The CIA is Found Guilty of Torture

Top takeaways from the CIA torture report By Jeremy Diamond

The Senate Intelligence Committee released their 525 page summary that assessed the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" in the post-9/11 era. One of the reports biggest conclusions found that the CIA's "enhanced interrogation" included torture. The CIA claimed in its defense that the coercive interrogations "saved lives", but the Senate committee refutes this claim in its report. The committee also found that the enhanced interrogation did not accurately obtain information. There was false confessions obtained during these interrogations that lead the CIA to pursue dead ends. The report went on to disclaim 20 examples that the CIA used to defend their enhanced interrogation program. Some other conclusions of the report included that torture did not help the CIA find Osama bin Laden, there has been a death of a detainee after being chained naked to a concrete floor, the CIA misled the White House, Congress, and other agencies, and two government psychologists started a company that brought in $81 million on interrogations.


The Senate Intelligence Committee's report will have drastic impacts on how the CIA will conduct its interrogations in the future. Also the report covered multiple issues, so there will be reform in many areas of the CIA. I think that it is good that the information is coming out and the CIA is being held responsible. I am surprised it took this long for the report to come about, and I am interested in what action Congress or the committee will do from this point on.

Animal Cruelty

Death and the goddess: The world's biggest ritual slaughter By Manesh Shrestha

Officials estimate that that up to 10,00 buffalo calves and 150,000 goats will be offered to Gadhimai, the goddess of power, during the annual superficial ritual in Nepal. The thousands of people killing animals athe temple of Gadhimai for this ritual is the biggest religious mass slaughter in the world. The projected numbers this year are lower than those in 2009, due to the efforts by animal rights activists. In that year there were 20,000 buffalo calves killed and 200,000 goats were slaughtered. The participants are licensed by the Gadhimai Festival Management, even though many activists have gone to the courts in Nepal to halt the sacrifices. Due to the large amount of animal sacrifice during the ritual, many of the animals used are "illegally" transported to Nepal for the ritual. Activists have tried to halt the illegal transportation of animals as well as change the attitudes of participants and end the animal cruelty.

If the activists are successful in changing the attitudes of those who participate in the sacrifice there will be a surplus of animals to Nepal's economy due to the lack of ritual sacrifice. If the activists are successful in banning ritual sacrifice in this area without the support of the locals, there could be backlash and riots among the festival goers. I think that it is wrong that they are killing thousands of animals, and I agree with the activists in that they are trying to change the mindset of those participating and discouraging animal cruelty. Also, it doesn't make sense for people to ship in animals just so they  can kill them for the ritual.

Fight to stop discrimination in the college admission process

Group sues UNC-CH over using race in admissions

The Project of Fair Representation filed a lawsuit against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, arguing that its admissions standards unconstitutionally discriminate against white and Asian-American students. UNC officials stated that they have no plans to change their current admissions policies because their use of race in the admissions process is consistent with federal law. The Project of Fair Representation alleges that their policy violates the 14th Amendment and federal civil rights laws. They suggest that the university uses various race-neutral means to boost the diversity of its students.

If The Project of Fair Representation wins their lawsuit there could be changes in the admissions process for students. Colleges could use race-neutral means to boost diversity which could include providing more financial aid, recruiting more high-achieving, or eliminating legacy admissions. I think that it is interesting that the use of race in the admissions has not been previously seen or been challenged in court. I do no think that it is right for colleges to discriminate against students that are high-achieving but do not have a diverse background. Every person should have an equal opportunity to be accepted into colleges without the consideration of race.

Marijuana is Coming For South Dakota

Oregon, Alaska, Washington, D.C. legalize marijuana By Dan Merica



This Tuesday Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. voted to legalize recreational marijuana by a sweeping majority. Oregon and Alaska's law is similar to Colorado which allows the personal possession, manufacture, and sale of marijuana for people 21 years or older.It will also institute a tax and regulatory system. Washington D.C. did not commit to as large of a law as the other two states. They only allows for someone 21 years old to possess two ounces of marijuana as well as six cannabis plants in their home, but they cannot sell their product. Many pro-legalization activists say that these three wins show that many other states could put legalization initiatives on their ballots in 2016. They are also hopeful for federal recognition because it has been legalized in their "backyard". The only state to vote no on the legalization of marijuana was Florida.

