U.S. cigarette brands tops in cancer-causing chemicals

Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that US made cigarettes contain more cancer-causing chemicals than some cigarettes brands made elsewhere around the world. U.S. made cigarettes have more of the major carcinogen (TSNA's) than cigarettes made anywhere else in the world. For this study, 126 smokers were recruited from five different cities. They smoked the brand they had been loyal to in the past, typically some of the most popular brands. They found three times higher levels of the cancer causing substance in the U.S. smokers’ mouths than any other place.
I was surprised by this; I thought all cigarettes were equally bad for you. I didnt know that they way they were made would affect what they have in them, and change the effects on your health for the worse. I don't think that people should smoke at all; it's going to be detrimental to your health no matter what kind you smoke. It's easily much better for you to not smoke in the first place rather than to decide which kind would be the best for you to smoke. We should work on taking the carcinogen out of the cigarettes so people who do smoke have less health risks (a bigger chance of getting cancer).

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/01/u-s-cigarette-brands-tops-in-cancer-causing-chemicals/

Airlines add fees for peak summer days

The five largest U.S. airlines recently introduced "peak air travel surcharges" on nearly every day during the summer. American, Continental, Delta, United and US Airways are adding anywhere from $10-30 onto their already high prices for the summer months.The extra money will be a surcharge; the surcharge is figured into the final price that travelers are quoted, not listed separately. Travelers are advised to book early and look for the lowest rates and avoid extra fees to deal with the extra money they will have to pay for an airplane ticket. The more informed and aware the consumer is, the more money they stand to save when they travel.
I think that airline prices are high enough already, without them adding more to it. It's almost like they are trying to trick the consumers and travelers into thinking that they are getting a better deal but actually are charging them more; that just seems dishonest. I think that everyone in the U.S. who is planning on traveling this summer should know about this and really think it through; we all need to be informed, like the article said. I think that these airlines should stop raising the prices because eventually, the prices will get too high for consumers and the airlines won't be making much money at all.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/05/25/airfare.surcharges/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Sentencing in Elizabeth Smart kidnapping set for Friday

Wanda Barzee, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Utah teenager Elizabeth Smart in 2002, and attempting to kidnap Smart's cousin a month later, is being sentenced in a state and federal court this Friday. She pleaded guilty in 2002 for the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. Barzee faces between 1 and 15 years in federal prison. When she entered the court, she apologized to Smart for all of the emotional and physical pain and suffering she put the girl through. Barzee was housed at the Utah State Hospital for the decision of whether or not she was competent to stand in court; they finally decided that she was competent.
I was surprised when I read this; I was surprised that it took them so long. Barzee had already admitted that she was guilty, and yet they put off the trial until years later. I remember hearing about the Smart kidnapping all the time in my past, and it was completely obvious that she and her husband and accomplice (Mitchell) were guilty of the kidnapping, and the attempted kidnapping of her cousin, and rape charges against them from Smart. It was such a big case back then, but then we slowly forgot about it. Until now, when everything is coming back to us, along with her sentencing. I believe that she should be put in prison for the rest of her life for what she did to Smart. It is finally the time for justice in this case.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/19/utah.elizabeth.smart.kidnapper/index.html

12 dead, 83 trapped in Russia mine after blasts

On Saturday evening an explosion occurred in the largest coal mine in Russia. The explosions killed 12 people working within the mine and injured 41 others. In addition to the dead and wounded, another 64 miners were trapped underground, along with the 19 who went to rescue those who were trapped. There were 359 people working inside the mine when a gas explosion occurred at about 8:55 PM. Four and a half hours later, a second gas explosion occurred. The Russian Prime Minister said, "By all accounts, the situation is hard, very hard at the Raspadskaya mine. I would say, it is tragic." They are still trying to save the people who are trapped in the mine.

