Firearms From U.S. Being Used in Mexico For Drug Violence

Summary: Since late in 2006, Mexican cartels have been taking advantage of the United States gun laws, and smuggling thousands of guns across the boarder to use in an escalating Mexican drug war. Already, it has taken over 31,000 lives, and it has been discovered that about eighty percent of the guns being used are coming from the U.S. The Mexican drug traffickers are hiring Americans to sell the guns to them. So far it's been working effectively for them because they have seized over 90,000 American weapons. Payments are up to $200 for the weapons. Many Americans don't realize what the use of the weapons are for, therefore they have no clue that the intentions for the guns are to kill other innocent people. It's been noted that the recent increase in purchases is fueling excessive violence in Mexico, and experts are beginning to see the direct link. Most purchases have been along the Southwest Boarder. The guns are not being sold to honest hands, which gives great reason for the U.S. to begin taking charge and having a say in the matter.

Opinion: This is a very serious situation that is falling into the hands of the United States. Experts say that we are being caught red handed, but is it really a criminal matter and our fault if no one knew the intentions for the weapons. The U.S. shouldn't be blamed for the matter unless there is proof that sellers had recollection of the uses for the guns and knew about the violence happening in Mexico. Even though I don't believe we are responsible for the loss of innocent live in Mexico, I do believe that it is our duty as a neighboring country to step in and help. In a way we have been a part of this blood shed and out of the goodness in our hearts, we should help try to clean it up. Mexico is becoming a scary and violent place. This isn't good for them or us. If we want to keep everyone safe, help our people, their people, and both of our economies, than something needs to be done about the drugs, guns, and violence.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40572312/ns/world_news-americas/

Warm, Beating Hearts Offer Transplant Hope

Summary: In Los Angeles a woman with the name of Andrea Ybarra, was donated a heart that was beating before the doctors even transplanted it. This is a new operation that has been mostly done in Europe, but now it has been brought in the States and seems to be working with positive effects. Usually when organs are transported for donations, they are put into and ice box, if you will, and a chemical is injected into it to make it stop functioning and stay preserved. Although the doctors don't have much time to get it into the donor patient. The organs only stay fresh up to 4 to 6 hours. This also means that when someone needs an organ they can't look too far away for a donor because of the minimal time gap. The longer it takes for the transplant to occur the greater the chances are for death or disease of the patient. Now, specifically for hearts, they have found a way to get around the problem. Recently hearts have been placed in a box where blood is pumped through it and it is kept warm. This way it never stops functioning and there is more time for the transplant to take place. If experts are able to preserve hearts longer it could greatly change the field.

Opinion: I think that this new discovery is fantastic! What a break-through in science. Many more people are going to be able to find donors because they will be able to look farther away from home. There will also be less risks because the heart never stops beating; when it gets put into the patient, it feels like the heart has always been a part of them and that they feel as good as new. Therefore, I think this new discovery is an all around win. Something like this has needed to happen for awhile. It may also make people more willing to donate their organs. If there is a greater chance of knowing that their organs will be able to be used, they will more than likely be more willing to donate. I know that I am signed up to be an organ donor and I only hope that someday I can save someones life. With this new found technology there is a greater chance that my heart could save somebody and that make me really happy, I'm sure as well as the people on the donor waiting list. It's a beautiful thing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40518894/ns/health-heart_health/

Town That Disney Built Became A Crime Scene

Summary: In Celebration, Florida, this week brings nothing to celebrate. For the first time in 14 years the town and wonderful community endured their first homicide. Just five miles South of Walt Disney World, residents were shocked by the news that the 58-year old neighbor living on the bottom floor had been killed. No one had seen him in days and so they filled a missing person's report, but found that it was too late. This type of crime is very rare for the kind and giving community of Celebration. The biggest criminal reports they get are that of if a bike were to be stolen, not murder. Inhabitants of the town are starting to become frightened and wonder if this is the same town that they once had known it to be, but officials and specialists are quickly calming their nerves by letting them know that the incident was isolated. Over the years there has been crime in Celebration, but always much less than neighboring communities.

Opinion: I think it is always sad to hear criminal news reports, and terrible actions, such as this, taking place somewhere that is said to be high class and safe. It makes people feel like there isn't a secure place to go and live in peace, but I disagree. Even though things can happen in the nicest of places, I don't think that automatically makes them a bad place to reside. Celebration is a good community and has been for fourteen years. They shouldn't let this get in the way of their views of the area. It was a freak case that may take time to recover from, but all in all Celebration should go back to the way they acted and saw their neighbors before the heartbreaking news. If they were as strong of a community as they said they were prior to what happened, then I know that they can pull together and get back to the happy place that they were at. Neighbors and friends can make all of the bads in life disappear.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40476879/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Sorry Doc, It's Not in The Budget

Summary: Studies show that about one-third of Americans are living without health care treatments because they cannot afford it. This percentage is greater than the number of residents going without health care treatments in ten other industrialized countries. In Britain only 5% of the residents have ever missed a treatment, which is much less than 33%. Canada also has a lower percentage of 15. These statistics were discovered by a new study called The Commonwealth Fund. This foundation, found in New York, has a main focus of looking at common health care problems and why there is an avoidance of getting care when illnesses occur. Recently their main focus has been on America, Australia, Germany, and France; which concluded that Americans were far more likely to skip out on doctors appointments and visits to the hospital because of the money issue. They would rather save what they have than spend their pay on check-ups and prescriptions. Studies showed that Americans were not only struggling with cost but also with higher out-of-pocket costs, insurance, and paying regular bills. Money has become a major problem.

