Time POY

Greta Thunberg, the soft-spoken Swedish teenager who became a global conscience for climate change and environmental activism, has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019.

The magazine announced the 16-year-old as its choice Wednesday exclusively on the "TODAY" show.

"She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year, coming from essentially nowhere to lead a worldwide movement," Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal told the show, adding that Thunberg is the magazine's youngest choice ever to be named Person of the Year.

One leader is evidently not impressed with accolades the young Swede has earned: Donald Trump.

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump

So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill! https://twitter.com/RealRomaDowney/status/1204822160470093824 …

Roma Downey

✔@RealRomaDowney

Congrats @GretaThunberg https://twitter.com/time/status/1204743717132914688 …

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What was Greta's response?

Do you agree with TIME's choice?

What is the history of TIME magazine's honor?

Who do you think should be Person of the Year? Why?

Who is the Mandalorian?

The Star Wars season is upon us!

To many, it is a welcome distraction to the endless news saga and partisanship of the impeachment.

To Disney, it is an opportunity to cash in on the popularity of its newest character 'Baby Yoda.' The internet has been going nuts and completely losing its mind over baby Yoda. And it’s all thanks to Disney+’s new show ‘The Mandalorian.’ The moment people saw itty-bitty Yoda on the screen, it instantly became a meme-worthy character and that is the reason why you see it in your feed when you open up Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

But just who is this Mandalorian, and how is he a re-imagination of two classic film genres?

What do the Gunslinger and the Samurai have in common and how does the story of one apply to the other?

NATO

In the aftermath of World War II, the victorious Western countries forged institutions — NATO, the European Union, and the World Trade Organization — that aimed to keep the peace through collective military might and shared prosperity. They promoted democratic ideals and international trade while investing in the notion that coalitions were the antidote to destructive nationalism.

But now the model that has dominated geopolitical affairs for more than 70 years appears increasingly fragile. Its tenets are being challenged by a surge of nationalism and its institutions under assault from some of the very powers that constructed them — not least, the United States under President Trump.

Read the article...

Foreign leaders (Jimmy Fallon, Paul Rudd, James Corden) that were caught making fun of President Trump (Alec Baldwin) at the NATO summit continue their taunting in the cafeteria.

Who Are You... WHO WHO?!

Forty years ago today tragedy struck the city of Cincinnati.  What happened that night and how can we prevent it from happening again?

Forty years later, rock legends Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey sat down for first-of-a-kind, exclusive interviews with WCPO Anchor Tanya O’Rourke.

1) What happened in Cincinnati 40 years ago today?

2) WHO was responsible? Did the band have any responsibility?

3) How did the 'WHO' respond following the events? Was this response acceptable?

4) WHO were the 11 WHO died? How should they be remembered?

5) How can we prevent another tragedy like this from ever happening again?

De Escalating Thanksgiving

Some family members might be dreading Thanksgiving dinner because of the hot topics that could be served along with the turkey and trimmings.

Will that political argument come up between this uncle and that cousin? What about when Grandma and Aunt Norma’s cooking conversation turns from sharing recipes to arguing about whose is best? Or perhaps you’ve run out of polite ways to end conversations about when you’re ever going to have children.

Read the article and then share 5 ways you can avoid political arguments at the Thanksgiving Table.

Homophily: Stop the Hate!

Instinctively we drift toward people like ourselves; flocking together like birds of a feather.  This mirror built by homophily reflects and reaffirms our perspective.   But as Sacha Baron Cohen explains. Social Media's ability to link like-minded souls everywhere is unhealthy and can lead to the creation of virtually impermeable echo chambers of hate.

DACA Dreamers

Featured Article: “They Achieved the American Dream. Will the Supreme Court Let Them Keep It?”

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments that may determine the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Today’s featured article tells the story of two undocumented immigrants whose lives will be affected by the ruling.

In this lesson, we will learn about DACA and its impact on the children of undocumented immigrants and consider whether the Supreme Court should rule to continue or end the program.

Long Road Home

Click here to play video.

We remember Veterans one day a year.   How often do Veterans remember their experiences?

