March 1, 2014
Ernesto McConnell
Reporter
News by Numbers
5The age, in years, of the Tea Party Patriots. The grassroots conservative movement celebrated the fifth anniversary on February 27, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, DC. Speakers included senators, members of Congress and television and radio show hosts. The celebration was set to recognize the accomplishments of the party over the past five years.
4The number of short range missiles launched into the East Sea beside North Korea. The news was released by the South Korean Defense Ministry. South Korea claims the missiles were not fired toward South Korean waters, but instead toward Russia. This display of fire power capabilities may be in response to joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, which began only days before the North Korean launches.
3The number of biological parents a baby may have, if U.S. health officials approve trials for a groundbreaking in vitro fertilization process. This procedure is an attempt to prevent children from being born with muscular dystrophy and respiratory issues caused by mitochondrial disorders. Mitochondrial disorders are passed to a child from its mother. The new procedure would take nuclear DNA from an embryo created by a mother and father, and place said DNA in a donor with healthy mitochondrial DNA. The FDA is currently exploring options that may lead to experimental trials of this new procedure in the United States.
2The number of seconds needed to breach most major airline cockpits, according to a video created by Ellen Saracini. Saracini is the widow of Captain Victor Saracini of United Airlines Flight 175, which crashed into the south tower at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The video was created to push airlines to increase security measures on commercial flights. Following the 9/11 attacks, airlines increased security measures for the cockpits in commercial airplanes. Despite the added security, as depicted in Saracini’s video, it is possible for two people to breach and enclose themselves in an airplanes cockpit in two seconds.
1The national rank of the state of Maryland in the percentage of 2013 graduates who have passed at least one Advance Placement Exam. The 2013 national results were released February 11, 2014 by the College Board. The 29.6 percent passing rate named Maryland the number one state in the country for this statistic for a whopping 8th year in a row. Governor Martin O’Malley held a celebratory video conference with AP students from multiple schools in Charles County. Charles County has increased the percentage of students passing at least one AP exam by 20 percent. “I get to do the victory lap for you, but you guys are really the ones who did the hard work, so thanks a lot,” O’Malley said.
