"Smell-o-vision TV: Coming soon?" Reaction

     In The Week Magazine “Smell-o-vision TV: Coming soon?” published on June 20, 2011, the author raises a new invention which is a system that permits the viewers to smell the scent that associated with what they watch in the show, then he explains how it works and the requirements. First, smell-o-vision is a device, invented by a corporation between Samsung and the University of California, that connected with the TV to emits odor that matches with the smell in the real show. It consists of 10,000 matrix intersection that can produce wide range of smells. In addition, this device has a quite similarity with the printer by changing the smell producer box whenever the whiffs disappeared. On the other hand, the author questioning whether the commercial and the TV producers will support this new technology and keep modifying the odor-generating device with new odors.

     I am convinced that this is a great invention which many people are dreaming about and waiting for, and it will cause revolution in the TV industry. However, I suspect about the success of this new technology for the odor quality and the device benefit. First of all, since the odor-generating device is filled with various smells and it emits the smell when the metal wires stimulate, the scent could be similar to the real smell but not the same quality. Also, it may sometimes produce the same smell for different things. For example, in a cooking TV show the device may releases the smell of italian herbs for both pizza and pasta. In addition, nowadays many products are in constant modification such as perfumes, detergents, drinks and food, so how can this devise includes all of these aromas in a rapid way. Eventually, people now become more aware about the trade's tricks and how it seem as a canal to absorb their money without sense. Thus, in the beginning viewers will appeal to the new invention, then they will recognize it is worthless and far away from the reality. In conclusion, smell-o-vision is still on its beginning and the researchers can improve and modify it until it passes all the barriers.

Are hookah pipes more dangerous than cigarettes? reaction

       In the article “Are hookah pipes more dangerous than cigarettes?” posted on June 1, 2011, in The Week magazine, the author illustrates a new trend among youth called hookah pipes. It is smoking a fruity tobacco using a water pipe, and the author questions whether it is less harmful than cigarettes or they are equal. Many hookah smokers describe it as a healthy substitute for cigarettes, whereas studies show that it degenerates a human's health by causing the same consequences that cigarettes do including lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, these smokers are more vulnerable herpes and tuberculosis because they are inhaling from the same pipe.

       I am convinced that hookah usage causes a lot of hazards, but I doubt that any legislation that tries to govern it will be able to totally succeed. Because it is a trend that has just started in its circulation, and it will thrive. Similar to the population of cigarettes in the late of 19^th century, today popular culture endroses the use of hookah pipes. However, after cigarettes long period of popularity, educated people began to fight this deadly habit (smoking cigarettes). Similarity, maybe people will try to curb and prevent hookah smoking from spreading since they have already seen the majority of diseases that tobacco has caused. I hope this tragedy ends and a high taxes is applied to tobacco products and hookah bars.

“Silk Road: The Amazon.com of illegal drugs” Reaction

       According to the article “Silk Road: The Amazon.com of illegal drugs” in The Week magazine, posted on June 2, 2011, the author states that an illegal drugs e-market, Silk Road, disregards the law by permitting the commerce of drugs without personal identification. Silk Road is a website similar to Amazon which offers many kinds of drugs such as LSD, marijuana, and heroin. Moreover, this website is very protective; thus consumers face some obstacles to get to it. For example, users must download Tor, which is an anonymous network, in order to hide the user's data and information. In addition, this exchange can be done by seeking a dealer who has a good users' feedback. Then Bitcoin, which is an untraceable online currency to buy drugs, can be used. After that, the seller uses inventive packaging to dispatching the order. Finally, Garzik.J, Bitcoins' developer, noted that this currency is not entirely hidden.

       From my perspective, it seems that authorities should take tough actions toward this flagrant violation of the law. First, I think this website should be closed, but if the authorities attempt to marginalize it, then it might develop to include weapons which could increase the black market. Further, the website's creator must tried as a criminal. Also, the sellers must be detected and arrested. In addition, all the mail shipments must be checked. For instance, detectors and police dogs should be used. This way, when the order isn't delivered, users will become distrustful the website, and this will taint the Silk Road's reputation. Furthermore, the Bitcoins method should be modified, so the users can be identified and known. While this modification will indirectly decrease the online buyers, it may also reduce the money laundering. In conclusion, I hope the Silk Road will shot down soon, and we can live in a clear society, less worried for our family's safety.

"Should a baby's gender be kept a secret?" Reaction

        On May 26, 2011, in The Week magazine “Should a baby's gender be kept a secret?” Babble raises contradictory viewpoints on the issue of a Canadian couple who kept their kid -4 months old baby- Storm's gender undeclared to everyone except for his/her two young brothers, two midwives and a one close family friend. Holler, who thinks that raising a genderless baby is a “fascinating experiment”, says that people's interest in knowing the baby's gender support the parents concern of hiding it. On the other hand, Dr. Alvarez states that choosing a personal gender is a personal right, but the Stoker's method in applying it is incorrect. In fact, they are putting their kid in a situation of being unable to identify his gender. Moreover, this decision may harm Storm's siblings by confusing them about the reason for the secret gender.

          After viewing the different opinions, I think that the negative consequences outweigh the benefits of making the decision to hide a child's gender. First of all, keeping a child's gender as a secret may cause psychological problems for the kid. How would the little kid feel about him/herself when others call the child by different pronouns; how can a child get over the misunderstanding of his/her gender, and how can a child's parents explain this to him/her? In addition, the consequences may extend to his/her siblings as well. And not only this, it is a new experiment, so we can't see its full dimensions in the current days. After a while when the kid reaches 40 years old, may it appear. Therefore, i question the likelihood of hiding Storm's gender resulting in protecting Storm from any assault, or giving Storm the freedom to choose his/her gender. In the end, I believe that gender is not a social construction; it is a biological situation that should be declared and embraced.