keniobrown's per.5 blog

5/23/08

2008-05-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

In the wake of the wildly successful Spirit and Opportunity rover missions, you would think NASA would approach the landing of the next Martian probe with high confidence. But the truth is sometimes not what you would think. "I do not feel confident. But in my heart I'm an optimist, and I think this is going to be a very successful mission," said principal investigator Peter Smith, an optical scientist with the University of Arizona. "The thrill of victory is so much more exciting than the agony of defeat." Indeed, the truth is that the planetary scientists and engineers who make up the Mars Phoenix Lander team will be biting their nails Sunday evening as they cluster around computer monitors in mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. That's when their spacecraft, which launched to Mars last August, will finally arrive on the Red Planet. Everyone on the team is primed and ready to get down to business, putting the suite of scientific instruments aboard Phoenix to work analyzing the soils and permafrost of Mars' arctic tundra for signatures of life, either past or present.

An appellate court decision upended the custody case that sent more than 440 children from a polygamist sect's ranch into foster care, but it's not clear whether the children might soon return home. The Third Court of Appeals in Austin said the state failed to show the youngsters were in any immediate danger, the only grounds under Texas law for taking children from their parents without court action. Texas District Judge Barbara Walther now has 10 days to release the youngsters from custody, but the state could appeal to the Texas Supreme Court and keep the children from immediately going back to their parents. The decision Thursday in one of the biggest child-custody cases in U.S. history was a humiliating defeat for the state Child Protective Services agency. It was hailed as vindication by members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who claim they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

5/19/08

2008-05-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

PROM 2008

It was awesome

5/14/08

2008-05-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

At least 14 people were injured, including a child, when a rocket fired from Gaza exploded in a shopping mall in southern Israel Wednesday, just as the Israeli prime minister was warning against such attacks. e rocket struck the top floor of the Hutzot Shopping Center in Ashkelon, trapping several people under rubble, the Jerusalem Post reported.
A hospital official said a woman and her young daughter were seriously wounded, along with another child. Another woman was seriously wounded, and several other people were slightly wounded, said the official, Leah Malul of Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rocket attack in a statement on its Web site.
Rescue service director Eli Bean said a young girl was among the wounded. Witnesses told Israeli radio stations that the rocket caused considerable damage.

With the end of another school year approaching, college sophomore Moshe Kai Cavalin is cramming for final exams in classes such as advanced mathematics, foreign languages and music.
But Cavalin is only 10 years old. And at 4-foot-7, his shoes don't quite touch the floor as he puts down a schoolbook and swivels around in his chair to greet a visitor.
"I'm studying statistics," says the alternately precocious and shy Cavalin, his textbook lying open on the living room desk of his parents' apartment in this quiet suburb east of Los Angeles.
Within a year, if he keeps up his grades and completes the rest of his requirements, he hopes to transfer from his two-year program at East Los Angeles College to a prestigious four-year school and study astrophysics.

5/13/08

2008-05-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Rescue workers sifted through tangled debris of toppled schools and homes Tuesday for nearly 19,000 victims buried or missing after China's worst earthquake in three decades, where the death toll soared to more than 12,000 people in the hardest-hit province alone, state media reported. Hope that many survivors would be found was fleeting. Only 58 people were extricated from demolished buildings across the quake area so far, China Seismological Bureau spokesman Zhang Hongwei told the official Xinhua News Agency. In one county, 80 percent of the buildings had been destroyed. "Survivors can hold on for some time. Now it's not time to give up," Wang Zhenyao, disaster relief division director at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, told reporters in Bejing. A day after the powerful 7.9 magnitude quake struck Monday afternoon, state media said rescue workers had reached the epicenter in Wenchuan county, but the number of casualties there was still unknown. The quake was centered just north of the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu in central China, tearing into urban areas and mountain villages.

Multiple blasts kill at least 25 in India. Explosions hit crowded walled city often frequented by tourists. At least six bombs exploded in the western Indian city of Jaipur on Tuesday evening, most within a few minutes of each other, killing at least 25 people and injuring around 100, police, officials and witnesses said, according to Reuters. The Associated Press reported that police said 30 were killed and 100 wounded in blasts. The NDTV news channel said 35 people had been killed. The bombs all exploded in Jaipur's crowded walled city, an area often frequented by tourists. One was beside a Hindu temple. India's Junior Home Minister Shri Prakash Jaiswal told local television that the blasts were caused by bombs and said 100 people had been injured.

5/9/08

2008-05-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jacque Keeslar lost both legs in Iraq nearly two years ago. To get around, he relies on a wheelchair and a pair of artificial legs, which help him walk in short bursts."If I have to do a half mile or mile of walking, it just exhausts me," Keeslar said. Now, thanks to a specially designed Segway, the battery-powered transporter, Keeslar says he can ditch his wheelchair and get around without people looking down on him. Keeslar was among 30 vets who received their own modified Segways this week, courtesy of Disability Rights Advocates for Technology. The nonprofit group presented its latest batch of Segways to the veterans in a ceremony Wednesday at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. That brings the number of Segways they have donated to vets to about 150. Leonard Timm, who founded DRAFT in 2005, calls the mission "Segs-4-Vets."

Missiles, tanks and other heavy weaponry rolled through Moscow's Red Square in the Victory Day parade Friday, the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union that they have appeared in the annual event.Victory Day, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, is Russia's most important secular holiday, both honoring the enormous sacrifices of World War II, in which nearly 9 million Red Army soldiers are estimated to have died, and asserting the country's military strength. Russia has nearly quadrupled its defense spending in recent years, aiming to resuscitate the military forces that deteriorated in the post-Soviet period. Topol missiles, which have the capacity to carry nuclear warheads, were part of the display of more than 100 tanks, mobile missile units and armored vehicles that was aimed at underlining the military revival. But many of the heavy weapons shown were only slightly modernized versions of equipment developed decades ago.

5/7/08

2008-05-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

The latest battle in the war on illegal immigration isn't over the smuggling of undocumented workers, it's over the trash they leave behind. Government officials and border activists say the garbage dumped in the desert by illegal immigrants and their smugglers is staggering. And the cleanup is costing taxpayers millions. In 2006 alone, more than 1.18 million pounds of trash was collected along southern Arizona border, many in the meeting spots where immigrants rest, change clothes and wait to hitch a ride further north with a smuggler.Border Patrol's Tucson sector, which covers most of the Arizona border, doesn't have statistics about how many people cross through each year, but on average, agents apprehend 1,500 people a day, with 378,000 undocumented immigrants caught in 2007 alone.

San Diego State University has suspended six fraternities after a sweeping drug investigation that landed members of three fraternities in jail on suspicion of openly dealing drugs on campus.
The probe -- prompted by the cocaine overdose death last year of a freshman sorority member -- led to the arrests of 96 people, 75 of them San Diego State students. A second drug death occurred during the investigation. Twenty-nine people were arrested early Tuesday in raids at nine locations including the Theta Chi fraternity, where agents found cocaine, Ecstasy and three guns. Eighteen of those arrested were wanted on warrants for selling to undercover agents.
Theta Chi and five other fraternities have been suspended pending a hearing on evidence gathered during the investigation, dubbed Operation Sudden Fall.

5/6/08

2008-05-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Kilauea's toxic gas kills crops, sickens islanders
For eight years, Tony and Sam Bayaoa have grown thousands of bright red, yellow and pink protea flowers on their farm. Then in March, Kilauea volcano opened a new vent and began spewing double the usual amount of toxic gas.Now about 70 percent of their crop is dried, brown and brittle. "The first reaction was -- did someone poison the plants?" said Tony Bayaoa, whose two-acre farm is 35 miles from the volcano. "I've lost my livelihood." Big Island crops are shriveling as sulfur dioxide from Kilauea wafts over them and envelops them in "vog," or volcanic smog. People are wheezing, and schoolchildren are being kept indoors during recess. High gas levels led Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to close several days last month, forcing the evacuation of thousands of visitors. Residents of this volcanic island are used to toxic gas. But this haze is so bad that farmers are thinking about growing different crops, and many people are worrying about their health
GI's Graphic Afghan Firefight Recorded on Family's Voice Mail
The Otis, Ore., soldier was stationed halfway around the world in Afghanistan, part of a military police detail. But technology — in this case, a cell phone — gave Sandie Petee the comfort that her MP son was no more than just a call away. Until, that is, a simple glitch — the inadvertent redial — sent the family into panic. Phillips was on patrol when his unit engaged the Taliban. Not only did a firefight ensue, but his cell phone automatically called the Petee home, leaving a three-minute frightening message laced with the sounds of gunfire and panicked soldiers yelling for "more ammo." "His friend died a year ago in Iraq," Sandie Petee told KPTV, "and I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, this may be the last time I hear my son's voice on the phone.' " To make matters worse, at the end of the heart-wrenching message, "you could hear a guy saying 'Incoming! RPG!' And then it cut off," Phillip's brother John Petee said

5/5/08

2008-05-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

The death toll from the Myanmar cyclone is more than 10,000 people, Myanmar's Foreign Ministry office said.Diplomats were summoned to a government briefing Monday as the reclusive southeast Asian country's ruling military junta issued a rare appeal for international assistance in the face of an escalating humanitarian crisis. A state of emergency was declared across much of the country following the 10-hour storm that left swathes of destruction in its wake. The staggering death toll would make the cyclone the deadliest natural disaster to hit Myanmar in recent history, according to figures compiled by a United Nations-funded disaster database. The government of neighboring Thailand said Myanmar's leaders had already requested food, medical supplies and construction equipment, AP reported. The first plane-load of supplies was due to arrive Tuesday, a Thai spokesman said

The police chief in Riverdale accidentally shot himself in an ankle while demonstrating how to dislodge a jammed handgun. Chief Dave Hansen was taken to McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden for surgery. The 54-year-old chief accidentally fired a gun during a training exercise inside a conference room at Riverdale police headquarters. A fire captain and Riverdale Mayor Bruce Burrows confirmed the chief shot himself Saturday in an ankle bone. They said he was trying to fix a gun with a jammed round when the bullet fired. Riverdale police officers carry .40-caliber pistols. Hospital supervisor Rohn Larsen said Hansen was in stable condition Sunday. Larsen said he couldn't reveal which ankle — left or right — the chief shot. A Weber County dispatcher said nobody from the Riverdale police department was available Sunday to release any information on the accident. A patrol officer on duty Sunday said he didn't know anything about it. The chief's brother, a state lawmaker, said Hansen is a 23-year veteran and chief of the Riverdale police force since 2006.

