Brooke Bellah (more Make up)

International:

Osama bin Laden's brother, Salem bin Laden, recently won a bet.  He bet that he could get four Christian women from four different Western countries to marry him--all at the same time.  He was trying to prove that if you had money, you could buy anything in the West.  The girls (one from France, one British, one American, and one German) were promised a life of luxury, and none of them refused his offer.  However, after they accepted he dismissed them.

Opinion:

As much as I hate to say it, I somewhat agree with Salem.  But I do not think that being able to get anything you want for a price applies only to Western countries.  Money has played a role in every war, and every major historical event.  It's a powerful thing; not a Western failure, but a human weakness.  The saying money cannot buy happiness is not true.  It can buy temporary happiness, but it cannot buy real joy.

A new swimsuit, the LZR Racer, is the latest buzz in the competitive swimming world, but it may be banned from the 2008 Olympics.  The swimsuit was created by Speedo and NASA and was introduced just six weeks ago.  Already it has contributed to 16 world record performances.  Some say, however. that it gives athletes an unfair advantage because it creates buoyancy in the water. Speedo said "We are conducting a thorough investigation but are confident this is not endemic to the LZR Racer suit."

Opinion:

As a person who has been swimming her whole life, this story is important to me.  If there is a new suit out there that decreases drag by 5% (like Speedo claims it can) then you better believe every competitive swimmer will be buying it--especially when a 5% decrease could mean the difference from third place to first. If the suit does create buoyancy, then I believe this would create an unfair advantage.  Body form and technique is what creates buoyancy in the water, and wearing a suit that does this for you would be comparable to steroid use in baseball.  It would take away from the sport.  But if it does just create less resistance, then it should be allowed at the Beijing Olympics.

Brooke Bellah (Make up)

International:

Earth Hour--scheduled to take place tonight at 8 is a attempt to raise awareness for the need to conserve energy.  It was first started by World Wildlife Fund in 2007 in Australia.  For one hour the city of Sydney turned off its lights to participate in the historic event.  One year later, 200 international cities have signed up (including Phoenix) to participate in this year's event.  People are encourage to turn off their lights for one hour to support the cause. Hospitals and other important facilities will keep their lights on, for obvious reasons.

Opinion:

I think this is a wonderful idea.  It's not demanding too much to limit your use of electricity for one hour to raise awareness for a good cause.  It allows everyone to join in and help, not just those who can donate a lot of money.  Hopefully this day catches on and even more cities will participate next year.

Nepalese police broke up a protest by Tibetan exiles and monks Saturday in front of the Chinese Embassy visa office in Katmandu, and arrested 80 demonstrators. The protesters, were shouting slogans such as "stop killing in Tibet," but were quickly rounded up and driven away in vans and trucks.  Nepal has been criticized for not allowing peaceful demonstrations against China's recent crackdown in Tibet. Nepalese officials have said they cannot allow protests against friendly nations ( including China) and have ordered all protesters arrested.Beijing says 22 people died in protests that spread earlier this month to dozens of Tibetan communities across western China. Tibetan exiles say almost 140 are dead.

Opinion:

This story makes me extremely grateful to live in America, where we can protest against whatever we want to as long as it is a peaceful demonstration.  These people were being peaceful, but they were still arrested.  If this happened in the US there would be a large amount of backlash. 

Brooke Bellah (Make up)

National:

Two Virginia teenagers have been charged with several felonies in connection with a shooting spree along Interstate 64.  One of the suspects, Slade Allen Woodson, was taken into custody Friday morning. The other has been identified as a 16-year-old boy from Crozet, Va.They each face 10 felony counts that include malicious wounding and maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle.Investigators said they now believe the shootings were part of a long night of random gunfire in which the pair also shot at a credit union and a residence.  Only two people were injured.

Opinion:

I don’t understand why you would just go around shooting at random people.  It doesn’t make sense.  These people obviously need to be put in prison and receive large amounts of counseling before they are reintroduced to the public.  Maybe some medication would help, too.

A woman on Friday abducted a 1-day-old baby from a secure hospital unit and apparently managed to smuggle the child outside.  Jennifer Latham was arrested a short time later after being pulled over by police in nearby Lake Mary.  Hospital officials alerted police of the abduction around 1:45 p.m. after hospital alarms indicated the child had been removed from the newborn unit. Hospital spokesman Craig Bair said the child was wearing a device that set off an alarm when the infant was taken outside.  The hospital was immediately locked down as officials searched the grounds, but the woman was apparently able to slip by security because she had the child hidden in a bag, The baby was found inside unharmed and has been returned to the hospital.

Opinion:

I wish this story had a quote from the woman as to why she took kidnapped the child.  It would be interesting to hear her try to excuse her actions.  If I were the parents I would be very upset, of course.  I may try to sue the hospital for allowing a unauthorized person near my baby in a supposed secure location in the first place.

Kaylen May Gerkey

Mom shoots kids – carries gun on campus
Summary: In Louisville, Kentucky a mom kills her two children than went to the nearby college and showed the gun before handing it over to a health counselor. The scare at the University of Louisville ended in no injuries 30 min after it began. Police where then told to check on the children, at that time they found them dead. Gail Coontz 37 years old is charged with killing her. two children, 14 year old and 10 year old. The woman was also charged with one count of terroristic threatening for pointing a gun at an officer. The neighborhood where the police found the children is normally a quiet neighborhood.

Opinion: I find the whole situation just horrendous. The children, one barely a teenager and the other just a child. I cannot understand what could draw a parent to murdering their children. I think the lady is probably not all there in the head because then she walked all the way to the campus and brandished the gun and finally turned it over to a health counselor. Someone like that cannot really be sane. Maybe she is a just lost it one day, but if I had children I could never go off on then with a gun.


From $70,000 to food bank
Summary: In California, Patricia Guerrero, went from making $70,000 to drawing unemployment checks. Weeks after being laid off bills were piling up and she needed food for her family the middle class mom never thought she would have to result to this. She already burned through savings to help make ends meet and she has two young children. Guerrero turned to the food bank. Experts say more and more middle class families are turning up at food banks.

Opinion: I think this mother did all that she could. She is a single mom with like to kids and she was out of options. Food banks can really help people and that is what they are there for. Just because you are middle class does not mean you are above such thing, they are there to help everyone. Everyone goes through rough patches at one time or another through their life whether it’s financially or otherwise and going to a food bank is better than starving to death. I just think she showed a lot of courage and was not afraid to go somewhere where she knew she would get help.

T5 tech failure causes Heathrow chaos
Summary: The long awaited opening of a multi billion dollar new terminal at London’s Heathrow Airport suffered a major setback Thursday when a nigh tech baggage handling system malfunctioned. The malfunctioned caused major delays with flight cancellations. British Airways, the only airline using the terminal, said that passengers could only check in hang luggage. The new terminal which to 8.6 billion dollars to make took nearly 15 years to complete. The baggage system was supposed to be able to handle nearly 12,000 bags an hour.

Opinion: I find it all quite ironic. London pays nearly 9 million to fund this new terminal and this new baggage system and on opening day it causes more problems then it started with. But I do think that when it all gets back and running that it will really benefit the airport. I know that England is a very popular country but also very small and the airport could probably use all the help it can get with all the tourists that come in and out every year. So a baggage system that can go through 12,000 bags in an hour would be a lifesaver. I hope this new terminal is a great success because after all the incidents at Heathrow recently they need something good.

The Sarkozys turn on the charm in Britain
Summary: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife visit the UK for a two-day state visit. Mrs. Sarkozy, Chic Carla Bruni Sarkozy, is like a cross between Jackie O and a catholic school girl said the papers. She was sweet and graceful and stylishy reflecting the color of Windsor Castle. Nicolas Sarkozy won a standing ovation as he pledges support for NATO in Afghanistan. But Mrs. Sarkozy steals the limelight in a succession of Dior dresses. So it was all about the Sarkozy’s in Britain and Mrs. Sarkozy won their hearts.

