The Lenovo Yoga Book may revolutionize note taking

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37185539

This article is about the new product, the Lenovo Yoga Book. It comes in two different versions. One is operated by Android, and another by Windows 10. The basic idea of the device is a combination of a tablet and a notebook. If you use a specific pen that's connected wirelessly to the notebook and write it down on any paper, it will keep a digital copy of what you wrote onto your tablet. So you can keep your tablet in your backpack, and write with the pen onto a paper and you'll have a digital copy. Once you have the digital copy, you can edit it to your pleasing, changing the color and style. The idea was toyed with Microsoft a few years ago, but this is the first time that something like this has actually gone public.

If this device was a reasonable price, I think it would be a great product to have. It's annoying to keep all your notes in different places, so it would help you be organized since they can all be on the tablet. If you forget your notebook when you get to school, you can still access/add to your notes. If you want to copy down something your teacher is saying, but don't have time to make it all neat, you can get down the main ideas on paper, and to it on your tablet. Personally I can't make my work that neat with paper, so I would try to make it neater on the digital copy. This can revolutionize note taking, in my opinion. Even old fashioned people can still stick to their pencil and paper, and embrace this device. This could be a pathway for more innovate inventions involving note taking and studying. I look forward to see where this leads. 

Facebook publicizes incredible safety feature

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37220396

This article is about the social network, Facebook and their new safety additions. This safety addition is called "safety check". It allows you to notify your facebook friends if you and your friends are okay during a dangerous time. With a simple click of a button, you can let your hundreds of facebook friends know that you're "okay".The dangerous event can be anything from a natural disaster to a violent crime. Safety notifications have already reached 1 billion people around the world. While some people have said that they're should be an "I'm not okay" feature on the website, facebook responded to that saying that the first thing people should do in a situation like that is call the authorities. The feature has existed for a while, but it wasn't until now that a hazard call could be activated by normal users, rather than just staff.

This is a really cool feature that's activated. Even if I moved away from Toledo in 20 years, but still had tons of friends here I would want to know that they are okay. Phone numbers are pretty temporary, and you often only contain those of people that you frequently might talk to, but facebook friends last a lifetime. I always see people criticize social media, saying that it's a useful medium. Sometimes it's taken too far, but this is the kind of thing that makes it so worth it. You cannot text everyone who might care about you during an event like this. You might not even want to talk about the even that's happening near you, and with this system all you do is click a button. You don't have to actually post about it. I think a bigger implication of this is safety increasing through social media. Now that twitter and instagram see this, they're going to want to compete for something similar. It will be good to see more social media trying to make everyone more safe.

Zaza is a perfect example of a good player, but a mediocre signing

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37208556

This article is about soccer player and Juventus (Italy) striker Simone Zaza joining English club West Ham on a yearly loan for 4.3 million pounds. The club west Ham plays in the English Premier league.  The deal also includes a clause that allows West Ham to permanently buy him for 17 million pounds. The Italian has scored 8 goals in 24 appearances in a Juventus shirt, and has also shown quality for his national team. West Ham has now spent over 60 million pounds in this transfer window.

Simone Zaza is a good striker, but it's difficult to tell whether he'll integrate well. A concern for many West Ham fans should be that he and Left winger Dimitri Payet will get in each others way. Both players demand the ball and attention a lot. A lot of people will remember Simone Zaza's penalty miss for Italy in the 2016 european championships, but this is an anomaly. Zaza has had a good scoring record on nearly ever club he's been on, and has recorded many assists as well. West Ham fans shouldn't be worried about Zaza's production in front of goal, so much as the lack of production from Dimitri Payet. I expect West Ham to finish 9th or 10th, with the addition of him.

It's also worth noting how expensive this transfer could be if it becomes permanent. 21 million pound for a player like Zaza would have been unheard of 10 years ago. To put this into perspective, the second best soccer player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo was worth 12 million pounds then. Inflation has certainly made its way into soccer, and one has to wonder whether it will come back to bite these teams with debt money. The idea is that a player like Simone Zaza will bring more fans to the seats, and more prize money from winning in England, but it doesn't work well when every team is doing the same thing in the premier league. I actually think that in a few years, the spending from these clubs will go down, as they start to see their debt increase. It's definitely a conversation topic that has to be had on the administrative side of these teams. 