The legalization of marijuana in two states and the nation's capitol is a great victory for pro-legalization activists, This could lead to more states legalizing the drug in 2016, and perhaps even federal recognition due to the fact that Congress will soon be surrounded by marijuana. The recent legalization have continued to change the perception of marijuana and could impact voters in the next election. I think it is interesting that Washington D.C. legalized marijuana because many would not expect the government's hometown to be filled with drug supporters. Also, I think that this could lead many people to change their view on the drug and see it as a more acceptable. Finally, I was surprised that these laws passed because in recent years teenagers and the younger generation were less likely to vote in midterm elections, so I did think that these initiatives could gain the same support with the older generation.

Is South Dakota Finally A Key Player ?

South Dakota Senate Race Gets Spirited By Mark Peters

The GOP is taking interest in South Dakota's Senate race this year. They are backing Mike Rounds in his campaign so that Republicans can be one step closer in taking over the majority in the Senate. They have tough competition because his competitors are creating a wave of TV ads criticizing his actions as governor. However, they fought back with their own commercials using the GOP national campaign's $1 million support. Even with that support recent polling shows that the four-way race will not consist of a double-digit lead for Mr. Rounds. Also, lower turnout in off elections has typically boosted the chance for a Democrat victory. Rick Weiland has taken this into consideration so he is also using the Democratic Party's Senate campaign arm, which has given $1 million to the race.

The winner of this election can play a role in what party will be in control of the Senate. There seems to be a equal race between the Democratic and Republican candidates, so it is hard to tell the outcome before the last round of debates on Thursday. If the Senate was controlled by Republicans there would be greater legislation passed because there would be a larger majority to vote bills through. I think it is interesting that both the GOP and the Democratic Party Senate campaign is assisting two candidates from South Dakota because we have not been seen as having a key role in national government.

Mother Nature's Role In Politics

Environment Is Grabbing Big Role in Ads for Campaigns

By Coral Davenport and Ashley Parker

This year ads mentioning the environment, climate change and the environment, used in Senate campaigns have drastically increased to over 125,000 spots. Many say that this reflects the priorities of the nation's wealthiest donors. A survey found that energy and the environment are the third-most mentioned issue in political Senate advertisements. This spike in environmental ads suggests that this will play the prominent role in the 2016 presidential race. There are many environmental groups that have already invested record amounts of money in this election cycle. Democrats support Obama's new climate change policy, which will elevate the issue in the 2016 campaign. While republicans are attacking democrat candidates for supporting the Presidents environmental regulations. 

The increase in environmental issues will impact how much money and type of ads used in this years general Senate election as well as 2016's presidential campaign. It will raise awareness of previously neglected topics and hopefully help create new legislation on environmental issues. Many environmental companies will benefit from the free advertisements and it could cause an increase in revenue. Overall this increase in environmental ads will play a major role in 2016 presidential campaign, and create interest in new climate change policy. 

You might want to take another look at your Halloween candy this year

 Tricks, treats, and THC fears in Colorado

by Kat Kinsman

This Halloween many parents in Colorado have another problem to worry about when their kids go out trick or treating, marijuana infused candy. Since the drug has been legalized there has been a large tourism boom which has led to an increase in the popularity of infused candies with customers. The Colorado Department of Revenue has issued a plan to require child-proof packaging as well as clear health warning labels before being sent to distributors. The department's plan however will not be put into effect until the day after Halloween, so the Denver Police department created a video outlining the potential dangers of marijuana infused candy. They recommend that when your child brings home their Halloween candy that you check the labels to insure that they are from a well known major brand, and that there has not been any tempering to the packaging. This is because many weed candy distributors take knockoff candy and spray them with  THC oil, and after that dries it is almost impossible to tell the difference from non infused candy. They hope that parents will do their part to help keep weed candy out of the hands of kids this Halloween. 

This increase in marijuana infused candy will effect not only parents, but their children as well. It will be hard to monitor ever piece of candy that a child will consume this Halloween, so the kids should also be aware of the dangers and be on the lookout for warning signs as well as parents. After the Colorado Department of Revenue's policy of labeling candy goes into effect their will be less of an issue of weed candy being in the hands of those under 21. I believe that there should have been stricter labeling put into place way before the Halloween season to insure children's safety. However, I believe parents will protect their children from this new danger along with Colorado's police department, so this issue will be handled in the correct manner. 

The End Of Global Warming?

