Capstone : Source 1

1.
"Obama Pledges Nuclear Cuts, Warns North Korea and Iran." The Times of India. 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Obama-pledges-nuclear-cuts-warns-North-Korea-and-Iran/articleshow/12413873.cms.

The article told about talks between Russia and the United States about further reduceing the stockpiles of Plutonium which could have been used to build as many as 17000 nuclear bombs. The article also informed that North Korea has announced that it well be testing a rocket which is speculated to be capable of delivering a long range nuclear payload.

Article Post 2

A review by the Washington post states that the book does a good job exposing the harmful effects of the chemicals being absorbed by our bodies. The review also includes that this book is a step in the right direction for consumer safety and awareness toward what is in the products we buy.

Slow Death by Rubber Duck is a book that brings us back to reality. Without books like this the truth about harmful chemicals is kept from the public by the chemical companies which claim their products are safe. I think that the author did the public a service by doing the experiments and reseach in order to bring valid evidence about the chemicals. By raising awareness over the dangers of chemicals in everyday life there is hope that consumer guidelines will be more strict and allow for a safer environment in which children can grow up free of side effects from chemical body burden.

Chapter 3 of Slow Death by Rubber Duck talked about PFCs, where they could be found in our life, and waht side effects they have on our lievs. A passage that put the issue in perspective is on the bottom of page 75, " The real story of Parkersbrug is not about a single contaminated farm it's about widespread chemical contamination in the local watershed." The passage makes clear taht chemical contaminants are not a isolated issue but are widespread and affect. The book itself was okay, not something I'd pick up and read or even read the whole thing. The issue which the book discibes however is both interesting and frightning.

Cross Reference

In order to determine whether or not Slow Death by Rubber Duck is a book with valid science I am going to read a lot of the reactions given on amazon, as well as try to find a credible source of review with a science background.

The general consensus based on reader reviews states that Slow Death by Rubber Duck is thought provoking and raises awareness over the dangers of the chemicals in our daily lives. Readers are impressed and appalled by the fact that so many household items which they had considered "safe" were actually the causing long term health issues. They also say that the book makes clear that the chemical companies have a large amount of misinformation.
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Model Capstone (Environment)

It has been hard not to notice the issues in the environment while growing up. From a very young age the concept of recycling and not wasting has been drilled constantly. The fact that the environment was discussed so much along with our upbringing this generation is very capable of understanding our place in the environment and how we impact it. The media we've been exposed to has also had a large impact on our understanding, movies like Bio Dome, and The Day After Tomorrow really showcase the importance of taking care of the environment. Even though I personally don't understand all the factors for each issue it has been plain to see that polution and littering have negative impacts. Even though many of us haven't experience first hand the effects of polution, it is possible to imagine what it would be like to be on a secluded beach and then minutes later a giant ball of trash washes ashore.