Opinion: When I read this article it made me sick to think that some people don't even have the choice to go see a doctor when they are ill. They simply have to avoid going because they can't figure out a way to pay the high fees. I really feel that there is a very demanding need, in America, to lower health care costs. If someone is sick it should be a priority to get them the help that they need. Materialistic items are a different story, but when it comes to health everyone should be able to afford medical care. I don't understand why conditions have to be so harsh in this debated area. As a country we should bless everyone with good health and therefore make it more affordable to all classes of society. It should from here on out be an immediate action, to lower heal care costs and give to the people a necessity that we all commonly share. No one should have to debate whether they can afford going to the doctor or not.

http://lifeinc.todayshow.com/_news/2010/11/23/5496431-sorry-doc-its-not-in-the-budget

Issue #2: Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients

Summary: Today, Americans strongly feel the need for adequate medical care among all citizens. The government has to make health care accessible and affordable in order to create an equality throughout the country, when it comes to visiting the doctor, or the entire situation becomes a major issue. The government spent nearly $420 billion on Medicare in 2006 and experts are agreeing that because of increasing costs and population they will run out of money unless changes are made. Medicare helps to aid with hospital expenses. It can help pay for hospital nursing care, where the patient must pay first out of their own pockets, and then Medicare covers the remaining expenses; also Medicare covers 80 percent of doctors' fees, laboratory tests, and other medical expenses for each beneficiary. As of 2008 doctors that treat Medicare patients faced cuts of 5 to 10 percent in their reimbursements form the federal government. As of now Medicare dictates that doctors get paid based on quantity rather than quality of their work. Therefore, in late 2006 legislators passed "pay-for-performance" which is a system that allows Medicare to pay a 1.5 percent bonus to all doctors that provide information about the quality of their services. This way doctors will be getting paid for giving patients the right diagnoses and treatment instead of them making money off of lousy treatment/prescriptions and patients having to come back for a re-evaluation. By encouraging better services legislators are hoping to increase Medicare customers and create a steady supply of customers. This way more people will be demanding Medicare and the cost can be lowered. One side of the debate over "pay-for-performance" establishes that it will promote better communication between patients and their doctors, the best hospitals will get better recognition, and it will point out that insurance and medical associations are successful because of quality as well. On the other hand, non supporters of the new system say that federal officials are not equipped to set the standards of the medical field. Some feel that it will offend the professionals education and judgement. It's also argued that the 1.5 percent bonus is not a substantial enough amount and doctors should be providing quality care at all times.

Opinion: The idea of ensuring a more vital health care process is definitely a step in the right direction. First of all I think that all people should have the right to acquire some form of health care. Granted lower income patients may not receive as much as higher income patients, but with that being said they should both get some or a certain type of financial aid. I also think that by providing a more quality based medical system would be very beneficial to people that visit doctors frequently. It makes me sick thinking that a professional doctor would write the wrong prescription to have the person pay more money to come back for another. The system would make customers feel better about their evaluations and the doctors would take pride in their work. The physicians that were already working based on quality and not quantity would be gaining money to keep doing what they had been doing, therefore it would be a win all around. Once people got service that they knew they could rely and depend on, I think that they would be more willing to pay for Medicare, that way with the increase in purchases, the cost of Medicare and Health care in general could be lowered in the long run. Overall, the decrease in the number of deaths, the better patient to doctor communication, the quality work, increase in pay for doctors doing good, and decrease in pay for health care makes the "pay-for-performance" a system of value. Uwe E. Reinhardt is an economist professor at Princeton and he agrees that "pay-for-performance is the way we should be headed, along with making headway in other aspects of health care as well.

Issue: #1 http://rachelrachrachel.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-1-comprehensive-vs-incremental.html

Issue:#3 http://maxineannec.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-3-safe-to-eat.html

Police Clash With California Students At Tuition Protest

Summary: In the city of San Francisco, police arrested and pepper-sprayed multiple students that attend the University of California. The students were a the time protesting against a tuition increase. The scandal involved a violent uprising and left four police officers injured. Thirteen people were arrested at the scene and ten of the thirteen were college students. The protesters became very enraged and physical. Some even surrounded a cop, out numbering him by a large amount, and they grabbed his baton and started hitting him with it. This is when the officer called in for back-up. The Police force even felt the need to draw there weapons at certain points because the crowd got so out of hand. Fortunately the police used pepper spray on fifteen of the protesters that tried to get into the building. About 300 students and workers were involved in the protest of an eight percent tuition raise and 32 percent fee increase. The plan would cause student fees to go from $822 to $11,124. Officials replied by saying that the increase was needed to maintain student enrollment courses and services. Although, there is a plan called the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, so student families earning less than $80,000 per year would not have to pay any tuition if they got financial aid and the plan currently covers families making $70,000 or less.

Opinion: If I put myself in those college students shoes, which is easy to do because I will be attending college next year, I would be upset as well. I know that paying a college tuition is a challenge for many American families. State schools are supposed to be more reasonable, but even then it gets to be enormously spendy. Students should NOT be deprived of a college education because they aren't financially stable. How do we know that a person in poverty, not able to pay for college, could have been the man to find a cure for cancer? I'm not saying that just anyone should be let in, but what I am saying is that students that work hard all through high school, are involved, and get good grades should be able to attend a college without having to worry about breaking the bank. I feel that the California University students had a right to protest against the issue at hand. Except I don't agree with how far they took things. They would have gotten their point across without physically injuring public authorities. That was taking things a step too far. They needed to let their voices be heard, but without actually taking down the officers. So to sum things up I say go college students, speak your mind; without hurting anyone!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40243640/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Cracks Found in Shuttle Fuel Tank

Summary: Recently NASA discovered multiple cracks in the fuel tank of one of their space shuttles. The space shuttle was called Discovery and once the fractures in the tank were found the shuttle was demanded to stay grounded until the end of November. The cracks were figured to have been caused by a hydrogen gas leak, which also made them cancel the launch attempt on Friday. Later cracks also became visible in the isulation as well as in the actual aluminum. Now engineers are looking to see if they can figure out ways to fix the tank at the pad. Usually things like this are fixed at a facility but now they are going to have to figure out some way to fix it at the launch pad so that the launch mission can go back into action as soon as possible.