Long Road Home focuses on the compelling stories of veterans coping and healing with the emotional wounds of war, after combat in Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, and World War II. The documentary also explores current treatments and research into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among returning veterans.

1) Why are so many Veterans reluctant to talk about their experiences?

2) What challenges did they face on the battlefield?

3) What challenges do they continue to face once they came home?

4) Sadly, how do many of our Veterans learn to deal with these challenges?

5) Our Veterans were there when our Government needed them. Where is our Government when Vets need it?

Veterans Day

Dear US Service Member,

We don’t know each other and will probably never meet, but I want you to know that you and all of our troops are in our hearts and prayers each day. Please always remember what you're doing will always be appreciated and never forgotten. I wish you all the best and pray for your safe and speedy return home to your family and friends. Thank you.

Talawanda HS Student

Oxford, OH

Some of our soldiers don't get much mail from home. They don't often hear how much we appreciate all they do for our country, even though there are many easy ways in which we can let them know. Write your letters of thanks in class and we will compile and send them to our soldiers currently serving overseas.

What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?

There’s a meme on Instagram, circulated by a group called “Born Liberal.” A fist holds a cluster of strings, reaching down into people with television sets for heads. The text declares: “The People Believe What the Media Tells Them They Believe: George Orwell.” The quote is surely false, but it’s also perfect in a way. “Born Liberal” was a creation of the Internet Research Agency, the Russian propaganda wing that might as well be part of Oceania. In other words, we live in a time when American democratic debate is being influenced by liars spreading memes about our inability to understand the truth.

This particular meme is one of many revealed in a new report released on Monday, commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee and written by New Knowledge, a cybersecurity firm whose director of research, Renee DiResta, is a WIRED contributor. This report, along with a second one written by the Computational Propaganda Project at Oxford University and Graphik, offers the most extensive look at the IRA’s attempts to divide Americans, suppress the vote, and boost then-candidate Donald Trump before and after the 2016 presidential election. The report sheds new light on the ways the IRA trolls targeted African Americans and the outsized role Instagram played in their work.

These Are the Ads Russia Bought on Facebook in 2016 

The most explosive finding in the report may be the assertion that both Facebook and Google executives misled Congress in statements. The researchers suggest that Facebook “dissembled” about the IRA’s voter suppression efforts on the platform in written responses to Congress in October, following the testimony of chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in October. At the time, the company was asked: “Does Facebook believe that any of the content created by the Russian Internet Research Agency was designed to discourage anyone from voting?” Facebook responded: “We believe this is an assessment that can be made only by investigators with access to classified intelligence and information from all relevant companies and industries.”  Read more...

Is Facebook more harmful than helpful? Should we be afraid of what Facebook has become?

Phobophobia

The fear of phobias. Phobias are actually quite common, affecting more than 10% of the U.S. population. Phobias are the most common mental disorder in the United States, but far more women than men are affected by phobias. In many cases, people are able to recognize that their fear is irrational and therefore take steps to overcome their phobia. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, only about 10 percent of reported cases become life-long phobias.

Use this list to solve the 'Phobia Puzzle' before your classmates.

How are Phobias named?  Check their greek and latin roots.

Create 3 new 'phobias' of your own and define them. For example...."Ebolaphobia:" the fear of contracting Ebola.

Or do you suffer from 'Verbophobia:' the fear of words?

Free Brian Williams

"Sorry Dude, I don’t remember you being on my aircraft.'"

NBC news anchor Brian Williams told a war story on national television. It wasn’t true. 

But does that make him a liar? Do you accept his apology?  Do you still trust him? Why/ why not?

Part two of Revisionist History’s memory series asks why we insist that lapses of memory must also be lapses of character.

LISTEN

Confronting Isis

The White House announced Sunday that U.S. troops would no longer have a presence in northern Syria, just days before neighboring Turkey would begin a “long-planned” offensive there against Kurdish fighters, who helped the U.S.-led coalition take the area from ISIS.