What detecting diseases early really means

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37196619

This article is talking about Parkinson's disease. At the University of Edinburgh, they found that how sticky a protein was correlated with Parkinson's disease, or the chance of getting it. In the testing they found that 19 out of 20 patients that had sticky lumps of a protein in their brain (called Lewy Bodies), either had Parkinson's disease or had a high risk of getting it. Fifteen healthy patients were also correctly identified by looking at Lewy Bodies.

This is very positive information for the health community. It's always better to identify a disease earlier, especially when it can be treated. Parkinson's diseases like many others can sometimes be treated, but not always. For people who are able to be treated, this will be a tremendous help. Right away before their condition gets too bad, they can began the treatment. I think one of the bigger implications of this is that doctors are starting to be able to link signs together, and find things that are associated with diseases. Good news for the medical community 

Is Joao Mario the answer to Inter Milan's problems?

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37208560


This article is about Portuguese soccer player and midfielder Joao Mario. He recently transferred from Sporting Portugal (Sporting) to Inter Milan in the Serie A (Italian League First Division). The transfer fee cost Inter Milan 45 million euros making him the most expensive Portuguese player ever.  He is also the second most expensive player to come out of the Portuguese league. At only 23 years old he made over 171 appearances for Sporting. Inter Milan coach, Frank De Boer is excited to utilize him.

This move is really exciting for Inter Milan. Joao Mario did a fantastic job in the 2016 European Championships, as being a player who linked the midfield and the attack. He can be deployed as an outside midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. Mauro Icardi, the current striker of Inter Milan will get relieved of his supportive duties, and will be allowed to focus on the goalscoring. He is already a big threat, and with the help of Mario, he'll become a truly threatening force to be reckoned with. This makes Inter Milan in the top five teams in my mind. They should be able to qualify for the Europa League this season, and perhaps even put pressure on Roma and Napoli. Frank De Boer does have to allow him to roam freely, though. If he is restricted, then he won't play as well 

Mars Simulation is a good sign of things to come

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37211051

This article is about the conclusion of a Nasa-funded Mars Simulation that recently occurred in Hawaii. Since the 29th of August an astrobiologist, physicist, architect, journalist, and soil scientist have been living in close quarters, without having fresh food or air. The simulation is the second longest of its time throughout history. During the year-long process, they had to wear space suits outside their dome, and live with limited resources.

I think this is a necessity if they want to complete a successful journey to Mars. It's good that they didn't take any breaks in the middle, or do anything to somewhat compromise the legitimacy of the simulation. I'm happy that Nasa is putting some priority into sending people to Mars. The world is populating more than ever, and eventually it's going to get too crowded. I'm not sure when, but it will be a good idea to colonize Mars, and find ways to grow crops etc. Projects like these are good for Nasa, because ever since the shutting down of the shuttle program, they have kind of lost their image. The progression of space travel and life is crucial to the future of the human race, in my opinon.

Colin Kaepernick's message is strong, but is it the best for his career?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37205032

This article is about Colin Kaepernick Quarterback for the San Fransisco 49ers, an NFL Football team. During their last preseason game on Friday, August 26th, Kaepernick refused to stand up for the  national anthem before the game. When he was asked why he did this, he said the following: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people, and people of colour" (BBC). Some fans booed Kaepernick when he went onto the field. The 49ers backed his decision. To paraphrase, they said that any player had the right to choose to participate in the national anthem. Official NFL rules state that a player is "encouraged, but not required" to stand during the anthem.

I agree with the 49ers; Colin Kaepernick should be allowed to make the decision to stand or not to stand during the national anthem. I'm not sure I agree with Kaepernick's rationale. I too see the problems occurring in this country, and the unacceptable treatment of people of colour, but that does not make me love my country any less. The message that he's making is good, but if he's trying to convey an antiUSA message,  I don't necessarily agree with him. I do have some sympathy for him, because of some of the encounters I have with other Americans. If I bring up systemic issues about this country, they say "if you don't like it here, then leave". That statement makes no sense because I still love my country, I just want to fulfill our full potential as a nation. As for the implications on Colin Kaepernick: Colin Kaepernick is currently fighting for the role of starting quarterback with Blaine Gabbert. They are different style of quarterbacks, but they're both somewhat talented. If 49ers fans didn't like his actions the coaching staff might opt to use that has a tiebreaker if both quarterbacks are neck and neck in the fight. Although incidents like this usually blow over quickly, and I don't expect fans to be talking about this in a few weeks. I certainly hope this doesn't affect Colin Kaepernick's career as a professional.