Opinion: Hopefully experts are able to come up with something to fix the cracks in the aluminum tank. It sounds like it won't be as safe to try and fix it at the launch pad, so careful and prestigious work should be done to make sure that nothing goes wrong. They also need to try and figure out what caused the gas leak in the first place. Even though the launch is being delayed I feel like the engineers need to take their time in fixing the shuttle so that nothing goes wrong again. Thankfully, the fractures in the tank were found before launch took place so that nothing bad happened. I'm sure they will be able to fix up Discovery and get the mission started again soon.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40114376/ns/technology_and_science-space/

Beijing Bashing and A Professorial Panda

Summary: The United States didn't pay much attention to China's reaction of the American Midterm voting. Last month it was noticed that in a New York Times ad China was deliberately being bashed. Politicians in the November 2nd election have been campaigning a great deal more than in recent years and the Chinese Communist Party feels as though China has become a mid-term election strategy for both the Republican and Democratic parties. An example of a political ad, offending Chinese citizens was an ad called, "The Chinese Professor." The ad was posted on the web and has gotten more than 800,000 views since the post. The responses to the video have been about equal as to whether it accurately depicts the future. China concluded that the election may have some effects on its domestic policies, but only a slight effect on major topics such as currency and trade issues.

Opinion: China thinks that we are using the country as a strategy to better our governmental voting, but I say that they are reading way to far into the situation at hand. Just because their country has been mentioned in a couple campaign ads, doesn't mean that we are trying to use or get back at them in any way. Instead of just seeing what's going on on the surface of the campaigning, they should read between the lines and see that maybe we are comparing ourselves to China and mentioning them because their country is worth mentioning. It shouldn't be seen as an insult but rather worldly advertisement for both countries. Many people are commenting and listening to the ads and forming their own opinions; which right now are said to be half and half. Therefore, helping America as well as giving China some spotlight and discussion.

http://behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/03/5401688-beijing-bashing-and-a-professorial-panda-

Hotel Replaces Room Keys With Mobile Phones

Summary: Visitors planning to stay at a Stockholm hotel will be able to use their cell phones as a key to unlock their room. The world's larges maker of door locks has created a brand new way to use mobile phones. Recently it has been confirmed that customers attending a hotel will be able to place close-range chips into their phones, launched by a pilot, to open their room door. It is a process much like the self pay stalls at gas stations. Soon people will be able to check in through their phones, skip registration, and activate a phone as a key and holding it next to the door in order to open it. The new short-range radio technology is still trying to get the kinks all worked out before expanding to other buildings and hotels, but is expected to be built into smart phones in upcoming years. This new form of phone technology is said to be less time consuming and also a better form of security. Old keys will still be given out, but for people that wish to apply the new technology to their phones will have the chance to try it.

Opinion: I think that the technology today is becoming so much more advanced and the things people are inventing and coming up with are very creative, to the point where it is cool and convenient. The phone becoming your door key idea is great because it would cut time off of having to check in and out of hotels, the worry about losing your key would be eliminated, and you would be able to feel more safe knowing that you are the only one that has a key to your room. Although it could create a more clueless environment, as to the people that are staying in the hotel, but I feel like once issues and glitches are worked out in the system, it will become the more preferred way of door keys in hotels. Also not only would it work for hotels but it could also become a big seller for businesses, restaurants, and other buildings with locks. The world is becoming more advanced, and in a way that benefits our needs and conveniences.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39976610/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/

Investors Have Stake in Tuesday's Elections

Summary: There has been a rally in the stock market for about two months now, and on Tuesday these investors will witness if the outcomes of the elections are in their favor. An overwhelming amount of them are hoping for more Republicans in Congress and lots of cheap money. The stock market has been showing that the Republicans are gaining ground in the polls and if they have a bigger population than the Democrats it is more likely that our government will become more business-friendly. They figure that this type of economy will lower the unemployment rate; so long as the market stays active. As of now there is a 45 percent chance that the Republicans will take over 60 seats in the house.

Opinion: I believe that investors will have an affect on the upcoming election. Their desire to outnumber the Democrats in Congress will make the elections very competitive and close in numbers. Although I'm not sure if their desires will quite be enough. Since there are a greater amount of Democrats in Congress today, it will take more than just investors alone to change the numbers that drastically. I have a feeling that if there is a Democrat representing a state now, then it is more likely for the state to elect another Democratic Representative. I think that the investors are on the right track though, and have good reasons for their battle. A business-friendly government could very well be a step in the right direction for our country, I'm just not sure it will happen that quickly.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39937144/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

56 Tornadoes in 2 Days! Storm Roars Across The U.S.

Summary: People living in the states stretching from across the Dakotas all the way to North Carolina were affected by a huge storm that accumulated great winds, rain, and flooding. The gusts of wind produced 56 tornadoes that swept across the country from the Midwest and headed southern and eastern. It is considered to be the second largest outbreak in October of tornadoes on record. Not only did the storm produce rain and winds, some of the more northern states even got snow-like conditions that created slush and ice. The weather has calmed down some since Wednesday and is said to be back to more fall-like weather soon, but the victims of the massive storm were interviewed and said that the weather hit so quickly that they didn't even have time to prepare. In places the winds came on faster than usual and in seconds had taken out the windows of a person's house. Weather channels reported that when all said and done, 22 tornadoes actually touched down and the winds reached a speed of 111 mph. This random October storm came on fast and was frightening for all involved.

Opinion: I agree that the storm became very forceful, very quickly. In Minnesota there was more wind, rain, and snow than anything else, even though we didn't get any tornadoes, it was still noted that the storm took flight quickly and was affecting many people. I spent about three hours sitting in the living room trying to finish my homework in the dark. Our power was out from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and not being able to turn on water, having no heat, no lights, and not even being able to flush the toilets got annoying fast. I feel selfish because I can't even begin to imagine losing more than just power in a storm like that. It makes me feel lucky to have what I do and empathize the people that may have lost their entire house to this weather. It also got me to thinking that organizations and groups should be set up to help victims during times like these; along with figuring out ways to help get them back on their feet. I know that every little bit makes a difference, so if we all pulled together to make try and make a change and help others, we could make a miraculous difference.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39885184