Critics quickly characterized the decision as an abandonment of the Kurdish soldiers who have for years been considered some of America’s best fighters against ISIS both in Syria and Iraq. Even some of President Trump’s staunchest Republican defenders voiced fears, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying a quick withdrawal from Syria “would increase the risk that ISIS and other terrorist groups regroup,” and Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeting, “Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration. This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS.”

The announcement came after a phone call between Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Facing harsh criticism on Wednesday as the Turkish offensive in Syria was under way, President Trump said that the U.S. “does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea.”

FRONTLINE investigates the successes, failures and challenges in the U.S.-led effort to degrade and destroy ISIS.

Band In China

“South Park,” the long-running Comedy Central cartoon whose mockery has spared few touchy topics, was erased from major platforms in China after an episode last week taunted Chinese censors and the far-reaching effect they often have on American entertainment.

The government’s censors, who routinely quash news and commentary deemed undesirable by the ruling Communist Party, wiped out video clips and discussions of the show, which premiered in 1997 and has lasted 23 seasons.

Last week’s episode, called “Band in China,” appeared to cross a new line for the Chinese authorities. On Baidu Tieba, a popular discussion platform, searches for “South Park” on Tuesday returned the following message: “According to the relevant law and regulation, this section is temporarily not open.”

Should the United States apologize to China for our support of 'freedom of speech?'  Why/not?

Should the N.B.A. put human rights before business?

To Impeach Or Not To Impeach?

What do you think? When should a president be impeached? If you were a member of the House, would you support initiating this impeachment inquiry? To make the decision, what would you be weighing?

These are the questions that a new edition of the Debatable newsletter takes on. Read it and think about where you stand.

You might also read the two Op-Eds below, which argue different points of view on the issue:

Why I Changed My Mind About Impeachment

Beware of Impeaching Trump. It Could Hurt the Presidency.

This news story will continue to unfold in the days and weeks ahead. What predictions can you make about what may happen? Why?

Impeachment Inquiry

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Tuesday that the House of Representatives would be moving forward on a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.  This is only the second time this has happened in our nation's almost 250 year history.

The probe is over allegations Trump pressured the leader of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden's family.

What is Impeachment and what are the implications for the President?

5 Ways To Make a Difference

Wake up America!

From Sept. 20-27, millions of people around the world will be going on a #climatestrike. They’ll be walking out of their workplaces and homes to join climate strikers on the streets to help halt the age of fossil fuels. If you’re interested in joining their efforts, you can visit this page and scroll down to the map to find a #climatestrike near you.

Fortunately, even if you can’t strike next week, there are some simple things you can do to make a difference on climate change. Know Your Value recently chatted with May Boeve, executive director of 350.org, the international climate change organization behind the strike, to learn more about how anyone can help make a positive impact.

Read the rest of the article.

Are You a Big Foot?

How many earths does it take to support your lifestyle?  What are your total carbon emissions?  Click Here to find out your Ecological Footprint, discover your biggest areas of resource consumption, and learn what you can do to tread more lightly on the earth.

How is global warming affecting the actual Big Foot and the rest of the 'crypto-animal' kingdom?

The Great Global Warming Swindle

The ice is melting, forests are burning, hurricanes are blowing, and it is all YOUR FAULT! SCARED?! Don't Be, according to this professor, and others like him, its just not true.

1) How does Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth contradict their facts?

2) What does the most recent research show?  Why does no one seem to care?

3) What is Trump's answer to the problem?

4)  What are the World's young people doing?

5) Who is Greta Thunberg?  What are her demands?

E-Cig Ban

U.S.—According to a new report, more e-cigs are being disguised as AR-15s to avoid a looming White House ban on the devices.

Upon hearing that President Trump was looking to ban the devices, vaping companies quickly began looking for ways to circumvent the new regulations. Then, they came up with a solution: design the vapes to look like a hunting rifle.

The disguised devices include a switch for selecting a fire mode, from semi-auto and burst fire to "Sick Vape." The devices are fully functional AR-15 rifles. Should a federal agent ask if you have an illegal e-cig loaded with high-capacity Raspberry Hurricane cartridges, you can just turn down range and fire off a few rounds to show them it's actually just an assault rifle.