Opinion: I think Chic Carla Bruni Sarkozy is real cute. She has a big smile and nice style and that’s probably why the Brits liked her. Her husband has been a good French President and she’s a good lady. I think Bush could use someone like that rite now, but I don’t think anyone could help him; it seems no one likes him anymore. I find it funny that Sarkozy can get up and talk about NATO and get a standing ovation and then his wife can steal the spotlight with Dior dresses. That’s just darling.

Ashley Cowan

National: Ex-church music leader to prison for child porn
In Bridgeport, Connecticut, a former music director at a Greenwich church, was sentenced Thursday to 5 1/2 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Robert Tate, 66, must also pay a $50,000 fine and participate in sex offender treatment. Tate pleaded guilty in January 2007 to possessing child pornography and then spent several weeks at long-term treatment centers for sexually deviant behavior. "I've struggled all my life with sexual attraction to young boys," Tate said during his sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport. "I was abused myself, but that is no excuse for what I did. I'm deeply ashamed of it."

Opinion: PERVO!!!!! O my gosh! If I hear about one more church leader molesting more children I'm going to go crazy! How can these people who are supposedly leading others to the Lord be running around doing things like this?! They need to pray for God's guidance! And I don't give a darn if he was abused himself! That is no excuse to be ruining the lives of other young children due to his past experiences.

International: Taliban bomb expertise becomes deadlier
In Kabul, Afghanistan, a ruthless new generation of Afghan rebels is casting aside Taliban doctrine that opposed killing large numbers of civilians, instead using more powerful explosives and packing bombs with ball-bearings to maximize deaths. Just this week, some 140 people died in two bombings. Afghan security officials say the militants have started using C-4, a powerful explosive not seen before in Afghanistan.

Opinion: HA! Wow! This is just what we needed, even more powerful explosives coming from Afghanistan! PAUSE NOT!!! O goodness, I honestly just wish we could go in there and NOT kill anyone, but just take all their equipment that they are using to create these bombs! I mean come on! I have no idea what kind of religion these crazy people are following but I know my God wouldn’t approve of me killing anyone.

National: Wis. man convicted in antifreeze poison case
In Elkhorn, Wisconson, a man was convicted Thursday of poisoning and suffocating his wife. Mark Jensen, 48, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Julie Jensen, and faces a mandatory life prison sentence, with the judge to determine if he should ever be eligible for parole. Julie Jensen, 40, was found dead in her Pleasant Prairie home on Dec. 3, 1998, after being sick for a few days. Mark Jensen was charged with killing her in 2002, but legal wrangling over evidence repeatedly delayed the trial.

Opinion: Stories like this freak me out! Just the thought that if my husband was to ever get mad at me and possibly plan to poison me is honestly one of the scariest thoughts ever! I have no idea what goes on in these peoples' heads when they plot to kill someone like this, however for killing your wife I agree that he should've gone to prison for life.

International: Witness for bin Laden driver: Ex-prosecutor
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, In a stunning turnaround, the former chief military prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay said Thursday he would be a defense witness for the driver of Osama bin Laden. Air Force Col. Morris Davis, who resigned in October over alleged political interference in the U.S. military tribunals, told The Associated Press he will appear at a hearing for Salim Ahmed Hamdan. "I expect to be called as a witness ... I'm more than happy to testify," Davis said in a telephone interview from Washington. He called it "an opportunity to tell the truth.

Opinion: Well I'm very tired at the moment so I have little opinion over this article. Choosing the driver of Osama bin Laden is a very interesting task to take on, I myself would not choose to do something like this. I am also surprised that the person representing him is a former chief military prosecutor.

kwang min kim

International

Korea

 

Jeju Island Fish season

 

There is some good news in Jeju Island. Due to warming seawaters, it is enjoying an abundant tuna season. Recently in the fish market in Busan, there was an ample stock of tuna, which was all over 70 centimeters long.

Two fleets of mackerel vessels returned with more than 2,000 fish, of which 120 were more than one meter long and weighed more than 30 kilograms. Fishermen and dealers were stunned and told reporters that they had never seen such abundance of tuna in the past. Some say this is the first time since the Korean fish market opened.

 

Opinion

 

Jeju Island is very magnificent visiting place in Korea. Tourists always take to JEJU Island to show to visitors.

According to the National Fisheries Research. The schools of tuna were following the warm Black Current passing Jeju, when they were caught. More good news for the people of Jeju Island is that the rush of fish is expected to continue as the temperature increase during the spring season. A tuna weighing 50 kilograms was sold for 1.35 million won. The market traded 4,000 tuna for 1 billion won. And I am really glad for this news because Japs were always taking our fishes but this year all the fishes are ours.!!  God bless Korea.

 

 

International

Korea

 

Did you ever have the opportunity to see some of the world's highest and elegant ceramic masterpieces? I am sure at one point in your life most of you had the chance to see precious ceramics from Korea. But we rarely get the chance to see ones from outside the country. Well, 117 ceramic pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London have arrived in Seoul. And they are currently on display at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center Gallery until June 23. This definitely is a rare opportunity to learn about the history of ceramics, by seeing ancient artifacts from Egypt and China, and the delicate porcelain from Germany, England and France, to modern-day pottery. The exhibit is organized chronologically with nine sections, starting with ancient times. Visitors will be greeted by the stunning turquoise-glazed monumental scepter from ancient Egypt.

 

Opinion

 

Admission is 6,000 won for adults, 5,000 won for middle and high school students. The money will be donated to UNICEF. Don't miss out! You will not find this chance in your lifetime. Plus, 6000 won is really cheap price for these ceramic masterpieces; I believe through this exhibition many people in Korea will see the mysterious beauty of many different cultures throughout the history of mankind.

 

 

National

Super delegate

The battle over the Democratic presidential nomination turned nasty on Thursday,. Liberal group MoveOn.org — which has endorsed Barack Obama — issued a letter to its members, asking them to sign on to a statement that says millionaire donors shouldn’t dictate how the race is won. It also asked for members to match the money the donors would otherwise supply.

Opinion

The Democratic nomination is going to be decided by the voters not by super delegate or party high-rollers. They may have free individual power to choose any candidate they want but they do not have right to get any special benefit for they being super delegate. It is just unfair.

NATIONAL

NEW ORLEANS —  Wanted: Idealistic teachers looking for a Peace Corps-style adventure in a city in distress.

Some of New Orleans' most desperate, run-down schools are beset with a severe shortage of

teachers, and they are struggling mightily to attract candidates by appealing to their sense of

adventure and desire to make a difference. Education officials are even offering to help new

teachers find housing.

OPINION

I HAVE INCREDIBLE outpouring of sympathy toward New Orleans. I fell really sad for them.

They did not deserve this kind of situation. The Government should improve the environment in

New Orleans. And recruiters should convince many brilliant teachers to work in New Orleans,

give them a reason to practice teaching in New Orleans. They got a do something about it.

 

Franki Benavidez

National Summary:
In Los Angeles, California, a woman was forced to remove her nipple piercings with pliers in order to board a plane. Mandi Hamlin was being checked by a handheld detector and when the detector passed by her chest which beeped and she told the TSA agent that it was her nipple piercings. The female officer took her behind a curtain and told her to remove the piercings with the pliers she handed to her. Hamlin took the first one out but had struggled with the second one. While she was crying, she heard the other officers snickering. After she removed the piercings, she was then allowed to board the plane even though she still had a bellybutton piercing. About a month later, the federal security agents and a civil rights investigation had to apologize to her. If they didn't, she said she would have taken legal action against them. Here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342329,00.html

Opinion: I feel soooo bad for that woman. While reading this article, i just couldn't stop cringing when it mentioned about pliers being used to remove her piercings. And with the male officers around, AWKWARD! Hamlin should've just taken those officers that did that to her to jail. A simple apology cannot make things better for her. I think that anybody that has nipple piercings should think twice about boarding a plane. Oh my gosh that's terrible!

