Cut The Deficits, But Not My Program

The majority of Americans agree that the federal deficit needs to be reduced, but we seem unable to decide just how to do this. Most people (65%) think that the way to do this is to cut major programs and increase taxes. However, people can't agree on which programs to cut or reduce funding for. It is obvious that people really don't want taxing on employer-based health care, increased gasoline tax, national sales tax, or reduced funding of roads or education as these were the main ideas objected. Most people did support the raising of the social security cap and the freezing of federal employees' salaries.

It doesn't surprise me that 93% of Americans think the federal deficit is a major problem. It also doesn't surprise me that our country is having difficulty deciding which programs to cut. I think this is a very sad issue, especially when it comes to the issue of cutting school programs. One main program that's usually considered worth cutting is the music program. I know many people, including myself, who live for the music programs. If I had to choose between my sports and the music programs, I would choose the music programs in a heartbeat. I am in support of freezing federal employees' salaries and I don't think a national sales tax would be a horrible idea. Also, I think certain items should be more heavily taxed. For instance, our country's also dealing with obesity problems. One way to help solve this is to heavily tax junk foods--kill two birds with one stone.

Prison Blaze Kills at least 83 Inmates in Chile

Early this morning (6:30 A.M. our time), in Santiago, Chile, there was a fire in the prison. It was set off intentionally in the very early morning hours, and was finally put out three hours later. It killed at least 83 of the inmates, with 14 others severely injured. One of the inmates notified national television using an illegal cell phone. Since Wednesdays are visiting days, family members were hysterical outside the prison after they learned people had been killed in the fire. The article describes the conditions of the prison as "extremely inhumane" with over 1900 inmates living in a space that was designated for only 700. Apparently, guards were laughing and taking pictures of the inmates that were puking because of the smoke. Firefighters weren't even let in for awhile.

This story makes me very sad. Although all the prisoners obviously did something wrong to be put in prison, it's not fair that their living conditions were so horrible. The point of prison is to keep criminals away from other people in order for them to pay for their mistake, but not to torture them. Like one woman standing outside the prison said, "There aren't animals in the prison, there are people who made mistakes." I also think it was extremely barbaric for the prison guards to simply laugh at the prisoners who were in danger. I think it could be considered more of a crime to torture these inmates than what the inmates actually did to get into prison.

Top 10 Cyber Monday tips for safe online shopping

This article is about tips and tricks for shopping today on "Cyber Monday." Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving when there are countless online deals. It has become the number one day for Americans to shop--even more than Black Friday. Last year, 96.5 million Americans shopped on Cyber Monday versus the 79 million that went out and shopped on Black Friday. Even though shopping online has its advantages, like no parking lots, or getting up insanely early to snatch the deals, shopping online has its downfalls as well. Some people are simply trying to fraud online shoppers. The article gives readers some tips, including: protect your computer, shop on trustworthy websites, protect your personal information, beware of deals that sound too good to be true, beware of "phishing," (or phony companies emailing you), confirm your online purchase is secure, pay with a credit card, keep documentation of your order, check your credit card statements often and know your rights.

To be completely honest, I didn't even know Cyber Monday existed until this year. The number of online shoppers astounded me. I actually did go out on Black Friday at 2:30 AM to stand in line at Target, waiting for the best deals. I actually wish I would've known that Cyber Monday was the big day to shop--I could've saved myself some sleep and pain. Although I think it's a good thing companies are shifting more towards online shopping, which saves gas, time and hastle, I think people need to be cautious. Online shopping does not permit you to try things on, or to even be sure your purchase exists. Things sold online can be very faulty. I once heard of a family spending over a thousand dollars on a saxophone, but when they actually received it, the saxophone didn't even play any notes. It's stories like that that prevent me from participating in Cyber Monday.

