Professors are hotly debating on this issue.
‘At universities around the country, a new semester has begun, and professors of international relations are entering it with a new teaching tool at their disposal: the diplomatic cables released by the website WikiLeaks.
‘The WikiLeaks cable dump is almost universally considered a scholar’s treasure trove. But, there is a debate within the academic community over the ethics of using the classified dispatches in the classroom…’
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/07/133334302/professors-differ-on-ethics-of-using-wikileaks-cables&sc=nl&cc=nh-20110207
Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology.
Exposed: Abuse, Human Trafficking, FBI Probes
‘On August 19, 2009, Tommy Davis, the chief spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International, received a letter from the film director and screenwriter Paul Haggis. “For ten months now I have been writing to ask you to make a public statement denouncing the actions of the Church of Scientology of San Diego,” Haggis wrote. Before the 2008 elections, a staff member at Scientology’s San Diego church had signed its name to an online petition supporting Proposition 8, which asserted that the State of California should sanction marriage only “between a man and a woman.” The proposition passed. As Haggis saw it, the San Diego church’s “public sponsorship of Proposition 8, which succeeded in taking away the civil rights of gay and lesbian citizens of California—rights that were granted them by the Supreme Court of our state—is a stain on the integrity of our organization and a stain on us personally. Our public association with that hate-filled legislation shames us.” Haggis wrote, “Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent.” He concluded, “I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology…’
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright#ixzz1DKQmtHKo
Super Bowl: A Record 111M Tuned in Last Night
That’s more than the size of a small country.
‘The Nielsen Co. said Monday that an estimated 111 million people watched the Green Bay Packers outlast the Pittsburgh Steelers in professional football’s ultimate game. That tops the 106.5 million who watched the 2010 game between New Orleans and Indianapolis.
‘The series finale of “M-A-S-H” had held the title of the most-watched TV show in the United States for 27 years. It is now No. 3…’ -AP
For First Time, We Can See Whole Sun
We can now see the back of the sun.
‘Launched in October 2006, STEREO traces the flow of energy and matter from the sun to Earth. It also provides unique and revolutionary views of the sun-Earth system. STEREO has given us the first view of the entire sun on February 6, 2011 and when coupled with SDO, will give us complete views of the sun’s entire surface and atmosphere for the next 8 years…’ Video:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=59678391
10 Scientific Laws and Theories You Really Should Know
‘In this article, we’ll look at 10 scientific laws and theories that you might want to brush up on, even if you don’t find yourself, say, operating a scanning electron microscope all that frequently. We’ll start off with a bang and move on to the basic laws of the universe, before hitting evolution. Finally, we’ll tackle some headier material, delving into the realm of quantum physics…’
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/10-scientific-laws-theories.htm#mkcpgn=em2
Your Fireplace Could Give You Cancer
PARTICLES IN SMOKE ARE AS BAD AS CAR EXHAUST, SAY SCIENTISTS
‘Wood-burning stoves ‘can be as deadly as exhaust fumes’ by producing smoke that can cause heart disease
‘They’re a timeless, charming and effective way to keep your home warm and inviting in the winter months.
‘But the smoke from wood-burning stoves or open fires is as dangerous to your health as breathing in emissions from a car exhaust, research has revealed…’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1354387/Wood-burning-stoves-cause-cancer-heart-disease.html#ixzz1DKT1LPji












Yeah, I think I would agree that there are ethical issues surrounding the use of wikileaks as well. There is a certain amount of journalistic responsibility for what you publish. If you refuse to ask the question, “will what I’m doing affect the world in a negative way” when you put it out, then there’s a problem. I don’t think wikileaks does this, or cares. It’s all about the fame, and proving the information can be acquired, or so it seems to me.
‘If you refuse to ask the question, “will what I’m doing affect the world in a negative way” when you put it out, then there’s a problem.’
You hit the nail on the head Dood. We just have to weigh if what WL does benefits the ‘moral majority’.