5/2/08

2008-05-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Police have linked the disappearance of a Florida teen with the murder of a senior citizen.
Florida officials now believe that the April 22 disappearance of Morgan Amanda Leppert, 15, of San Mateo, Fla., is linked to the murder of a 66-year-old Melrose, Fla., man found dead on Thursday, according to a news release by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
The body of James Thomas Stewart was found Thursday morning in his Melrose home by Putnam County Sheriff's deputies, the department said. It was apparent that foul play had occurred, officials said. Police linked Leppert's disappearance to the death after finding Stewart's phone number on a phone belonging to the teen. An Amber Alert was issued April 22 for Leppert and her 22-year-old boyfriend Toby Lee Lowry. Police believe Lowery stole Stewart's 2003 Toyota Tacoma with the Florida license plate 193 KLR.

Storms rolled across Arkansas, killing at least three people including a teenager crushed by a tree while she slept, officials said Friday, while the region remained on alert and a tornado was spotted touching down south of Little Rock just before 1 p.m. ET. Earlier, storms late Thursday and early Friday seriously damaged homes and businesses in the Kansas City, Mo., area, and tornadoes were also reported in Oklahoma and Texas, although there were no immediate reports of severe damage. In Siloam Springs, Ark., a 15-year-old girl was killed when a tree fell through her home. A 10-year-old boy survived the tragedy.

4/30/08

2008-04-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

New York Rangers forward Sean Avery has been hospitalized after lacerating his spleen during a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In a statement Wednesday, the team said the noted agitator was taken to St. Vincent's hospital after New York's 5-3 loss Tuesday night and was admitted following a CT scan. Avery will be sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Rangers said, but is expected to make a full recovery. The Daily News first reported on its Web site Wednesday morning that Avery was taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest. The newspaper said the 28-year-old was unconscious and not breathing when he was taken to the medical center. He arrived about 3 a.m. Wednesday, a person at the hospital told the newspaper.
The Rangers trail the Penguins 3-0 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Exams were canceled and students were told to stay in their dormitories Wednesday as authorities searched Florida Atlantic University for a man who fired a gun at a party on campus.
Shots were fired shortly after 1 a.m. at a party in the student apartments on the Boca Raton campus, police said. "An altercation broke out and ultimately our suspect pulled out a firearm and, we believe, fired two shots," FAU Police Chief Charles Lowe said. One person was slightly injured but did not need treatment at a hospital, Lowe said. It's not immediately clear if the injured person, who was not a student, was hit by a bullet, officials said. It also was not known whether the unidentified male suspect was a student. Officers responding to the scene minutes after a 911 call found shell casings on the floor, Lowe said. Soon after, sirens, mass e-mails and other announcements over the school's public address system notified students of an emergency and warned them to remain indoors.

4/23/08

2008-04-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Noel Bosse and Ken Davis watch as the numbers keep spinning at the gas pump -- 70 bucks, 80 bucks. Gulp, guzzle, then it stops: $101 for about 25 gallons.The $100 fill-up has arrived in the United States. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Bosse says with disgust. Bosse and Davis are returning from Las Vegas, Nevada, heading back to their home near Seattle, Washington. They're pulling a trailer full of Arabian horses in their passenger van. The 1,200-mile trek is costing nearly $1 a mile. Bosse says they're averaging 200 miles every fill-up, or 10 miles to the gallon.

A grizzly bear that appeared in a recent Will Ferrell movie killed a 39-year-old trainer with a bite to his neck Tuesday and had to be subdued with pepper spray.
Three experienced handlers were working with the bear at Randy Miller's Predators in Action facility when the bear bit 39-year-old Stephan Miller on the neck, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers. Stephan Miller is Randy's cousin, she said.
The center's staff used pepper spray to subdue and contain the bear and there were no other injuries, she said. A county Fire Department traumatic injury response unit responded about 3 p.m., but could not revive Miller. The Department of Fish and Game will decide the bear's fate after an investigation, Tiffany Swantek, a spokeswoman for the Big Bear Sheriff's Station, told the San Bernardino Sun Tuesday.Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Phelps said the bear was a 5-year-old male named Rocky. The Predators in Action Web site says Rocky is 7 1/2 feet tall, weighs 700 pounds and appeared in a scene in "Semi-Pro" in which Will Ferrell's character wrestles a bear to promote his basketball team

4/21/08

2008-04-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

U.S. and Bahamian rescue workers found the bodies of 20 people floating in open waters Sunday near the Bahamas, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Monday. Authorities received an alert about 5 a.m. ET Sunday of people stranded and screaming in the water 15 miles northwest of Nassau, Bahamas, the Coast Guard said. Helicopters, jets and patrol boats were deployed in a search, and about 20 people were located by 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Rescue workers discovered three survivors and are searching for others, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Nick Ameen in Miami. All of the dead were Haitians, authorities said. Two of the survivors are Haitians, and the other is a Honduran, they said. Rescuers did not find the vessel that the people were on before becoming stranded, Ameen said. Authorities are trying to find out what type of vessel it was from survivors. Bahamian officials will question the survivors, said Luis Diaz, a spokesman for the Coast Guard. If a criminal investigation needs to be initiated, authorities in the Bahamas would handle it, Diaz said. The people were heading from Haiti, he said.

U.S. Pastor Given More Than 3 Years in Prison for Bringing Rifle Shells Into Russia. A Moscow court on Monday sentenced a U.S. pastor to more than three years in prison for smuggling hunting ammunition into Russia. Phillip Miles, from South Carolina, has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 3. He was arrested several days after customs agents at a Moscow airport found a box of 20 rifle shells in his luggage. The court sentenced him to serve three years and two months in prison, with the sentence calculated from his detention date. Miles has said he brought the .300 caliber cartridges for a friend who had recently bought a Winchester rifle. He said he did not know bringing such ammunition into Russia was illegal. Judge Olga Drozdova accepted in her 20-minute summation that Miles had brought the ammunition for a friend, "as they are both inveterate hunters." The cartridges were not initially found as he flew into Moscow. They were detected a day later as airport security put his luggage through an X-ray machine while he was on his way to check in for a flight to Perm, a city in Siberia. Miles was dressed in a gray jacket and clerical collar for his sentencing.

04/18/08

2008-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Sect girls pregnant as young as 13. Raucous hearing over fate of 416 children seized from polygamist ranch. After hours of lawyers popping up with similar objections and questions, a custody hearing for 416 children seized from a polygamist sect finally turned to whether they were abused: A child welfare worker said some women at the sect’s ranch may have had children when they were minors, some as young as 13. The testimony came late Thursday, the first day of a court hearing to determine whether the children, swept up in a raid on the ranch two weeks ago, will remain in state custody. Child welfare officials claim the children were abused or in imminent danger of abuse because the sect encourages girls younger than 18 to marry and have children.

The quake — one of the strongest ever recorded in Illinois — occurred just before 4:37 a.m. and was centered six miles southeast of West Salem, Ill., and 45 miles west of Evansville, Ind.
Initially pegged as a 5.4 earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey revised its estimate to give it a value of 5.2.Two aftershocks during the next three hours measured 2.6 and a 2.5, the agency reported.The strongest earthquake recorded in Illinois was in 1968, a 5.3-magnitude temblor centered near Dale in Hamilton County, about 75 miles southeast of St. Louis, according to the USGS. Minor damage was widespread, but there were no serious injuries or fatalities.
West Salem is in Edwards County, and dispatcher Lucas Griswold said the sheriff's department received several calls about the earthquake but only reports of minor damage and no injuries

4/16/08

2008-04-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article

Several women from the polygamist retreat raided more than a week ago defended their lifestyle Wednesday in an exclusive interview with FOX News, calling it "a wonderful pure life," and saying government officials deceived them when they raided the ranch where they live.
Six women from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints spoke to FOX News from the ranch in Eldorado, Texas, raided April 3 by government officials as part of a wide-ranging abuse investigation.
The women, who would only give their first names, told FOX News that the allegations have "no foundation."
"We want the world to know the truth," said Ada, one of the women from the ranch.
A bus veered off a bridge and plunged into a canal in western India on Wednesday, killing at least 44 children and three adults, police said.
Rescuers pulled four surviving children from the 20-foot deep canal but several bodies remained missing.
The accident occurred in Vadodara, about 55 miles southwest of Ahmedabad, Gujarat's main city.The state-owned public bus was carrying more than 60 children and some passengers from three villages in the region, officials added.

