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.