Pakistan court orders men's ears, noses hacked off

Recently, a court in Pakistan has ordered two men to have their noses and ears chopped off. The court also ordered that these two men, Ammanat Aliand and Sher Mohammed, spend life in prison and 700,000 rupees (equal to 8,300 dollars). These two men allegedly followed Fazeelat Bibi home from work and strangled her with a wire after she rejected an offer of marriage from Sher Mohammed. When they thought she was dead, they cut off her ears and nose. There were three other men involved in the attack, one has been arrested and the other two have not been identified yet. A doctor must determine if the men can survive after being cut and a high court must confirm the sentance before it can be carried out.


It's hard for me to believe any sane person would do this to someone else, let alone five sane people. What shocks me even more is that the victim was a woman one of them had previously wished to marry! Why would someone want to hurt someone that they loved enough to ask to marry? It seems to me that these five men who were involved in this crime need some serious help more than anything else. The men say their actions were to "set an example." An example of what? An example of how insane they are? Obviously these men need to face consequences, but I don't think chopping off their ears and noses is an accurate punishment. This is such a horrible thought and I hope Sher Mohammed can overcome it. I couldn't imagine going through this and I pray for her health. She is only 22 and has much of her life yet to live.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/22/pakistan.harsh.justice/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

Wintry storm churns toward Northeast

According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning was in effect for the East Coast metropolitan areas. This storm may cause chaos for all the Christmas shoppers and travelers. Air travelers are encouraged to arrive at the airport two hours prior to their scheduled departure. And if you're traveling by car, there are many precautions that should be taken. Map out where you're going and let friends or family know when you plan to arrive and what route you're taking. The snow will continue to fall; Washington is expecting as much as two feet of snow and blizzard conditions are possible for Long Island.

This article is similar to the one I blogged about last week, and my opinion has not changed much. I am still anxiously awaiting our first big snowstorm here in Alexandria! But as much as I would like a snowy Christmas, I would rather have safe traveling. I hope all the places that are currently experiencing this storm can stay safe. Drivers need to realize how important it is to be cautious in these wintry conditions. I think it's a great idea for drivers to map out their route ahead of time and let friends and family know when they plan to arrive. I also hope the airlines can continue safely flying. I just hope everyone is able to get to their designated destinations for Christmas!




http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/12/18/wintry.weather/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

Boosting the Minimum

Over the last thirty years, inflation has increased hourly wages by more than 200 percent. Since 1947, the job market has gone through great changes due to growing international trade, advancing technologies, and the spread of high-speed Internet access. Many Americans have seen great financial success, but others have lost their jobs or have been faced with stagnant wages. This causes a concern for the number of poverty stricten people living in the United States. Being considered poor is any U.S. family of four whose annual income in 2006 was less thean $20,444. In 2005, 12.6 percent of Americans were considered poor. That's 37 million men, women, and children living in poverty. Many people think that raising the federal minimum wage will help reduce the number of poor. They are convinced that raising the minimum wage will positively affect the lives of millions American workers. Critics argue, stating that raising the minimum is a weak weapon for fighting poverty.


Personally, I'm a critic of raising the minimum wage. Our country's economy was built on capitalism, meaning the laws of supply and demand control our financial system. We have a successful market-based economy and I think the federal government should minimize its regulations concerning minimum wages. An increase in minimum wage will result in higher prices and more job cuts. It will hurt small to medium sized companies in America, which are important to the vitality of our economy. Also, like I stated earlier, 37 million people are living below the poverty line. Only three million out of the 37 million are actually full time workers. Raising the minimum is not going to help the other 34 million. Expanding the EITC is a more reasonable way to help the working poor. Expansion of the EITC will reduce taxes provided to low income workers, with no interference in the market.

Richard Berman, the Executive Director of the Employment Policies Institute, is also a critic of raising the minimum wage.

Issue number 1: http://jumpingjoeblog.blogspot.com/

Issue number 3: http://backstroker321.blogspot.com/

Winter storm crashes across U.S.

Winter is finally here, and people from all over the United States are now bracing themselves for more blizzard conditions after what many parts of the U.S. experienced last Wednesday. The National Weather Service says that many Midwestern states had dangerously low wind chills. Schools were closed across Iowa, North Dakota, and parts of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin cancelled classes after Madison, Wisconsin, received 15 inches of snow. Snow and sleet fell in Chicago, cancelling more than 325 flights. Heavy rain fell across the South, damaging in homes in Louisiana. The storm also brought high winds to the Southwest. Texas recorded a wind gust of 105 mph.

