“Poison Gas May Produce Clean Energy”!

Christine Dell’Amore in her article “Poison Gas May Produce Clean Energy” insinuates that The Black Sea, the world’s largest dead zone can be filled with life-sustaining energy. The extreme toxic waste in 17 European countries has contributed to the decline in oxygen in the water. This has created high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide gas in the sea. But according to Dell’Amore, if hydrogen could be harvested from this poisonous gas, it can create a new form of clean energy. Scientists are able to separate hydrogen from the hydrogen sulfide through several potential processes including thermal, electrochemical, or photochemical processes. The gas can be stored naturally in underground cave which are plentiful in Turkey. Dell’Amore, through her article, implies that researchers should work and study this kind of energy systems so they can develop some technology to produce clean energy.

Discussion Questions:

Application: Can pollution be converted to clean energy so it can help improve global warming?

Clarification: How can hydrogen be separated from hydrogen sulfide through thermal, electrochemical, or photochemical processes?

LINK:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090324-black-sea-energy.html

"Friday the 13th Strikes Again-Two Months in a Row"!

In his article, “Friday the 13th Strikes Again-Two Months in a Row” from the National Geographic, John Roach claims that the number thirteen is getting falsely called an unlucky number since it comes after a complete number, 12. The reason we have at least a minimum of one Friday the thirteenth or a maximum of three Fridays the thirteenth in a year is because we follow the Gregorian calendar. This year we have three Fridays the thirteen: February 13, March 13, and on November 13. According to Fernsler, numerologist consider 12 a “complete” number because there are “12 months in a year 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 god of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.” So thirteen is associated with bad luck because it comes a little beyond completeness. People have become so superstitious On Friday the thirteen many people refuse to fly, buy a house, or do anything important on that day. It has been estimated that the U.S. loses $800 or $900 million in business on Friday the thirteenth because people will not fly or do business that they would normally do. It has been estimated that 17-21 million people in the United States are triskaidekaphobic or fear Friday the 13. The fear of 13 is shown in society: 80 percent of high-rising buildings lack a 13th floor, many airports skip the 13 gate, and hospital and hotels regularly have no room number 13।Roach suggests that the number 13 is just a normal that the myths and the people have made unlucky.
Questions
Application: Why are people so fearful when it comes to Friday the thirteenth? Why can't people treat it like a normal day.
Style: Does the author's sarcastic yet serious writing style make the author seem indifferent to the people's superstitious beliefs?

Link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/75333841.html

(Chunk 4) Its All Bogus!

In the final chunk of The Culture of Fear, Barry Glassner continues to express how the media pays little or no attention to research, statistics, and analysis conducted by scientists to prove that certain fears created by the media are false. Through the use of logical appeals, rhetorical questions, statistics, and anecdotes, Glassner further explains why people fear metaphoric diseases like Gulf War Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and breast implants. Instead of using the research done by researchers and scientist on certain metaphoric diseases the media focuses and favors the anecdotes given by the victims since their story is more interesting and eye-opening. Glassner then explains how the media has placed the fear of plane crashes into people. Even though the likelihood of a plane crash is one in four million, the media connects together random, scattered events to provide false information which leads to decrease in certain businesses. In his final remarks, Glassner elucidates how the fear mongers are successfully able to promote fear among the American people. Glassner states that "Statements of alarm by newscasters and glorification of wannabe experts are two telltale tricks of the fear mongers' trade" along with "the use of poignant anecdotes in places of scientific evidence, the christening of isolated incidents as trends, and depictions of entire categories of people as innately dangerous." Glassner lastly urges Americans to redirect the funds that are given “largely [to] mythical hazards like…on prison cells occupied by people who pose little or no danger to others, on programs designed to protect young people from dangers that few of them ever face, on compensation for victims of metaphoric illnesses, and on technology to make airline travel safer” then it already is and give the funds to combat serious dangers that threaten numerous Americans. He also suggests that during elections they could “choose candidates that proffer programs rather than scares.”
Question
1. What are some other things that people fear that was not mentioned in the book and could be caused by fear mongers?
2.Can the media be the reason why some parents in America are afraid to get their children vaccinated?