#9, Argument

Four Loko

Four Loko’s are the newest and most dangerous alcoholic drink on the market. The drinks come in colorful cans and in many different flavors. They seem to be normal energy drinks, however they are 12% alcohol, and have lots of caffeine… about as much as a cup of coffee. Dr. Reihart states, “I’ve talked to parents who were shocked because the can was in their refrigerator and they didn’t realize it was an alcoholic beverage. It looks like every other energy drink out there.”

The drinks are heavily intoxicating and a cheap way to get drunk. The FDA is concerned that the bright colored cans, cheap price, and the fact that the drinks do not taste like alcohol is promoting Loko’s to underage drinkers.

One sorce claims, It’s a recipe for disaster because your body’s natural defense is to get sleepy and not want to drink, but in this case you’re tricking the body with the caffeine.” The drinks are causing many people to become hospitalized and experience black outs.

States, colleges, and facilities are looking to ban the drinks. So far, Ramapo College, in New Jersey, prohibits the drink. In addition, legislators around the U.S. are looking to prohibit the sale of Four Loko’s as well. Stricter rules should most likely come into play about this drink.

“You want flies with that? McDonald's Happy Meal shows no sign of decomposing after SIX MONTHS”

Sally Davies recently did an experiment that she entitled “The Happy Meal Project”. She bought a burger and fries from McDonalds and let them sit on her shelf for six months. Typically, food decomposes, grows mold, and rots after just a few weeks of sitting out.. however the Happy Meal took a path of its own.. this magical meal did not change after 6 months. There were no signs of rotting and not one speck of mold.

Should it be legal that McDonalds sell such disgusting, unhealthy, and I don’t even know what to call it food? I think not. The standards for McDonalds food should have to change. I see this as an extreme health issue.

McDonalds should not be allowed to sell meals like this. The bread did not even rot… How is this possible?

Legally Married Gay Man Faces US Deportation

Henry Valdina moved to America from Venezuela in 2002, and is currently married to a U.S. citizen, Joshua Vandiver. The couple has been together for four years and now it is time for Henry to renew his green card. Marriage, by U.S. law is a legitimate reason for a non-American person to remain in the country, however since Henry is gay, the court has ruled the validity of his case as unacceptable.

America is an extremely cruel place. "Trying to imagine me being separated from Josh is just -- it's like I see my world crumbling apart. We're in love." How can the court defy the case?

Henry came to America with nothing and is currently now stable. He is married and started his own dance studio in Princeton, NJ called HotSalsaHot. However, the American government does not seem to be sympathetic towards his situation.

If the law states that married couples can stay in the U.S. as long as one is an American citizen, then why is Henry being denied his citizenship? He should be treated just like any other individual. Henry is being deprived of his citizenship specifically because he is gay. This is not fair. America needs to re-think its values.

Old iPod Nano vs. the New

Old iPod Nano:

The older Nano is rectangular in shape and extremely thin. Each Nano comes in an awesome, bright, and bold color! Every color of the rainbow is available including black and gray. The screen, where the images are shown is long, and underneath is a round disk that allows you to navigate through the iPod. The round disk contains the words Menu, play/pause, forward, and back. On the back of the iPod there is a video camera, which allows you to record and take snapshots. This iPod is full of fun features and is easy to carry around because of its size. The Nano is extremely thin. The iPod is sleek and easy to use.

New Touch Screen Nano:

Since the previous Nano, there have been many new innovative design features added to this tiny and thin mp3. The Nano was always known for its colorful design and tiny figure, however this new Nano is the smallest one yet! It is nearly half the size of the older generation version. The Nano’s bold colors remain the same, however the shape and screen size shrunk. Now the Nano takes on a whole new look and form. It is smaller, takes on the shape of a square, and has a touch screen! No longer is there a big white disk with the features menu, play, forward, and back. The iPod allows you to navigate these options through the screen.

Journal #7: Droid X vs. iPhone4

The new Verizon cell phone, the Motorola Droid X is in close competition with Apples new iPhone 4. “If Apple cannot resolve these iPhone 4 problems, unsure potential customers may move over to Motorola’s new Droid X as their communication device of choice.” (Harten). The Droid X, may be the phone to conquer all. The Droid X has many new features, some which even beat out the iPhone. There are plenty of games available, and awesome new applications and software that allow for the ultimate efficiency, organization, and fun! The iPhone currently has over 200,000 Apps available, unlike Apple’s iPhone, anyone can create new applications for the Droid X, so the options are endless. Soon, the Droid will be in close secession with the iPhone and its applications. Currently, the Droid X has 70,000 applications, which still is a whole lot of apps! In regard to the screen size, memory, and camera, the screen on the droid is bigger than the iPhone, they have equal memory compatibility; if you purchase an extra memory chip for the Droid, and the camera on the Droid is 8MP opposed to 5MP. Although the Droid’s screen size is bigger, 4.3 inch in comparison to 3.5 inch, the IPhone does in fact have a higher resolution. The iPhone contains special Retina Display technology, which enhances the image quality. Because the phone has Retina Display technology it can hold “326 pixels per square inch” (Watson & Writer). It seems that the Droid and iPhone are in close standing for each other. The operating systems are one of the few differences. The Droid runs on Google’s Android operating system and the iPhone runs off of Apple’s iOS4 system. Both phones have amazing features. They can even hook up to the television! When it comes to plugging the phone into the TV, the Motorola Droid does have an advantage. The Droid X is able to connect to HDMI cables, which means the image will be in high definition. The iPhone simply connects to AV cables; standard television cables. So which phone is better? Watson and Writer state, “the Droid versus iPhone debate is one of the greatest battles of our time”. Now that is impressive. The battery life on the iPhone is outstanding for a smart phone. Verizon has not yet released the exact battery life for the Droid X, however extension battery packs are available. It seems that the Droid X is the new iPhone for Verizon. The Droid X and iPhone are even the same price, $199 with a contract. The Droid X however does come with insurance, where as the iphone4 does not. If you misplace or damage your phone, Verizon insures another for free, where has Apple does not. Who wants to buy a whole new phone? It is pretty clear that the Droid X may be beating out the iPhone. The Droid has GPS, Wi-Fi, voice commands, as well as many other awesome and unique features. Who wouldn’t want this awesome phone?