I am not too thrilled about the low temperatures winter brings, but I do have to admit, the snow is exciting! This article mentions that students from the University of Wisconsin began forming a giant snowball after they found out their classes were cancelled. I cannot wait to have our first snow day here at Jefferson! Kate Gearman (http://kategearman.blogspot.com/) read an article similar to this, and she is also anxiously awaiting our first snow day also! Along with all the excitement, I hope people stay as safe as possible in these windy, snowy, freezing, and rainy conditions we are experiencing across the U.S. I hope drivers take precautions on slippery roads. A 28-year-old woman was killed in Omaha, Nebraska last Tuesday when a truck plowing snow in a parking lot backed into her. This is terrible incident and I hope we can all stay safe!

Report: Scores of albinos in hiding after attacks

As many as 10,000 albino colored people are in hiding in east Africa, scared that their body parts will be dismembered. Some regions in Africa believe that the body parts of these albinos have special powers and bring good luck. There have been at least 44 Tanzanian albinos killed and 14 in Burundi. Albinism is a genetic condition that leads to very little or no pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes. African albinos are discriminated against and face segregation much of their lives. Attackers chop off limbs and pluck out organs, convinced it will give them wealth and luck. Government officials are trying to stop the attacks, however most happen in rural areas where there is not enough police present.

This article really opened up my eyes.. I wasn't aware anything like this was happening. The government should step it up and make sure they have more police present in rural areas, where it has said to be happening the most. I hope this issue can be resolved before the number of deaths increases. Ten thousand people are in hiding? More than 50 people have been killed just because the color of their skin? This is rediculous and needs to put to an end immidiately. I also hope the murderers are found and face severe consequences. No innocent person should have to die.

Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live players

Microsoft has banned as many as a million players from Xbox Live for playing pirated versions of games. Just last week, Call of Duty was released. Pirated versions of the game appeared on various sharing sites before it was released. This is illegal and Microsoft is taking a stand against it. "Players who find their Gamertags banned from Xbox Live have wound up in that situation due to violations of the Xbox Live Terms of Use," Major Nelson, Xbox Live Director of Programming wrote. These people may be banned a day, a week, or forever. While banned, players are not able to go online at all. As this article clearly shows, Microsoft is becoming very commited to stopping piracy and having secure gameplay.

Piracy is illegal and it violates the Xbox Live terms of use, so I agree with Microsoft for punishing those who commit this crime. This isn't just a ban on the particular game, it's a ban on the service as a whole. Some agrue that the game should just be banned, not the whole service. I personally think Microsoft is right with banning the whole service. If just that specific game is banned, people would continue to pirate other games because they know consequence is mild. Microsoft is not sure how long these people will be banned. I think they should definitely be banned longer than a day, but forever seems too extreme. Microsoft seems dedicated to stop this, and I hope they can achieve their goals.

Father drops court battle to keep baby alive

Last Tuesday, the father of a child with a severe birth defect agreed to let his child die, ending a British court battle against the baby's mother. The baby, recognized as RB, is 13 months old and suffers from congenital myasthenic syndrome (a rare genetic condition which means he cannot breathe on his own). He needs to be delivered air from a ventilator every three seconds. His brain is not affected by this condition. His lungs are filled with liquid every few hours, giving him the sensation of choking. The doctors then use suction to remove the liquid, causing RB to be in pain. His parents are seperated with different opinions; his father wants him to stay on the ventilator while his mother thinks his time in intensive care should end.

This has got to be the most difficult decision for any parent to make. I can't even imagine what these parents must be going through. I do not agree or disagree with either of the parents; the only way I could ever make a decision like this is if I was going through it firsthand. The baby has been taken off its artificial respirator three times in his 13 months of living. The first time he was able to breathe for 40 minutes, the second 30 minutes, and the third time he only lasted five minutes. His condition looks as if it's getting worse. Ending his time in intensive care means ending his life. This situation is so tragic, and neither decision will have an ideal outcome. I could never imagine having to make a decision like this, and I pray for the parents going through it.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/10/uk.baby.life.support/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Safe to Eat?

There have been increasing cases of food-borne illnesses in our nation. To eat more healthy, Americans are consuming more and more fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is often consumed raw, which can lead to bacterial infections. E. Coli, a dangerous bacteria, was traced to bagged lettuce in 2006 and sickened more than 200 people and killed three. Many similar cases have followed. Fruits and vegetables are regulated under the Food and Drug Administration, which has allowed the industry to be primarily self-regulated. It allows producers to develop their own standards. Some people argue that the government should regulate the farmers more stringently, while others say that the industry itself can respond more effectively.