4/11/08

2008-04-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

It was just 2½ years ago when Elaine Sonnen found out that her 16-year-old son, Richard, had been planning a Columbine-style attack at his high school.It would be a fitting payback to his high school classmates who Richard says relentlessly bullied him."I always wanted to get back at them," Sonnen said of his classmates. "I always wanted to strangle them ...I was always mad. I was always angry and I would come home and cry to mom and dad."Both Richard and Elaine Sonnen spoke to CNN at the 45-acre family farm.Unlike the Columbine killers and recent school shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech -- Elaine Sonnen did see the warning signs in her son and was able to stop him.Elaine and her husband, Tom, adopted Richard from a Bulgarian orphanage when he was just 4 ½ years old.
The Bush administration is likely to move its research on one of the most contagious animal diseases from an isolated island laboratory to the U.S. mainland near herds of livestock, raising concerns about a catastrophic outbreak.
Skeptical Democrats in Congress are demanding to see internal documents they believe highlight the risks and consequences of the decision. An epidemic of the disease, foot and mouth, which only affects animals, could devastate the livestock industry.
One such government report, produced last year and already turned over to lawmakers by the Homeland Security Department, combined commercial satellite images and federal farm data to show the proximity to livestock herds of locations that have been considered for the new lab. "Would an accidental laboratory release at these locations have the potential to affect nearby livestock?" asked the nine-page document. It did not directly answer the question

4/7/08

2008-04-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Authorities who took 220 women and children from a polygamist compound weren't sure whether the teen girl whose phone call prompted the raid was among them.
State troopers raided the 1,700-acre West Texas ranch on Friday to look for evidence that the teen, who called authorities a week ago, was married. They planned to continue interviews Monday with some of the women and children, who were transported to a historic San Angelo museum, said Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner.
So far, 18 children have been taken legally in state custody, Meisner said, who explained Friday that the children had either been harmed or were in imminent danger at the compound. She would not give details. The children remain with relatives, and no arrests had been made as of Sunday.

The FBI said Friday it obtained arrest warrants for an employee of an armored car company and his girlfriend as they investigate the disappearance of $7 million in cash and checks from safes.
The FBI appealed for tips on finding Roger Lee Dillon, 22, and his girlfriend, Nicole Boyd, 24. Dillon was charged with bank larceny, and Boyd was charged with aiding and abetting, the FBI said in a statement.
The couple may be accompanied by Boyd's mother, Sharon Gregory, 57. All three are from Youngstown. No arrest warrant has been issued for Gregory, the FBI said.
A pickup truck belonging to Dillon was found in a parking lot in Salem after a resident recognized it from news reports, police said. The FBI towed the truck on Thursday.
The disappearance of the money was discovered Monday at an armored car garage of AT Systems International. Two drivers discovered the safes had been cleaned out and called police.
Officials said the alarm system was deactivated, safes were opened and money to be delivered to banks was gone. Then the alarm system was reactivated. Dillon didn't show up for work Tuesday, the FBI said.

3/10/08

2008-03-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Highway and utility crews cleared major highways in time for Monday morning commuters following the snowstorm that buried parts of Ohio in as much as 20 inches of snow during the weekend.
Cleanup crews had to work overtime to remove snow that started falling Friday and finally let up Saturday evening. While many Ohio workers returned to their offices Monday, schools in Columbus and other central Ohio districts were closed because sidewalks and side streets were still jammed by heaps of snow.
“We’ll have slick spots out there,” cautioned Mary Carran Webster, assistant public service director for Columbus.

The House of Representatives filed a federal lawsuit Monday to compel former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten to testify on the 2006 firing of nine U.S. attorneys.
The two had already been found in contempt of the Democratic-led Congress, but the Justice Department last week declined to convene a grand jury to order the contempt citations be handed down.
Making good on her threat to take action if the Justice Department didn't permit the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia to prosecute the case, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had the House general counsel file the suit against the Bush administration.
"Congress, on behalf of the American people, is clearly entitled to the information that is being sought -- it involves the politicization of the Justice Department and law enforcement, not national security information nor communications with the president. The president has no grounds to assert executive privilege," Pelosi said in a statement.
The lawsuit says Miers is not immune from the obligation to testify and both she and Bolten must identify all documents that are being withheld from Congress

3/7/08

2008-03-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Florida, Michigan re-votes come down to money.Democrats agree that new voting is needed to determine convention delegates for Florida and Michigan, but they can't figure out how to pay for it.Both states held their Democratic presidential preference primaries early, in January. For that, the Democratic National Committee followed through on its warning and stripped both of their delegates for violating party rules by scheduling their primaries too early.The Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in either state, and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who won both states, was the only top-tier candidate on the ballot in Michigan.

Samantha Power has resigned her position from Barack Obama's campaign after calling Hillary Clinton a 'monster,' the Illinois senator's campaign announced.
“With deep regret, I am resigning from my role as an advisor the Obama campaign effective today," Power said in a statement issued by the campaign. "Last Monday, I made inexcusable remarks that are at marked variance from my oft-stated admiration for Senator Clinton and from the spirit, tenor, and purpose of the Obama campaign. And I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months."

3/4/08

2008-03-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

Police who forced their way into a small brick house discovered the bodies of four adults and two children, as well as three children found clinging to life.

Police said they were investigating the case as a multiple homicide but otherwise released little information early Tuesday, including whether they believed the killer was at large. Children ages 7 and 4 and a 10-month-old baby were taken to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, Memphis Fire Department spokeswoman Melanie Young told The Associated Press. She did not know the ages or sexes of the other victims, but police told The Commercial Appeal newspaper all the children were under the age of 12. "We just don't know the motive or cause of death, but we do have four adults and two children (dead)," Memphis police Lt. Jerry Guin told the newspaper. Young said the victims had been shot. At least one of the children had been stabbed, police said. The Commercial Appeal reported on Monday night that one of the children had been upgraded to stable condition and another upgraded to critical while the third remained in extremely critical condition.

A high school football star described as "a Houdini on the football field" was shot dead on Sunday in random gang violence and his mother was returning from her second tour of duty in Iraq.

Jamiel Andre Shaw, 17, was shot multiple times on a sidewalk a few yards from his home after he didn't respond when two men pulled up in a car and asked him, "Where you from?" — code for which gang did he belong to, police said. He was not a gang member. Authorities are calling the shooting a random, unprovoked gang attack. Shaw, a standout running back at Los Angeles High School and the Southern League's most valuable player last season, was shot about 8:40 p.m. Sunday in the Crenshaw area. He died later at a local hospital. Known to his friends as "Jazz," Shaw was heading places, said his father, Jamiel Shaw Sr. "He was going to make something out of himself," Jamiel Sr. told MyFOXLA.com. "All he had to do was get out of high school." His mother, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw, on Monday was on her way back from Iraq, where she has been serving her second tour of duty. Jamiel Shaw Sr. said he called Jamiel on Sunday night, telling him to hurry home from the mall. A few moments after hanging up, Jamiel Sr. said, he heard the shots outside.

2/26/08

2008-02-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Virus on cruise ship sickens dozens. A highly contagious virus sickened more than 100 passengers on a Holland America cruise ship that returned to San Diego on Monday from a 10-day trip to Mexico.Passengers on the ship, the ms Ryndam, first showed signs of the norovirus six days into the trip, said Erik Elvejord, a spokesman for Holland America Line Inc.The virus causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and lasts 24 to 48 hours.The virus sickened 104 passengers and six crew members, Elvejord said. The ship was carrying 1,226 passengers and 556 crew members. It visited several ports in Mexico's Sea of Cortez after leaving San Diego on February 15.

'Sorry' killer's life in the jury's hands. A jury has begun deciding whether to spare the life of a a former Canton, Ohio, police officer who killed his pregnant girlfriend and tearfully asked them for mercy. In closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Dennis Barr told jurors he had provided sufficient evidence that Bobby Cutts Jr., 30, deserved to die for the murders of Jessie Marie Davis, and their unborn daughter, Chloe. "He took an oath to serve and protect all people," Barr said, pointing at Cutts. "But he did not serve and protect. He destroyed life. He took an innocent child who did not even have a chance to take a breath outside his mother's womb."

2/25/08

2008-02-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

Cousin: Dying woman twice refused oxygen on flight.Struggling to breathe, American Airlines passenger Carine Desir asked for oxygen, but a flight attendant twice refused her request, the woman's cousin said.He said the flight attendant finally relented but various medical devices on the plane failed, including two oxygen tanks that were found to be empty and what may have been a defibrillator that seemed to malfunction.American Airlines confirmed the flight death and said medical professionals had tried to save the woman. A spokeswoman for the airline, Sonja Whitemon, wouldn't comment Sunday on Oliver's claims of faulty medical equipment.

