictator effects all the individuals within the one country that they control. The negative behaviors of that dictator can inflict pain on their country and can cause the individuals to see their dictator as more of a bully and less of a leader.

Figure 2: A bully yelling at a victim in order to get what they want.

Dictators In History 

Figure 3: Adolf Hitler 

There are a lot of bullies in the world and in history, but the meanest and most infamous of them all was Adolf Hitler. Hitler during the second World War was the dictator of Germany. He was really mean because he killed lots and lots of people called the Jews just because they were different and he didn't like them. He almost made those people go away forever. This event where Hitler killed almost all the Jews was known as the Holocaust. During the Holocaust, a total number of 11 million people died (2). Hitler was the leader of all the bullies that followed him, these bullies were called the Nazis. Hitler and the Nazis killed these people by shooting them, burning them alive, putting them in showers that were filled with poisonous gas, and many other brutal ways.

Hitler and the Bullies Get In Trouble

Bullies can sometimes be so much bigger and stronger than the people that they pick on that it is common for the victim to have friends help stand up to the bully. It is important that the victim seeks out help because it can sometimes put an end to the bullying forever. This relates to how Hitler and the Nazi's finally were beat. As Hitler began to become more powerful, people thought he was going to take over the world. He became so powerful that countries like the United States, England, and Russia had to all team up to take him down. They all defeated his army and trapped Hitler in Germany where he ran out of options. Instead of being captured, Hitler decided the best option was for him to kill himself. This compares to when bullies know that if they keep pushing other kids around they will get in trouble with other people. This often will cause the bullies to stop being mean to people. 

A Happy Ending   

Little Johnny finally had the bravery to go ask his friends from school for help. By asking for help, Little Johnny and the Principle of the school were able to make sure Billy the bully had after-school detention for a whole month. This shows that no matter how big or mean a bully may be, seeking help will always solve the problem.

References

Adolf Hitler [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_adolf_hitler.htm#.WQlzEztll-U

Boss yelling at someone [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from: http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/09/top-10-reasons-why-you-should-never-insult-someone-3022484.html

Kid getting pushed into locker [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved from: https://mindandculture.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/is-aggression-adaptive/

(1)Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2017). Dictatorship. Retrieved from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorship

(2) Schwartz, T. P. (2017). The Holocaust: Non- Jewish Victims. Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved from: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/non-jewish-victims-of-the-holocaust

Food Stamps

Hi guys, my name is Alex. I am 17 years old and I do not know where my next meal is going to be. I go to Long Island High School and I have been living off Food Stamps since I was a little boy. A lot of people do not know that I do not know where my next meal is. I feel embarrassed about telling people because I sit at lunch with my friends and I see them with their lunch boxes filled with food. And while they eat their food  eating their food thinking about what they will have for dinner,  I sit there with a sandwich I have to share with my brothers thinking about whether i will even have dinner tonight. Of course there were kids who would question me at lunch saying "where's your food" and saying "are you poor or something?" and I would say I was not hungry to avoid the kids and bullies. When I was young, I thought everyone was using Food Stamps. I believed that everyone would get free food once a month from the Government and that everyone lives off it, but that is not the case. Food Stamps is a form of support for people who may not always have enough money to buy food for themselves of their family. Many people and families use this type of support and you may never know. I thought everyone used it until I got older and saw we would not go to the same stores, or buy the same brand, or use a card or use regular money. 

Food Stamps or food assistance has been around since 1939 as President Franklin D. Roosevelt's way to get the country back on track after The Great Depression. Over the years, you see more and more people having to use this type of assistance in their lives. Plus, with the growing impact of technology, many more people are able to use assistance. Now in today's world where it becomes harder and more expensive to support oneself, many people cannot afford to support themselves and another person such as their child or children. Therefore the Government changed Food Stamps to SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to avoid the negative thoughts that you were poor or broke. In recent years you may see lines that wrap around city blocks with people waiting to either apply for SNAP or receive the benefits.

The image that is shown here shows the struggles majority of people go through when they have to apply for SNAP. The Government has had to make applying for benefits easier because there has been a huge increase in the amount of people who need it. Along with that, since this is Government supported, they pay for all the people. Just ten years ago the Government put out 31 billion dollars for this program. Can you even imagine 31 billion dollars? That is a lot of money to just give out and not get a return back for years. One day, I saw a kid from my school come to the same store as us, then the next day I saw more kids come to that same store and realized that many kids that I know could be going through the same thing as my family. The point of this is to get you to recognize that the person standing or sitting next to you may not be as fortunate as you and to be aware and considerate towards others. You never know what they could be going through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wofi37ZAk6k

This video above gives you an example other than me of how an adult supporting herself lives off Food Stamps.