I think the government should regulate the farmers more stringently. In my opinion, something should have been done right after the E. Coli outbreak. After sickening over 200 people and killing three, don't you think our government would get the hint? Many similar cases have followed; obviously the problem isn't just going to disappear on its own. I don't think people should have to think twice about consuming fresh produce. I think the government can definitely help with this. If it was simply left to the distributors, they may cut corners to make more profit. Now is the time for the government to step in. There's no need to wait for another outbreak to decide to do something. Let's not react; let's prevent.

Caroline Scott-Thomas, (http://www.foodqualitynews.com/Legislation/USDA-unites-with-FDA-on-new-food-safety-rules) agrees that fresh produce needs to be more strictly regulated.

Comprehensive vs. Incremental Health Care Reforms:

http://erintakle.blogspot.com/

Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients: http://sarahssocialblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/health-care-issue-2-ensuring-quality.html

7th person arrested in gang rape

This article expands on my blog last week, when a student at Richmond Highschool got beat and raped after leaving her school's homecoming dance. She had been gang raped and beaten for almost two and a half hours and left unconscious under a bench. This article confirms that there have now been seven people arrested for the gang rape. There were as many as 10 people involved in the rape, three unfound, and one has been released for lack of evidence. There were also ten or more people who witnessed this happening; none of them bothered to call 911. The victim's parents are urging those in the community to work to prevent an event like this in the future. "If you need to express your outrage, please channel your anger through positive action," they said.


I'm glad they now have seven arrested for this tragedy. I hope they can find the other three involved because people who commit these types of crimes should not be left unpunished. If they don't face consequences, they will most likely continue to commit similar crimes. I hope police continue to search for the remaining three criminals. I also really hate hearing about the ten people who witnessed this happening and didn't report it. I agree with Olivia (http://oliviarice.blogspot.com/) when she says this crime should be reported immediately no matter how much you like the person commiting the crime or dislike the person being victimized.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/03/california.gang.rape/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Friend of gang rape victim blasts school officials over safety

This article is about Kami Baker, a junior a Richmond Highschool in California, who describes the night of the homecoming dance where her best friend was raped and beaten. She was mindlessly dancing when she realized her friend had gone home early. Little did she know, her friend had actually been gang raped and beaten for almost two and a half hours and then left unconscious under a bench. Baker blames school officials for this tragedy. She says there were about a dozen young men outside the gym entrance with no ID's. "The officers -- not only did they not check the IDs of those students or men sitting outside of of our campus, but the security officers who are employed here did no ... checking either. The assistant principal looked outside and actually saw those men, and did nothing about it," she claims. Police have investigated the crime scene, arresting two adults and two minors who will be charged as adults. The victim, a 15-year-old girl who went to church and struggled to fit in at Richmond Highschool, was released from the hospital last Wednesday. Homecoming 2009 for Richmond Highschool students will be a night that will never be forgotten, but not for the right reasons.

I think the saddest thing about this story is that there were 10 or more people who witnessed the victim getting beaten and raped, none of which who called 911. A simple phonecall would potentionally save a lot of damage for this victim. It makes me wonder what this world is coming to if we can't look out for eachother. Another tragedy about this story is that school police officers and officials didn't question the men roaming around the outside of the building. Isn't that their job, to keep students safe? It doesn't look like they did a very good job. This should have never happened. I hope that police officers and officials everywhere will work harder to prevent these tragedies in the future. I'm glad that Kami Backer chose to speak out about this and I hope it will bring awareness everywhere. I will pray for the friends and family of this victim. I hope this never happens again.

UConn to honor slain football player at game

The UConn cornerback, Jasper Howard, was stabbed to death last Saturday. There was a school sponsered dance when the fire alarm went off. All 300 people that were attending the dance left the building and went outside to the parking lot. A fight then broke out between two groups, leaving Howard and one another person stabbed. The incident happened at 12:33 on October 17. Howard was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where he passed away. UConn Police and Connecticut State Police are currently investigating the incident. They do not have any suspects in mind yet, but they "don't believe it was a random act." Howard was a father-to-be, a beloved son, and a starting cornerback for the UConn Huskies.

Jasper Howard seemed to be a well-liked guy and it's hard for me to understand how another person could hate him so much that he or she would kill him. I hope the murderer is found and faces consequences. This must be really tough for his team, considering he started in every game last year and led the Big East conference in punt returns. This must also be very hard for his family. Like Olivia says, (http://oliviarice.blogspot.com/) the saddest part of this situation is that a little baby has to be brought into this world without a father. I hope whoever committed this crime will turn himself or herself in. Jasper didn't dersever this.