More and more explosions and other things beyond our control are happening in other countries. But the thing is, I think that some things can be prevented. Why was there a gas explosion? What happened to make it explode? Why didn't they have a plan as to how to save those trapped? I'm sure that they knew that this could happen; they don't even know what to do about it. They say they can't just do nothing, but they don't know how to save them. I think that sometimes things like this can be, and should be, avoided at all costs. Precautions should be put into place in mines. They are a very dangerous place to work, and we should be doing all we can to keep those within the mines safe.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/05/09/russia.mine.blast/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Issue #2: Boosting the Minimum

Many voters who were angry that minimum wage had not risen in 10 years supported Democratic efforts to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. It would raise the take home pay and allow many to rise above the poverty level. Congress passed the new minimum wage law, but a full-time worker being paid minimum wage at times still cannot rise above the poverty level. Many believe that raising minimum wage would positively affect millions of Americans and it would boost the economy. But the people on the other side of the argument believe that raising the minimum wage would be counterproductive. They believe that minimum wage won't help fight poverty because it only affects a small percentage of the workforce, and most people earning minimum wage are teenagers. It would lead to higher prices and job cuts, which hurt the economy. They belieev that a better way to help the working poor would be to expand the EITC.

I am in agreement with the first side of the argument, the side that is for a rise in minimum wage. I say this because many people out there are struggling to keep themselves and their families over the poverty level. People out there are struggling and just can't live off of minimum wage. People need to understand that not everyone working for minimum wage is a teenager; some people try to live off of minimum wage, and it's almost impossible at the current time. We should boost minimum wage to help the people who need help and who simply need to make more money to survive. The economy would be just fine with raising the minimium wage; people would have more money to put into it. We should raise minimum wage to a wage that anyone can live off of.
Many other people believe that minimum wage needs to rise also. Here is the opinion of people who share my beliefs about this issue:
http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/issuebrief201/

Issue #1: http://alyciass2.blogspot.com/2010/04/jobs-and-welfare-blog-entry.html
Issue #3: http://shannon-thoennes.blogspot.com/2010/04/issue-3-putting-welfare-to-work.html

High court accepts case over violent video games

A California law restricting the sale of violent video games to children is headed to the Supreme Court this week for the final decision. Video game makers think the ban is going too far; the parents of these children should be able to judge is they want their children playing these games, not the Supreme Court. The state, however, believes it has a "legal obligation" to protect these children when the industry can't. The issue with the law is whether it is constitutinal or not, dealing with the right to free speech. Under this law, it is illegal for any person under the age of 18 to buy a video game that is "excessively violent" by the state of California.

I don't neccessarily think that this is a good idea, but I think it's a step in the right direction. While I don't believe that it is the state's, or the Supreme Court's, decision as to what video games children play, I believe that there should be some type of regulation on violent video games. However, I think the system would work fine if parents were in charge of the video games their children play. They can decide whether or not to allow it, not the state. It is a matter of personal opinion, not a legal issue. The constitution gives us all freedom of speech and expression. This law would take away from that freedom.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/26/scotus.violent.video.games/index.html

Body found in sunken South Korea vessel

The body of a lost sailor was discovered in a sunken South Korea ship that went down in March. The sinking of the ship was very mysterious and caused more tension between North and South Korea. They are investigating what actually caused the ship to sink, and many believe that North Korea was somehow involved. The 1,200 ton ship, called Cheonan, sank near the western sea border on March 26th. Forty of the 104 crew members have been confirmed as dead, and 6 are still missing and thought to be dead. 58 of the members of the crew were rescued before the ship sank.

I never really find myself being shocked about stories like this, even though many people died, because they seem to happen all the time. Forty people died in a freak accident that no one knows how it happened and we don't bat an eye. But everything in the world, all the death and destruction, will affect us all somehow in the long run. If I were the family of one of the 6 still missing, I would want to find them. I would just want the closure, even if they just found the body. Also, I would want to find out how the ship sank in the first place. It seems kind of shady to me; something else must have been going on there.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/24/south.korea.ship/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Spanish doctors conduct full face transplant

Doctors at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron University Hospital say that they were able to carry out the world's first full face transplant on a man who had been in an accident. They gave the man a new nose, lips, teeth, and cheekbones during the 24 hour surgery. The surgery, which happened in March and required thirty doctors, had good results. He came out of the surgery fine and will have some slight scars, but he is satisfied and very grateful for the surgery. There have been partial face transplants in other parts of the world, but this is the first full face transplant ever attempted.

