Controversial Topics of 2009

Spanking bad for the brain

I chose this topic because this is a very common thing that parents are doing to kids nowadays. They are spanking them for things they have done and as the article said it is depriving them from their "learning oppurtunities". Spanking I think in my opinion can be used to teach a kid right from wrong but if used too much can damage them mentally. I think this issue was such a big issue in 2009 because as the study show, children are being affected in the long run by being spanked.

How the government spends "our money"

I chose this topic because many people nowadays have been feeling the economic strain. The recession might not be in full effect as it was before but many people are still loosing jobs on the daily and struggling to find work. I think that this governor is completely right. All the money should be focused on the American people and helping the economy. Volcano monitoring is not that important and should be last on the list to receive any money. I think this article was a big issue in the past year because many people are getting fed up of the government spending and investing their money in all the wrong areas and not helping them out.

Our ancestor, 'Ida?'

I chose this topic because me and so many others have always wondered who our first ancestor was. Last year, scientists found a 47 million yr old fossil and dubbed it 'Ida'. Scientists are debating over how to interpret the remains and say that some of her features could redraw the evolutionary tree of life. I think that this is amazing that scientist could go so far back and find fossils from so long ago of out ancestors. This article was a major issue of 2009 because scientist finally found our primary ancestor, a fossil that they have been searching for so long.

Fetuses have memory

I chose this topic because I find this article very interesting and different. It's amazing to know that fetuses have very short term memory at such a young age in the womb. I think this article was a major issue in 2009 because when the issue of abortion is brought up this will be brought up as well.