References

Baum, C. L. (2011). The Effects of Food Stamps on Obesity. Southern Economic Journal, 77(3), 623-651.

KING, R. P., WARREN, C., CURETON, C., HOOLIHAN, C., YOUNG GRANNON, K., & NANNEY, M. S. (2016). HOW HEALTHY IS HUNGER RELIEF FOOD?. American Journal Of

Agricultural Economics, 98(2), 533-548. doi:10.1093/ajae/aaw007

Kupillas, L. M., & Nies, M. A. (2007). Obesity and poverty: Are food stamps to blame?. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 20(1), 41-49. doi:10.1177/1084822307304952

Yen, S. T., Andrews, M., Chen, Z., & Eastwood, D. B. (2008). Food Stamp Program Participation and Food Insecurity: An Instrumental Variables Approach. American Journal Of Agricultural Economics, 90(1), 117-132. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8276.2007.01045.x

Buggey, T. (2007, Summer). Storyboard for Ivan's morning routine. Diagram. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 9(3), 151. Retrieved December 14, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database.

A sneak peak inside of a nuclear power plant!

Hello! As a reader of this blog right now you are currently using some form of electricity to power your computer, tablet, or any one of your cool gadgets that you use to browse the internet. You must wonder, where does this electricity come from and what does it look like? Unfortunately I cannot show you what it looks like but I can show you where it comes from and you will be amazed at what you see!

An aerial photograph of a nuclear power plant. 

Check out that picture on the right. Those massive cement cylinders that you see releasing white gas are a fascinating sight and look pretty intimidating! 




What if I told you that there is a very good chance that those cement towers are the reason why you are reading this blog? Well there is a good chance they are, and the structures that you see here make up what is called a nuclear power plant! A nuclear power plant is, and try to stay with me here, a facility that uses fuel called uranium which heats up water to produce steam that spins a turbine and creates electricity (nuclear-energy.net). Although it may sound confusing, it is actually fairly simple to understand so lets take a tour through a nuclear power plant so I can show you some of the cool gadgets that power this thing!

The control rods of a nuclear power plant.

First off, we will take a very important part of the insider of the nuclear power plant called the control rods. The control rods are seen in the picture to the left, and they are very important! They are responsible for controlling how much fuel goes in at a time so the plant can run as smoothly as possible to get you the electricity that you need (1). Those look pretty cool, right?

A photo of a pressure vessel being
placed inside of a nuclear power plant.

Next we will take a look at what is called the pressure vessel, which is shown in the picture to the right. The pressure vessel holds the fuel, uranium, which powers the nuclear power plant and it is in charge of keeping the uranium inside of the power plant so it does not leak. We do not want uranium leaking it out because it is dangerous since it is radioactive, and something that is radioactive can harm the cells in your body (3). 


Dangerous? Why would we produce electricity from something that is dangerous? We do it because we keep it safely within a containment structure which is built to seal the uranium inside and protect those outside from the effects (1). A detailed diagram of the containment structure is shown below, which shows just how strong the structure is!

A diagram detailing the sheer strength of the containment structure.

A picture of a steam generator inside of a nuclear power plant.

One last thing to show you, then I will tell you some cool facts about nuclear power to close out! See that thing to the right? That is called the steam generator. The steam generator is responsible for producing the steam that turns the turbine that produces electricity (1). Without the steam generator, there would be no power and no cool looking clouds that come out of the nuclear power plant!

Hopefully this little tour gave you a nice idea of what a nuclear power plant is and how it works, but I'm sure you are wondering how much pollution a nuclear power plant makes. To answer your question, a nuclear power plant actually does not emit any pollution and has one of the smallest impacts on the environment out of any energy source (4)! To further soothe your fears, there are right now 440 nuclear power plants in the world  (5) and provide nearly 20% of the electricity here in the United States (6)! We are still alive, right? Yes! Because if we were not, we would not be reading this right now and we would not be able to tell our friends all the cool things we learned about nuclear power!

References

1. World Nuclear Association. (2017, February). Nuclear power reactors. Retrieved from
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-
reactors/nuclear-power-reactors.aspx        

2. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (2016, February). Backgrounder on reactor pressure vessel
issues. Retrieved from https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/prv.html

3. BBC. (2014). Safe use and handling of radioactive materials. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_21c/radioactive_materials/safe
handlingrev3.shtml

4. Nuclear Energy Institute. (n.d.) Protecting the environment. Retrieved from
https://www.nei.org/Issues-Policy/Protecting-the-Environment

5. World Nuclear Association. (2017, January). Nuclear Power in the World Today. Retrieved from
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-power
-in-the-world-today.aspx

6. Nuclear Energy Institute. (2016). General U.S. Nuclear Info. Retrieved from
https://www.nei.org/Knowledge-Center/Nuclear-Statistics/US-Nuclear-Power-Plants




   
        

Will You Consider Plastic Surgery?