U.S. Terror War in Yemen Frustrated by Politics

Summary: For about a year the United States has debated a war with Yemen. The ongoing debate has been very secretive, but looks like it could be coming to a head because the government of this small Arab nation is becoming more aggressive and is beginning to start an even bigger fight. Yemeni tactics are usually to negotiate with other tribes but now their officials are saying that Washington is pressuring them to be more aggressive. The U.S. is trying to resist the taunting such as the attempt to blow up a plane over Christmas Day last year, but now we've sent many people into Yemen to train counter terrorism forces. Very little progress has been visible and America is still trying to be corrupt, but while trying to stay safe we are also trying to ignore the threats. The American Government has decided that a war would not be in our best interest right now, due to the war going on over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Opinion: I think that not going to war at the present time is the right decision. As long as the threats stay low on the radar and not dangerous enough to do much harm then war shouldn't even be a question. It's never smart to just jump to conclusions and to have war be the first attempt to resolve it. In my opinion war is never the answer, and I don't see where the war in Iraq has even got us. We jumped to conclusions there, fought the wrong people, and gained nothing from it. So the fact that we are waiting to see what happens with Yemen and letting it play out a little bit is smart on America's part. We don't need any more enemies, especially over in that area of the world. Peace should be our aim right now, not war and fighting. Peace and love will get us further in life.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39708280/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Ecological Catastrophe

Summary: On Tuesday October 5th the Hungarian Government announced that a toxic spill in Budapest ended up taking three lives. People were found in a state of panic and shock as the red liquid textured toxin swept through the town and counties. Six people were confirmed to be missing after the disaster and 120 had been injured. On Monday the goop poured out from a nearby contaminated pond filled with traces of multiple metals because it was the product from aluminum production. The sludge was able to eat through people's clothing, causing rash deep tissue burns and harmful health defects if swallowed. The 35.3 million cubic feet of this toxin was being attempted to harden and to stop the flow by pouring vast amounts of plaster into the river. If the goop would have reached other nearby rivers many more people could have been put into danger. This spill damaged many many homes, environments, and came to be called a major ecological catastrophe.

Opinion: The sad thing about this story, even though it was an accident, is that it could have been prevented. Why was anyone just letting a toxic waste pond sit without being watched or concerned of it spilling? The Aluminum Production Plant clearly knew that the waste was going somewhere and that if the build-up were to come into contact with humans there could be major problems. So my point is why wasn't the waste disposed of or taken care of before a catastrophe like this occurred. I feel as though they are responsible for the injuries and deaths caused by the toxic sludge and something needs to change with the way they dispose of their metal products. The money used to help clean up the sludge should come out of the corporations revenue to make them realize their carelessness and to create some fairness out of the mess. I truly feel bad for everyone involved in the disaster and hope that they can pull together as a community to get back on their feet and return to their past lives without too much pain and suffering. Their sticking together will make all the difference.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39513858/ns/world_news-europe/

Issue #2: Spending What We Can Afford

Summary: The Government's budget glass is overflowing. Economists are worrying about the Government's borrowing of money and the affects that it's going to start to have on business loans. America's debt has been accumulating and budget deficits are now adding up to total a debt of over trillions of dollars. The deficit reached a high during the 1980's of $290 billion dollars, then later on the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 came into play and created tax cuts in order to help reduce spending. Although this seemed to be helpful for awhile, the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 caused a setback in the debt's decreasing progression. Because of the expenses for rebuilding, security, and military demands the budget deficit rose yet again to a high of $412 billion dollars. Once things began to get worse, in 2007 Congress passed a rule called, pay-as-you-go, which means that they are trying to contain the deficit matter and reel it in to a bearable amount. It is persuaded to be the right approach by the Government and it speaks to the American public because it suggests that they will only need to pay as much as they can at a time. Congress was hoping that by doing this they could catch up on some of the accumulating deficits without going into further debt. On the other hand, some people shot down the intuitive idea and said that it would only lead to a spike in taxes, lower the response to national emergencies, and that it would upset electoral voters. Even though this was an empowered attempt to decrease debt, America is still trillions upon trillions of dollars in the hole today. Economists are still worried that we could be headed into an economic depression until something drastic can be done.

Opinion: If I would have had a say in the matter I would have voted for the pay-as-you-go measure. I feel that this attempt to stop the constant rise in deficit was a good idea and had potential to make a dent in America's overwhelming amount of debt. My motto is that every little bit counts. So even if not all of the deficits could be fully paid off, at least people would give what they had and decrease the major debt amount little by little. As long as people kept working towards paying it off fully the numbers would decline and eventually put a minor halt in the deficit progression. Nothing else was causing a change in our countries economic finance crisis so there was really no reason to not try something new. If it lead to a spike in tax payment then people could speak up and try to change the rules and once there was a visual change in the deficit amounts Americans would see that the paygo rule was passed to favor the people as well as their country. Today many corporations, such as the Economic Policy Institute, economists(Jeff Faux), and politicians are trying to help create a better economy in the United States and by doing so they are decreasing the amount of debt we owe. In turn this helps us as Americans by lowering poverty rates, increasing job opportunities, and creating a share in prosperity. I feel that the paygo act could have made great changes in our economy and I applaud those who are still fighting for those same purposes today.

Issue #1: War Dollars

http://daniellescurrenteventblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/issue-1-war-dollars.html

Issue #3: Social Insecurity

http://rachelrachrachel.blogspot.com/2010/10/topic-3-social-insecurity.html

Ships Take To Arctic Ocean As Sea Ice Melts

Summary: The search for a new trade route that is trying to connect Europe with the Far East, Northweast Passage, was put on hold because of all of the melting ice in the Arctic Ocean. The Icelandic President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, recently quoted in a paper that this famous passage was turnging into a "trans-Arctic Panama Canal." Now it has been noted the ships are being improved and re-designed to withstand floating icebergs on the route. Multiple ships have stuggled trying to make it through the dangerous passage, but about a week ago a ship traveled from Russia to China without a problem. Therefore some watercrafts are getting lucky but others not so much. The ice will still remain to be a problem if not tended to soon. Because of so called accidents on voyages through the Northwest passage experts are predicting that there won't be many ships traveling from Europe to the Far east.

