In case you missed any of the top headlines this week, Her Campus BC is here to give you a great recap!
JFK Assassination Anniversary
Friday, November 22, 2013, marked the fifty-year anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Numerous documentaries and news reports covered the memorial of that sad day and the life of President Kennedy. Fifty years later, people are still mourning the loss and are left wondering what our world would have looked life if he had not died so young.
Lack of Drug Therapies Proves Difficult for Executioners
Now that multiple European based drug manufacturers have banned the US from using their drugs for the purpose of execution, penitentiaries are desperate to find substitutes to complete scheduled executions. Some states have attempted to forge prescriptions for banned execution drugs like pentobarbital and have gotten caught in the act. This has led to a widespread fear that the EU based pharmaceutical companies might withhold the drugs from the US even for non-execution related purposes. Other states are putting new, untested execution strategies in place, but meeting with resistance from the inmates who cite that it is an ethical violation. Either way the EU based companies are cracking down and forcing states that still allow the death penalty to face some difficult decisions.
FCC to Allow Cellphone Use?
In a meeting on December 12, the FCC plans to review its ban on inflight cellular communication. The FCC intends to weigh in on the safety, convenience, and execution of possibly lifting the ban, but some airlines, such as Delta, have already released a statement saying it will not allow calls inflight. Cost is an important consideration in the discussion, with new equipment on the plane necessary to use the phones. Convenience is also a hotly debated topic, as some feel the aggravation of having to listen to people’s conversations will not outweigh the convenience of using a cellphone. This potential change in policy will affect airlines, cellphone companies, and customers.
Solar Suitcases to Help Mothers
After a trip to Nigeria, Dr. Laura Stachel returned home to her husband Hal Aronson with a plan to help mothers in the dark. While in Nigeria, Stachel had witnessed numerous blackouts in the hospitals during cesarean sections, births, and resuscitations and knew she needed to help these doctors and patients. She returned and worked with her husband on developing a solar powered electrical system for the state hospital. They developed a prototype that would prove even more beneficial. The suitcase-style, solar powered LED lamp was an instant hit, delivering more than twenty hours of uninterrupted light. More than 400 portable devices have been distributed to nearly 27 countries and a nonprofit organization, We Care Solar, is helping to distribute even more.
Boston Beards for Sale
The infamous beards of the 2013 Red Sox players David Ortiz and Shane Victorino will be sold to the highest bidder on eBay. After a public shave, both players hairs were collected and commemorated in a “beard ball.” The publicity stunt was organized by Gilette and all of the proceeds will go to Movember, a charity which raises awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancer. This charitable, albeit weird, auction is ongoing.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/opinion/opinion-kennedy-world-badger/index.html?hpt=us_mid
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/15/justice/states-lethal-injection-drugs/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/travel/cell-phone-plane-behavior/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/28/health/cnnheroes-stachel-solar-power/index.html?hpt=he_bn7