Have you ever noticed how perfect the people look on the cover of the magazine's that your mom reads? Do you wonder how someone got their body to look a specific way? You also might wonder why someone chose to have the surgery.The answer is having their body surgically modified. There are many different types of body surgeries, and many ages at which you can receive the surgery to change your body.

Man with a broken nose before and after a Rhinoplasty.

Modifying your body with surgery is almost like the doctor changing your body as if it was play dough. The doctor takes the area of your body and molds it to the shape that you want it to look like. Some areas of the body, such as the nose, is easy for a doctor to change. A nose job might happen to someone your age if they receive a sports accident. The doctor can easily see what damage has been done, and mold the structures back into a good-looking, functional nose. The technical term for a nose job is a Rhinoplasty (1). In addition to having a nose job because it was broken in a sports accident, people can also choose to have their nose reshaped without injury. As you can see from the picture above, his nose is clearly broken. While it may be painful, it also might make it hard for him to breathe too. The surgery puts his nose back into a straight slope, which should make it easier for him to breathe, and also should no longer hurt him. Someone might feel that their nose is not the right size, which might cause them to feel insecure about themselves. The surgery could help them feel more confident with themselves after having it. Most of the time, doctors do not leave scarring. As a result, people wouldn't know if someone had their nose altered or not.

Woman before and after a Rhytidectomy.

Body modification surgery could also happen later in life when you're older. A common type of surgery is called Rhytidectomy, which is also known as a face lift (1). Someone in your life who is much older, maybe your grandma, might have this surgery done. The doctor can help your grandma look younger by taking the skin on her face and neck, and smoothing it out. This will help her skin to look less wrinkly, and would help her look young like your mom again. You could think of this procedure like the smoothing out of a piece of play dough that has started to become dry. The play dough forms small cracks in it, which would be like the wrinkles in the face. Once you move the dry play dough around and flatten it out, the cracks and rough parts disappear. When the doctor smooths out the skin on someone's face and neck, it too takes away the wrinkled areas. This helps the person appear to have young, refreshed skin, which we associate with looking younger. As you can see from the picture above and to the right, after receiving this surgery, the woman appears to be much younger with less wrinkles on her face and neck.

Sometimes, surgery is also necessary if someone is sick. Women who are diagnosed with later stages of breast cancer often choose to have their breasts removed in hopes that it will be the most successful way to beat the cancer. Having the operation to remove the breasts due to cancer is known as a Mastectomy. After the surgery, the woman will not have any breasts. To feel comfortable with their body again, they might to choose to have fake breasts placed back into the area where the breasts were once removed. If the woman chooses to use fat from other areas of her body, it is called nonautologous (2). If she chooses to have this, the doctor just takes fat from somewhere on the body, reshapes it to resemble a breast, and inserts it into the breast pocket. The woman can also choose to have the breasts be autologous, which are silicone pouches, shaped like breasts, that are put into the breast pocket to appear like breasts as well (2). The alternatives allow for the woman to have the best chance at overcoming her sickness, and also feel confident with her body afterward too.

You might be thinking about modifying your body now, but waiting until you are older might have you change your mind about surgery. The features that you want to change might be what you come to love about yourself. Maybe later in life you will not want to change yourself, but rather embrace yourself.

References

1. Globe & mail. (1985, October 15). The beauty pot types of cosmetic surgery surveyed. Globe & Mail. Retrieved from http://theglobemail.com

2. Schub, T., & Pilgrim, J. (30 January 2009). Breast caner: breast reconstruction after surgery. CINAHL Nuring Guide, n.p.

3. http://www.google.com/images

Surveillance

Figure 1

Hi there! I'm sully the surveillance camera! Do you notice that there are cameras around in almost every public place you go?  These cameras are called surveillance cameras and they are around to make sure everything going on in public is safe. I have lots of surveillance friends around and I'm sure you're around them too, you just don't look for them! Let's take a look at where some surveillance cameras are in your everyday life!





 

Figure 2 Grocery store

        Do you go to the grocery store with your parents? Whenever I see kids walk into a grocery store and there is a screen where they can see themselves, I notice them making funny faces to it. That screen where you can see yourself is a type of surveillance camera to see who comes in and out of the store.  I have many surveillance friends in the grocery store, and maybe more than you think! Grocery stores are a big place with many items in them, and having cameras help to see if anything goes wrong.  The cameras around help to stop criminals from stealing anything in the store and to see if anything bad happens that can need help, like if someone gets hurt. Did you know that there is someone who can look at a screen and see what all of the cameras see? (2) Next time you're in the grocery store look around for my camera friends who are trying to keep you safe!