Opinion: Trading is a major part of every countries economy. It is a way for the worldly cultures and traditions to stay connected. It's like the saying, "If I scratch your back, you scratch my back." We all depend on eachother for our needs and when one countries economy is successful then most likely we are all successful. Therefore, without main trading routes economies could suffer and jobs will be lost. The melting ice in the Arctic is creating great harm and danger for the environment and mankind. Not only is it harming the way we live but it is also causing dangerous conditions for animal life in the Arctic and possibly increase extinction numbers. If there is one thing that I know, it's that something needs to be done about the melting ice and everything that is being affected because of it. We need to come together and make some major changes if we want to save the economy, jobs, wildlife, and make a difference in the world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39394645/ns/world_news-world_environment/

2 Dead In Philadelphia Kraft Foods Plant Shooting

Summary: Thursday September 9th a 43 year old women was suspended from her job, and instead of acting like a mature adult and walking away from the situation, she got upset and took her anger out on others. Ten minutes after being let go the women returned into the Kraft Foods Plant, where she had worked, holding a handgun. She had already been escorted out earlier that day, but re-entered the building raging with emotions. Her first shots were fired at the police officers and then at the employees she used to work with. Her actions were rigerous, violent, and frantic. This irrational behavior led to two deaths and a very horrifying day for the Plant.

Opinion: The women in this article had no indications of acting her age. She reacted to the suspention of her job the way a two year old would throw a tantrum after getting a crayon taken away while coloring. She had no intention of staying calm or being rational about the situation, she only could think about getting back at the company for firing her. In my opinion this is definitely not the way to react or go about finding a new job by any means. She made the wrong choices and will have to live with her mistake the rest of her life. I'm thinking that the guilt is only a tiny part of the punishment she should be given for her actions.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39089483/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

World Cup Journalists Robbed

Summary: Three journalists were robbed of money, passports, cameras, and computers while covering the World Cup in South Africa. Armed suspects were said to have entered three hotel rooms where the journalists were staying, near the town of Magaliesburg, and stole many goods. Two of the journalists slept through the entire robbery but another woke up to gun point and was demanded to keep quiet. Police were called immediately after they departed, but no one has been caught yet. Hundreds of thousands of fans and journalists are entering into South Africa this week to watch and cover the World Cup soccer tournament. And with this being one of the biggest sporting events in the world this year people are beginning to worry that more robberies and crimes will start to take place.

Opinion: This would have to be one of my biggest fears. If I were one of these three journalists I would have been terrified and I would hope that the supects would be caught. Since this is going to be such a huge event I feel that there should be more security around and people should realize that they need to take precautions for this type of thing. Make sure that they are in a safe area while staying and keep everything locked during their stay. The three journalists were very lucky that they were only robbed and that the suspects didn't commit an even bigger crime. Hopefully nothing else like this happens in South Africa during the World Cup and the fans and journalists can just relax and enjoy the excitment of the wonderful game of soccer.

Mexico Asks For Probe Into Teen's Shooting Death By U.S. Border Agent

Summary: Ciudad Jarez is a Mexican teen that was shot by a U.S. Border agent while involved in a rock-throwing incident. This teen's death was the second in two weeks by the U.S. border agents. It all started Monday night when the Border Patrol was called because it had been noted that suspected illegal immigrants were trying to smuggle into the United States. They arrived near a river bank and one of the agents caught one of the suspects while the other two suspects started throwing rocks a he agent and began to run back into Mexico. They kept throwing rocks at him and that's when he pulled out his weapon and started firing, later becoming fatal for one of them. It was a sad and preventable situation.

Opinion: Even though the boys were irritating the agent by throwing rocks at him I still feel that it gave him no reason to take out his gun and start shooting at them. They were just young boys, and yes they probably should have known better, but still boys will be boys. I think that it was the agents fault and I don't think that I would see it as an act of self defence. If it were me I would feel very guilty about the action and I don't think the boy deserved what he got.

Prostesters Descend on Ground Zero For Anti-Mosque Demonstration

Summary: Protesters gather in Manhattan to protest against the plans to start building a mosque near the sight where the Twin Towers once stood. The protesters feel that the building of the mosque is an effort to insult the victims of September 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center was destroyed by Islamist hijackers and will also establish a beachhead for a political Islamic supremacism in New York. They think that Ground Zero is a burial ground and that eveyone needs to respect it as one. "We feel it would be more appropriate maybe to build a center dedicated to expunging the Quranic texts of the violent ideology that inspired jihad, or perhaps a center to the victims of hundreds of millions of years of jihadi wars, land enslavements, cultural annihilations and mass slaughter." These two completely different ideas are hoped to come to some sort of happy medium and used in some way that everyone will appreciate.

Opinion: I actually don't agree with either side of this debate. I don't feel that it would be right to build a mosque with a performing arts center, gym, pool, and other public places over the site of Ground Zero because that place means so much more than that. But i also don't agree with what the protesters want to build there either. I feel that this cherished spot in New York city needs to be kept as a memorial, a place where people can pray for their loved ones lost in the attack, and a place that we can look at and see how our country stuck together during that time of need and to show how proud we are of everyone who fought through the smoke that day. I hope that nothing is built in replace of the World Trade Center and it is kept as a memorial site.

Mom of Toddler Smoker in Indonesia Seeks Help for Him

Summary: Two year old Aldi weighs twice as much as a normal child at his age, reaching just over 44 pounds. But that's not the only difference; this little boy also is a two year old that smokes. He was found in a video on the internet smoking like he had been doing so for about thirty years and instantly became a local celebrity. The mother of Aldi said that smoking has been a part of their culture for so long that it isn't seen as hazerdous, poisonous, or a factor of causing illness. Although his mom is realizing the problem at hand and seeking help for her son, but not becuase she knows it is bad for his health but because his parents don't want to have to spend so much money on his cigarettes. Aldi smokes about 40 cigarettes daily and they can't keep up with the payments. Both parents have quit smoking and Jakarta has cut down. Hopefully this little boy, with the help of his family, can stop smoking soon.

Opinion: I honestly could not belive what I was hearing when I first read through this article!! A two year old smoking, you've got to be kidding me! Truethfully I think it's bad for adults to just be smoking next to children, but to actually let your child smoke at the age of two, what were they thinking. People really need to be better informed about the harmful affects of smoking and second hand smoke. It is disgusting and I bet that anyone who is better informed about the harm they are doing to themselves and others would try to stop on the spot. Also, the fact that they wanted him the stop smoking based on money purposes is sickening as well. I know they don't really realize the harm it is doing to Jakarta, but his health should always com first. I hope that by this article and broadcast many people will see how extreme smoking has become and how harmful it really can be to them and more people will stop. We would have a safer and healthier planet by doing so.