I can't believe that our medical technology and knowledge has progressed to people being able to get full face transplants. I don't see how it would work out; it must have been very difficult to pull this surgery off. But I think that this is a good thing. If we can perform face transplants, what will we be able to do next? This surgery gave a man who had been in an accident another chance at life. This is a very good thing, but I don't know if this will be of much help to many other people. Is it worthwhile to spend so much time and energy on this kind of surgery when that time could be devoted to worldwide problems, like cancer?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/24/spain.face.transplant/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

6.3-magnitude quake strikes Papua New Guinea

This Sunday morning at 9:15, Papua New Guinea was struck by an earthquake. It was of a 6.3 magnitude, according to the US geological survey. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths coming from this earthquake. The earthquake's epicenter was reported to be 20 miles east of Lae, Papua New Guinea and 185 miles north of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. The quake's depth was reported to be at 66.2 kilometers.
Just when you think all these earthquakes are over, then you hear about another one. After all these recent earthquakes, like the one in Haiti, it's kind of become expected to hear about more and more happening each and every day, somewhere completely different around the world. I'm starting to get a little concerned about all these earthquakes. While some aren't too bad, some are extremely devastating to the people who live there, and it affects everyone around the world, not just them. I'm wondering why all these earthquakes are coming now; did something change? Or is it just a coincidence? And the thing is, nothing can be done to stop these earthquakes. We just have to let them come then deal with what it leaves behind for us to clean up. I hope this chain of earthquakes is just about done.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/17/papua.new.guinea.earthquake/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Pro-Obama groups plan health care ad blitz

Democratic legislators will soon see TV ads thanking them for their support of the health care reform bill, which was signed into law on Tuesday. This ad campaign will be $5 million and is being paid for by pro-Obama group. It will target mainly Democrats. These ads are part of an effort to provide political cover for Obama. The bill passed with a 219-210 vote. The Democratic National Commitee and labor unions are key sponsors of these ads. Catholics United is also involved in the effort. These ads are only the first phase of a campaign to support those who supported Obama's most important bill.

I am not sure what to think of this new health care bill yet. I have heard so many different sides and points of view that I'm not sure what to believe or think. But this string of TV ads thanking those who supported Obama's bill seems a little bit suspicious- like Obama is paying them off somehow, to make sure they continue to support him. Many people are extremely against his new bill that he just passed, so he needs people behind him supporting him and ensuring the rest of his bills get passed. These ads seem too much like paying off people to me than really thanking them for their help. I don't think it's necessary to pay $5 million to thank someone when you can do it for free. Obama, in my opinion, just wants to make it public that people support him, and making sure that they continue to do so.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/24/health.care.ads/index.html

List ranks best, deadliest U.S. roads

A recent list published in Reader's Digest tells which state's roads are the best, and which are the worst. Kansas, Wisconsin, and Montana have the country's best roads, according to the list. The magazine used data from the Federal Highway Administration while compiling their list. But Montana, making the list because of its good infrastructure, also makes the list of the worst roads in the country. Part of the reason Montana roads are so deadly is because when drivers are under the influence of alcohol, they drive recklessly on the Montana roads and often don't wear seat belts. Alabama was ranked as the deadliest state for speeding.
While I wasn't surprised that Montana has some of the country's best roads, I was surprised that it has also been said to have some of the worst, and most deadly, roads. I think that it more depends upon the person driving rather than what kind of roads they are driving on. While I know that some parts of Minnesota have bad roads, I don't think our state would do too bad on that list. Minnesota isn't one of the more populated states, and many roads have been redone. I think that Minnesota is, in general, a safe place to drive, and live.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/03/16/best.deadliest.roads/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Officials: Bacterial meningitis kills two Oklahoma students

In the Oologah-Talala public school district in Oklahoma, there were six possible cases of bacterial meningitis, including two deaths. One of the students was only 8 years old. The superintendent of the school district said that the schools were closed on Friday because of this. He feels that they should remain calm but he closed the schools "just to stay on the safe side." The state health board will provide antibiotics against the illness, which is caused by an inflammation of the meninges. All faculty of the school was screened, and it was reported that they have enough antibiotics to treat 1,000 people. Last year in Oklahoma, there were 16 reported cases of bacterial meningitis but only one death. If you have any symptoms of this illness, you should seek medical attention immediately.