Three Men, Juvenile Held in Alleged Gang-Rape of Woman at Hawaii Capitol.Four suspects, one of them a juvenile, were arrested Sunday after they allegedly gang-raped a woman on the grounds of the Hawaii State Capitol, KITV.com reported. The attack reportedly began at a bus stop in Honolulu, where the 43-year-old victim encountered two of the suspects. Police told KITV.com that another adult suspect and a teenage boy joined them and lured the woman to a grassy area near the government buildings, where they allegedly sexually assaulted her. The reported attackers were later arrested. A sheriff’s deputy apparently witnessed the incident near the Korean War Memorial. The suspects were identified as Edward Eter, 26, of Honolulu; Turan Sirom, 23, and Makichi Aiwo, 19, of Kalihi, KITV.com reported. The identity of the 16-year-old suspect is not being released because he is a juvenile.

2/20/08

2008-02-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

The national headquarters of Delta Chi Fraternity has suspended the University of Colorado-Boulder chapter following the weekend arrests of 10 pledges in Estes Park. The pledges were arrested early Sunday on suspicion of underage drinking and felony criminal mischief. A police report says officers were called to a Super 8 Motel about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, and found destroyed furniture in two adjoining rooms, large holes in the walls, blood and vomit throughout, and a coffee pot full of urine.

Obama continues to chip away at Clinton's base.Sen. Barack Obama continued his winning streak since Super Tuesday two weeks ago, picking up his ninth and tenth states in a row -- Wisconsin and Hawaii.
But as significant as Obama's accelerating momentum is how he is increasingly swaying voters that Clinton could count on at the beginning of February.
While Obama has been solidifying his base of younger, college-educated, higher-paid voters, he has steadily been chipping away Clinton's base of blue-collar, older, working-class voters.
On Tuesday, Obama captured 53 percent of Wisconsin's white voters compared to 41 percent of those voting on Super Tuesday. He won 48 percent of women in Wisconsin compared to 41 percent on Super Tuesday.

2/19/08

2008-02-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

-- Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander in chief of Cuba's military Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.The resignation ends nearly a half-century of iron-fisted rule that inspired revolutionaries but frustrated 10 U.S. presidents. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said the U.S. embargo on Cuba will not be lifted in the near term.

A former middle school teacher was sent to prison for six years Tuesday for having sexual encounters with five teenage boys.
Authorities said Allenna Ward, 24, met 14- and 15-year-old boys at the school where she taught as well as at a motel, a park and behind a restaurant.
"I apologize from the depths of my heart," Ward said in court.
Police began investigating last year after school officials found a note believed to have been written by Ward to one of the boys. Some of the victims were students at Bell Street Middle School in Clinton, where Ward taught. She was fired about a year ago

2/11/08

2008-02-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article

Tinley Park police tonight released a composite drawing of the suspect in the shooting deaths of five women at a Lane Bryant clothing store last weekend.The sketch of the man is based on a description provided by the sole survivor of the shootings. Authorities have described the gunman as a black man, between 5 feet 9 and 6 feet tall and between 200 to 230 pounds with thick braided hair and a receding hairline. Meanwhile, the former manager of the store who died in the shootings was remembered as a woman of faith at her funeral today in Crest Hill. More than 600 people attended services for 42-year-old Rhoda McFarland.

Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik required lifesaving surgery after severing his carotid artery, his agent told The Associated Press on Monday. Zednik had surgery Sunday night and was in stable condition at a Buffalo hospital after losing a significant amount of blood during the game at Buffalo earlier in the day, agent David Schatia said. Schatia didn’t have further details because he had just arrived in Montreal following a trip oversees. Zednik was sliced across the right side of the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate in a frightening accident midway through the third period of Buffalo’s 5-3 victory.

THESE ARE TWO VERY SAD AND TRAUMATIZING STORIES

2/6/08

2008-02-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

The state of Florida is trying to dissolve a community of sex offenders living under a bridge that includes a gym, kitchen, living room and two dogs. The men have lived under the Julia Tuttle Causeway for a year. They say limited money and strict local ordinances make it nearly impossible for them to live anywhere else.But state officials are telling them to leave."We're urging them to find a residence. We want them to be able to reintegrate into society," said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Corrections Department.

Democratic and Republican Presidential Primaries and CaucusesTwenty-four states are holding presidential primaries or caucuses on February 5: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia. For the Democrats, 1,681 delegates are at stake in 16 primaries and seven caucuses. The Republicans have 1,020 delegates at stake in 15 primaries and six caucuses.

2008-02-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton fought for a breakout in their eyeball-to-eyeball Democratic duel while Republican John McCain hoped to bury his rival’s presidential hopes in a blur of voting Tuesday from Alaska to the Atlantic. An enormous cache of delegates was at stake — not enough to clinch a nomination but plenty enough to mint a runaway favorite, or even twoSen. John McCain seeks to seal the GOP presidential nomination in across-the-nation voting Tuesday.

2/4/08 my bday

2008-02-04T10:11:00.000-08:00

Very preliminary findings from 49 of the nation's biggest markets showed that ratings for this year's Super Bowl, with the New York Giants' thrilling win over the New England Patriots, were up 6 percent over last year's big game, according to Nielsen Media Research on Monday.Very preliminary findings from 49 of the nation's biggest markets showed that ratings for this year's Super Bowl, with the New York Giants' thrilling win over the New England Patriots, were up 6 percent over last year's big game, according to Nielsen Media Research on Monday.

2008-01-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/30/fl.primary/index.html
Sen. John McCain's Florida win essentially turns the GOP presidential race into a two-man contest between the Arizonan and Mitt Romney as the campaigns geared up Wednesday for next week's Super Tuesday races. Sen. John McCain celebrates his win in Florida's Republican primary Tuesday night in Miami. With 99 percent of Republican precincts reporting from Florida after Tuesday's voting, McCain held a five-point lead, 36 percent to 31 percent, over Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/30/body.parts.ap/index.html
A woman's severed head was found Tuesday in a trash bag along an interstate highway, one of eight bags containing body parts discovered beside expressways in northeastern Pennsylvania, authorities said.The parts are believed to belong to the same victim. It was unclear whether all the body parts have been found, investigators said. The first bag was found Tuesday morning near the Mount Pocono exit of Interstate 380 by a worker salting the highway, investigators said. More remains were found later Tuesday along I-80.

1/28/08

2008-01-28T09:38:00.001-08:00

Read a news article on www.cnn.com, www.foxnews.com, or www.msnbc.com and write a brief summary and reaction to the article.

12/14/07

2007-12-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

Please log on to cnn.com, fox.com or msnbc.com and read one current event. Give a 2 paragraph summary and your interpretation of the events.

Clemens, considered a shoo-in for the Baseball Hall of Fame someday, was prominently featured in the report on performance-enhancing drugs that former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell released Thursday. "Roger Clemens adamantly, vehemently, and whatever other adjectives can be used, denies that he has ever used steroids or ... improper substances," Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, said Thursday.

President Bush said Friday that baseball players and owners must take seriously the Mitchell Report on steroid use, but cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the individuals named. “My hope is that this report is a part of putting the steroid era of baseball behind us,” he said, surrounded by Cabinet members in the Rose Garden.

12/12/07

2007-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

Please log on to cnn.com, fox.com or msnbc.com and read one current event. Give a 2 paragraph summary and your interpretation of the events.

Tight security greeted high school students Wednesday as police searched for the gunmen who wounded six young people at a school bus stop, an attack that officials believe stemmed from a fight about a girl.
The six were wounded Tuesday shortly after a group of Mojave High School students got off a school bus in a working-class neighborhood in northeastern Las Vegas.
Bobby Petrino couldn’t even wait until this miserable season is over before abandoning the sinking ship Atlanta Falcons. But if his timing is less than ideal, it’s probably fitting. Atlanta began the season by losing its star quarterback, Michael Vick, has lurched into week 14 with a 3-10 record, is playing to thousands of empty seats and is headed nowhere. Oh, I almost forgot: the city is running out of water, too.

12/11/07

2007-12-11T09:35:00.000-08:00

Please log on to cnn.com, fox.com or msnbc.com and read one current event. Give a 2 paragraph summary and your interpretation of the events.

Authorities believe the man who killed four people at a church and missionary training center posted an anti-Christian diatribe online that closely repeated a rant by one of the Columbine killers, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
The state Senate approved legislation Monday that would make New Jersey the first state to abolish the death penalty since 1976, when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to impose the sentence.

12/10/07

2007-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Please log on to cnn.com, fox.com or msnbc.com and read one current event. Give a 2 paragraph summary and your interpretation of the events.

The bizarre play seemed guaranteed to fail.
Guarantees, though, had a rough day Sunday when the New England Patriots stayed unbeaten with a 34-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls

12/5/07

2007-12-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Finish this sentence: I was most disappointed when... describe in detail a time when you were most disappointed. What happened? What caused the events?

I was disappointed when the referees costed us a football game against Central. The reason this was so dissapointing is that we had worked so hard all week in practice and when it came down to the game the took the chance of us winning in the beginning of the game. They told us that we had no chance to win simply because we are considered a white school and there a black school. And when we asked the refs if we could have a fair chance at winning the game he said NO. So that is the most dissapointing moment i can remember rite now.