How many traffic lights do you pass on your way to school? On those lights are surveillance cameras to make sure the streets are safe and everyone is driving the right speed. (1) These cameras can tell who is going through red lights and make sure traffic is running smoothly. Next time your in the car, take a look at how m any traffic lights you pass and see if you can find any of my surveillance friends on them! And don't forget to tell your parents Sully the surveillance camera says to make sure they are driving safe because there are cameras around.

Figure 3: traffic light

 Do you go with your parents to stop at the bank?

 Maybe you just sit in the car while they run in to get money.

You probably don't realize that there are cameras all over the

bank because of how much money is in there! Surveillance is around in your everyday life and you most likely are not aware of it, so the next time you are out take a look around at all of my surveillance friends.

References:

(1) Li, A. (2017, January 22). Pros and Cons of Surveillance Cameras in Public Places - Reolink Blog. Retrieved from https://reolink.com/pros-cons-of-surveillance-cameras-in-public-places/

(2) Mass Surveillance Technologies. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.eff.org/issues/mass-surveillance-technologies

(3)  Pro/Con - Government Surveillance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/csumb.edu/government-surveillance/pro-con

                                                       

Food Stamps

In school you always eat breakfast and lunch with your friends. Some pack their lunch, some pay and some get free lunch. Did you ever wonder why Sara doesn't pay for her lunch? Or after school when you come home hungry and run into the snack drawer to grab your favorite candy that is always there, what would you do if it wasn't there? Have you ever wondered why your friend Sara never invites you over for dinner, or why she never invites you over to her house? You might not know it but the person sitting right next to you could have money problems and cannot afford snacks or food. SNAP is a program that helps people who don't have a lot of money or a steady income to buy food for their families. Food stamps are also another name for the SNAP program and this is the governments way of helping those who are struggling.

Figure 1; A list of  what you can and cannot buy with
your snap card. SNAP shopping bag facts. 

What is SNAP?

Sara's mom or dad may not have a job or may not be making enough money from a job. Which that is OK because everyone has problems but the government made the SNAP program to help those who are in need of it. About 43 million people today are using food stamps to provide for their family. (1) This means that 1 in 5 of your other classmates are using food stamps to buy their meals. (3) You look next to you, realize that everyone looks the same, no one looks dirty or starved but that is not the case. Just because Sara's mom and dad don't make a lot of money, doesn't mean that you are able to tell just by looking at her. You would never know which one of your friends or classmates are struggling or hungry because the school provides them with food but, what happens when they go home is a different story. Some kids only eat in school and aren't able to run home to grab their favorite snack. As shown in Figure 1, you are able to buy certain stuff at the store that SNAP can pay for. Your parents can only buy food that helps you make meals and food you can snack on, whether it is candy like Twizzlers, or healthy like apples.

How can you get into the program?

Figure 2; Using a SNAP card at a local store.
How to use a SNAP card. 

 When your parents are struggling they will reach out to anyone for assistance to help their kids. To sign up for the SNAP program is very easy, you can do it online! Sara's mom or dad had to fill out a bunch of paperwork that asks a whole bunch of questions. Where you live, where you work, how many kids you have and how much money you make. Once they know all this they send it to a Heath and Human Service Office where they look over all their history and see if your family is able to apply for a SNAP card.

SNAP does more than you think!

Even though SNAP is a program that helps you buy food it also helps the farmer grow your food too! Each $1 billion of retail generated by SNAP creates $340 million in farm production, $110 million in farm value-added, and 3,300 farm jobs (2) This means that when the government takes this money out of your parents taxes, they also help the farmers grow crops and food that you eat. Without these crops we wouldn't have any corn on the cob to eat on Thanksgiving or anything like that! Overall the SNAP program is to help Sara's whole family eat and stay healthy. Without this program who knows where Sara would be or how hungry she would feel.

(1) Pflaum, Naida. (2016, July 21). Trump: 43 millionAmericans on Food stamps. Retrieved from http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jul/21/donald-trump/trump-43-million-americans-food-stamps/
(2) SNAP to Health. (2010-2017).  The Real Benefits of SNAP. Retrieved from https://www.snaptohealth.org/snap/the-real-benefits-of-the-snap-program/

(3) Newsroom. (2015,Feburary 20). 

One in Five Children Receive Food Stamps, Census Bureau Reports

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-16.html