What's on Santa's list? Same for kids and adults

This article is about how children and adults are starting to want the same types of gifts. For example, young kids are starting to want gizmos like cell phones capable of anything, ipods, video games, etc., and adults are starting to want these same things. The top three gift categories for this year are clothing and accessories, toys and games, and electronics. One family's seven-year old son is wanting a second generation iPad, which does not even come out until 2011, but he believes Santa can bring it. They are trying to decide if they want to show convince him to request something else, or have Santa leave an "IOU." Kids are quickly catching up to their tech-savvy parents. The average family will spend $716 on presents this holiday season, and families who earn >$100,000 will spend an average of $1,384 this season on gifts.

It does not surprise me how kids are becoming to tech-savvy. Parents and older generations did not grow up with these things: they're not used to needing them. This lifestyle is all kids know. I remember growing up, watching VHS videos. Times have changed so much even since then. VHS is a thing of the distant past and DVDs are the thing of now. I've heard younger kids saying, "What were those things called? VHS?" It's amazing how quickly our technology is evolving. Kids keep wanting more things because companies keep making more things. For example, how often do you hear commercials for "the new iPod?" I personally think our society should shift its focus more on heart-felt gifts, not technology. No one really NEEDS the second generation iPod.

1,000 tigers killed in decade; extinction near

This article starts off by talking about how over 1,000 body parts of different tigers were found this past decade. This is an astonishing amount since there are only an estimated 3,200 tigers living around the world. An average of approximately 119 tigers were killed per year, with India being the highest of those. This is not surprising since India has approximately half of the world's tigers. People have been smuggling different parts, including skin, bones, claws, teeth, skulls, meat. These body parts have been used for various purposes, like decoration or medicine. The article examines the enforcement of these laws, and ends with saying that approximately 100,000 tigers were alive about one hundred years ago.

Before reading this article, I was relatively clueless as to the status of tigers. I knew they were endangered, but I didn't know their extinction was this close. It's heartbreaking that people continue to kill tigers, even though it's so obvious that they're endangered, and for such trivial reasons such as good luck charms. I think people need to really start changing the punishment for killing tigers. I can't imagine what it would be like to say, when I'm twenty, "Remember when tigers existed?" How sad. If there's an extremely large punishment for killing tigers, and it's monitored more closely, it would be hard for people to commit the act in the first place. I'm glad I read this article--I had no idea the problem was so serious.

FBI: Shots at Coast Guard office linked to others

This article is about shootings that have been occurring on the east coast, aimed at coast guards. There were five shootings in all, and all occurred near Washington (Woodbridge, Virginia; Triangle, Virginia; Chantilly, Virginia; the Pentagon). These shootings are apparently linked, since the weapons used were all the same, says the FBI. No one has been harmed in the shootings. Since three of the five shootings have been at the Marine Corps, it is assumed that she shooter is angry with the Corps for some reason or another.

This article scares me. The fact that a citizen of our nation is trying to scare, harm or even kill someone who is selflessly protecting our country is frightening. Being in the military is definitely not the life for me, but I have enormous respect for those who volunteer their lives for the cause. The article says that the FBI thinks the shooter might not have been trying to harm the coast guards. This sounds a little ironic to me... why else would a person be shooting at someone? I hope that whoever is doing the shooting starts to have a little more common sense: our nation NEEDS coast guard members.

Berlusconi: Better to love girls than gays

Milanese political official Silvio Berlusconi has been causing some uproar lately. Apparently, Berlusconi believes that it's "better to love beautiful girls than gays." This angered many gay rights activists. Arcigay president Paolo Pantane said that Berlusconi was legitimizing discrimination. Some of Berlusconi's publicists were trying to say he was just kidding around, and he did not want to offend both women and gays. Berlusconi had allegedly been visited by a young girl named Ruby. Many women are coming out with stories of spending nights with Berlusconi.