Obama Gets First-hand View of Oil Spill Impact

Summary: President Obama is in Louisiana watching first-hand the impact of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, a month after the spill, BP has had some success by going through a risky procedure known as "top kill." This procedure has never been tried on the oceans surface before but it seems to be working for this tragic situation. "Top Kill" consists of pumping mud into the well at a high pressure and as of now it has stopped the heavy flow of oil into the Gulf. The substance is a water-based mud and almost nontoxic. But better yet, it isn't oil. Another procedure that is being tested on the scene involves shooting debris into the blowout preventer in hopes of clogging it and stopping the leak. This is Obama's second visit to Louisiana scince the oil rig explosion and he says that it is his job to make sure everything possible is done the get the oil flow stopped and under control. After the spill estimates reached over 5,000 barrels per day there became an even bigger urgency. The oil spill has already taken a toll on Louisiana's coasts but are being worked on continuously to be stopped and hopefully the new procedures being used will end up being a success.

Opinion: Since the oil explosion and the leaking of oil into the Gulf, many things have been done in order to try and stop the spill. I think it's very smart for us to be trying new procedures and making as big of an effort as possible to try and get the situation under control. The attempts to pump mud into the well and to try and clog the hole are good ideas that hope to turn out to be helpful. The more ideas we come up with and attempts we make to stop the leak, the better off the situation will be and the quicker we will achieve a better outcome. I also think that it is good for President Obama to be at the scene of the crime and to actually witness first-hand the tragedy in affect. He needs to show the American people his support and efforts for our country and we need to know that as a leader, we can count on him. I hope everything pulls through and the leak is stopped as quickly as possible.

Battle For A Second Chance Leads To A Landmark Ruling

Summary: Mary Graham is the mother of a boy who was sentenced to a life in prison at the age of 17 in 2006 for committing a second armed robbery. There would be no more life in the outside world for her son and she would no longer be able to see him happy doing the things that he enjoyed. But this past Monday, May 17th, the supreme court gave the Grahams a ray of hope. The court decided that the punishment of life in prison without payrole was far to cruel for someone under 18 that had not been convicted of murder. It was researched that no other country punishes this way because it gives them no chance to redeem themselves and to learn from their mistakes. It is likely that Mr. Graham will return to court for resentensing and will probably still be put in prison for some time but at least now there is hope for him in the future. As a child Terrance was a good boy but fell into the wrong crowd in high school. Now even in prison he is trying to turn his life around. He works in the prison library and ended up recieving his high school diploma from prison. This just goes to show that people may make mistakes but that doesn't mean they will be that way forever and won't realize the wrongs that they've done.

Opinion: After reading this article I believe that the sentence of life in prison without the possibility of payrole was definitely too harsh for the crime that Terrance Graham committed. I do think that he deserves prison time but at the age of 17, life in prison seems to be a bit much. With this sentence he isn't even givin the opportunity to change or learn from his mistakes. Some of our greatest world leaders have made mistakes, learned from them, and then made something of themselves, so why souldn't we give Terrance the same chance. Especially after seeing his determination to keep up with his school work and graduate from high school. It just goes to show that he already is trying to change for the better and become the person he wishes he could have been before making those wrong decisions. I hope that his resentence will now be changed to only a certain number of years in prison, therefore giving him the opportunity to be with his family again and to make something of himself. Miracles happen every day.

Consequences of Spills Can Last for Decades

Summary: The oil from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico is beginning to seep closer towards the U.S. and environmental scientists are saying that it could have ecological and biological consequences for years and many years to come. The ocean is a major source of food and a home for hundreds of differents species. The affects of the oil could be devistating for humans as well as other animals that depend on the intricate ecosystem for survival. Scientists say that the oil is likely to persist because the marshes don't form many waves and the soil is oxygen poor. It may not cause a huge problem at first but in twenty years when the oil has seeped into the soil it could create a real chronic effect. After the explosion April 20th in the Gulf, the oil spill was recognized and it is said that about 1.6 million gallons of oil has spilled so far. It's spreading fast and officials are worried about its destruction. The oil will try to be stopped from reaching the coast since that will determine how bad the long term impacts will be.

Opinion: I feel like the environmental specialists should have anticipated the oil spill after the explosion more so than they did. I know they are trying to help now and have determined where and when the spill took place, but I feel bad for all of the animals that are having to live with it and are being affected by it. I also hope that the spill can be stopped from reaching the coast so that there will be less long term affects and no major damage is caused by it. The whole thing was an accident and therefore I really want nothing bad to come from it. I know the environmental specialists will do all they can to save the animals of the area and to stop the spill from getting any worse and spreading further, but they can't do it alone. I'm sure that they need all the help they can so we should all be thinking about them and helping out in any way that we can!

At Least Twelve Missing After Blast on Oil Rig in Gulf

Summary: The U.S. coast guard recently stated that there are twelve people missing and seven critically injured after and oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion took place Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. about 52 miles away from Venice, Louisiana. The rig was called Deepwater Horizon and was reported to have still been on fire midday Wednesday. When the explosion took place there was 126 people on board. Helicopters were flown in for support and to evacuate the victims. The majority of the crew came out safely but some others were injured or missing. Because of the explosion it is very likely for an oil spill to occur, but the agency is closely watching and regulating the oil industry and there hasn't been any reports of a spill. Usually fires like this one are very rare and causes are still unknown. Many people were caught off guard by the explosion and the accident was very unexpected.

Opinion: Im glad that the majority of the workers came out of this accident alright and there haven't been any reported deaths yet. It was great that help from the states of Louisiana and Alabama got there so quickly for evacutions and I'm sure it helped to save many lives. The fires haven't created much harm yet but there needs to be a careful watch for oil spills and hopefully another disaster won't come out of this unexpected event. Everyone should pitch in and do their share to help out the victims and to make sure nothing else goes wrong. It's times like these when America can join together and put our differences aside to make a difference.

Five Pirate Suspects To Face Charges In U.S.