Facebook, Twitter users beware: Crooks are a mouse click away

Since 2006, the FBI reports nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases. If you are on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or any other social networking site, you are at risk of being the next victim. It all starts when a friend sends you a message, link, or video. Once the message or link is opened, you are lured to a fake website that can easily trick you to giving out personal information and passwords. Once your account is compromised, the theives can perform the same exact attack on any of your friends. As social networking sites continue to grow, they become a frontier for cybercrime. To stay safe, experts say the best advice is to change passwords frequently.

I think people should just be careful when they are on social networking sites. If a link looks sketchy, don't click on it. If an unfamiliar site asks you personal information, don't answer it. Don't give out your password. And if you're really paranoid about you account getting hacked, just delete it altogether. I also think sites should have information available to users about the risks of Internet scams. Facebook users can become a fan of "Facebook Security," which allows them to receive updates on how to protect their accounts. I think all social networking sites should have something similar to this. Having nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases since 2006 shows that this is an issue and should be taken care of. I think the best solution is just to be more careful on social networking sites and to make sure everyone is aware of the risks and how to stay safe.

Baby survives after falling under train

A six-month old baby miraculously lives after his stroller rolled into the tracks of an incoming train last Thursday. This accident was captured CCTV and the footage shows the mother momentarily letting go of the stroller. The stroller then rolled over the platform and almost immediately after a train rolls into the station. The stroller with the baby inside were rolled 33 yards up the track before the train came to a stop. But the baby is unbelievably okay! He managed to come out of it with just a cut on the forehead. The baby was quickly reunited with his mother who took him to Melbourne's Royal Children's hospital, but was later discharged. Victoria State Police Sergeant Micheal Ferwerda says, "Parents especially need to be vigilant especially with toddlers."

I think this is a miracle! To live after being in the tracks of oncoming train! And to come out of it with just a cut on your forehead is almost unbelievable. I hope the mother of this baby will be more careful in the future. I hope parents everywhere are more responsible of their toddlers, especially at train stations. I would hope that nothing like this would ever happen again, because the outcome could most definitely be worse. It would be a great idea to set up campaigns to make people more aware of the dangers of train stations. I know this incident happened in Melbourne, Austrailia, but it could happen anywhere.

Social Insecurity

Social security and medicare, the most expensive federal programs for retirees, are heading towards bankruptcy. Within the next ten years, the government will be spending more money on social security benefits than it receives in revenues from payroll deductions and the medicare program is already losing money. Why is this happening? One of the primary problems is that both men and women are living longer than anyone would have predicted when the programs were developed. Also in the case of medicare, health care costs have skyrocketed in the last decade with medical advances. To solve this problem, there is no easy solution. Some people say we should overhaul the whole system by offering the private investment accounts and cutting benefits for everyone except those who really need it. Others argue that the problem can be solved with a couple modest fixes, like raising the retirement age and rasing the cap.

With people living longer and higher health care costs, I think we need to cut benefits for everyone except for the the ones who truley need it. This meaning we only provide social security and medicare to the people who can't afford it otherwise. It's reasonable not to provide it for those are who wealthy enough to comfortably pay for it themselves. Who really needs that much money anyways? And this would also help tighten the gap between the wealthy and poor. I think this is the best route to take. Raising the retirement age would postpone payments for the government, but could create hardships for the retirees or force employees to work beyond normal retirement age. And raising the cap on earnings above the current $106,800 (meaning wages above that amount would be taxed for social security) would create inequities with the higher wage earners. Jim Hightower, has similar views as I do when dealing with the federal budget.

Spending What We Can Afford http://erintakle.blogspot.com/

War Dollars http://backstroker321.blogspot.com/

Cabinet officials, Chicagoans discuss ways to end teen violence

Cabinet officials and Chicago leaders met last Wednesday with a group of teens who were schoolmates of Derrion Albert. Derrion Albert, a 16-year-old honors student from Chicago, was brutally beaten to death last month. The beating was videotaped with a cell phone, and it shows that Derrion was caught in the middle of a street fight between two factions of students from Christian Fenger Academy High School on September 24. The nation's top law enforcement official said, "it is an American problem." According to a poll released last Wednesday by the Department of Justice, 60 percent of youth has been exposed to violence, nearly 50 percent have been assaulted, and more than one in ten have been injured as a result. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley told reporters that he would like to see more adults become mentors and more opportunities to be made available for students after school and on Saturdays. Youth violence is not only in Chicago, and something needs to be done about it.

