Weekly recount

We have decided that at the end of every week we will write about the big events and happenings in the week that passed. We will post it at the end of every week so stay tuned!


Weekly Recount:
1) Istanbul Nightclub Attack. 



At around 1:00 am on Sunday at a nightclub in Istanbul people were celebrating the New Year. However, they were attacked by someone with a gun who killed 39 people. They still have not found who the attacker is, however, many officials say the attack has links to terrorism. We send our love to all the victims and the victim's families hurt by this awful incident. 

2) Republicans try to dismantle ethics committee

Soon the republicans with have full control over the house and the senate. In preparation for this, the Republican party has announced that they want to try to dismantle the ethics committee or create new measures for the committee.  According to “The week”, The ethics committee, “established by Democratic speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2008 in response to concerns about improper conduct between lobbyists and members of Congress, the OCE is an independent watchdog that seeks to improve transparency and hold elected representatives to high ethical standards. However, if approved, the new measures will mean it cannot "employ a spokesperson, investigate anonymous tips or refer criminal wrongdoing to prosecutors without the express consent of the [House] Ethics Committee", the Washington Post reports.The push for the new amendment "was led, in part, by lawmakers who have come under investigation in recent years", Politico adds.” (The week, 1)

This is important because if these new changes are put in place then our president-elect would not be judged as much by the unethical things he does. More politicians will be able to get away with things that are not allowed.

Latest Update: Many activists have called in and talked to there politicians to say they disagree with what they are doing. Even Trump tweeted that he disagreed with this act. And because so many people called in and helped, they have changed their mind and are NOT going to dismantle the ethics committee. This example really shows that our voices matter and that we can make a diference in our world.

3) Obama protects land from drilling

In the midst of some bad news, there is always a bit of hope, which this week is this story of President Obama. On Tuesday Obama declared a ban on drilling the ocean floor, this ban protects most of the east coast as well as some of Alaska’s coast. This would help many endangered species near the arctic, including polar bears. Due to this, he used a law that not many presidents have utilized before. This law made in 1953 is called the “Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act”. Canada also made a declaration to protect federal coastlines near the arctic from drilling. This is great news as the more land that is protected the more we can push to end drilling which would benefit the earth in so many ways. However, It is not clear yet if our president-elect Mr. Trump would be able to repeal this act. If he can repeal, however, this act it would take more work than many others, that is for sure.

So let's hope this act stays in place as we continue to push for more renewable ways to use oil in our modern day world.  

4) How diverse is google?

The Department of Labor demanded legally that Google disclose information about its employees including compensation records of the personnel. Much of the company's Computer Programming workforce is comprised of white and Asian males, demonstrating a lack of diversity. Employee transcripts would advance the Federal Dept.'s investigation into potential workplace discrimination, a problem that is crucial to address. If they choose not to comply, the DOL promises to legally invalidate all of Google's contracts with the Federal Government.

5) Could we have found a new type of fuel?

Nuts from Croton Megalocarpus trees found in areas if Africa has been found to yield "high concentrations of oil and protein" that have the potential to "produce a fuel that could serve as a clean alternative to diesel." The untapped market would provide income for many farmers, and the nuts are very accessible, making the production of their biodiesel cheap. If this production were to fully launch, the fuel would serve as a far more environmentally safe option next to many leading fuel brands. While this small news story is neither breaking news nor something that might normally fall under the category of "activism," it is important to be conscious and thoughtful about the world around us and how our carbon footprints advance global warming.

Sources:

• "Why Are the Republicans Dismantling a Major Ethics Committee?" The Week UK. N.p., 03 Jan. 2017. Web. 04 Jan. 2017.
• Davenport, Coral. "Obama Bans Drilling in Parts of the Atlantic and the Arctic." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Dec. 2016. Web. 04 Jan. 2017.
• "At Least 39 Killed in Istanbul Nightclub Attack." The Week - All You Need to Know about Everything That Matters. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2017.
• Writer, Michael Liedtke Ap Technology. "Lawsuit Seeks to Ban Google From US Government Contracts." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2017.
• "Africa's New Biofuel Literally Grows on Trees." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2017.