11/27/07

2007-11-27T09:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen a ghost or heard a noise that could not be explained by any rational explanation? If so describe the occurrence. What happened? Describe the entity you saw or sound you heard. If you have not, do you believe that there are spirits of dead people dwelling in our world? Do you know anyone who claims to have had an encounter such as this? Do you believe them?

When i was younger my uncle told me that one time he had seen a ghost at one time. Because he didn't me to be any where close he sent me inside the house and started doing something to i guess chase it away. At the time i didn't believe him at the time but I later realized that he was telling the truth because the same thing happened again when i was older. It happened on the same day around the same time and i also found out that my house was a former slave house so that made believe it even more.

11/26/07

2007-11-26T09:44:00.001-08:00

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Is there any special location that you would like to go to? Have you been there before? What is your impression of this place?

The place i would want to go is Jamaica. I want to go back there because its the place where i grow up and I love the life down there. When I was down there I had alot of fun and I was used to everything there I could go to any party I wanted to and while there i could have alot of fun without anyone caring about what i do. Also I was with my dad and that was some of the best times i've had in my life and i dont think anytjhing could ever replace those times. My impression of this place is it is a great place to live if you dont bother the people that live around you and you wont get killed or seriously hurt.

11/19/07

2007-11-19T09:36:00.001-08:00

What is your most indispensable possession and why? What possession of yours is most special? What make it so special? How did you acquire it?

11/14/07

2007-11-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

Read the article located at this link. Write your opinion on the matter. Is calling the man hispanic to describe what he looks like a racist statement or not?

I know that its not a racist statemnt

11/7/07

2007-11-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

If you and your best friend could have a free limo for 24 hours, where would you go and what would you do? Describe in detail what you would do.

If me and my bestfriend were to get a limo for 24 hours we would just cruise around for a while. Then we'd end up going places so we can pick up a couple ladies( non for me) and then go pick up my girlfriend. Then later go find a 5 star restaraunt to go and dine for the evening. After dinner we would just cruise around Miami some more to enjoy the beautiful.
After cruising around some more I would drop my friend and his girl off then go find a spot were i could chill with my girl and enjoy the moonlight while we have a couple drinks. Then once it hits around 9 or 10 its time to hit the club. Party the night away and when we are ready to go home get in the limo and have a little backseat action to cap off the day. And the next morning wake up and have the limo take me and my girl to school so we dont have to catch the bus.

11/6/07

2007-11-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Describe a dream that you had recently. Provide as many details as possible. What do you think the dream meant? Did it disturb you or did it make you feel good? Why?

The most recent dream i had

10/31/07

2007-10-31T09:35:00.001-07:00

If you could be given one skill or ability, which would you want, why would you want it and what would you do with it?

10/29/07

2007-10-29T09:35:00.001-07:00

Write about the most terrifying thing that has ever happened to you. What was it? What made it so frightening? How old were you? Would it be scary again today if it happened again?

10/24/07

2007-10-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Write about the most exciting thing that ever happened to you. What was it? What made it so exciting? How old were you? Would it be exciting if you did it again?

10/23/07

2007-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Write about a belief you've discarded. Talk about why you no longer believe in this belief?

I dont got no beliefs that i discarded

10/22/07

2007-10-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Do you have chores or jobs that you have to do at home? What are they? Why do you have to do them? Do you like doing them?

Yes I have chores at home. Basically I have to clean my room and and make sure that the living room is always clean. I have to do them because nobody else in the house will do it. And no i dont like doin that because it takes up too much of my sleeping time. And most of the time it interupts me from just chilling and watching the great game of football.

10/19/07

2007-10-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

What holidays does your family celebrate (like Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah)? What do you do on those holidays?

My family celebrates Christmas every year. On this day every family member usually goes to Jamaica where we all come together and celebrate for a entire week. This week starts off with a big party where everyone goes to and get as drunk as possible and have jus as much fun. Thats usually the day before Christmas and then on the actual day we all help out and create dinner.After we all sit down and eat me and my dad go out and just chill by ourselves for the rest of the day. The day after christmas is considered boxing day and most people stay home and watching boxing. But me and my brothers go to the beach for the day and enjoy the beauties of the jamaican party scene. And that partying usually continues until New Years so i would have to say thats my favorite holiday.

10/16/07

2007-10-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

Write about your favorite and least favorite teachers. Why do you like them or dislike them? What can they do to be better teachers in your eyes?

My least favorite teacher would have to be my first period teacher. I dislike her so much because she talks all day and she is freaking annoying. All she says is ESCUCHA, ESCUCHEN, and after a while it gets real annoying. Also she is very boring and she expects us to be able to sit there for an entire period and listen to her. She can stop having an attitude and she can be more inspiring to us.
My favorite teacher would have to be the incredible Mr Martinez my fifth period teacher. Hes my favorite teacher because he knows how to keep us interested in what hes teaching. He also teaches us stuff that actually benefits me right now. Since i been in his class i have not fell asleep and thats a record because I fall asleep in every class I have talking in school including P.E. So thats my favorite I learn and he provides entertainment while we learn.

10/15/07

2007-10-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Write about your best friends. Who are they? Why do you like them? What do you do together for fun?

I would have to say that my best friends are the members of my football team. I like them because they are the group of guys I hang with the most. Most of them I met my tenth grade year and played with them since that day. We have been through alot of things together like running in the one hundred degree heat over the summers. Endure punishment when one of us did something stupid in practice.
For fun we basically play football together. And every now and then we go out and eat as a team or go bowling stuff like that. Also for fun we sometimes fight each other just to take out some frustrations and then we all take off runningjust to save the coaches cursing at us.

10/9/07

2007-10-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Write about a time when you were dishonest. Describe the situation, do you regret being dishonest?

10/3/07

2007-10-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Describe the last vacation or holiday you took. what made it special? How long ago did it occur? Does having a fun necessarily have to involve a certain place or certain people? Hypothetically speaking, which would you rather take, a three day holiday spent at home, but with your favorite people to spend with your favorite people in the world, or three days anywhere you choose in the world (all expenses paid), but with no one you really know well.

The last vacation i had was during december of 2006. This vaction was special because it gave me a chance to get away from my mom for two weeks. It was also special becasue i got to chill with my dad and my little brother and sister and i only see them once in a while. This trip was very exciting and fun because i went to parties and drink liquor all day and night. To me having fun has to involve certain people because they are the ones that make you have fun always.

I would rather take a three day holiday at home with fun people I know rather be somewhere else

9/26/07

2007-09-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite form of creative expression? If I were to ask you to pick one art that you could best express yourself through, which would it be? Of all the arts, which do you enjoy the most to view or listen to and which do you enjoy most to participate in. Are they the same?

My favorite form would have to be music. Some music sometimes create an enjoyable feel and it makes me very relaxed. I don't think that there is a form that I could express because I can't sing or rap and I damn sure can't paint or draw. Hearing music sometimes makes me feel like i can express myself through it but after a while all that feeling leaves and i just relax and listen to it. Music also gets me in the mood to go and play a football game and whenever I get crunk off musi then somebodies is in trouble.
The form of art that I like or enjoy being apart of is music. It just makes me get in the zone and like i said earlier when that happens theres gonna be trouble. So basically they are the same and as of lately my love for music has grown to the point where I would rather listen to it than watch TV. So I enjoy the same thing all around.

9/25/07

2007-09-25T09:50:00.001-07:00

If you could go back in time and fix three mistakes, what would they be? What would you do differently? Do you believe that fixing these mistakes would change your life today? Describe how. Do you think you would make these mistakes again later on in life?

I wouldn't go back and fix any of my mistakes because all of them has made me a better person now. If i was just making those mistakes or didn't make them at all then I would get in some serious trouble.

9/24/07

2007-09-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

Think about the person you were 5 years ago. Do you believe that you are the same now as you were back then? Do the same things interest you? Do you have the same friends? Do you believe that you will be as you are 5 years from now? Do you think the same things will be important to you? What do you expect to have accomplished by then?

5 years ago i was a totally different person. I was a shy kid that just came to America. I didn't know anyone and i found it real hard to lose my jamaican accent. The things that i had an interest in then i dont have anymore because i am in a different lifestyle. But somethings stay true like my interest in girls and sports. I went through alot that year and I am very glad I got through all that.
Now I am this talented football player thats kind of important to the success of my team. I have made a bunch of new friends and found new interests. In 5 years ill be feeling the same way i did back then because ill have to get use to new things. I hope i can still be apart of another football team and still be as important as i am right now. By then i should have my degreee and have a successful job so i can have my family.

9/21/07

2007-09-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Think about the way people look at you for a moment. List 10 qualities that you believe people perceive in you. Describe in a sentence why you think this is so. Are you happy with the way people think about you?

Huge- Because am so big
Sweetheart- ask tanya
Leader- im very assertive in situations needed and I set the proper way to do things
Bully- once again cuz im big
A monster- because of the way I play football and the way i lift weights
Honest- im always telling the truth
Smart- since i got a big head

9/17/07

2007-09-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Read and interpret the following quote by Benjamin Franklin. Describe what you think it means. Do you agree with it, why or why not. Share any experiences that may help you describe your view.
“Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing”
-Benjamin Franklin
(1706-1790)

I think it means that you should take your time in choosing a friend. And when you do find that friend you should keep that friend because if that friend stayed by your side then its a true friend. I agree with because if someone is using you for something then they would be quick to say they are your friend. And when they stay true to you then thats your true friend. I've had many experiences like this so thats why i believe that this statement is true.

