news log #24 - Earth Day

"World's Greenest Boat Also Aims To Be The Fastest"

http://www.dogonews.com/2007/12/10/world-s-greenest-boat-also-aims-to-be-the-fastest

Summary: The boat Earthrace planned to beat the world record for fasted journey around the world for a boat, which was held at 75 days. It wanted to complete the journey in 65. Earthrace is made out of completely environmentally products and runs on biodiesel fuel. The owners, who hail from New Zealand, are Pete Bethune and his wife. The boat was not cheap to build; the owners had to mortgage their house and sold almost everything else they owned so that they could spend the first $650,000 (in US dollars) on the boat. They also raised money so they could make enough to build the boat. 

Response: I think that this project was a good way to motivate people to go green for their boats. Although it's expensive, it will get cheaper as soon as more people start doing it. The boat also runs on eco-friendly fuel. Hopefully, more people will start making greener choices for both their land lifestyle and possible water lifestyle.

news log #23

"Lady Gaga: I'll never get plastic surgery" 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42568158/ns/today-entertainment/

Summary: Lady Gaga said in an interview with Harper's Bazaar that she will never get plastic surgery to make herself look better. "I think that promoting insecurity in the form of plastic surgery is infinitely more harmful than an artistic expression related to body modification." she told the magazine. Furthermore, after winning multiple Grammys and selling album after album, the singer tried to move to Hollywood to embrace the celebrity lifestyle. She packed up her things from her old New York apartment and moved to Hollywood. However, she didn't like it at all and ran back to her home state and returned to her original lifestyle.

Response: While I think it's good that Lady Gaga isn't promoting plastic surgery for the positive image of oneself, I find that she's trying too hard to stand out. She wears all of these incredible yet wacky outfits, does her hair in odd fashions, and twists her lyrics to make them the most unique. It was creative and nice at first, but now it's what we expect from her. What she stands for, like gay rights and improving self esteem, and being "born this way" is good and will hopefully help people to change their ideas. However, becoming so predictable in her image and sound is starting to get old, and she's becoming what she didn't want to be-- sort of like a washed up foreseen popstar. 

news log #22

'Gladyator' aged 92 breaks marathon record

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8431206/Gladyator-aged-92-breaks-marathon-record.html

Summary: 92-year-old Gladys Burrill, a.k.a. the 'Gladyator', broke the record for the oldest person to complete a marathon. She power-walked and jogged the 26.2 mile route in nine hours and 53 minutes, and beat the previous record-holder, Jenny Wood-Allen of Scotland, who ran the London Marathon of 2002. Burrill ran her first mile at 86 years, and walks 45 miles a week. Her advice is to just "get out there and walk or run."

Response: It's great that someone of Gladys Burrill's age could take on this marathon and even beat the world record for oldest person to run a marathon. There are many elderly people who have the potential to do these kinds of feats, but use the excuse that they're old or too frail for it. Most of them are merely too lazy to get up and walk every day like they should. Burrill seems like someone every person should look up to and hope to be like when they grow older.