Summary: In Orange County, Florida, a 11 year old girl was tasered school security officer. The 11 year old was found pushing and shoving her teachers. The security officers came in and tried to calm her down but she was throwing desks and chairs all around. One of the officers couldn't contain her so he tasered the young girl. Here:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342471,00.html

Opinion: Why would someone taser an 11 year old girl? I could see if the girl was bigger and stronger than the officers but i hardly doubt it! I think now security officers are getting too lazy with controlling kids so they take advantage of whatever is possible.

International Summary:
A physics teacher allegedly gets a high school student pregnant and then takes her to get an abortion. The teacher is on trial for 11 counts of sexual penetration with a 16 or 17 year old child under his care. The jury was told in court that the physics teacher would pick up the girl after school and they would have sex in his car up to three times a week. The relationship continued after the abortion, with the pair sometimes going to motels, the prosecutor said.

Opinion: I think it's awful for what happened to that student. She not only had sex with the teacher but then he took her to get the abortion over with. I think that when girls get pregnant during high school, abortion isn't the right way to go. The teacher is a real jerk because he wanted to make sure that the abortion would go as planned.

Tyler Adair

National – Hillary looses ground.
http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/clinton-leads-pack-in-negative-ratings/20080327145309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

While Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are neck and neck in the election polls, there is a clear winner in the negatively viewed poll that Wall Street Journal and NBC News took. Despite the controversy relating to Obamas pastor, Hillary Clinton is viewed more negatively than either Obama or McCain. Although she is still polling above Barack in Pennsylvania, her approval seems to go down. The number of people who view Barack Obama negatively has also incr4eased over the past month. On an AOL poll which asks users whether they feel positively about, negitivly about, or no opinion, on each candidate McCain is the only one that has more of a positive view than a negative one.

I think this is great! Especially the AOL poll. I really think it is true, people view McCain way more positively than either Obama or Clinton. Despite extremo conservatives hating on McCain, his view among normal conservative, moderates and liberals is still pretty high. I think he will be the best man for the job, I don’t agree with him on everything, but a little compromising won’t hurt every now and then.


National – Woman is forced to remove piercing.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/woman-wants-apology-over-piercings/20080327192709990001

Mandi Hamlin was back on her way home to Texas while going through the security areas of the Lubbock Airport. She went through a metal detector without sounding an alarm, but was stopped again and scanned with a handheld metal detector by a female TSA agent. While being scanned the detector went off over her chest and she informed the agent that she had nipple piercing, some male TSA agents went over to her and decided she would have to remove the rings. She was forced to remove them painfully with pliers, yet still allowed to wear her belly button piercing. Hamlin wants an apology and says something should be done to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

I think this is a horrible event, I don’t see why she would have to take out the nipple piercings, yet she could keep in the belly button. I think something should be done to prevent this from happening again, she should get an apology, and these TSA agents, especially the men, should be looked into.

International – Man Tears Off Famous Ear
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/statue-damage-angers-easter-islanders/20080327153709990002

Marko Culju did what most Easter Islanders would see as unthinkable during his trip in March. He tore off one of the 400 famous Moai statues on the South Pacific Island. After being accused by police he was put under house arrest for 13 days in his hotel, and is forced to pay a fine. His attorney says that prison time could follow, but he hopes it would not. Culju said he didn’t realize his actions would have such great magnitude. The mayor of Easter Island says he wants to cut off one of Culjus ears. Eye for an eye, ear for an ear.

I think anyone who would do this to such a historic part of our world has to be so selfish. These things are massive, historic and amazing, and he broke off a large chunk to use as a souvenir. Obviously an ear for an ear is excessive, and the article doesn’t say whether the mayor was kidding, but I think some type of community service should be put on this man. Prison time seems excessive to me.

International – British Official Banned
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342375,00.html

The British Secretary of Treasury has been banned from a big part of British life. After raising taxes on alcoholic beverages pubs around the country have started posting signs that have a picture of Alistair Darling with the word “barred” over it. The government has raised the tax on alcoholic beverages 6 times, and it expected to keep changing higher over the next few months.

I think this is hilarious, what a creative way to voice their opinions, I feel bad for the secretary of treasury though, I feel like it is his job to these things and now he is having personal attacks placed on him. And I bet he’s not very popular now over there. Still creative way to get an opinion across to the government and the public.

Brian's blog

National - Sgt. Peter Damon, a disabled veteran of the Iraq War, sued Michael Moore for using a TV interview in his movie Fahrenheit 9/11, and misconstruing the interview to make it sound like Damon was complaining about the Bush administration and a lack of good treatment for veterans, rather than simply about his pain. The First Circuit ruled against Damon’s lawsuit, because there was not enough there to sue Moore for defaming Damon. Moore claimed this vindicated him (especially since two of the judges who ruled in favor of him were appointed by Bush), and also claimed the large number of failed lawsuits against him show his films to be accurate. Moore said he felt for the veteran, but did not feel he used the clip wrongly.

Opinion – While I feel that the right decision was reached in this case, I also think Michael Moore should keep his mouth shut. I haven’t seen his movies, but I know what they’re about. I might even agree with some of the points he tries to make. But claiming failed lawsuits prove his movies to be accurate? All that proves is that we have a court system that protects Moore’s right to make his movies. All I’ve heard in the news is negative - how acts in public, and the way he no doubt does misconstrue things in his movies.

National - A Pennsylvanian Judge recently ruled that three Hispanic men could avoid going to jail for conspiracy to commit robbery and stay on parole if they learn English, get their GEDs, and get full-time jobs. Their attorneys are studying the legality of the ruling trying to decide whether or not to appeal, though one man was quite happy with the ruling. All three needed translators in their trial.

Opinion – I thought this sounded kind of interesting. It seems like a ruling like this would be helpful (and awfully generous) to the men on trial, but I suppose the idea of making them learn English is controversial. I think it would be good if judges made rulings like this more often (as long as they are legal), which gave criminals second chances as long as they were willing to follow certain criteria for change.

International – In Zimbabwe, money isn’t worth very much. The country is undergoing a time of hyperinflation as their economy is suffering, and a ten million dollar bill can barely buy two rolls of toilet paper. Some say the autocratic-president’s 28 year reign is to blame. The president says it is the fault of British imperialism and sanctions. Either way, the fear is that this could lead to civil war. The country’s inflation rate is the worst in the world.

Opinion – How would you fix a problem like that? It’s ridiculous. It just seems amazing to me an economy could get so bad. Isn’t there any way you could just scrap the whole thing and start over? I’d like to know more about the situation over there. What can Africa do?

International - Hindus are upset about Mike Myers latest film The Love Guru, in which he portrays what else but a Hindu. They’re kind of upset like the Khazakstani people were upset about Borat. They’ll probably get over it. They’re just afraid that the character is supporting Hindu stereotypes that might promote racism.

Opinion – The Hindu’s are probably right, but what can you do? It sounds like a dumb movie anyway, but we’ll see. Everyone gets made fun of these days, and people just need to get used to it. And not be racist or treat people like stereotypes.

David Jeong

National - 1

Police: Mom shot kids, carried gun on campus

Summary: A mother killed her two children and then went to the nearby college she attended and brandished a gun before handing the weapon to a health counselor. Gail Lynn Coontz, 37, is charged with killing 14-year-old Greg Coontz and 10-year-old Nikki Coontz. The woman was also charged with one count of terroristic threatening for pointing a handgun at an officer. The woman gave her handgun to a counselor at the health services building.

Opinion: This is messed up. Who would even try to kill their own child? I don't have my own kid but I am seriously in love with this baby named Glenn, Mr Harmon's grandson, and I would not bother at all to give up my life for his. Well, he is not even my own baby. This woman must be crazy to do that kind of thing. I cannot even mention about what she did. I get so scared sometimes when Glenn gets sick or when he falls down and bleed, so I pray God not to let anything bad happen to him and let bad things happen to me. I'm pretty sure this woman has no brain or heart.

National - 2

Father Rescues Son From Well

Summary:An Iowa toddler is recovering after his dad saved him from a well. The incident happened in Wheldon, a small town on the Clarke-Decatur, county line. Chumbley was in his yard raking and watching his son Ayden, 2, in a neighbor's yard chasing the family's cat. The cat was standing on the well platform and this little guy was trying to catch the cat and fell. The baby said "Yeah, my daddy's my hero."