9/11/07

2007-09-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Do you remember where you were on 9/11/01, the day the twin towers fell? What were you doing when you found out? How did it make you feel? Do you remember everyones reaction around you? How did your parents react?

On the day of 9/11 I was in my home country of Jamaica. I was in class having good time with all my friends as usual. When I found out they stopped all the activities and have us go to the assembly room. Onceinside this room they informed us of this information and then everybody started to get worried for family members. Some took it to the point where they all started crying when we finally saw what was actually happening.

I had a sad moment but then it just all went away because I had to get back to class to finish our work. When we gott to class the teacher told us to bow our heads and she started praying for the families of the injured people. To my surprise the people throughout the town also had taken a break because the buses had stopped running for the rest of the day to pay the dead some respect. My dad wasn't really affected because no one of interest was in the affected areas.

9/10/07

2007-09-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

As we approach the halfway point in the first 9 weeks, which do you feel is the most demanding of all your classes? Are you finding it difficult to find your footing in school this year? Are you working particularly hard in any one area? How do you feel about the pace of this class so far? Is it meeting your expectations? Do you find it difficult?

Well it brings me great pleasure to say that the most demanding class i have this year is the same class i had last year. And that class is English 4 with Mr. Eric Martinez. The same teaching style as last year but now he has put everything that he wanted into the computer and found out every function thats possible. This year i started off on the wrong foot because i didn't have all the supplies thats needed for this class but am trying to make it up.

This class is also the class that I have to put alot more work than I do in other classes. And thats not to say that its difficult but its so organized and he is always on task. Im glad that we have new kids in the class because it causes him to slow down the pace of the class. I already knew what to expect so there is a little unexpected. So basically it isn't a hard class its just more faster than usual

9/7/07

2007-09-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

Describe in detail your biggest fear. Do you believe it is something that you can overcome? If so, can you do do by yourself or do you need help? When do you believe that you first acquired this fear? Do you believe that it is a rational or irrational fear? Do you think that it is a common fear or is it something particular to you? Do you parents know about it?

I really don't have a fear. I have been raised with the mindset of fearing nothing. And I have absorbed that mindst to the fullest if i see something thats considered scary most of the time it just pisses me off. I guess the closes thing to a fear I think would be my dislike of snakes. And i can't stand them because they are so quiet and sneaky. And they can be so deadly when they get to you so that i guess is my fear.
Oh another thing would not being able to continue my football after high school. And i say that because I have all this talent and size and i would feel like i am a waste. And i don't think that this is a common fear because not every is capable of having such great athletic ability a my size.

9/5/07

2007-09-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

What do you believe is the most important right you have as an American? If you had to choose one right as being the most important to YOU, which would it be? Why is this the case? What would things be like if this right didn’t exist?

I think that the most important right would be the freedom. In this country we can do alot of things that won't land you in serious trouble with the law. For example the freedom of speech is one that most people in other countries don't get. We have the chance to express what is on our minds and not worry if we are gonna get punished or killed for doing it. And that other people in alot of countries can't do.

Another freedom that we get is the freedom to our own religion. You can basically practice and worship whatever you want and nobody bothers you about it. There are also alot more freedom possibilites. And those are two of the reasons i think that freedom is such an important right that we have.

8/91/07

2007-08-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

What do you feel is the most important thing in life? What makes life meaningful? Does living a meaningful life necessarily mean being financially successful? Does not having a lot of money make you a failure as a person?

The most important thing to me in life is to be happy. This is important because when your happy everything in life seems to go along much easier. I think that life is meaningful because you have family to be around and care about. Also I dont think that u have to be financially sucessful to live a meaningful life. And i say that because you can be the most sucessful and still be sad.

8/29/07

2007-08-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Pretend that your parents informed you that you would be moving to live in Japan at the end of the month. What are some difficulties that may arise. How difficult would it be for you to live there and why? Do you believe that those difficulties would be eased with time, if so how? Now compare your thoughts on this scenario with some of the difficulties you imagine people immigrating to this country come across. Are the problems similar to those you would encounter if you were told you were moving to Japan?

I think the difficulties that i would face is leaving my football team because we have grown to be a family. I have been through alot with them and because i am a key part to the team it would hurt them and me. Another one would be leaving my girlfriend because I would be losing the most loving and caring person in the world. And i would also be breaking a promise to her and to me that would be the worst part.
To me none of these difficulties would be healed over time because i probably wouldn't find anything to provide the thrill that playing football with my teammates do. Also i dont think that i would be interested in playing sports again. My girlfriend could never be replaced because she's the only girl i ever loved and i would heartbroken forever. Also if i came close to meeting someone i would think about her too much and that would cause me to get depressed.
I think the travel would be just as hard for someone coming over because they are losing alot too. They have to learn a wholle new language and get accustomed to a new lifestyle.

8/28/07

2007-08-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Who are the three most important people in your life? Why are they so important? Do you believe that you are as important to them as they are to you

The most important person in my life is GOD. Because without him in my life i would be dead right now. I believe that to him i am just as important because I am like a son to him and that he wants to keep that son safe. Also he is important to me because he keeps me safe at all times.
Another important person would have to be my mother. Shes the one that takes care of me and looks out for me. Even though she sometimes pushes e to the point of wanting to detest her i still love her. To her i am just as important because she can count on me to do anything for her and am always the one person she can always rely on.
Another person would have to be my sister. Whenever i see her i get a smile on my face real fast and thats hard to do sometimes. She is always around causing some form of mischief but that doesnt affect me at all. To her am probably just as important becaus am always taking care of her and doing whatever she asks me to do. Every now and then she'll say she loves and that shows me how much she appreciates me being around.

8-27-07

2007-08-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Often in our society, a person is labeled a Hero for his actions and contributions. Describe the characteristics you believe a hero must posses and why you believe they must posses them. Cite examples that may strengthen your point.

Characteristics of a hero is someome that displays a positive attitude that someone who is younger can adapt to. They should be able to teach you things that can help you stay out of trouble in life. Another thing that a hero should is be willing to fight for what they know is right. And not do it because it makes them seem cool.
A hero should be brave enough to do something like rescue someone out of a burning building even though there aren't people around to glorify them for doing such an act. They should sometimes be willing to risk severe injury for the welfare of others.And also a hero should be able to take care of the people that are around them so that they stay safe at all times.
Thats why my hero has always been my parents because they have risked injury just to make sure we were safe as kids. They didnt care if people recognized for it as long as we know that they are. Also my dad would do anything possible to make sure we were healthy and would sacrifice important things just to be with us.

2007-05-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

5/14/07

2007-05-14T04:30:00.000-07:00

Current event: use the following links to blog on 2 current event.
cnn, msnbc, bbc

Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip. Telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables. If my kid was involved in one of these fake attacks then I'ld personally go to the school and take the teachers head off. DaimlerChrysler (Charts) announced it will sell an 80 percent stake in its U.S. brand for $7.4 billion to Cerberus Capital, a private equity investment firm. The private equity sector has become a major force in acquisition of publicly owned companies in recent years. This is a outrage based on how much money they made from selling one dealership.

5/11/07

2007-05-11T04:33:00.000-07:00

Current event: use the following links to blog on a current event.

Firefighters struggled early Friday to prevent a wildfire from reaching homes on the edge of Santa Catalina Island's main city as residents and visitors fled the resort isle off the Southern California coast.
The blaze broke out Thursday afternoon on the island more than 20 miles off the coast. This story proves the seriousness of the dryness going around the country. The people living there are very lucky that there houses weren't caught in the blaze or they would be in deep trouble financially.

5/8/07

2007-05-08T04:33:00.000-07:00

Current event: use the following links to blog on a current event.
cnn, msnbc, bbc

The death toll from a tornado that nearly obliterated this farming town climbed to 9 on Monday. But residents said it could have been far worse if not for a warning that gave them time to take shelter in storm cellars and basements. This is showing the advancements in tracking natural disasters and predict there comings. Also it shows that people actually believe the predictions and follow the directions of the meteorologists. So now we can trust them and prepare when they say somethings gonna happen

5/7/07

2007-05-07T04:36:00.000-07:00

use the following links to blog on a current event.
cnn, msnbc, bbc

The price of gasoline has hit a new record high, averaging $3.07 for a gallon of self-serve regular in the United States, a survey reported Sunday. Still, in raw numbers, the $3.07 beats the previous high of $3.03 in August of 2006. This makes me scared to drive the car and put gas in it. If I'm suppose to take my girl on a date most of money will get spent on gas due to the increase in price. So this is the reason I'm not mad with not having a car cause I get to save money to do important things.

5/2/07

2007-05-02T04:29:00.000-07:00

Looking at the year in retrospect, list ten things that you could have done differently to improve your performance in this and your other classes. Give a reason for each one. Also, in a paragraph, describe if you think you'll be able to do these things you describe next year.