I think this scandalous issue is very embarrassing for Silvio Berlusconi. Not only has he obviously made himself look like he sleeps around, he has offended gay people. Personally, I'm fine with gay people. It's not my business to interfere with their lives. I don't think too many people actually choose to be gay; I think it's something you're born with. It's important for people, especially government officials, to accept people for who they are, or else problems could arise. Also, I think it's very disgusting that such a high up official has been having relations with younger women. Government officials should be the face of the nation: what they do represents the country. Italy most likely does not want a man like Berlusconi representing their country, and neither would I.

First Thoughts: Unchanged

This article is about the elections that will occur tomorrow, 11/2/10. It says the GOP party is headed for major gains (most likely 50-55 House seats). Many Americans (60% of regiestered voters) are not pleased with where the country is headed, and 70% of the group would like to see more GOP representatives in office. It seems that many Americans want more of the change that Obama promised. A large 63% want more change. This includes 47% of democrats. Many Americans are hoping for Nancy Pelosi to be fired. The Tea Party is also growing, with 28% of voters. 85% of them would be voting GOP, with only 10% of them voting Democrat. The article goes on to discuss recent campaigning activity.

I think the reason the GOP party is up so much is due to the fact that Democrats are controlling Congress right now, and there's hardly any change happening right now. Americans are in desperate need of change, and they see none happening. I obviously agree that change needs to occur, but no one is actually making this happen. Time after time, I've seen people of every party describe the change they're going to make happen. GOP or Democrat, everyone wants change, and says they're going to make it happen. Yet absolutely no one has done that yet. I think what this country needs is someone to go to Washington and actually do something, because I, along with 60% of my fellow Americans, do not like where this country is headed.

Tariq Aziz — from top diplomat to death sentence

This article is about Tariq Aziz, Saddam Hussein's top diplomat who was sentenced to death on Tuesday. It describes his accomplishments for the Iraqis, including being a leading diplomat for all three of Iraq's wars. He helped gain U.S. support in the war from 1980-1988, but later caused some controversy when he dismissed a "humiliating letter" to Saddam from President Bush. The article also describes his downfalls, such as how he was number 43 on the list of most wanted Iraqi officials for the U.S., how he appeared frail and weak at a trial in 2008 and how he executed many people. Lastly, it describes Tariq's life: his Christian upbringing, his education at Baghdad University, his children and his political views.

This article is interesting because I think it's good to see the whole of someone's story. In the U.S., I feel as if we'd mainly hear the side of the story that speaks of his bad deeds, like how he executed numerous people for reasons that were less than substanstial. It was interesting to learn about his life and how he was raised in a Christian family and has children. The article makes it seem like his charges really had physical affect on him, as he became less and less agile as he got charged with more things. I wish the article would've explained why he was being sentenced do death, however. It highlighted his life, but it never explained why it would be ended.

Miners to Split Up as Doctors Release Them

I'm sure you've heard of the Chilean miners that were trapped 2300 feet below the surface of the Earth in the San Jose mine. This article is about the release and effects on the miners. The miners were trapped below the surface for 69 long days. Then, they had to be sent up to the surface through a tube 21 inches in diameter. Now, the miners are just about to be released from the hospital, after physical and psychological tests. It seems to be that besides minor physical ailments, none of the miners were very effected. None of the thirty three miners experienced shock or other mental problems as a result from the mining incident. The article then goes into the costs of the incident and rescue. The rescue cost between $10 and $20 million dollars.  Chilean government and mining agencies are paying closer attention to safety of the mines. Many small mines have been shut down. The article closes with facts about mining related deaths.

All I can say is, thank goodness it was not me who was trapped beneath the Earth's surface. I'm not one to do well in situations like that, and I respect each and every one of those men for being able to handle it like they did. Also, do get up through the Earth in a tube only 21 inches in diameter would not suit me well. I think it's wonderful how many people have supported the miners, offering them jobs, dinners, vacations, etc. I'm the sure the miners weren't expecting all the fame they've gotten when they went to work in the mine that day. It was definitely necessary to reevaluate Chilean mines (and other mines around the world.) People would most likely be less willing to give and simply more frustrated if more miners got trapped in a mine for that long. This should really be a warning sign for mining authorities all over the world to make sure their mines are secure.