Opinion: Well, this is how it should be. Parents should take care of their children with love. This is a example of a good father. When I grow up and have my own children, I will take care of them and try my best to avoid the bad things for them. The baby's last comment is amazing. I would feel happy for days if Glenn says you're my hero. That is so neat thing to hear from a 2 year old baby.

International - 1

Asia faces a rice supply crisis

Summary: A sharp rise in the price of rice is hitting consumer pocketbooks and raising fears of public turmoil in the many parts of Asia where rice is a staple. Part of a surge in global food costs, rice prices on world markets have jumped 50 percent in the past two months and at least doubled since 2004. Experts blame rising fuel and fertilizer expenses as well as crops curtailed by disease, pests and climate change. There are concerns prices could rise a further 40 percent in coming months.

Opinion: This is a real crisis in Asian culture. We eat rice and rice is the no.1 food for asians to make energy, i think. Well, I read about this yesterday. The article said the price of rice had increased more than 130% just in Korea over a night. I thought this is a terrible thing because many people is now going to starve more because the rice is getting so expensive. I think I'm ok because I don't eat much anyways, i think.

International - 2

Report: North Korea test-fires missiles

Summary:North Korea fired short-range missiles off its western coast.The South Korean Defense Ministry and Joint Chiefs of Staff told CNN they are trying to confirm reports of the missile launches. South Korea's presidential office dismissed reports of the missile launches as part of "ordinary military training" by the communist state. North Korea cited the minister's remarks as a reason for demanding that the South Korean diplomats leave.

Opinion: I don't understand North Korea. If I were to be Kim Jung il, I would go shake hands with the new president of South and become more friendly or even make the unified korean peninsula, if possible. South is doing so much for North and I don't understand why Kim jung il does all these strange missile tests and nukes or whatsoever. Maybe, he is targetting Tokyo, hopefully, instead of Seoul.

J TO THA LEMNITZER X2 KING KONGS GOT NOTING ON DIS BEAST

International: North Korea test fires missiles

Summary: South Korea believes North Korea has test fired several missiles into the North Sea. The move if confirmed, comes a day after the North expelled most of the South Korean managers from a joint industrial park on the border which came after the South said it would link progress at the park with the North's denuclearization effort. The newly elected gov. in the South has pledged to take a tougher stance with the North and has so far resulted in the North remaining even more stubborn than usual. The missile tests and firing of South Korean managers prove the North's actions are as erratic as ever. The park employs almost 24,000 North Koreans and is operated mainly for that countries benefit.

Opinion: If the North keeps misbehaving it will be very interesting to see how the new get tough policy in the South reacts. North Korea is obviously very concerned with its posturing and so it feels it must flex its muscles from time to time just as a warning that the state is thoroughly unpredictable. I do not know if there is any proper way to deal with the North, Concessions don't work threats don't work. Maybe someday something will work but until then good luck.

National: Ky. Mom kills her own children

Summary: Gail Lynn Coontz is charged by police with the murder of her 14 year old son, and 10 year old daughter. She reportedly shot her two children in their sleep and then took her gun to the University of Louisville where she attends school, there she handed it over to a health counselor. The University went on full alert sending messages to students cellphones however the campus was not locked down. Her neighbor says she was a good mom and would have never thought she was capable of such and act.

Opinion: I chose this because it is symbolic of the headlines we are used to in this country. A women kills her own two children and as much as it hurts me to say it doesn't even stand out among the other headlines because we are incredibly desensitized in this country. It is a terrible act and words can't comprehend the loss of such young life. I don't know what we can do about this but I feel that something must be done about this about this.

KRISTA GOLF i mean GROTE :P

NATIONAL

U.S. passports made abroad

SUMMARY
Since the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the country has had to amp up its security. The U.S. passports are using more technology to prevent fraud. The down side to this action is that it has to be done outside of the U.S. There are many concerns that this is not a safe or smart idea. These chips are harder to fake but there is concern that it will be easier for these chips to be stolen or tampered with. The U.S. does not have the technology to create this advanced security measures. The companies abroad creating these say that there is no need to worry because the factories are secure and so are the vehicles transporting the materials.

OPINION
I don’t see a reason to freak out about this new technology. Even though passports are our keys to the kingdom, the step of the passport making process that is being done abroad is not that extreme. Only the chip and the blank cover are being created abroad and the rest of the process is still being done in the U.S. This new technology will be a benefit in the long run, so let’s just hope nothing goes wrong.

INTERNATIONAL

Tata for now

SUMMARY
What was once under control of the British thumb, India’s Tata motors is taking over British car companies, Jaguar and Land Rover. These companies were sold to ford years ago, but recently have been bought out again. The Tata enterprise is somewhat equivalent to the Trump enterprise in the U.S., but it is in India and growing globally by the day. They are well known for the 5th largest steel industry in the world and also make things from sugar and tea to the recently released cheapest automobile, the Nano. This is a flourishing company, and although it is not as popular in the U.S. as it is in other parts of the, its popularity will be spreading quickly.

OPINION
India is on the rise and I want to go there so badly. The culture there is incredible and the technology is surpassing ours in the states. There are so many people living in the country of India, so there is all sorts of knowledge available. I think in the next ten years or so Tata is going to be another house hold name the U.S. and Tata himself will be richer than Donald Trump or even Bill Gates.

NATIONAL

Muchas Problemas con Aviones

SUMMARY
Hundreds of the major airlines flights are getting grounded in order to go through proper inspection. The airlines are so concerned about passengers that they are overlooking proper inspection procedures. These inspections are costing many of the airlines millions of dollars, either in fines or fuel. Over the past five years the price per gallon has increased over three dollars. On top of that, many of the plains have to be inspected in other countries. Concerns are that the plains are not being inspected properly abroad even thought the costs are cheaper. In other countries the inspectors are not FAA certified like the ones in the U.S. so some people are freaking out. The airlines say however that it is still safe to fly.

OPINION
Inspection is kind of a big deal, especially when it comes to flying in airplanes. Many people have fears of flying because they are worried something could go wrong. I personally do not have a problem with flying but after all the recent problem and the need for inspection, I am a little uneasy about the whole situation. Now that the airlines are being pressured with procedure I’m sure things will be better anyway, but it would be nice to make sure that the plain you get on is going to function properly through out the trip. If plains have been working for so long with out these strict inspections, I’m sure it will continue to ok, I hope.

INTERNATIONAL

Not another sign of global warming :o

SUMMARY
A giant chunk of Antarctic ice has broken off from the Wilkins’s shelf much sooner than scientists have expected. The chunk is about seven times the size of Manhattan. This is one of the biggest pieces to break off yet and is a result of global warming. This is a sign of climate changing faster than expected. The ice in the Arctic has a big impact on global temperatures and if the ice starts melting then the sea levels will rise and the land temperatures can increase up to 7 degrees. It is a vicious environmental circle.

OPINION
I’m kind of lost when it comes to global warming. Part of me wants to think this is nonsense, but on the other hand I look at as the flood that Noah faced in the Old Testament. We are being warned of the warming, but there is nothing we can really do. Is global warming just another Biblical sign for the end of the age? Well I hope global warming is not true because Phoenix already gets hot enough in the summer. I am not sure I could take another 7 degrees!!!

Alex Bellah TOO :)

International One
Summary: Two year old girl was finally freed from a well in India where she had been trapped for over 17 hours on Wednesday. The little girl was plating around on Tuesday when she all of a sudden fell into an uncovered well. The little girl was said to have calm throughout this process of trying to free her and kept asking fot friut and sweets (which was lowered down to her by rope). The little girl was pumped oxygen to her by way of tubes. her father was by her side throughout this entire thing (they were afraid her mother would become to emotional and start to fream the girl out). The little girl was freed and taken to a nearby hospital where she is said to be doing quite well except they think that she could possibly be suffering from dehydration (which is easily corrected).