1. Work harder- my grades would be better
2. Be more focused-
3. Do my homeworks-
4. Give more effort- if i did I would've had way higher grades
5. Stay awake in class- I would be more educated in my lessons
6. Get more sleep at night time- then I'ld feel alot more rested in my classes
7. Stay with my girl- keeps me from thinking about looking for one, keeps me calm
8. Be friendly with all my teachers.
9.
10.

Out of all seriousness I think I wont do alot of the things on tht list cause I've realized that what I'm doing right now is good enough.

5/1/07

2007-05-01T04:31:00.000-07:00

Please complete 1 current event using any of the following sites cnn, msnbc, foxnews.

Unconfirmed reports today indicated that Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri had died in fighting between rival militant groups north of the Iraqi capital, according to an Interior Ministry spokesman. The U.S. military and the U.S. Embassy said they had no information on the report. I think this a good thing that starting to show that Al Qaeda is somewhat falling apart. Now they might stop all this suicide bombs around the country because they have some resistance. Also it proves that the people in the country are getting tired of them and obviously wants all of them dead.

4/30/07

2007-04-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

Please complete 1 current event using any of the following sites cnn, msnbc, foxnews.

A gunman already suspected of wounding a police officer shot and killed two people and wounded at least two others at a shopping center in Kansas City, Missouri, before being gunned down by police, authorities said Sunday. This is follow up on the Virginia Tech shootings and it proves that people are starting to care less about security and the public. These people are starting to go to public places where it is crowded and cause alot of chaos for no specific reason. It proves how heartless this man is because he kills a cop at first then drives over to a mall without being harassed by the cops. Good thing is he got killed after the standoff with the police later at the mall.

4/27/07

2007-04-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Put yourself in the place of the characters of the work you are currently reading are in (Winston in 1984 and Abigail, Betty or Parris in the Crucible) Pretend you are one of these characters and write a letter to their best friend explaining how they feel and what their situation is. Make sure to describe any fears or predictions you think they may have. remember, you are writing a letter pretending you are either Winston from 1984 or Abigail, Parris or Betty in the crucible

Dear friend,

I feel like everything is turning upside down all of a sudden. My daughter has been accused of practicing witchcraft and all hell has broken loose. Everyone's finally expressing their true feelings about me as being a reverend in this town. Everyone is starting to believe that all I do is speak a long time about deeds and mortgages. Also they dont agree with me that my salary is reasonable so that I can afford firewood for my house. So right now Im very concerned with the sudden problems arising I could lose my position as the top dawg and get ran out of town.
Yours Truly,
Parris

4/25/07

2007-04-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

Please write 2 articles on current events using one of the following sites: cnn, fox,msnbc.

European astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our solar system, and here's what it might be like to live there: This is real cool cause if this was to be a livable planet that means we could start inhabiting the planet. So if global warming destrots this planet we could have an alternate planet to go to.House Democratic leaders predict they will have enough votes to pass legislation requiring U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq by Oct. 1 and send it on to President Bush for his promised veto. This story shows that nobody fears Bush anymore.

4/24/07

2007-04-24T04:36:00.000-07:00

After checking your grade, how confident are you that you will pass this class without any problems? Do you feel the confident in your other classes?

After checking the grades I am very confident that I will pass this class with ease if I continue the way I'm doing right now. But I must say I am somewhat dissappointed with the fact that I've failed to get a grade higher than a "C". In my other classes I will pass those without any problems cause they are very easy. This is the only class that has proved to be a significant challenge to me all year and I have maintained a "C" even though I'm not proud of it.

4/23/07

2007-04-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

List the 10 most important things in your life right now. Describe in a sentence for each, why they are so important. Use the following format:
1. item 1- this item is important because... 2. item 2- This item is important...

1.God- provides protection and keeps me blessed all day every day
2.Family- they support me and keep me motivated for the next item.
3.School- because I need an education
4.Football- Provides an outlet of stress from school
5.Girlfriend- keeps me happy and many other reasons
6.Friends- without them football wouldn't be as much fun
7.Injury- it makes me work harder so I can excel on the football field
8.Adversity- because it makes me appreciate life alot more
9.Coaches- they teach me alot about football and even more about being a man.
10.Car- allows me to move around and do other important stuff I cant think of right now.

4/20/07

2007-04-20T04:39:00.000-07:00

The crucible proiject proved to be somewhat challenging. The most difficult part proved to be the reading of it seeing how its such a long story. After fully reading the story I had to scan to find interesting parts to implement into the project. Then I had to find appropriate pictures to use to go along with the sentences to make it look reasonable. Overall I think its a very interesting story.

4/18/07

2007-04-18T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Tech shooter was a student pursuing writing as a future career. read the following play written by him and give your opinion on it. Also, describe if you feel that this is any indication of his mental state or is this just a form of art.

I think it was a good play that he wrote. It showed a creative side to him to be able to come up with something like that and make it seem as if it was something that happened for real. In a way it kind a shows somewhat of his sick mental state seeing the fact that he used such compelling languages and gave a glimpse of the images of ways of death. It shows what he thinks of all the people that make him feel bad for being somewhat different.

4/17/07

2007-04-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Tech happenings was a very tragic moment. The gunman who opened fire in Virginia Tech's Norris Hall, killing 30 people before turning the gun on himself, was "an Asian male who was a resident in one of our dormitories," university President Charles Steger said Tuesday. Based on what I heard in the news he killed them execution style which meant he was determined to do it and knew he wouldn't have regrets about it. It also proves that this kid is one scary person to kill someone and turn the gun around and killed himself so he wouldn't have to face the consequences for his actions.

4/16/07

2007-04-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

In your opinion, what is the most important freedom you as an American have? What do you believe is the quality that sets Americans apart from other cultures such as that of communists?

To an extent the major freedom that we have over other cultures would have to be speech. Even though over here it isn't always allowed but in some communist countries they are not allowed to express how they feel about things. Some of these things involve political issues that affect the welfare of there country and we as Americans usually express this through music. Also we do this and we cannot get arrested or punished for it but other countries try to do it and they get killed or get severely punished.

4/13/07

2007-04-13T04:38:00.000-07:00

What is your reaction to yesterday's film? Give me a description of your thoughts.

I think wednesday film was a very interesting film that shows reflection of what is happening in this era. It showed what countries would do in the past to gain control of a certain area. It also showed that the people back then didn't have the wereabouts to think of ways to test a bomb without risking the lives of the people even the ones that released the bomb. But I think it had some informative things like the damage that a nuclear bomb can do. For example when the shadow got burned to the ground and when the hiroshima got totally destroyed at the dropping of one bomb.

4/11/07

2007-04-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

Describe 3 issues the government is currently using to keep you scared. Do you think this is legit? What can you do to counteract this?

The main one that I think the government is using against us is the 9/11 situation. I think they use this one to get us to approve anything that they want to do security wise and declaring war on other countries. Another thing that they use is to take things that we strongly depend on and find a way to put us in a situation of fear.

4/10/07

2007-04-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

What is fear? Think about fear for a moment and describe in a few paragraphs what fear means to you. How does fear affect you?

Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Basically fear is an emotion that you get when you think something bad is going to happen. Also it happens when you find something that you find hard to overcome appears in front of you and you have no idea what the effect of this can have on you. Fear puts a feeling of being afraid and not wanting to get involved in that activity or messing with the thing that strikes fear into your heart.

4/9/07

2007-04-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

Now that you have returned from spring break, how does it feel to know that there are less than 7 weeks left until the end of the school year. Are you comfortable with your performance in your classes this year? You still have some time left, do you believe that you can finish this school year off successfully?

I am very happy about the idea that we have less than seven weeks left in school. So far I have been very comfortable with the performance in my classes. But in this class I am somewhat dissapointed that I couldn't get a grade higher than a C. I hope I can finish of the school year with the good grades that I have tried to maintain over the school year so far.

3/28/07

2007-03-28T04:33:00.000-07:00

Current events: Look up 1 article about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

A daycare operator released a busload of more than 30 of his preschool children and their teachers Wednesdsay after holding them hostage for more than eight hours. Jun Ducat, 60, was taken into custody soon after the hostages were freed at about 7:10 pm local time (1110 GMT). This man is a damn psycho, how can you hold some little kids hostage. The worst part of it is that these kids actually know this man and had some trust in him. So now these kids are scared for life all because of this idiot.

3/23/07

2007-03-23T04:39:00.000-07:00

Current events: Look up 1 article about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CNN) -- Police in Jamaica were beginning a murder investigation on Friday after they said Pakistan's cricket coach Bob Woolmer was strangled in his hotel room.
After four days of treating Woolmer's death as suspicious but stopping short of calling it murder, a senior officer on Thursday confirmed a homicide investigation had been launched.This shows how serious fans take the game of cricket and they wont take losses easily. The worst part about it is that it happened in my home country leading to it having a bad image to the rest of the world. Even though they don't really give a damn about what other countries think. Cause man a real bad.

