1. On Sunday, it’s a must win game for the Ravens to keep their playoff hopes alive and the Browns just have three more chances for a win this season. It’s the last home game of the season for the Browns at First Energy Stadium. Will the Browns win? If they lose, can they cover? Will there be an 0-16 parade in January?
2. In a party-line vote of 3-2, the FCC voted to eliminate Obama-era net neutrality rules. The rule instituted during Barack Obama's 2nd term in office banned internet providers from blocking or slowing legal sites and forbid them from charging sites for priority delivery of their data. Is this good news or bad news for the average American?
3. Oprah Winfrey will become the first black woman to receiver the Cecil B. DeMille Award when it is presented at this year's Golden Globe Awards. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which determines the nominees for the awards show, selected Winfrey for the prestigious honor ahead of the ceremony in January. She is the 15th woman since the award was initially handed out in 1952. Is Oprah the most influential woman ever in broadcasting?
4. The New York Times reports that cigarette smoking has dropped so sharply among American teenagers that vaping and marijuana use are now more common. According to a national survey on adolescent drug, 22.9% of high school seniors said they had used marijuana within the previous 30 days and 16.6% had used a vaping device while only 9.7% had smoked cigarettes. Does the number of teen-agers smoking pot and vaping surprise you? Did you think it would be “higher”?
5. Merriam-Webster has chosen “feminism” as their word of the year. It’s definition: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes and organized activity in support of women’s rights and interests”. What are your thoughts on the word “feminism” being the word of the year?
6. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick spoke to groups of inmates at Rikers Island prison for two 45 minute sessions at Rikers Island. The topic of his talk was police brutality. How do you feel about Kaepernick addressing inmates?
7. President Trump signed a directive meant to send American astronauts back to the moon, with an eye on eventually reaching Mars. The directive orders NASA “to lead an innovative space exploration program to send American astronauts back to the Moon, and eventually Mars,” Trump’s decision is based on recommendations from the National Space Council, which is chaired by Vice President Pence. Should we go back to the moon? Did you think we really landed on the moon?
8. The French government will ban students from using mobile phones in the country’s primary, junior and middle schools at the start of the next school year. Reports say that children will be allowed to bring their phones to school, however they will not allowed to use them until they leave, even during breaks. The French education minister said the ban was also a “public health message to families”, adding: “It’s good that children are not too often, or even at all, in front of a screen before the age of seven.” Do you agree with the French government's efforts?
9. The list of top baby names are out for 2017 and topping the list for girls is Olivia followed by Cora, Amelia, Charlotte, Isla, Isabella, Maia, Aurora, Amara and Ava. The number one name for boys is Atticus followed by Asher, Jack, Theodore, Jasper, Milo, Oliver, Silas, Henry and Wyatt. Mike and John don’t make the top ten. What do you think about Oliva and Atticus being the top baby names?
10. In what is being hailed as one of the great finds in recent years, scientists in Egypt have discovered a hidden chamber inside Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza. The discovery was made using cosmic-ray based imaging, which shows how modern particle physics can reveal new information about ancient structures. The Great Pyramid was built during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu who reigned from 2509 to 2483 B.C. Archaeologists are still unsure how the Great Pyramid, which is 14 stories tall, was built. How could the pyramids have been built 4,500 years ago when human construction technology did not exist? Did an advance race of aliens build it?