Opinion: i am so glad that this little girl is safe and sound now in the arms of her parents. I can not imagine how scary it must have been for her to be down there especially at the age of two. She is one lucky little girl and i pray that this accident will allow for the officials od India to realize that they need to cover up those open wells and make them more safe for the society. To have something uncovered like that is just wrong and so unsafe (well obviously).


International Two
Summary: Davis Beckham reaches his 100th game for Englands football team. He has played 11 years for his country and never thought that he would make this acheviement happen. With his 100th game behind him he is now focused on his next world cup. Many believe that playing for L.A. will not get him there but Beckham is very positive about his team. He is focused on the future and just getting better. David Beckham is one of a kind and no one can ever take that form him.

Opinion: I can not imagine how David Beckham must be feeling right now with his long carreer in football he has acheived so much. He is such an awsome football player and i am glad that he has come to the U.S. to play for us. I believe that no matter what the future brings there is only one David Beckham and people may try and be as great as him but in reality they will most likely not even come close. He is such a well known player whi loves the game not for the money but for just love of the game.

J TO THA LEMNITZER

International: Dengue Kills in Brazil

Summary: An outbreak of Dengue fever in Rio De Janeiro state, Brazil has killed at least 54 people since January with another 60 deaths still being investigated. The outbreak of the deadly fever has lead the Brazilian Health Care Secretary to deploy 1,200 soldiers from the countries armed forces to set up three field hospitals as others are overwhelmed by the 43,000 people who have contracted the disease since January, 500 more soldiers will spray insecticide and place poison in standing puddles of water where mosquitoes breed. 31 of the confirmed deaths have been in Brazil's largest resort city Rio De Janeiro with half the victims being under the age of 13. The number of people who have contracted the disease in Rio De Janeiro state is already double the number of people from all of 2007, and has lowered tourism in the city by 25%. Dengue Fever is transmitted by mosquito, has no vaccine, can incapacitate patients for over a week with severe headaches and joint pains, but is not usually fatal.

Opinion: I sincerely feel for the people of Rio De Janeiro state who are suffering at the hand of this terrible disease. I have first hand experience with how bad it can be as my dad contracted Dengue shortly after returning from a trip to Haiti and was hospitalized for days. It is a terrible disease that is often over looked in the United States because it mainly affects tropical and sub-tropical areas. I believe the recent outbreak is due to massive overcrowding and lack of infrastructure which contributes to the amount of standing water and it's proximity to people. Hopefully the government can get a handle on the epidemic and learn valuable lessons which can help prevent such an outbreak in the future.

National: Bush touts progress in Iraq amid escalating violence

Summary: In the third of a series of recent speeches about the war in Iraq President Bush has continued to tout progress in the war a week before key U.S. commanders are scheduled to testify before Congress on troop strength. The speech comes amid reports of escalating violence in Basra as the Iraqi PM is personally in the city to oversee operations aimed at rooting out the Mahdi Army in the key oil city and port. The violence has spread to Baghdad and has resulted in the Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr mobilizing his followers into massive protests demanding PM Maliki resign. Violence in the capital has led to several days of rocket attacks on the Green Zone where U.S. embassy staff have been told not to leave the building after the death of a worker. A curfew has also been imposed on the capital. In Basra PM Maliki has issued a 72 hour deadline to insurgents; disarm or die. Meanwhile Bush touts the progress and reminds us of the price of failure.

Opinion: Bush has got to the be the most inept and optimistic president we've ever had. While optimism is usually a good thing the Presidents borders on outright stupidity and gross incompetence. If there is any progress in Iraq it is no thanks to the president, the credit goes to the generals who have the persistence to confront the policy makers like the president who resist any change in strategy as a sign of defeat. But really who gives speeches about victory amid the worst violence in months which is only escalating and not subsiding it's either that or denying the recession either way the President looks like a jackass, but I suppose he feels obligated to talk about Iraq because the economy is complicated. 4,000 dead, 100's of billions spent, almost 30,000 wounded, over 100,000 Iraqi's dead WAS IT WORTH IT?

Alex Bellah

National One
Summary: nine year old Katherine Latchfurs shaved her head in order to raise money for her friends baby sister. She found out about one year old Julia whil at a sleepover. She decided that she wanted to help. She shaved her head on St Patricks day in order to raise money for Julia. her goal was to reach $900 but raised $3,135. Her mother has also shaved her head before on order to raise money for a cancer research program for children. Her mother says that her daughter has made "bald all the more beautiful". She could not be more proud of her.

Opinion: I can not imagine shaving my head like thi slittle girl did. I am amazed that she had the courage to do what she did. I am so shocked at the maturity level that this gorl has and to comprhend what her actions can do for others. I do not know if i would be able to do what she has done. I have a hard enough time just getting my hair trimmed, i can not even fathom shaving my head to where there was no hair left. I am so proud of this littl egirl that she has the bravery and courage to do what she did.

National Two
Summary: Jason yeager who has been in federal prison in South Dakota has requsted that the judge grant him time with his dying 10 year old daughter Jayci Yeager. Jayci has been diagnosed with cancer and is now in Hospice care. Jason was allowed to leave the jail to go vivit his daught at the hospice center and did not leave her side but only to ask the care takers what he could do to help his daughter feel more at ease through her time of suffering. Jason's family is asking that the jusge give Jason more time with his daughter but the judge says that the circimstances are not bad enough for him to grant this plea to Jason and his family.

Opinion: I beleive that this man should be allowed to visit his daughter at least once a week. His daughter is only 10 years old and is dying. I can not even imagine what him and his family are going through right now. My plea is that the judge realize that this time is a very emotional time for not only Jason but his entire family and friends. I hope that the judge will reconsider what he has said and grant Jason this one thing and allow him to visit his daughter with supervized visits at the hospice center.

Andrew Reiff

National

Summary- Woman crashes into water, saves coffee

A woman is safe after losing control of her car and accidently driving into the waters of the Oakland Estuary. But on the upside, she saved her morning coffee. Authorities say the car went into the water a little after 6 a.m. Thursday after its 22-year-old driver apparently lost control of her car while reaching for a cell phone. After the car became lodged in stilts under a home on the water, the driver was able to get out of the car and make it back to shore. Onlookers say she came ashore still cradling her coffee cup.

Opinion-

Wow... some people are crazy. Why this woman crashed is a little obvious- she was busy with her coffee and cell phone. Although she did do well to not lose it because if it was Starbuck's it was worth like five bucks. This story is another good reason for restricted driver's license, maybe even an aptitude test and brain scan before they let you drive. It would cause a lot less accidents.

International-

Summary- Runaway SUV knocks man off his toilet

A New Zealand man got the fright of his life when a runaway SUV crashed into his house and knocked him off the toilet, a newspaper reported Friday. The vehicle had been parked with its emergency brake only half on, and rolled backward down a 32 foot bank into the house Thursday in the southern city of Christchurch, "The Press" newspaper reported. Police said a building contractor working next door had parked the vehicle at the top of the bank minutes earlier. The paper said that when the homeowner was asked how the builder might be feeling, he said: "What about me? I got knocked off the toilet. I got a hell of a fright." The man asked not to be named because he is selling the house and did not want the incident to interfere with the sale.
Police said no charges would be filed because the incident occurred on private property.

Opinion-

This is quite an unfortuanate event for this poor guy. All he wanted to do was take care of nature's call, but he got an SUV through his wall!! I think that the contractor should be liable for the damage to the house because it was his negligence that caused the truck to roll downhill. Something as simple as putting the emergency brake on should be taken care of. I think it is pretty inexcusable. And the reporters are stupid who asked him how he thought the builders were feeling... for crying out loud...

Bronwen

International:
The Inter-American Press Association, or IAPA starts it's semiannual meeting in Caracas on Friday. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez predicted members "are going to be saying there's a dictatorship in Venezuela. . . I don't know if I'll go, I have so many things on the agenda." Right now Chavez filters much of the media by bribing judges to convict journalists openly opposing him.

News often bothers me and I wish I could sensor it too, but I don't believe a president (or any part of government) should have that power. Judging from the history of that area I would guess Hugo Chavez is exhibiting doctoral powers. The people aren't crying out because they like him. Chavez needs dethroned.