Summary: Military officials have said that recently five Somalian pirates were accused of attacking a U.S. Navy ship and could face criminal charges. Right now they are being held captive aboard the USS Nicholas and off the horn of Africa will be transferred to the Department of Justice. The Department has enough evidence on the five to prosecute them, but most likely they will be tried in federal court before a decision is made. The attack was said to have happened and heard from nearby islands. The Navy ship was reported to have been taking fire at a pirate skiff west of Seychelles. The Nicholas started to fire back at the skiff and eventually disabled it. The last time something like this happened was April 2009 and the Military hopes this time will be the last.

Opinion: From the information provided I don't quite get why these Somalian pirates were attacking our Navy ships but it was not smart of them. For five men to attack a U.S. Navy base is not the wisest decision. I definitely think that they need to be punished and should be brought to the U.S. for a federal court trial and charges should be pressed. Their actions were inappropriate and flat out not smart. The Department has every right to prosecute them.

Military Sets Sights on June Push in Kandahar

Summary: U.S. troops and other forces in Afghanistan are looking towards gaining the southern city of Kandahar from the Taliban by June. Gaining control of the Taliban's spiritual center will be the second biggest operation that our military will face in this war. This movement rids the southern Afghan of Taliban control. The operation is said to last around two months or so but it has already been months in the making. Although it's noted that the preparatory work and the planning of the opperation is the most important part and determine the amount of success that comes out of it in the end. Kandahar has caused problems for the government of the Afghanistan Prsident Hamid Karazai and the U.S. ever since the Taliban ruled the country before the United States invaded in 2001. The new operation will take a stand and attemp to resolve this on going problem.

Opinion: I think that the operation sounds like a well thought out procedure and will help bring good to Afghanistan as well as the United States. I hope that it doesn't become overwhelmingly violent or life threatening for the U.S. soldiers but im glad to know that they are there for a reason and not just being kept away from their families for nothing. I feel as though they haven't been doing as much or should have stayed there that long just to clean up the mess in Afghanistan. They should be out doing what they signed up for and things that actually make them feel like heros. The operations are a good idea but I truly hope that no one gets hurt.

Afghan War Remains Absolutely Essential

Summary: Recently President Obama left the country to go rally troops and declair a remaining partnership with Afganistan. He said that he knows it's hard for the troops who there because they are missing their families back home but they have to realize that they are relying on them. He also said that he wouldn't keep the U.S. troops in Afghanistan unless it was essential. While there Obama had a meeting with Karazi, President in Afghan, and invited him to the white house in May. Karazi talked to the President for a half and hour and told him how grateful they are for the U.S. troops and everything they've done as well as the american people and their tax pays that have helped to rebuild their country. However, even though Obama went to discuss a few things with Karazi he said that the main reason for his travel was to visit the 80,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan. He wanted to assure them that they were making progress and that everyone back home would be notified that they are getting the security needed. Obama's final words were that "the United States of America does not quit once it starts on something."

Opinion: I completely understand everthing that President Obama is saying but im not sure i quite agree. It's hard to see families being torn apart because of the war and fathers, brothers, dad's, uncles, grandsons, having to be away from home for so long. I don't think that Obama should look as quitting but more or less that we went there and accomplished what needed to be done. These men are doing amazing and wonderful things for our country and others as well, like Afghanistan, but i feel that it is time for these heroes to be brought back home and reunited with their loved ones.

2 Wolves Shot; Tests to Determine Whether They Killed Woman

Summary: In Chignik Alaska, while a woman was out for a morning jog, supposedly got attacked and killed by two wild wolves. Authorities in Alaska are examining two wolves to see if they were the animals that killed Candice Berner. These two gray wolves were tracked down and shot by helicopter in order to be tested. It was noted that these were the only two wolves that they could find tracks for and they matched the description of the wolves seen standing by her dead body. Officials say that this type of attack by wolves is very rare and therefore along with tests to see if they killed the woman the animals will also be tested to see if they were rabid, starving, or suffering from another type of condition. This is recorded to be only the second wolf attack in North America. Experts say that wolve try to avoid interaction with humans and don't usually threaten people. The attack was a shock to all.

Opinion: I see the viewpoint of the people living in Alaska and wanting to find out more about the situation because it is so rare and scary. Although, i also feel bad for the wolves because what if they weren't even the wolves that attacked Candice Berner. I kind of feel like officials should have been a little more confident that those were the two wolves that created the confrontation or at least tried to think of another way to take tests without also having to kill the wolves. I think that a human life is more important but on the other hand i also realize that animals have feelings too. We would never do something like that to a human, use the death penalty, or just go on instinct without precise facts so why in this situation? I hope that they do figure out that those were the wolves and that they were ill and had a reason for killing but i am a huge animal person so i would feel terrible for the wolves if they were innocent.

Fake Russian Invasion Broadcast Sparks Georgian Panic

Summary: A television station in Georgia falsely broadcast a half-hour segment about a Russian invasion of the country. In August of 2008 Russian tanks and troops moved into the Soviet Republic and the invasion was triggered when Georgian troops attacked Russian separatists. Now recently a TV station in Georgia thought it would be intriguing to see what a fresh invasion would look like, but they forgot to mention that what the people would be seeing was not real. Therefore, people became scared and alarmed with what they were watching. The show actually showed bits and pieces of the conflict that took place in 2008, which made everything even more confusing, real, and scary. After two hours, the station began to apologize for the misunderstanding and misinterpritation by scrolling texts down the screen. Many of the people that commented about the show said that they were "put into a state of panic and that it wasn't right for them to do what they did."

Opinion: The station that re-enacted this conflict on screen obviously didn't think through the consequenses before airing the segment. I completely agree with the viewers when they say that it wasn't right for them to broadcast something like this. They should have known that most people wouldn't know about the invasion that took place in 2008 or could have very well forgotten and would have thought that the information being shown was real or a repeat of the event in August of 2008. This was very cruel, misleading, and not smart to put on TV when so many Americans watch. They honestly shouldn't have been so stupid and immature to put that kind of fearful uncertaintly before the eyes of America.