I always just assumed that people don't/can't die from seemingly small illnesses like this anymore. I assumed that we were vaccinated against it already and we didn't have to worry about this sort of thing. I guess I was wrong. I think that this particular school district should be even more careful than they are being right now to stop the spread of the disease; if it is serious enough to kill two people in the school district, they should be taking drastic safety measures. Everyone should be vaccinated. I know that if bacterial meningitis was in our state,I would be very worried for our schools' health. This kind of thing shouldn't be able to be killing people nowadays, in my opinion. Schools are very susceptible to diseases like this.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/11/oklahoma.meningitis.death/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Investigators on way after waves kill cruise passengers

A Louis Cruise Lines ship traveling off the coast of Spain was hit by three waves, each one about 26 feet (8 meters) high. It happened 24 miles off Cabo de San Sebastian. These "abnormal" waves killed two cruise passengers. Maltese government officials were sent to investigate the deaths. The two people killed, both male, one Italian and one German, were on deck five when the waves hit. They smashed five windows on the bow of the 14-deck ship. Vito Sgobba, the cruise ship's hotel manager, rushed to the scene immediately after the waves hit. The two deceased died instantly; they were brought to the ship's hospital but they didn't make it there alive. The victims were a German man, 69, from North Rhine Westphalia, and an Italian man, 52, who was traveling with his family. Fourteen other passengers were treated for light injuries. The next cruise has been canceled, and the ship is currently in Barcelona for repairs.

This article shocked me when I read it. I went on a cruise myself about 5 years ago, and I never imagined that something like this could happen. I assumed that many precautions were taken to avoid this sort of thing, but I guess you can't be guaranteed safety on a cruise ship. I'm wondering, though, if the families of the two deceased men could file a lawsuit against the cruise ship company. Is the company liable for this freak accident that caused the death of two passengers? I think that, while no one was at fault for this accident, the families of the two men should be compensated in some way or another. The men were on their cruise ship at the time of the accident, so the company should be held responsible for any deaths that occurred there. People are dying in so many ways that I never even thought about lately; it's kind of upsetting to me how some of these deaths happen. Just when people think their safety is assured, something goes wrong, just like on this cruise ship. I'm sure it will make some people think twice about going on a cruise after this accident.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/03/04/spain.cruise.ship.wave/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

L.A. middle school, students struggle under budget cuts

In a South Central Los Angeles neighborhood school, budget cuts are becoming very evident. At Markham Middle School, a student talks about how her history class has had 10 different teachers (substitutes) during only one semester. This is because, district-wide, 2,000 teachers were let go as state budget deficits. All these cutbacks to the California school system are hurting the students' learning experience, and it's affecting how much they learn. But it doesn't stop there; the principal believes that there will be more teacher layoffs coming this summer. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit saying that these layoffs take away from the rights of the inner city students to an education. They believe that the children who need more help, such as the children in the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Watts, should have the resources to succeed in their education even more than others. If the ACLU lawsuit is passed, there will be layoffs, but not at Markham Middle School.

I think that it would affect a student's education hugely if they don't have a proper teacher. Sharail Reed, the student who has had 10 different teachers in her history class, talked about how it made it more difficult to learn from these new teachers who don't even know her name. The changing up of these teachers halts the learning process and is not desirable at all for a student's education. I don't think that, just because of the budget, they should be cutting back on the teachers. The students in Watts need an education just as much as everyone else. As for the ACLU lawsuit, however, I am not sure if I agree that these students need teachers and an education more than everyone else. Each and every student deserves the right to a good education. We shouldn't transfer the teacher layoffs/budget cuts to another school. We should be looking for a way to provide the students with a good education without depriving someone of this right. If cuts are necessary somewhere, why should it have to be in our schools?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/04/layoffs.education/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Toyota hit with grand jury subpoena

On Monday the Toyota company received a subpoena related to the problems with the brakes and unintended acceleration of its newest model, the Toyota Prius. They also received one from the Los Angeles office of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Toyota's Prius has had many problems with acceleration and braking since it came out in the beginning of 2010. More than 8 million vehicles were recalled for safety reasons. Toyota knows that they made a mistake and they plan to cooperate with the investigations. The Toyota president will testify in Washington on Wednesday about the subpoenas and the vehicle's problems. They will discuss federal auto safety regulators and how the company had let these problems slide.