Test-tube Baby Pioneer Wins Nobel Prize in Medicine

Robert Edwards, 85, was finally awarded for his breakthrough in in-vitro fertilization by receiving the Nobel Prize for Medicine on Monday. In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is the conception of the fetus outside the womb, then carried inside the womb. IVF has brought hope to millions of infertile families, with four million children being born because of IVF since it was first developed. The first was Louise Brown, of England, in 1978. Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe (deceased in 1988) were the scientists who worked on this method. Edwards is very pleased with his award, although he is ill and is having trouble being interviewed.

Although I think it's wonderful that Robert Edwards was awarded the Nobel Prize, I think it's astounding how long it took for him to be awarded! IVF is obviously a life-changing (and life-starting) development that deserves a great amount of praise. Although I'm generally the type of person to be more in favor of "natural" processes, I really do think this is a miracle for those families who wouldn't be able to have a child otherwise. I try to put myself in people's shoes and think how, if I weren't able to have a child, how deeply depressed I would be, but also how excited I would be to find out about IVF. I also think it's good that someone received a prize for something so worthwhile, while some prizes seemed to be awarded simply because someone was politically correct.

From home-school to classroom: Kids face challenge of transition

This article, "From home-school to classroom: Kids face challenge of transition,"by Rebecca Dube, shows the view of home-schooled kids coming into a new school. She describes some of the reason for transitioning. Although some of the reason might simply be the parent believes the child would have more success in a public school setting, a lot of the time the reason is financial: the parent needs to go back to work. The child may or may not like the new system of public schooling. Some may enjoy the interaction with other kids, while others complain about how there's "too much organizing instead of learning." Some parents try to prepare their children by talking to them, showing them around the school, or buddying them up with other students in the school. The transition is also hard for the parent.

Although there are obvious benefits of home-schooling (like learning at your own pace, not having to abide by silly school rules, not needing to leave the home to learn), it's my opinion that it's in a child's best interest to go to public school or private school. I believe this because the child is not interacting with kids as much as he or she should. I'm not saying all home-schooled kids are socially awkward, but it's difficult to be at home everyday with parents, and then transitioning straight to a work environment where there are lots of people, many of whom will not adore the individual as much as mom and dad did. So, I believe that the transition has to be made eventually, and one might as well get it over with when they still have time to learn and develop social skills, like how to help others with homework, share and play games together. My cousin was home-schooled his whole life, and although he did have contact with other people, he hardly had any friends his own age and it was very difficult for him to live a childhood with virtually no friends. When I have children, they will hopefully be going to a public or private school.

Republicans Wanting to Change Health Laws, but how?

This article, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39295110/ns/health-health_care/, describes how Republicans want to change the health laws passed last year. However, the articles shows how each way may fail. One way the Republicans could change the health laws is to simply repeal and replace what's on the bill. However, this could be difficult because it would take a large majority to repeal and replace parts of the bill. Also, it's not so easy to take out parts of the bill without messing up the rest of it. Another way would be to virtually de-fund the bill. In other words, stop funding for parts of the bill they don't approve of. A third way to change the bill could be to do an "oversight showdown" where the Republicans simply put a lot of pressure on the Democrats to explain the bill, hopefully proving that the bill will do more harm than help.

Personally, I agree that the bill needs to be changed. I think the bill will put too much strain on doctors, working too much for too little money. This will make people not want to go to medical school to be paid so little, leaving the only health care personnel to be nurses and other not as well educated people. This will greatly decrease the quality of our health care. And what's the point in everyone having health care, if it's not effective health care? I've read and heard about numerous examples of other countries having universal health care like we do, and their situations are not as bright as we make our health care seem. However, I do see the other side of the situation. It would be virtually impossible for the Republicans, who currently only have 41 members in the Senate, to change the laws in any way. But the bill definitely needs to be revised, or else this country's health care could degenerate greatly.