National:
Teen death rates are going up in Chicago, and principles and parents are hardly able to stifle it. 20 public high school students have been killed since September. Last school year over thirty students were killed, 24 of them by gunfire, and the year before that saw about 15 students shot to death. "The loss of life that we've seen among our young people is ... devastating, this gun nonsense has reached a crisis level." said school district spokesman Michael Vaughn. As a whole, Chicago murders are at an all time low. To help solve the problem of teen violence video cameras are being added to schools, policemen are escorting students, and curfew times have been rolled back.

I go to Chicago frequently and I can attest to it's shadiness. It's split up racially more than any place I've ever been and the south side is primarily black and primarily dangerous. These kids need a role model worthy of their admiration who can show them how to be productive and handle disagreements. Chicago needs a lot more than video cameras and escorts.

International:
In Bogota, Columbia the defense ministry is investigating to see if 66 pounds of uranium recently found was hidden by rebels. Vice President Francisco Santos says it is unclear whether rebels were trying to make a bomb, or sell the uranium for a profit. The uranium was not process, therefore it could not be used to make anything nuclear. "Uranium is not particularly radioactive. The fact that you can dig it out of the ground and it's been there for 5 billion years tells you that it's not terribly radioactive," Ivan Oelrich, American Scientist.

The world is not billions of years old, try thousands. But I'm not particularly concerned about what they found either, although I'm sure there are rebel groups who could be capable of creating something nuclearly dangerous. What Columbia should be concerned about is who the rebels would be selling that much uranium to.

National:
In Charlottesville, Virginia authorities are looking for two people who fired shots at several vehicles. Only two people were injured. This incidents reminds locals of John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo who killed 10 in 2002. "Given the unknown nature of a still-evolving situation, the idea of putting children in buses, cars or unsupervised at rural bus stops did not seem like the best thing to do," said Lee Catlin, a spokeswoman for the county. More officers will be deployed on Thursday if no one is caught by then.

Every time I write blogs it makes me a little more depressed about the depraved state of our world. The fact that these shooters did not seriously injure anyone greatly separates them from the shooters of the past, but I bet Muhammad and Malvo influenced these shooters. I hope they are caught and face serious penalties.

Murphy James Nation Articles

m@yR@

International
Tour of prison reveals the last days of Saddam Hussein
The guards at the Baghdad detention facility called their prisoner "Vic" and let Hussein plant a little garden near his cell. Hussein was hanged on December 30, 2006, for his role in the killings of 148 people in a town north of Baghdad after a 1982 attempt to assassinate him. Hussein asked the guards to give his belongings to his lawyer and tell his daughter he was going to meet God with a clear conscience, sacrificing himself for Iraq and his people.The cell is a small, windowless, with a gun-metal gray floor and concrete sleeping platform. It has a sink and toilet in the corner.
Those guarding the former Iraqi leader developed a nickname for Hussein the nickname Vic derived from the initials V-I-C posted near his name in the holding facility. It meant "Very Important Criminal" Hussein liked this nickname. Guards found a journal that Hussein wrote while being in jail, he wrote about poeple should life thier hatred and live in kindness. This might have been done inorder for Hussein to endure his legacy.
Opinion
It is weird that poeple like Hussein think that by killing people that do not agree with them is a sacrifice for their god. This just shows the ignorance that people have. People just make up their own gods and start killing people for no reason. These kind of people need to be put in medical hospitals. Maybe not because that just takes money out of our pockets in taxes. Well we need to do something about this because there are still people out there that think like him and they need to be locked up.

Wife of missing ex-agent wants answers from Iran
It has been a year since retired FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran, and his family still has no idea where he is. A crowd gathered wearing yellow ribbons that miss Levinson and they signed a petition that will be sent to Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appealing for the Iranian leader to help find their missing relative. Levinson worked 30 years for the FBI and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was employed as a private investigator at the time of his March 8, 2007, disappearance, the site says. Levinson's family has said they think he might have been working on a cigarette-smuggling case when he flew to Kish in Iran from Dubai. But Sunday, his wife said she's not totally sure what he was doing in Iran. The State Department has sent several letters to the Iranian government seeking information about Levinson. The Iranian government keeps saying that they do not have any information about him.
Opinion
I think that this is weird that the family has no idea where he is. It is also very weird that he just dissapeared and has been gone for a year now. It is sad that the iran governament is not trying very hard to find him. The family should not give up and should keep bothering the government to search for Levinson.

Murphy James International Articles

Summary:
South Korea said Thursday that it was “deeply regrettable" that North Korea had ordered their officials to leave N.K. territory, but that they were undaunted.All 11 South Korean government officials who were based in a jointly operated factory complex in Kaesong, a small town 37 miles from Seoul on the north side of the border between the countries, returned to South Korea early Thursday after the North Korean authorities gave them three days to leave. Once they had returned, South Korea warned that North Korea was furthering their isolation by disrupting the improving economic co-operation between the two Koreas.

Opinion:
This is somewhat disturbing to me to see. North Korea already makes me nervous, simply because they are so unpredictable. Now they are becoming even more sketchy? AGH. This is quite distressing to me. Yet again, any country who has any sort of bomb distresses me. People have shiny happy fits of rage, and bombs are pretty effective at killing.

Summary:
Aníbal S. Acevedo Vilá, the governor of Puerto Rico, has been charged with 19 criminal counts related to the financing of three political campaigns from 1999 to 2004, including conspiracy to violate federal campaign laws, wire fraud and illegally using campaign funds for his personal use.He said he would address his constituents at 5:30 p.m. E. time on Thursday. He plans to turn himself in on Friday morning. Nine of the other defendants were arrested on Thursday and federal officials said that the remaining three were being sought.
Opinion:
This just goes to show that it's not just Americans who are corrupt in their campaign strategy. It helps the case that most governments, on paper, would work splendidly. However, you get corrupt human nature mixed in with it, and you have a recipe for dissatisfaction.

Susan Jewell

National:
SUMMARY
A woman was laid off in February from her $70,000 job. For two months she was able to pay her bills with her tax return money but now she is still unemployed and the money is gone. Her mom has moved in with her to help her pay her mortgage. On Good Friday she went to a food bank with her two kids. While there another woman offered to pay her utility bill. The unemployed woman broke down and began crying at that. She was in a state of shock. A company which supplies food for public uses has said that more middle class people have been coming in the with the same look of need as lower class

OPINION
This is happening to so many Americans. Statistics show a very small percentage of Americans have saved up enough money to late more than two months without a job and many fall behind on bills the week they do not receive a pay check. Although I feel sad for this woman and others in similar situations I cannot help but feel they are more to blame than the government or anyone else. Financial planning is not a government problem. Individuals need to take care of themselves. After paying off bills saving money is always a good idea to be able to use for the hard times that could come. All economies falter and America is not excluded from that. The economy has slowly been going down over the last few years. If people had been smart, if this woman had been smart, she would have saved better and splurged less. This is a common problem and not news worthy. Personal financial problems need to be dealt with personally and possibly with financial planning classes.


National:
SUMMARY
A woman who always orders a small coffee from Starbucks looked sad one day while ordering so the barista asked what was wrong. The woman said she had a kidney disease and both her kidneys were failing her. without thinking the barista got very excited and said she would be tested to see if she was a match. The blood work was done and the barista was a match. They set up the surgery and now both are happily living with one kidney which works well.
OPINION
That was so nice of the barista. I don't think I would even consider offering my organs while alive to a person I didn't know. I'm an organ donor so I feel like that cold help someone but that is once I'm dead and my organs are of no use to me anymore. that was really selfless of the barista. makes me want to go out and donate something... like clothing.

International:
SUMMARY
A woman committed suicide just two days after a court in France ruled against her for having euthanasia. She used three times the lethal dose of barbiturates to kill herself. France is now considering allowing doctor assisted suicide. The woman, Chantal Sebire, had a very rare form of cancer. There was a tumor growing under her sinus. Her nose had swollen several times its normal size and one eye had been popped out of socket. Upon having an autopsy done on the woman it was evident the drug she used was more common among veterinary circles than people. Her former lawyer feels the case will continue for some time.