These new e-cigs include a range of exciting new flavors, such as Gunpowder Bubblegum, Custard Cartridges, Strawberry Scope, and Maple Bar M-16. They taste like delicious fruits and candies and also have that gunmetal taste that gun nuts go crazy for.

1)  Fake News?  How can you tell if a story is credible?

2) Gun's have killed far more teenagers than vape devices.  Why doesn't the government ban them?

 3) What obligation does the government have to keep us safe?

 Read the Washington Post article and give 3 reasons for or against your argument.

Cat 6?!

In 169 years of record-keeping, there have been only 35 Category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic. Five of those catastrophic storms happened in the last four years — including Hurricane Dorian, which smashed into the Bahamas before stalling and unleashing devastating rain and wind.

And while there's no conclusive evidence that climate change is making hurricanes move more slowly, there is "probably" a connection between the two, according to CBS News climate and weather contributor Jeff Berardelli.

1) Is climate change making hurricanes more powerful? What do the scientists say? Do you agree? Why/ not?

2) Should there be a Category 6 for Hurricanes? Why or why not?

3) What would happen if we nuked a hurricane?

Remembering 9/11

What do you remember about 10 years ago? What grade were you in? Do you remember who your teachers were? Who were your friends? Did you like school? What do you know now that you'd wished you'd known then? Would you go back?

Why is it that all Americans of a certain age can remember where they were on 9/11? 

What other events have had such a defining moment in History?

How can memories and emotions of that day for those who lived through it cloud what actually happened?

On the anniversary of the attacks it is important that we reflect on what happened so we never forget.

Why is it that our trust in the media increases after tragic events like September 11?

How did that trust change in the aftermath of the attacks?

Do facts matter as long as what we are being told 'feels' like the 'truth?'

Terminate Hate

.@Schwarzenegger has a blunt message for Nazis. pic.twitter.com/HAbnejahtl

— ATTN: (@attn) August 17, 2017

Can criticizing the haters stop the hate?  Arnold thinks so.   What is his criticism and what does he propose be done about it?  Do you agree?

Censorship In Iran

Based on a true story about a journalist who gets detained and brutally interrogated in prison for 118 days; the journalist Maziar Bahari was blindfolded and interrogated for 4 months in Evin prison in Iran, while the only distinguishable feature about his captor is the distinct smell of rosewater. An interview and sketch that Maziar did with a journalist on The Daily Show was used as evidence that Maziar was a spy and in communication with the American government and the CIA.

Freedom of expression and of information will always be the world’s most important freedom. If journalists were not free to report the facts, denounce abuses and alert the public, how would we resist the problem of children-soldiers, defend women’s rights, or preserve our environment? In some countries, torturers stop their atrocious deeds as soon as they are mentioned in the media. In others, corrupt politicians abandon their illegal habits when investigative journalists publish compromising details about their activities. Still elsewhere, massacres are prevented when the international media focuses its attention and cameras on events.

1) Why are some politicians and governments afraid of a 'Free Press?'

2) How free is the American press when compared to Iran and the rest of the world?

3) Despite having a free press what do we really know about Iran and its people?

4) How is being a Journalist increasingly a dangerous job?

5) Why is Journalism still such an important job?

No Way To Prevent This

‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens https://t.co/AiYGBQLaGW pic.twitter.com/Zr0X8qcDqJ

— The Onion (@TheOnion) February 14, 2018

After every mass shooting since 2014 satirical news outlet the Onion repeats this story with the headline: “ ‘No way to prevent this,’ says only nation where this regularly happens.”


Why does the Onion routinely publish this headline over and over?

Are we the only nation where this routinely happens?  Explain.

What ways can we prevent these tragedies from ever happening again?

Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. Look back at Marilyn Manson's 1999 essay where he speaks out about the aftermath of the tragic event https://t.co/mRlVmzBNGG pic.twitter.com/su8vfF43pI

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) April 20, 2019

Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)

Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not die)

Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)

Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)

Prom: Back to the Future?

