Bellwork 3

Name: _____________________________Date: ______ CW Stamp: ______ HW Stamp: ______

Bell 3 (Black pen = I remembered. Red pen = I looked it up online.)

Local News:
1. What is being proposed on the freeway to relieve traffic?

Daily Show
2. Who are the Uighurs? Why were the sent to Bermuda instead of China? (This is a little complicated...Google them if you do not remember from the show.)

The Colbert Report
3. What joke does Stephen Colbert make about President Ahmadinejad and a ball?

4. Also, why is Stephen Colbert’s head shaved? (You will need to Google this.)

The Daily Beast (Make sure you are reading June 16, 2009 Cheats)

5. What rights is President Obama extending to gays?

6. What is happening in Iran with their election? What is the controversy?

7. What is going on with North Korea? What did they do (or not do) that has the US concerned?

8. Stoners rejoice: the economic crisis and the worsening drug war in Mexico are giving a boost to the crusade for the decriminalization of marijuana. Pot proponents argue the benefits of legalizing the drug would reach far and wide by weakening Mexican cartels that are fueled largely by marijuana use in the United States, saving the country at least $7.7 billion in law enforcement costs, and making more than $6 billion in tax revenue if it were taxed in the same manner as cigarettes and alcohol. But total legalization is unlikely, despite the fact that 13 states have legalized medicinal marijuana and as many as 50 percent of Americans and some high-profile politicians are open to its regulated sale. Opponents say legalization will lead to an increase in child users. “Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and public safety,” a DEA document says.

If legalization would lead to increase in child users, would the benefits outweigh this result? Support your answer with details.

9. Airline Staff Working for Peanuts: Pay cuts are one thing, but working for free? That’s what British Airways has asked its staff of 40,000 to agree to—for up to a month. The airline publicized their plea in the latest issue of an in-house magazine, writing, “From tomorrow, people will be able to opt for blocks of unpaid leave or unpaid work, with salary deductions spread over three to six months, wherever possible.” British Airways recently reported a pre-tax loss of over $660 million. Surprisingly, hundreds of employees actually offered to work for no pay before the initiative was formally announced, which means one of two things _________________________.

What do you think the two things are? Support your answer with details. Use the back of this paper if necessary.