OPINION
Just let the death pass. I feel as a Christian I am instinctively suppose to have some automatic feeling one way or another about euthanasia but it baffles me. In the case of this woman I feel like she should have been allowed death. I think if there is a genuine medical concern death should be allowed, but then again I think that may make God sad. I don't know how I would handle something like this. Now, all I really hope for concerning her life is that the people she was in contact with during her life remember the good she did, not that death she inflicted upon herself.


International:
SUMMARY
Zimbabwe will not allow the news media to cover its parliamentary elections. Several media groups have been denied including CNN. CNN is rather distraught over this information. They issued a request to the government politely saying it was CNN's desire Zimbabwe reconsider its initial response. The man representing the opposition party was suppose to take a helicopter to the next places he was scheduled to speak at. Once authorities found out who was in the helicopter the helicopter was grounded. The pilot was allowed to fly back to the capital city but there he was arrested. the company renting the helicopter said plans had been set up in a timely fashion and officials had been made aware of the plan.

OPINION
That's weird. A large part off me read the news report and automatically believes the Zimbabwe government is trying to hide some terrible sins. I feel like the opposition leader could very likely be assassinated. I think the news article just has a foreboding tone to it though. maybe the country wants their elections to remain private simply so the public is not swayed by media reporting. I think the current government does not want the opposition to win and will d whatever it takes to keep the other party out of office. It;s a scary world.


DID YOU KNOW ASIA IS RUNNING OUT OF RICE? SAD, HUH?

Andrew Reiff

National

Summary- New rocket aims for space tourism market

Xcor, a rocket company, plans to begin test flights of a new reusable rocket ship in 2010. The rocket takes off and lands like an airplane but has four large liquid oxygen engines to carry it to around thirty-seven miles into the atmosphere. It only holds one passenger at a time but can make up to four flights a day. The company did not say how much a flight would cost, but it is bound to be competition for Virgin Galactic, another space tourism company that unveiled a model of SpaceShipTwo this year. SpaceShipTwo piggy-backs on another plane and then releases from high in the air and goes to around sixty miles up from Earth. It also carries six passengers but can only make one flight a day. SpaceShipTwo is going to be test-flown this year.

Opinion-

Good for Xcor, I think, because they will only be an example for the mighty force of Richard Branson and Scaled Composites. So SpaceShipTwo is planning to be operational as early as next year, and this Xcor thing is going to test-fly in 2010? By the time the Xcor rocket comes out, SpaceShipTwo will already be the most trusted (and only) name in galactic tourism, and the Xcor rocket will look bad by comparison. On SpaceShipTwo, the passengers can actually get out of their seats and float around for around ten minutes, but on the Xcor rocket you will experience weightlessness but not be unstrapped. So yea SpaceShipTwo is much better than anything else in the works. But thanks for trying!

Hayley Burns (international week of: 24-28 March 2008)

Nude Photo of Carla Bruni to Hit New York Auction Blocks

Summary:
PARIS — A nude photo of France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is to be auctioned off at a sale next month in New York City, an auction house said. The image was taken by photographer Michel Comte in 1993, when Bruni-Sarkozy was one of the world's most coveted models. In the black-and-white photo, she strikes a pigeon-toed pose, her hands covering her crotch. The photo is expected fetch $3,000 to $4,000 at the auction, to be held at New York's Rockefeller Plaza, according to the Web site for Christie's auction house.

Opinion:
Well I think that she should be ashamed to have this picture floating around, but at least its not a scandal-ridden picture(meaning it was during her modeling years). I also think that private pictures of some one should be kept private. People should have enough respect for their Presidents wife that they not expose her to the world at an auction.

Authorities Fear for Mother of 3-Year-Old Abandoned at Australian Train

Summary:
MELBOURNE, Australia — Authorities said Tuesday they feared for the safety of the mother of a 3-year-old girl believed to have been abandoned by her father at a train station in Australia. Australian police said they believe Xue Naiyin, a Chinese-language magazine publisher in New Zealand, went to the United States after dumping his daughter in the southern Australian city of Melbourne on Saturday. Qian Xun Xue was found standing alone and confused at the Southern Cross train station. Officials nicknamed her "Pumpkin" after the brand of children's clothing she was wearing, until she was identified Monday. A New Zealand lawmaker said Qian's grandmother may soon come to be with her. Meanwhile, New Zealand police have not been able to find the girl's mother, Anni Liu, 27, at the family's home or other properties, and are concerned she may have been harmed because she has not contacted them about her daughter.

Opinion:
I hope the mother is found in good physical and mental health, with a good explanation of why she has been MIA. I also hope the father is prosecuted for misconduct and being stupid. People who have kids should learn to be responsible for another life, because essentially they are. and If they don't want to be they can place the child in a government facility.

Kellye Harkey

International: .
The love affair was short-lived. Petra, the wild black swan who has become a minor celebrity, appears to be lonely after her mate, a white swan, has ditched her for another.
Zoo officials in Muenster, Germany, are going to reunite the animal with what appears to be the love of her life — a white paddle boat shaped like an oversized swan. Sound strange? Not really, when you listen to the zoo director, Joerg Adler. "We thought she was all set, when she and her new mate, a white swan, were building a nest together," said Adler. "But then her mate decided to fly off seeking the company of other black swans. She's swimming around in an agitated state ever since he ditched her, and we got to calm her down."

Opinion:
Is it weird that I think this is a cute love story? It is very strange but kinda cute. Swans have feeling to and need some lovin' every now and then right? I wonder what will happen when the swan tries to mate with the paddle boat, ugh that is kind of awkward. Well this is a cute love story of a black swan looking for the right one.

International:
Celebrity polar bear Knut is making headlines again, this time not for being cute and cuddly but rather for an apparent human fixation. Knut needs to leave Berlin Zoo, the sooner the better. He's had so much contact with humans in his young life that he doesn't realize he's a polar bear, he needs to get used to a life without the people who brought him up," one of his keepers, Markus Roebke, told German tabloid Bild Zeitung. According Roebke, who helped hand-rear Knut in the Berlin Zoo, Knut is a "publicity-addicted psycho" who needs the show, the human adulation. "He actually cries out or whimpers if he sees that there is no audience outside his compound ready to 'ooh' and 'aah' at him," Roebke said in the Tuesday edition of Bild Zeitung. "When the zoo had to shut because of black ice everywhere he howled with rage until staff members stood before him and calmed him down."

Opinion:
Hmm that is our fault, people! I do not understand why we have to put animals in cages and watch them for our own entertainment? I mean dont get me wrong I love the zoo but seriously we wonder why the animals are like this. I think the European news is really slow right now.

National:
Minutes after a jury sentenced him to 25 years in prison for severely burning his daughter in a microwave, a teary-eyed Joshua Mauldin listened one more time to details about the pain he had caused his child.His daughter Ana's foster mother fought back tears as she detailed how after being injured, the girl's left hand was so burned that there was no skin, no muscle, no fat, only tendon and bone.Ana suffered second- and third-degree burns to her left ear, cheek, hand and shoulder and has required several skin grafts. Part of her left ear had to be amputated.

Opinion:
Thank God this guy is going to prison. Who the heck thinks that its okay to do that? He even said that he was insane at the moment but that is such bull crap. I am very surprised that he got sentenced because I mean you can murder two people and still get away with it, but im glad this person did not get away with it.

National:
North Carolina man, who claimed he saw years of combat and earned medals, including the Purple Heart, was found guilty this week of peddling a false military record in order to collect thousands in soldier disability payments.Randall Moneymaker, of Clayton, N.C., claimed he had served as an Army Ranger on tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Panama and Grenada and had earned medals and badges of honor. But, according to federal investigators, Moneymaker was a fraud who spent only a short time in the Army, was given a less than honorable discharge and never saw any combat. "This defendant attempted to defraud the men and women who serve and protect our freedom," U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said, following the guilty verdict. Moneymaker was found guilty of making false statements, submitting false documents and theft of government funds.