Prom season usually means stretch limos and super-extra promposals. But where did this time-honored coming-of-age tradition even come from? Whembley Sewell breaks down the timeline of Prom's racist and misogynistic backstory as well as the teenagers who have fought against it for decades.

What is the History of Prom in the United States? How has it changed/ evolved? How do you feel about the future of the traditional dance?  Why?

Chewbacca Obituary

British actor Peter Mayhew has died at age 74. He was best known for playing the beloved Chewbacca in the “Star Wars” series. Here’s a look back at Mayhew’s best on-screen moments as the galaxy’s most famous Wookiee.  Read his obituary.

An obituary acknowledges the loss of our loved one, expresses the pain of their loss and the joy that their presence among us brought.

According to James Loewen in his book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Sasha and Zamani are two aspects of time as expressed in some Eastern and Central African cultures. Sasha are spirits known by someone still alive, while Zamani are spirits not known by anyone currently alive. The recently departed whose time overlapped with people still here are the Sasha, the living dead. They are not wholly dead, for they live on in the memories of the living ... when the last person knowing an ancestor dies, that ancestor leaves the Sasha for the Zamani, the dead. As generalized ancestors, the Zamani are not forgotten but revered.


Your assignment: write your own Obituary. Follow the steps outlined in the linked article. Assume you live to be at least 80 years old. What will you have accomplished? Who will you leave behind? What will your legacy be?

Have fun at Prom this weekend...  don't be a statistic!

First Freedom

Recent attacks against worshippers in Sri Lanka, California, New Zealand and the South have targeted people of all different faiths and beliefs;  but they also are attacks on one of our most cherished freedoms.  The first line of the 1st Amendment to our Bill of Rights clearly states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

First Freedom: The Fight for Religious Liberty is the story of how the most basic of human freedoms - freedom of conscience - was codified for the first time in human history as an inalienable human right protected by law.  Most of us believe we understand what religious liberty means and that it is part of the U.S. Constitution. However, religious liberty is not an absolute freedom and poses many unanswered questions.

By 1630, the Puritans had set up a colony in Massachusetts to practice their own form of Christianity without interference from king or pope. Though they established democratic communities, they did not allow any serious dissent to their beliefs. Faith in God was absolute and could not deviate from what the Bible said or what the leaders said it said. When Anne Hutchison challenged this doctrine and began to preach the Bible as men were doing, the leaders stopped her and banished her from the colony. This incident presented one of the major tests for any democracy:

1) Can a society that seeks religious freedom for itself also extend it to others who don’t believe the same way?

2) What freedom does religious liberty grant members of a society?

3) Does religious liberty allow followers to practice a religious act that might bring harm to themselves or worshippers?

4) Does religious liberty allow individuals to wear religious clothing or jewelry that reflects their religious beliefs even if others find it offensive?

5) Does religious liberty allow individual to disregard or break a law in the practice of their religion?

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Every day, over 30,000 visitors flock to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to tour the exquisite architecture made even more famous by Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. With its gothic style and storied past—construction began in 1160!—the Cathedral maintains an air of mystery and awe.

With the release of VR cinematic experience, The Man Behind Notre Dame, TARGO hopes to explore the unique fascination with the revered Cathedral’s history and secrets that has made it a global phenomenon. “In our modern societies, we constantly question our cultural heritage but the Notre Dame Cathedral creates a sort of magnetic consensus, even among nonbelievers. Notre Dame speaks to everyone. It goes way beyond religion, and we wanted to know why,” said director Chloé Rochereuil.

UPDATE [4.15.2019]*: Earlier this morning an apparent electric fire has resulted in permanent damage to large portions of the Notre Dame Cathedral. French authorities have confirmed that the primary bulk Notre-Dame’s structure and two towers have been saved, although lasting damage has been done. One firefighter was reportedly injured during the blaze. 


As millions of dollars roll in to help rebuild the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in France, people have been inspired to donate to rebuild three churches in Louisiana that were intentionally burned down in the last month.

1) Whether its a historic Cathedral or a small local congregation in Louisiana, how is a church more than just a builiding ?