Strong Aftershocks Keep Rattling Chile

Summary: After Chile experienced the massive earthquake witha magnitude of 8.8 last Saturday, aftershocks are starting to take a major toll on the land and people. For example, one with a magnitude of about 6.6 which hit on Friday about 20 miles from Concepcion, this was the epicenter of Saterday's 8.8 earthquake, and one off the coast of Bio Bio earlier that Friday with a magnitude of 6.0. There have been many other aftershocks (150 aftershocks of 5.0 or greater) that have hit Chile since Saturday. This earthquake is said to have been the fifth strongest in the past 100 years! Chile is still trying to recover from all of the recent activity which, destroyed buildings, triggered a tsunami, killed hundreds of people, and thousands were left homeless. Food, water, and electricity are the top priorities says the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs. The Chilean government are leading relief efforts and have asked to United Nations for survival items. There have also been telethons organized to help make money for the quake victims. Chile is doing there best to recover and other countries are trying there best to help.

Opinion: After I heard this on the news last Saturday I felt awful. I couldn't believe that another world disaster had happened again. Eventhought it didn't happen in the U.S. I still felt terrible and wondered what I could do to help. When Katrina hit everyone around the world tried to help and took part in the U.S. recovery. Now I feel like we need to give back and do the same since we know what that's like and some of the things that Chile is going through. For now the earthquake victims are in my prayers but i will be looking for other ways in which i can help as well.

U.S. Renews Travel Alert to Mexico

Summary: Sunday the United States renewed a travel alert to Mexico that will be in affect until August 20th, 2010. The reason for this renewal is because there have been quite a few violent attacks that have taken place in many parts of Mexico. The Embassy is urging American citizens to avoid travel to certain cities for the time being. Some of the specific reasonings for the alert include, drug scandals, abduction and murder of U.S. citizens, and over 16,000 people have died in the country since their president declared war on the drug cartels. These drug cartels tend to be very violent between themselves and the police. They have caused major cahos the past few years and it has only gotten worse. Many cities in Mexico are all having the same problem so naturally nowhere has really been considered to be safe, although it is said that most of the occurances have been in northern parts of Mexico. Since the crimes are getting closer and closer to the U.S. we are advised to take caution.

Opinion: After I read this article i became a little frightened to be honest. I definitely think people should listen to this alert and take caution. It is a very serious matter and U.S. citizens have already been trapped in the maddness and have unfortunatly suffered from some of the violent attacks. America does not want to be a part of any of the cahos taking place in the South, so we should do our best to stay clear from it but also help in any way possible. I hope that the crime rates soon decrease and there will be no more need for a travel alert. Plus, with the cold weather and Mexico being a prime vacationing spot, we want to be able to travel there and feel safe as soon as possible right?!

Suicide Bomber Strikes U.S. Base

Summary: On Thursday February 11th, officials said that five U.S. soldiers were wounded when a suicide bomber attacked the U.S. base in easter Afghanistan's Paktia province. The attacker set off a bomb at around 9:00 p.m. in the sleeping area of the base and is said to have gotten on the premises by wearing an official Afghan border police uniform. Although the International Security Assistance Force did not confirm that the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber, attacks like this have taken place earlier this year and at the end of last year so it's safe to assume that this was another suicide boming attempt.

Opinion: After reading this article i was upset by the fact that the attacker got into the U.S. base area so easily. I feel as though there should be more security on the look out for these types of attacks, especially while the soldiers are sleeping! A more thorough watch at the bases could help prevent some of these suicide bombings and help to keep our U.S. soldiers better protected.

Lawyer for Americans held in Haiti quits

Summary: A missionary group of Americans were charged with kidnapping 33 children from Haiti. One of these members was Edwin Coq, and after being accused of this offense he decided to quit as a lawyer for Americans. The conviction charge for the kidnapping could be a maximum of life in prison but the criminal association charge would carry a penalty of three to nine years. After the earthquake in Haiti, January 12, these Americans just wanted to take the children out of the country and across the boarder into the Dominican Republic. Although they tried to do it without legal documentation, therefore causing it to be a criminal action. Some of the parents of these 33 children stated that they gave the American missionaries permission to take their children because they promised to give them a better life. After crossing the boarder they planned to put the children into an orphanage that they were building there. The leader of the group and Coq said that they had no intention to do any harm.

Opinion: To be honest, under the extreme circumstances, i think that the connviction charge on the missionaries could have been lowered. Ever since the earthquake in Haiti, everyone has been trying their best to help in anyway possible. Therefore, i don't believe that these people should be charged with kidnapping if they were trying to do the right thing. Although, they did not have legal documentation to do so, they were still trying to do what they thought was best for the children. It also makes a difference that the children's parents gave the Americans permission to take them out of Haiti. So when it comes down to it i think that the American missionaries should be charged with less of a punishment such as, three years in jail maximum, but not more than that. Because of everything that has been going on in Haiti i truly believe that they were just trying to provide some of those people with a kind action and shouldn't be punished to that large of an extent for doing what they thought was right and best for the kids.

Intelligence Chiefs Say Another Terror Attempt in U.S. is "Certain"

Summary: This month it is being said that the uncertainty of another terrorist attack on the U.S. has become definite. Heads of major intelligence agencies in the United States told this news to the Senate today and also explained the measures that will need to be taken. The Al Queda is still among one of our biggest threats and also cyber security. The Al Queda scares many people becuase it is using methods to make their plots more difficult to detect. This group goes from large attacks with many participants, to smaller attacks including people without any previous terroristic attempts. It has been questioned if Obama's plan to close the Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, will help reduce terrorist threats towards the U.S. Two officials agreed that it would just bring the suspects here, into the United States. Also the cyber security is a major threat because network information has been stolen daily from the government and private sectors. This is why the increase of cyber security is a must. These are the two major changes being enforced to stop the certain terrorist attack.

Opinion: Overall, i agree with the article in the sense that Al Queda and cyber security are two of our nations biggest threats right now. Since there has been another threat of a terrorist attack against the U.S. i feel that something needs to be done in order to try and stop it or at least to prepare for it. Because the Al Queda group is becoming harder to track and more unpredictable, there needs to be more preperation and an all around increase on our nation's security. After the Christmas Day terrorist attempt, all eyes were opened again to the possibility of another attack and that there may need to be another up in our security. Even thought there already is very tight airline security, there still may be the need for more or a greater awareness of the problem. Also because computers and technology are a huge part of this generation and America right now, the government should create a better security system in order to protect private information from being stolen. If there was a greater effort towards these two issues our country would be more equipt to prevent or handle another terrorist attack.