Zack VZ
Ms. Keener
AP Government
23 January 2017
Democracy in Action 2nd Quarter
Over the quarter, I went to a Shade Tree Committee meeting. The meeting was for a discussion on the city’s tree plans. I was there to give a presentation for my Eagle Scout project. My project is to plant trees around the Bain Park pavilion for a reforestation project. The committee listened to my project and gave their opinions and recommendations for tree species and where to plant the trees. After my presentation they discussed the plan from 1995 to plant 3000 trees down a multitude of roads in Fairview park. Then they discussed the christmas tree ideas for Bain Park gazebo. After that the meeting was concluded with a quote from Thomas Jefferson on trees.
This committee meeting holds small value to the booming government but still has its importance. Mike Varga, the Assistant Service Supervisor of Fairview, third powerful of the service department, was a member of the committee. This event was clearly for local government as it was tree planting in the city of Fairview. I learned that Fairview made a plan to plant 3000 trees throughout the city, yet has not finished that promise at this time. This event tells me that the government is broken into many different pieces, each with varying amounts of value.
Month: January 2017
Tech Team Reflection 2
At the beginning of the quarter we were working on this computer. After collaborating on who was going to undo the computer screws, and put the computer back together, we started the deconstruction. We then investigated what each part’s job was, and I then put all the parts back together. We had a problem in connecting all the parts to the correct places, and then could not find a plug to the wall. When turning the computer on, we wanted to check that the speakers work so we played Mozart’s Juptier. Here is a video of the computer playing Mozart.
The fans are running behind the computer because we were worried the computer would overheat without it’s cooling fans attached.
I was showing my math teacher, Mr. Morrison, how the laser cutter works, as he loves to work with wood and engraving. Being that he was a math teacher I decided that the Pi symbol on a circle 3.14 inches in diameter would be best. I walked him through the steps on how to laser cut different materials.
This device took a lot of research on how electromagnets work. The idea behind it was an alternating current creates a changing magnetic field. This magnetic field would then levitate a steel marble. This only works with alternating current as direct current only creates a magnetic field in one short burst. Sadly, when the device was plugged in there was a small explosion as the wire melted. The device no longer works, and I have stopped trying for safety reasons.
This project has taken a longer time then anticipated with all the modifications. Hopefully, this modification is the last. The rubber band launcher now has two motors that will turn one spool of string. The string then pulls the plastic wheel, which releases the rubber bands in rapid progression. This occurs because as the string is pulled off the wheel, the rubber band strung over it is released. The mounting of the motors, and battery pack, along with the gear belt, were made and installed by myself, the idea came from Ben.
Bio Transcription and Translation
The video shows the transcription factors attach to the DNA strand. The green playdoh represents the activator protein which makes contact with the transcription factors. This contact releases the transcription factors and RNA polymerase starts to transcribe the DNA. The RNA polymerase takes in nucleotides complementary to the DNA strand it unwinds, and makes the RNA strand. The RNA polymerase reaches the termination codon and the RNA is completed.
The video for translation has RNA flowing out of the nucleus. This RNA then is grabbed by the ribosome, and translation occurs. As the RNA goes through the ribosome, tRNA with the complementary anti-codon moves into the A-site. The tRNA moves to the P-site and the amino acid is released, then next tRNA moves to the A-site. The first tRNA moves the E-site and leaves, as the other tRNA takes its spot and adds its amino acid to the first one. This repeats until the RNA strands runs out and the protein breaks away.
Article 12
Intelligence Chief Criticizes ‘Disparagement’ of Findings on Russian Hacking
New York Times
Matt Flegenheimer and Scott Shane 5 January 2017
Who: Russia
What: Election hacking
Where: Washington DC
When: October
Why: Unknown
The CIA believes that the Russians hacked into the American election. The CIA believes that Russians created “fake news” and hacked into the email servers of the two parties. However, they do no believe that the Russians hacked the election votes. The two parties and the intelligence agencies are now figuring out what to do.
My opinion is that the two parties should be more worried and together on this hacking.
I learned that the Russians did not hack the actual election results, however they did produce “fake news.”
This affects the American public as we could have been lied to by Russian hackers.
How do we know the Russians hacked the United States?
Why did Russia hack us?
When did we learn about this?