2) What would motivate someone to commit such a heinous crime?

3) Wss this a 'hate' crime in your opinion? Why/not?

4) What should the punishment be?

5) What efforts are being made to rebuild these churches? Will you contribute? Why/ not?

6) What can we do to stop the hate?

Has Baseball Lost Its Cool?

What could be more American than Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet?

Major League Baseball is doing just fine. Unlike the N.F.L. and the N.B.A., it has been free of labor strife for nearly 20 years. It has more exciting young stars than I can ever remember. It has even achieved that elusive “competitive balance,” with seven different champions over the last decade. Teams across the country are playing in brand-new ballparks that they somehow persuaded local governments to help pay for. Over the last 20 years, baseball revenues have grown from roughly $1 billion to nearly $8 billion.

But the game that we affectionately call our national pastime seems to have lost its cultural relevance — at least compared to football and basketball, and now SOCCER!

Will you be watching?

Has baseball lost its importance in American culture?

Do football games really have more action?

The First Baseball Game Ever Played

Take Me Out to the Ballgame (Original)

Take Me Out to the Ballgame: (Chicago Style)

Casey at the Bat

Casey at the Bat:  Another Point of View

Who's on first?

What's on Second?

Centerfield

Whats Going On In This Picture?

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Is this art or is it vandalism?  Whats the difference?

Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. He fiercely guards his anonymity to avoid prosecution. In Exit Through the Gift Shop An eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempts to locate and befriend Banksy.

"Graffiti does ruin people's property and it’s a sign of decay and loss of control.  Art is art, and nobody's a bigger supporter of the arts than I am, I just think there are some places for art and there are some places [not for] art. And you running up to somebody's property or public property and defacing it is not my definition of art." 

-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg 

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Support your argument with at least 3 facts from class.

What about our own THS Street Artist?  Art or Vandalism?

OBEY

Andre' The Giant or Brinck The Teacher?

 You may know Shepard Fairey's work, whether it be that repetitive face of Andre the Giant popping up at every street corner I've ever been on, or as the Obama Poster that definitely did more for an election than just add aesthetic to it - but I was not aware at how incredibly inspiring Shepard would turn out to be. For a new understanding of how this skateboarder turned mega famed street star turned out to be, check this film out.

met·a

/ˈmedə/

adjective

US

1. 1.

   (of a creative work) referring to itself or to the conventions of its genre; self-referential.

    

1. "our Current Events lesson on Shepard Fairey street art became current events."

Secret Lives of Muslims

What motivates someone to hate?

This story spoke to me and adds some perspective: A hardened Marine, who fought overseas against radical Islam and once plotted a terrorist act against Muslims in his own community in Indiana, eventually finds understanding.

Young or old; mother or soldier; Christian or Muslim; we are all looking for meaning, and we must realize our similarities far outweigh our differences.

If this guy can do it; there is hope for the rest of us.

'Varsity Blue'

On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced that they charged nearly 50 people, including celebrities and university coaches, with paying or accepting bribes to help admit applicants to elite universities, including Yale.

In what authorities are touting as the largest admissions scandal ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, prosecutors “charge[d] dozens of individuals involved in a nationwide college admissions cheating and recruitment scheme,” according to United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Andrew Lelling in a Tuesday press briefing.

The special agent in charge of the Boston office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Joseph R. Bonavolonta, said that this scheme was the product of a “culture of corruption and greed.”

“You can’t lie and cheat to get ahead because you will get caught,” he said.

Is 'Honesty' always the best policy?

Bride of Isis

“ISIS bride” Hoda Muthana’s citizenship case will not be fast-tracked, a judge ruled Monday — waving off her family’s fears that the US might withdraw from Syria before her suit is resolved.

Muthana was born in the United States and in 2014 fled to Syria to join ISIS. In Syria, she married a series of jihadi fighters and used Twitter to call for terror attacks on US soil — but is now in a Kurdish-run refugee camp, begging to be allowed back home with her infant son.

Should Hoda be allowed to return to the United States with her newborn son?  What do you think?