Senators Call On Obama To Regulate Methane Emissions From Oil And Gas Development By Kate Sheppard 

Fifteen senators believe that there should be mandatory regulations on methane gas emissions from oil and gas production, and they are pressing the Obama administration to take action. They argue that voluntary regulations are not enough because methane is a "key component" to global warming and many oil and gas companies have failed to follow the regulations. The Obama administration did issue a methane strategy in March, which included the voluntary standards as well as the new studies on natural gas emissions. In addition the Environmental Protection Agency is developing a strategy to deal with the natural gas emissions, but that will not be released till later this fall. There was not clear indications that the new strategy would recommend additional voluntary regulations or new mandatory regulations. The senators letter also included a statement urging the Obama administration to ensure that the Bureau of Land Management releases its proposal this year that includes a strategy to protect our natural resources, land, and climate.

This article was interesting to me how the senators looked toward the executive branch for help and action in their fight against methane gas emissions. Also, I was not aware of the impact that these emissions had on global warming, and I support the senators effort to create mandatory regulations for oil and gas companies to follow. If the senators' letter to the Obama administration is successful that could mean cleaner air and less pollution for our country. 

Will airport security lines be a thing of the past?

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/tech/innovation/mci-alfa3-scanner/index.html?hpt=wo_t3            "New airport scanner could make going through security a breeze" by Jacopo Prisco and Nick Glass
There is a new body scanner on the market that will cut down the lines for security at the airport and perhaps eliminate those lines for good. It is called "Alfa3", that uses "millimeter wave imaging", which is standard in every body scanner around the world. The main difference in "Alfa3" is that it uses "thermal imaging", so it eliminates the need for individual scans, and it can process and detect items as you walk by. The thermal imaging allows the senor to detect items that are not part of the body, and can revel their location without revealing any anatomical details. Those who are still worried can opt out and have a pat down instead. The company promises accuracy and automatic detection of threats, which the body scanners in use today cannot provide because of the high statistic of almost 50 percent false positive readings. The last two advantages of the scanner is it has a high throughput of, 400 people per hour, and it can be used in a convert manner. 

This new scanner could be very beneficial to not only airport security, but also in military operations and in high security buildings. It will allow the convert scan of possible threats without evading a persons anatomical privacy, which some body scanners in use today exhibit. The best advantage of using this scanner would be the elimination of lines at airport security while maintaining the same or better level of protection. This will cause less stress for passengers and an easier flight experience. Overall I think this would be a good investment for companies and airports to pursue because it will eliminate threats while improving how threats are detected. However there is an extremely high price tag of almost $250,000 per scanner, so they should wait to purchase the scanners with the hope that "Alfa3" will become more affordable. 

Terrorist Teen Takedown

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/24/world/asia/australia-terror-shooting-laws/index.html?c=world

Australian police shoot teen 'terror suspect'

By Hilary Whitman

Last Tuesday an 18 year old suspected terrorist was shot outside a Melbourne, Austrailia police station, after he had attacked two officers. He arrived for a preplanned meeting at 8 p.m., and suspect stabbed the officers when they approached. One officer is in critical condition and the other has a severe slash to his arm. We do not know which officer shot the suspect, but we do know he had two knives. I believe that the suspect had premeditated the confrontation and planned the attack. He was armed and ready for the officers when they arrived and planned the meeting right outside the department to create an atmosphere of frenzy. While this is not a large scale attack it will greatly impact the lives of the two officers , in how they see terrorisom and their daily life. I think that this was a single personal act of terrisom that was not part of a larger scale attack or organization. 

Misrepresentation in the Media

I first read the article published in our local newspaper Rapid City Journal "C-Span bus rolls into town, but students still skeptical of political process" in my AP government class on Monday after the majority of my class. My first reaction to the article resembled that of my other classmates, I did not agree with any of the statements that Ms. Colias discussed in her article. This is primarly because of the way she took the words of students and twisted them in a way to match the way she wanted to present her story. This minipulation should not be allowed in media, but sadly that is the way how our society functions. After rereading the article after school it no longer seemed as bad as I had originally thought, yes there were qutoes that should not have been used, but overall it was not a slanderous article. Ms. Colias was simply trying to portray an image of how teenagers are frustrated and disinterested in the way the governement is run, and sadly because of this some of the students that she interviewed were misrepresented. Overall I believe that those who were given a false portrayal of their views have a right to be upset, however we should all learn from this experience that we should be careful what we say around the media and that every word counts.