The problem that I have chosen to focus on is the dissolution of concealed carry laws and permits. In our current day and age we constantly see crime rates skyrocket, and its beginning to wear thin on the population. It is a problem that these laws and permits still exist and are inhibiting the average american from living a worry free life. In other countries and provinces where this sort of law does not exist the crime rates are consistently low, at least on a personal basis. You are less likely to be robbed if the thief has to decide wether or not their life is worth your wallet. Originally these concealed carry laws were instituted for a two fold purpose, 1) To create an accountability system that the government can track, and 2) To make an attempt to protect the people. Currently (especially Colorado) concealed carry laws and permits have been a subject of hot debate, as a result there is a bill in circulation that has the potential to eliminate the need for concealed carry permits. This bill, if passed, would greatly effect the skyrocketing crime rates in a positive way. However if this issue is not properly resolved then crime rates will continue to rise to the point that society as we know may approach total chaos. This problem needs to be definitively solved if we wish to uphold the citizens rights to protect and defend themselves.

Ten to fifteen questions that I have about my topic of choice are as follows;
1. What, if any, proof is there that some dinosaurs may have been warm blooded?
2. What is the main opposition to that notion?
3. What research if any has been done in the pursuit of determining the factors for endothermy?
5. What is it that would prevent a dinosaur from being endothermic?
6. What species would have been the most likely to be warm blooded?
7. Is the condition based solely on environmental conditions during the time period?
8. Would there be any other energy efficient forms of heat generation, that would have been successful in cooler climates for animals with no exterior insulation?
9. How and why was the theory of dinosaur endothermy introduced?
10. Do the arguments being made seen to make vast logical jumps or are they well thought out?

The article that I found that answers most of these questions comes from science magazine shortly after the discovery of dinosaurs that would have been living in cold climates. Here is the link, http://www.jstor.org/sici?sici=1095-9203(20020101)295:5557%3C979:PEPD%3E2.0.TX;2-P&origin=EBSCO.

In the article entitled "Polar Dinosaurs" by Thomas H. Rich, Patricia Vickers-Rich, and Roland A. Gangloff, it is argued that new findings and research in places such as Australia and Alaska may have a one time been the homes of dinosaurs capable of surviving cold weather climates. Within the article many things are covered, such as the inhibiting logistics of digging for dinosaurs in places like Alaska, and how many of these "cold weather dinosaurs" would migrate seasonally for a temperature norm. Through much research into the fossils of these dinosaurs has also led to the discovery that many of these higher latitude dinosaurs possessed larger optic nerves giving them better vision in clear and adverse weather conditions.The article ends with the statement that several species have been found at these higher latitudes but none that are new to science. Other than of course their adaptations to their living environment.

After listening to the radio show by NPR on "Digital Sampling: Creativity or Criminality," and the reading the article "Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age," I have to separate conclusions on both. For the digital sampling radio dialogue that we as a class listened to everything seemed to boil down to wether or not someone who held the copyrights was getting paid for people using them or not. More than once it was brought up during these arguments, that it wasn't the artists themselves who were being outraged by sampling but the corporations who own the copyrights to the sample in question. Therefore I have ultimately concluded that the real issue here is not wether it is ethical to use a digital sample or not but wether or not a big wig somewhere will be able to profit off of it. As it was also stated in one of the several arguments throughout this segment, sometimes sampling actually helps revitalize the career or individual from whom which the original track came.
 In the article "Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age," an entirely different point was being made. The general meaning behind this article seemed to be that the definitions and general academic awareness of what plagiarism is and what constitutes an act of plagiarism seem to be becoming more loosely applied by the younger generations of students. In several examples the writer shows how the morality or plagiarism seems to be nothing more than something lazy students snicker at as they rush to finish research papers that require adequate recognition of other peoples work. It should be noted that the evidence provided in this article seems to heavily imply that the lack of proper citation is due to students becoming increasingly lazy and not simply that more often than not they are expected to know how to properly cite works that are not their own.

Looking over my notes from the other days class, I find it strange and well weird that I know what the lady was talking about. During the video I was having such a hard time keeping up because I come from an artistic background. I found myself trying to add unnecessary detail. Ultimately I prevailed and can tell you all with utmost confidence that although the main theme of the speech was aimed at "gaming saving the world," I  think the bigger picture here was that someone is developing and implementing a way to literally make it possible for the youth and adults of the world to literally save it. My notes are a scattered jumbled mess but in them it is apparent that this idea has merit and can be effectively implemented. In our society today one of the most pressing matters at hand is that we are operating with a vastly growing population that can only support about 23 billion people and we are quickly approaching that number. By turning a literal saving of the world into a game, we may find a way to extend the resources of our planet. If this system were to be implemented world wide, our world leaders could literally sit back and watch as the people of this planet solve the issues with our world by playing games. All world governments would have to do at that point is take the ones that are the most effective or the most practical and apply them. It truly is a brillant way of getting the whole world to help save it instead of relying of the thoughts and ideas of a select few.

Here is the blog that I selected for our assignment.
 http://whenpigsfly-returns.blogspot.com/2008/01/feeding-adaptations-and-strategies-of.html
Fair warning it take a while to read and can be a bit tricky in vocabulary.

 I chose this particular blog because my ultimate goal after college is to go out into the world as a paleontologist, and actually study the spinosauridae family. On the whole I agree with the blog from a logical standpoint, being that these creatures cannot be studied because they are extinct, but it makes sense that based on their skeletal configuration, shape, and projected skeletal strength. I do however, find it amazing that the theory is introduced that members of this class of theropod could have engaged in scavenging. A few articles and published papers I have read in the past seemed to suggest that because of their elongated and tapered upper and lower jaws that the skull would have fractured or broken when certain types of force may have been applied, such as a twisting or sharp lateral motion on a prey item with sufficient bone thickness and density. Someday I will the one publishing these theories and then college students will be writing about it and hopefully be inspired as I have.