France trying to move towards integration, rather than separation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37198479

This article is about the suspension of a ban on Burkini swimsuits in the town of "Villeneuve-Loubet". Burkinis are swimsuits that cover every part of the body except for the hands, face, and feet. They are traditionally worn by Muslim women. There are still bans in place in many places on the Mediterranean coast. The article states that 30 other towns still have the ban in place. The ban was put in place after the July 14th attack in Nice. The attack consisted of a Muslim man who was a French national, rammed through people in a truck in a parade on "Bastille Day". The article goes on to talk about how the suspension of the ban in this town, will most likely lead the court to overturn the ban in other towns and cities in France, such as Nice.  

The article doesn't seem to be written with any bias. It gives the facts in a very straightforward manner, and it does more explaining than telling I would say. I agree with this decision. Part of the problem with terrorism in France, is that they contribute to it in certain ways. France hasn't done a good job of integrating immigrants, particularly Muslim ones. When people feel isolated, they will gravitate towards groups like ISIS. In my opinion, they need to make them start to feel like French people above anything, and identify as such. The ban on Burkinis, exactly does the opposite of that. You're targeting a specific group of people, and saying they can't be themselves. If I were a Muslim in France, I would feel hated. Isolating these people, is only going to contribute to the problem. The suspension of the ban in this town, is a good sign. I personally hope that every ban will be overturned in the coming weeks, and France can start focusing on bringing everyone together, rather than dividing people of different backgrounds. 

Trump's New Plan to Gain Minority Voters Might Work, But It Really Shouldn't (Updated)

Sahil Kattar

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-donald-trumps-new-strategy-to-shed-the-view-of-him-as-racist/2016/08/23/eedc4fd0-6945-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumprace-0755pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory


This article written by Phillip Rucker, Robert Costa, and Jenna Johnson, is about GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton right now is being heavily favored by minority voters. With election day coming up in a matter of months, Donald Trump and his campaign are trying a new strategy to reel in minority voters. Part of his plan is conveying the message that the current situation of many black and Hispanic people isn't too good. To paraphrase him he has said that people are safer right now in war zones around the world than black and Hispanic people are in their comminutes. He connects this with the past 8 years being under a democratic president. He's saying that things can't get much worse than they have been under Barrack Obama.

The article appears to be fairly unbiased. For the most part, it is factually based, showing statistics about what America thinks about Donald Trump and his rhetoric, not just what the writers think. Following that, they take quotes from his supporters, himself, and his former campaign manager about his new strategy to appeal to minority voters. This article never specifies which side the writers are on; they don't need to. The whole time they are explaining why Trump is changing his campaign strategy and how.. I personally am supporting Hillary Clinton in this primary, but it's interesting to see campaign strategies from both sides of the aisle. Amongst white male voters,

Trump is doing fine in the polls, but he needs to get more minority voters in order to win the election. His argument about safety to me, isn't very valid. I don't think the problems that many black areas face is because of democrats or republicans. I believe it's because of the history of the United States and the lower socioeconomic state of black people that has always been there due to discrimination, dating back to slavery. We need to advance as a country, and push minorities people up, which I think democrats have done a better job of doing, but it still could be better. The main problem with Trump winning this election, is what he enables. He as a president can only do so much to Muslims, blacks, and hispanics, but his supporters can do more as a group. Personally, I feel Trump has brought out the worst in a lot of America. People aren't afraid to be racist anymore, which can lead to greater institutionalized oppression. Now more than ever in recent years, is the voice of minorities important. We shouldn't accept Trump's rhetoric, and vote for an inexperienced candidate just because they're not a politician. Minority voters need to come out and say that what Trump enables is unacceptable, and his plans are very unspecific and vague.