Newsletter of December 6, 2005

Civitas Home Page

High School "U.N. & The Future" Conference Coming This February!

Should one country have the right to invade another county to prevent being invaded? Should one nation be able to veto a proposal that would be good for everyone else? Should the United Nations be allowed to step in when a country is committing genocide on an ethnic group within its borders? Should membership in the United Nations be extended to citizens and non-governmental organizations? At the Civitas United Nations 2006 Weekend Conference, you'll tackle questions like these, as we explore the Future of the United Nations.

The conference will be on Friday, February 17 and Saturday, February 18, 2006 at the Doubletree Airport Hotel. The maximum number of delegates who can participate is fifty, so it is important for those who are interested to quickly complete their application forms and proceed with preparation when it begins in January.

Over thirty students submitted applications at our Model U.N. session on November 19. Students can request forms from any Civitas staff member or click here to access the on-line application form.

Students would be advised to note now that the three preparation sessions for the conference will be on:

1. Saturday, January 21, 2006
2. Saturday, January 28, 2006
3. Saturday, February 4, 2006

They will all be at Crossroads School and will run from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM in conjunction with regular discussion groups.

You can continue to access updated information on the conference by clicking on the link below. We will continue to update our conference web site as we get closer to the conference.

Conference Home Page Including Link to Application Form

United Nations Association of St. Louis Co-Sponsors Film Festival!

Last Thursday, December 1, the United Nations Association of Greater St. Louis co-sponsored the presentation of the film "HIV in the Caribbean" -- with Danny Glover. It was the first of six films on international issues being presented this year. The next film will be on Thursday, February 2, 2006, also at the Missouri Historical Society building in Forest Park (map and directions). It is called "Invisible Children" and is the story of three young men from California discovering the monstrosities occurring in present-day Sudan.

Civitas students, teachers, and other Civitas friends who are interested in "Invisible Children" and other upcoming films are welcome to attend the upcoming ones. We will give you advance reminders as we get closer to the dates of these films.

If you would like more information on the film series, please e-mail us at [email protected] or call us at (314) 367-6480. You can also e-mail the local chapter of the U.N.A. at [email protected] or call them at (314) 727-2949.
More Information on U.N.A. Film-Fest

That Landmine "Thing"

The Landmine Survivors Network and Adopt-A-Minefield have initiated a new program called That Landmine "Thing". It is an effort to involve more students in activities designed to raise money to clear landmine fields and also to provide needed assistance to victims of landmine explosions.

Among the activities for raising money that the New York office is suggesting are: benefit music concerts, plays, talent shows, car washes, coin drives, invite a landmine activist guest speaker, peace garden "plant a flower, not a mine," raffles, walk-a-thons, donut sales, and more. We will have more information on such activities in the future.

In the meantime, we will be working to develop an event in which one or several landmine survivors will be available to meet with students in Civitas activities.

While a new web site is being developed for 'That Landmine "Thing,'" considerable helpful information is available by clicking on the link below.
Landmine Suvivors.org

Next High School Discussion on Saturday, December 17!

Our next Civitas discussion group (and final one of calendar year 2005) will be a week from this Saturday, on Saturday, December 17, at Crossroads School from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (link to map and directions are located at the bottom of this article). On the heels of the vibrant debate at the November 19 high school model U.N. session, we expect to have some interesting topics to discuss. Additionally, we will have had nearly a month for the world to throw a whole new set of interesting issues our way. One topic will certainly be the trial of Saddam Hussein. One of the most unique aspects of this trial is that the American and British "adversarial" trial system is not being used; rather it is more of the "consensus building" method characteristic of trials in France.

If you would like to suggest any topics to us, please e-mail us or call us at (314) 367-6480.

Links to photos and video from previous discussions as well as model U.N. sessions are located below.

Map and Directions to Crossroads School

Photos!

Streaming Video!

Survey on Whether War on Iraq is Undermining War on Terrorism

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The former members of the bipartisan 9/11 commission gave Congress and the president a report card Monday heavy in B's, C's and D's -- with five F's -- saying the nation was ill-prepared for another terrorist attack. The 570-page, 14-chapter report concluded that a "failure of imagination" kept U.S. officials from understanding the al Qaeda threat before the attacks.

F's were cited for the lack of an adequate radio band for first responders, poor airline passenger pre-screening, the "burying" of the overall intelligence budget within the defense budget, and coalition standards for terrorist detention.

Our question is this, "Do you think that the Bush Administration's war on Iraq has been a distraction that has kept the government from devoting necessary resources to fighting the war on terror?"

Survey on Whether War on Iraq is Undermining War on Terrorism

Previous Survey Results!

Last newsletter's question was:

The New York Times reported the following [on Monday, November 28, 2005]:

Gimme an Rx! Cheerleaders Pep Up Drug Sales by STEPHANIE SAUL

As an ambitious college student, Cassie Napier had all the right moves - flips, tumbles, an ever-flashing America's sweetheart smile - to prepare for her job after graduation. She became a drug saleswoman.

Ms. Napier, 26, was a star cheerleader on the national-champion University of Kentucky squad, which has been a springboard for many careers in pharmaceutical sales. She now plies doctors' offices selling the antacid Prevacid for TAP Pharmaceutical Products.

Ms. Napier says the skills she honed performing for thousands of fans helped land her job. "I would think, essentially, that cheerleaders make good sales people," she said.

Anyone who has seen the parade of sales representatives through a doctor's waiting room has probably noticed that they are frequently female and invariably good looking. Less recognized is the fact that a good many are recruited from the cheerleading ranks.

Our question of the week is: "Do you think that cheerleaders are a good source of recruits for representatives of pharmaceutical companies?"

Click here to access the entire article on this topic in the New York Times.

Survey on Whether It is a Good Idea for Cheerleaders to Pep Up Drug Sales

Responses:

1. Yes 3 (50%)

2. No 2 (33%)

3. Not Sure 1 (17%)

COMMENTS ON THE ISSUE

Whether It is a Good Idea for Cheerleaders to Pep Up Drug Sales

Bobbi Clemons; Home School, 2004; Civitas Staff; 2004 -

Do we know if Pfizer uses cheerleaders in any Viagra campaigns?

Brett DeLaria; S.L.U.H., 2008

I am indifferent to the topic. People have to have jobs, and if they're good at drug sales (legal, of course) then they should do that. Now if the article was trying to suggest, as it sort of did towards the end, that these former cheerleaders and women are using sexual appeal to sell these drugs to doctors then maybe we should question that issue. It seems almost that the article is trying to ask two questions instead of focusing on one. Therefore...cheerleaders in marketing? Yes, if they're qualified and good at it. No, if all they plan to use is good looks to get through life. Remember beauty isn't eternal.

Additional Links

Photo Gallery
Streaming Video [Real Media]
Civitas Calendar
Civitas Intranets Site
Civitas Home Page
Maps & Directions
Previous Newsletters
Resolutions (High School U.N.) for 2004-2005
Checklist for Writing a Model U.N. Resolution
General Assembly Countries
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