Opinion:
Ugh! That is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo dumb. This guy is a moron and should not be able to call himself a solider. Also who the heck gets Lipo! um no!

m@yR@

National
Man gets 25 years for microwaving baby
Joshua Mauldin severely burned his daughter in a microwave. Ana suffered second and third degree burns to her left ear, cheek, hand and shoulder and has to have several skin grafts. Part of her left ear had to be amputated. Mauldin, 20, was deliberated for 6 and half hours for over two days. They also fined him $10,000. Mauldin had he put his then-2-month-old daughter in a Galveston hotel-room microwave and turned it on for 10 to 20 seconds. They convicted him Tuesday of felony injury to a child. Just before putting her in the microwave in May 2007, Mauldin had punched Ana and placed her in the room's safe and refrigerator. Sam Cammack III, Mauldin's attorney, asked jurors to think about his client's long history of mental illness and sentence him to probation so he could be treated at a hospital. Prosecutors said Mauldin hurt his daughter because he was angry that he was in a loveless marriage and he didn't want to take care of the infant. They also said Mauldin had a history of violence and of lying about being mentally ill to get out of trouble. Mauldin at first told police his daughter had been severely sunburned later he said that he had accidentally spilled hot water on her while making coffee.
Opinion:
I think that this is insane. I think that this guy should also be burned alive in a microwave, he should suffer like his daughter. He should be killed in a microwave. Putting him in prison for 25 years is not enough!!! It seems that he would not have enough punishment just by being put in prison for 25 years, he should be put in rehab but in prison and then die in prison. Sorry but that is not opinion.

Police: Iowa City mom, kids were beaten to death
Autopsies show that five members of an Iowa City family were found dead in their home were beaten to death. Police believe former bank executive Steven Sueppel killed his wife and children on Sunday night or Monday. He had been charged with embezzlement, and his body was found in the wreckage of a car crash on Monday morning. Investigators believe he killed his wife then tried to kill himself and the children by asphyxiating them with carbon monoxide in the garage. When that failed he killed the children one by one in the house. Police identified the children as Ethan, 10; Seth, 8; Mira, 5; and Eleanor, 3. Their bodies were found throughout the home. Two were in upstairs bedrooms, one in a basement bedroom and another in a basement toy room. Sheryl's body was found in the master bedroom. Two baseball bats were found and they might have been used in the killings.
Opinion:
I think this guy is a maniac. I'm glad that this guy died, he deserved it. I cant believe that husbands kill their wives simply becasue they have issues.

Hayley Burns (national)( week of: 24-28 March 2008)

Wal-Mart Critic Wins Judgment in 'Walocaust' Lawsuit

Summary:
ATLANTA — A federal judge has sided with a Georgia man whose satirical Web site likens Wal-Mart to the Holocaust. U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. in Atlanta rejected Wal-Mart's claims that Charles Smith's Web site and satirical products violated the company's trademark. In an 87-page order, Batten said Smith's products qualified as protected noncommercial speech because his goal was to criticize Wal-Mart, not to make a profit from his products. The 50-year-old computer storeowner from Conyers, Ga., said he was "elated" by the ruling in the two-year-old case. "It's great," he said. "I'm relieved. Whenever you go into litigation against such a big company, you never know the outcome."

Opinion:
So I think its great that this normal citizen went up against such a powerful corporation, and won! I think that Wal-Mart was just trying to get more money. They have become so power-hungry its ridiculous. A key word in this is a “satirical” web site… meaning it’s funny and comical. Wal-Mart needs to lighten up and stop being greedy.


Dallas Police Say 13-Year-Old Arrested for Allegedly Luring Young Girls Into Prostitution

Summary:
Dallas police arrested a 13-year-old middle school student Saturday and charged her with luring young girls into prostitution, WFAA.com reports. Authorities arrested the girl at local nightclub Club Metropolis, where she allegedly brought other girls to dance and to be sold for sex, enticing them with money. "It's a really horrendous affair," Dallas police Lt. Chess Williams told WFAA. According to police this is not an isolated incident. Authorities estimate there are hundreds of teenage prostitutes in Dallas due in part to a large demand, WFAA reports. Recently, a 12-year-old girl was found dancing naked at a nightclub.

Opinion:
Well I think this is very sad. I hop these girls are able to recover from the emotional problems they are bound to have, and not to mention the physical problems that could occur. I also hope that the Dallas police are able to stop most of these prostitution rings, especially in the younger generation. It should be of utmost importance.

Chuck HAll

National

From Gotbaum family files $8 million claim

A new york family that happens to be politically connected filed an $8 million claim against Phoenix, they blamed the sky harbor police officers for the Sept. 28 death of Carol Gotbaum. Gotbaum was 45 years old and died at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport after she was arrested and placed in a holding cell. According to the claim - the first step toward a lawsuit - police "used excessive and unreasonable force on Carol, as if she was a dangerous criminal, rather than as the sick, intoxicated, and vulnerable person she was." It also alleges negligence and that Phoenix police violated national standards and internal procedures.Gotbaum was entoxicated and was screaming after she missed her flight and chocked her self with her shackles while in a holding cell

This sucks for this lady but according to the statement released by mayor phil Gordon I don’t really see any thing wrong with what the police did. It seems like every single time something bad happens ti seems like the cops are blamed people now a days watch to many movies in which cops are all corrupt and don’t really do there job that image has been portrayed and so a stereotype has been set up

National
From Nancy Reagan Endorses McCain - washingtonpost.com

Former first lady Nancy Reagan of the late Ronald Reagan has formally announced her endorsement of John McCain for president Tuesday as the Arizona senator continued to collect backing from leading Republicans who might help him unite the party that right now is split over the truly unconservative nature of Jon McCain and really not wanting a democrat to be in the office the need to unite in order to win over the rising democratic intrigue. The GOP nominee-in-waiting, in the middle of his campaign to raise money for his campaign, stopped by the Southern California home of President Reagan's widow to accept the endorsement from the Republican matriarch he called beloved and wonderful.
This is good that Nancy has fomally announced her endorsement for GOP nominee McCain, it is just to bad that Reagan himself is not alive to do it. There is so many people who look to Reagan to be the type of president we need right now and having Reagan support would be huge. But at least he got the support of his widow

International
From Chinese ambassador to Canada accuses the Dalai Lama of being a liar in rare news conference - International Herald Tribune

China's ambassador to Canada said Wednesday the Dalai Lama is a serial liar who has fooled the world, and accused those who attack China's record on human rights of acting irresponsibly. In a rare news conference at his embassy, Lu Shumin defended the Chinese military's crackdown on Tibetan protesters that is threatening to disrupt this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. The Dalai Lama has presented himself to be a peaceful, angel like figure, for such a long time Lu said If you look at what the Dalai Lama is what Tibet was like before 1959, you will find out really what Dalai Lama was and still is
I think it is funny that they are accusing one of the most peaceful people in the world as being one of the most dececptive I could totally see this guy sitting there with a gun in his hand and a t-shirt that says I hate lamas on it and then sitting there accusing the dali lama of being one of the most deceptive people on the planet. I could also see the dali lama walking out from a peace rally and going back to his hotel rooms and doing bad things but still the Dali Lama

International
From Nuclear Parts Sent To Taiwan In Error - washingtonpost.com

The us was sapossed to be sending Taiwan batteries to help out with some of there helicopters. It turns out the us actually sent nose cones that attach to nuculear inter continetial ballistic missiles. The shipment was made over 18 months ago and was just figured out last week. The defense logistic agency the department that sent the parts is under investigation by Robert Gates the defense secretary

This is ridiculous. How the heck do you mix up batteries for a helicopter and nose cones that attach to nuclear intercontinenttial ballistic missiles. I mean there is just a little bit of a difference. The fact that the agency shipped them is one thing then there is the fact that they were some how able to get out of the us without any real problems. That is just ridiculous. I also want to know why Taiwan did not notify the us of the mix up I highly doubt we are ever going to see those parts again. In fact they are probably half way to north Korea