3/19/07

2007-03-19T04:33:00.000-07:00

Current events: Look up 1 article about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259523,00.html
A car bomb exploded near a three-vehicle U.S. Embassy convoy on a busy road in Kabul on Monday, wounding several people, one seriously, officials said.
The blast, witnessed by an Associated Press reporter, badly damaged the front of one SUV that was propelled to the other side of the road.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259368,00.html
BAGHDAD — Australia's prime minister declined Saturday to commit to a timeline for withdrawing his country's forces from Iraq, but insisted that steady progress was being made.
John Howard spoke to reporters in Baghdad, where he arrived after his plane made an emergency landing in southeastern Iraq because it had filled with smoke after takeoff from an airbase there, according to the Australian Associated Press.Both stories are great cause they show the effect of Iraqi war on countries all around the world.

3/14/07

2007-03-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

Current events: Look up 2 article about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

5 killed in wreck on fog-shrouded turnpike. Heavy fog caused a deadly 13-vehicle wreck on Florida's Turnpike that killed at least five people Tuesday and included a fire truck and sheriff's cruiser headed to an earlier crash, the highway patrol said. Militants fired mortars at the presidential palace Tuesday, hours after the president moved in, but he was unhurt in the attack that killed a 12-year-old boy and wounded three of his siblings, witnesses and officials told The Associated Press. In the first story its a very sad thing leaving alot of families very sad right now. The second story shows that the people are getting tired of the president in the country seeing the fact that they attack him at the palace.

3/12/07

2007-03-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

Current events: Look up 1 article about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

Palestinian gunmen from Hamas and Fatah exchanged fire in the Gaza Strip early Sunday. Killing a local militia leader and wounding seven people in the most serious flareup of violence since a power-sharing deal between the political rivals last month. Both sides blamed each other for starting the battle in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. The good thing about this is that only one person got killed during this exchange of fire. The bad thing is that there still fighting putting innocent people at risk as they go along with their everyday life.

3/7/07

2007-03-07T04:34:00.000-08:00

Exonerate- to clear as of an accusation free from guilt or blame

Current events: Look up 2 articles about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17481485/
Millions of people across the country wished and waited as officials worked to determine who, if anyone, won a record $370 million Mega Millions jackpot. The winning numbers were: 16-22-29-39-42, and the Mega Ball was 20. It wasn’t known early Wednesday how many tickets had been sold nationwide.Who ever won this money is lucky and if I ever find out who won this money me and miguel will be paying him or her a visit. Lottery players lined up at stores around the country in the hope of buying the winning ticket. New Yorkers bought more than 1 million tickets an hour, said Robert McLaughlin, the state’s lottery director

3/5/07

2007-03-05T04:44:00.000-08:00

Current events: Look up 2 articles about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

Mich. Husband Arrested In Tara Grant's Death. Authorities arrest Stephen Grant in connection with murder, dismemberment of wife after statewide manhunt. This man is a damn psycho to kill his wife and dismember her. How can someone look at a person that they love and kill that person and cut them into pieces. So I guess that the wife did something real bad to piss this man off that much to lead him to doing this.

2/27/07

2007-02-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

Look up 1, and only 1 article about a news event going on in the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

Rodeo parade spectators watched in horror Thursday as a 5-year-old girl — three years younger than the event's minimum age. She was thrown off her mount and trampled by an out-of-control team of horses pulling a wagon. She later died. This is a very sad event and one that should have been prevented in the first place. In a way the parents are the blame for this incident because they knew the age limit and they still allowed their daughter to participate in this event.

2/21/07

2007-02-21T04:45:00.000-08:00

Intrepid-resolutely fearless; dauntless

Current Events- Log on to one of the following sites and read 1 article on an event in the news today, then write a blog explaining each event and your opinion on the matter. fox news, cnn, msnbc

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/21/uk.iraq.troops/index.html
British Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to withdraw nearly half of his country's 7,200 troops from Iraq by the end of 2007, according to media reports. I think that this means that the British Prime minister finally realized that this is an American war. They finally realized that if they keep their troops down there they are just killing off innocent people that have no reason being down there in the first place. According to people on the news this morning the British are just a part of an civil war inside of Iraq that no outside army or country can win.

2007-02-20T04:37:00.000-08:00

Inexorable-not to be

Read the article at this link and write a blog discussing what you have read and your opinion on what it expresses.

I think this is a very interesting article that makes us look dumb in a way. For example the hand levitation part instead of doing a trick you could just ask "what time is it?" And the person's hand will go up. So its done in such a clever way that a simple person wouldn't really figure these out without relly being focused on it. The mentality of this article is to do a simple favor and in return ask for a bigger favor that out does your favor. So it basically highlights the ways that people manipulates us without us realizing it.

2/14/07

2007-02-14T04:46:00.000-08:00

Read the blog entitled truth behnd valentines located at this link and write a bolg about it.

There might be some truth behind this because some of it contains some convincing ideas. But how is she able to know all these reasons of what romance is. Why does she believed that romance serves a larger political purpose by offering at least a temporary reward for gender roles and threatening rebels with loneliness and rejection. So in a way I think what she is saying is BS cause she is using her own opinion on this lovely day. And she thinks that because she had some very bad experiences on valentines day or she's just been lonely every valentines day.

2/12/07

2007-02-12T04:28:00.000-08:00

Deference-respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.

Current events: Look up 2 articles about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

A deadly string of three explosions ripped through sections of central Baghdad around midday Monday, killing at least 71 people and wounding more than 170 others, police said. This was very traumatic and its leaving alot of families crying and mourning right now.Iran on Monday rejected U.S. accusations that the highest levels of Iranian leadership have armed Shiite militants in Iraq with armor-piercing roadside bombs. A day after U.S. military officials in Baghdad said they had traced the weapons to Tehran. This just a case of them trying to keep a good image and stay away from war with the US.

2/7/07

2007-02-07T04:29:00.000-08:00

Capricious-subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic:

Current events: Look up 2 articles about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

A parcel bomb exploded and injured a woman at a British driver and vehicle licensing agency Wednesday morning, South Wales police said.The incident at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in Swansea was the third incident this week in Britain in which a parcel bomb injured workers in offices.This is starting to become a very serious problem because they are doing it to innocent people trying to move along with their life peacefully.Indonesia, the country hardest hit by bird flu, signed a preliminary deal Wednesday with U.S. drug manufacturer Baxter Healthcare Corp. to jointly produce a human bird flu vaccine. This a sign of good news because the bird flu is starting to spread all over the world and they have no idea how to cure it. So seeing the fact that they are trying to find a cure is a sign of good things ahead.

2/5/07

2007-02-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

Assimilate-to take in and incorporate as one's own; absorb

Current events: Look up 2 articles about a news event going on in a country other than the United States. NO SPORTS NEWS!!! Use any of the following cnn, fox, msnbc.

Floodwaters have forced more than 270,000 Jakarta residents from their homes, as the death toll from the natural disaster climbed to 25 Monday, according to the capital's flood crisis center.This story is kind a good seeing the fact of how many people that got forced out their homes and how much died.MEXICO CITY — For most people, even the smallest bite of a raw chili pepper means a flushed face and a rush for a gulp of water. But Manuel Quiroz can guzzle down dozens of Mexico's spiciest chilies, rub them on his skin and even squeeze their juice into his eyes without so much as blinking. This Mexican is very crazy because he finds it fun to eat a whole bunch of chili peppers just to have a world record. And he does it in such a fashion that he doesn't really need to drink water while he is doing it.

0/31/07

2007-01-31T04:31:00.000-08:00

Indomitable-that cannot be subdued or overcome, as persons, will, or courage; unconquerable:

Blog entry- Current Events- Log on to one of the following sites and read 1 article on an event in the news today, then write a blog explaining each event and your opinion on the matter. fox news, cnn, msnbc

Florida police shoot, kill two suspects who allegedly murdered policeman's wife, deputy at sheriff's Panhandle home.I think this police man is very happy right now. Even though he still doesn't have his lovely wife. But at least he got the suspects and the suspects are very stupid for sticking around long enough to get into a gun fight with the police. This is also crazy and coincidental that they got killed the same day they killed that sheriff's wife

1/24/07

2007-01-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

Iconoclast-a breaker or destroyer of images, esp. those set up for religious veneration

Blog entry- Current Events- Log on to one of the following sites and read 1 article on an event in the news today, then write a blog explaining each event and your opinion on the matter. fox news, CNN, msnbc

Four of the five Americans killed when a U.S. security company's helicopter crashed in a dangerous Sunni neighborhood in central Baghdad were shot execution style in the back the head, an Iraqi military official said Wednesday.I'm starting to think that these people are trying to let President Bush know not to send anymore troops. Because all that is doing is causing young people who care about their country to die. Also they are beginning to get more serious and deadly with their killing styles which should indicate something to the President. But he doesn't care obviously so thats why he wantss to send in more troops.

1/23/07

2007-01-23T04:31:00.000-08:00

Heterodox-not in accordance with established or accepted doctrines or opinions, esp. in theology; unorthodox.

Blog entry- Current Events- Log on to one of the following sites and read 1 article on an event in the news today, then write a blog explaining each event and your opinion on the matter. fox news, cnn, msnbc

A teenager who said he killed and slowly dismembered his mother over several days at the urging of a pedophile was sentenced Monday to six months in jail.This is one of the stupidest teens alive for doing it and admitting to it. This shouldn't no matter what the hell his mom did to piss him off. And if I was the judge in this case this boy would probably dead if it was me.