I think the death of Derrion Albert is a tragic and terrible event, but I'm glad it's bringing attention to everyone. I'm glad we're taking steps to become a safer nation, or at least talking about taking them. The poll released by the Department of Justice shows that something needs to be done. I like Richard Daley's idea of giving students the opportunity to be at school after school and on Saturdays because it gives those kids without stable households a place to go. I think we should do everything we can to prevent teen violence. I feel safe everyday, so reading about how many teens have to live with the threat of daily violence is was kind of a wake up call to the harshness and cruelty that remains in many parts of our country. I don't think this problem should be ignored, and I think people should still be aware of it even if it's not happening in their community.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/07/chicago.violence/

Secret Service investigating Facebook poll on Obama

Facebook, a social networking site, recently pulled an application that allowed users to create polls after a site member made a poll asking if President Obama should be killed or not. Facebook users are allowed to create polls and quizzes and the creators of these polls and quizzes may choose to make them available to the whole public of Facebook or just to their friends on Facebook. Over the weekend, a user made a poll asking whether Obama should be killed and made it available to the general public. The US Secret Service has launched an investigation. Facebook spokesman, Barry Schnitt, said the application "was immediately suspended while the inappropriate content could be removed by the developer and until such time as the developer institutes better procedures to monitor their user-generated content."

It's obvious that if you make a poll asking if someone should be killed over the internet, you're going to get in some kind of trouble. It doesn't matter if it's Obama or anybody else, there's going to be consequences. Having the privilege to be on the internet and on Facebook also includes responsibilty. As Thomas Jefferson said, "There is no freedom without responsibility." If you can't be responsible on the internet, then that freedom should be taken away. I can also see the other side of it, that some kid was just messing around and posted a poll without thinking. But in my opinion, asking if someone should die or not, is crossing the line. It is a big deal, and I think there should be consequences, but I don't think the USSS needs to get involved over a Facebook poll.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/28/facebook.poll/index.html?eref=rss_politics

Edwards mistress Rielle Hunter changes names, images

Rielle Hunter has been known as a spiritual seeker, an aspiring actress, a party girl and a political operative. Last year, Edwards admitted to having an affair with Hunter in 2006 while he was compaigning for the Democatic presidential nomination. Hunter was part of Edwards campaign by making a series of short webisode videos about his campaign. She traveled with the candidate's entourage and in February 2008, she gave birth to a baby girl. Edwards denies that he is the father of the baby; saying that the affair was over before she became pregnant. Andrew Young claimed the baby to be his, but now is saying that Edwards is indeed the father of the baby. Hunter has not said who the father is. She says that she met Edwards in 2006, at a business meeting in New York. It was first reported in 2007 of the affair between Edwards and Hunter, but Edwards didn't admit to it until August 2008. He has hung low since the affair became public and stayed in various expensive homes in North Carolina and Santa Barbara, California.

I think this affair was not only very low on Edwards part, but also very dumb. If he can't make the right decisions for himself, how is anyone going to trust him to make decisions for our country? How is he expected to keep promises to the people of our country if he can't keep promises to his own wife? From the sound of this article, it seemed to be more on Hunter's part than Edwards'. But if he can’t control his own actions, it’s not likely that he would be able to control a whole country’s actions. Also, the fact that he denied the affair at first, makes me wonder what he would lie to us about. From this article, he seems dishonest and irresponsible. I also think he needs to take a paternity test to see if the baby is his. It made it sound like Edwards bribed Andrew Young to claim the baby as his. He needs to take responsiblity for his actions.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/22/rielle.hunter.profile/index.html?eref=rss_politics

Significant fear remains over economy, jobs

Even though there are fresh signs that the worst is over for the U.S. economy, many people fear the future and what could lay ahead for their families. They are concerned that there is not enough being done to avoid another meltdown. Just about six out of 10 people are concerned about their jobs in the coming months, according to a new Washington Post-ABC news poll. This has little change since February. There is little confidence in President Obama, who pitched his administration's plans to overhaul the nation's financial regulations Wall Street on Monday, getting a 51% approval rating on dealing with the economy.

I think that Obama is taking a progressive approach in his stimulous package. Job growth is usually one of the last things to recover from. We are seeing other signs of recovery, like in the stock market and consumer spending. Housing, which was also a drag on the economy, appears to be turning around. I just think Obama needs to try to make it clear and reassure the Americans that the U.S. economy is, in fact, turning around. When six out of 10 people are worried about their jobs in the coming months, as the new Washington Post-ABC new poll shows, I think it's the presidents job to make sure they know exactly what's going on. Our economy is complicated and many people may not understand what's happening. They should know that after a steep downfall, there is usually steep progression to follow. Just because job growth has not made any progress, doesn't mean we aren't recovering at all. I think people need to be aware of that, and their fears of the future may go away.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32852607/ns/politics-washington_post/