I don't know how the Toyota company could have let these problems slide, or not notice this major problem. They should be devoting time to each and every vehicle to make sure it is safe and secure enough to be ready to be sold to the public. They seem to be getting careless with their products. They need to retain the image that people have of their company by making sure every vehicle that they make is top-quality. Wouldn't it have been easier to just make sure every car that went out their doors was in proper working condition than to recall all of them because of this problem? People could have gotten seriously hurt. Toyota is one of the biggest names in cars, and this could tarnish their reputation. I am not sure if they deserved a subpoena for it, but they definitely need to tell their story and come to their senses. They need to ensure that their customer's safety will never be in jeopardy from purchasing one of their products.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/22/autos/toyota_subpoena/index.htm?hpt=T2

Issue #1: War Dollars

Summary: The Constitution states that the president of the United States is the commander in chief of the armed forces, so he or she is able to choose what we spend our money on- whether to fight or not. But congress has the "power of the purse", which is a power that gives Congress the authority to approve the federal spending needed for the war. Congress has denied president's requests for funding fighting before, such as Reagan's request to fund the fighting in Nicaragua. There is a debate as to whether Congress should be able to use this power or not. People who are not happy with the war in Iraq want Congress to be able to use this power to stop the funding of the war. It has cost billions of dollars to taxpayers and some believe that Congress is going about it the right way by using their "power of the purse". Some are opposed to Congress's interference, however. They elected this president and they want him or her to decide what to do with the war situation. According to them, the president is better equipped than Congress to decide what will be best for the war effort, and best for a victory.

Opinion: I believe that Congress should be able to "interfere", as some call it, in the president's decisions and powers for funding the war. We need a second body to go over the decisions made by the president. His or her decisions about war may cost millions of dollars, and Congress should be there to look over it and decide what is really necessary. They should be able to "override" the president if his plan will do more harm than good to the people of America and the war effort. If Congress uses their "power of the purse", then we can ensure that we are not funding useless war efforts that will get us nowhere. I think that, while the president should have some power to choose what to do in a war situation, they should not be given complete power over these decisions. We need to decide what is best for the people, not just what one person thinks is better. Many Republicans believe that the war needs to be ended and that the President should not have all the power, according to this article: http://moodle.alexandria.k12.mn.us/file.php/3/Dem_v_Rep_Addendum.htm

Issue #2: http://alyciass2.blogspot.com/2010/02/federal-budget-blog-entry-issue-2.html

Issue #3: http://kariscurrenteventsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/social-insecurity.html

Climber found dead in Mount St. Helens crater

Joseph Bohlig, a man who was climbing on the Mount St. Helen's volcano on Monday and fell into a crater, was found to be dead on Tuesday. Bohlig was standing on a piece of the volcano and it crumbled, which caused him to fall 1,500 ft. down into the volcano. He was posing for a picture on the side of the volcano when he fell in. He was a veteran climber, and Scott Salkovics, another climber with him, witnessed his fall into the volcano. Although there are warnings all around the crater of unstable cornices, the pair decided to venture closer for a picture anyway, which led to the death of Bohlig.

I found this story to be very interesting; you don't often hear of someone falling into a volcano. I don't understand why this man would want to be so close to an open crater in a volcano, though. As stated in the article, there were signs all around the opening/crater of unstable cornices, but these men went right ahead to the very edge of the volcano anyway. Just one small slip, one small misstep, and this man lost his life. We talked about this in my Senior Social I class today, and he was still alive when we talked about it. I was very suprised to hear more about it, and that he had died. I assumed they would find a way to get him out safe, but it was too late. Also stated in the article, thousands of climbers just like Bohlig go to the very edge of the crater each year. There should be more safety precautions if Mount St. Helens if it is going to be a place open to the public. People should not just be able to fall into volcanoes. There should have been, and should be, more safety measures taken for the safety of all those who visit this volcano. This accident could have been so easily avoided.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/16/washington.hiker.volcano/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Snow-weary region expects second wallop

The mid-Atlantic region has gotten a record amount of snow in the last few weeks. After just recovering from a very large snowstorm, the Washington area had to close down schools and businesses because of another huge snowstorm at the end of the weekend on the seventh of February. The snow has completely covered the streets, making it very dangerous for anyone who is driving in these conditions. The snowfall comes up to the hip in some areas, and the winter blizzard is delaying many flights. Airlines are waiting for the okay to make sure it is safe to fly again. This snowstorm wasn't as large as the one in January, however, when a record 32.4 inches of snow fell.

The storm that happened in the mid-Atlantic region of the country was much like the snowstorm that we got here in Alexandria. Many schools here were closed down and the road conditions are very dangerous because of the huge amounts of snow and ice. I was thinking that once that first storm was over, it would be smooth sailing until spring, but I was wrong. This winter has been very tough in Minnesota. I know that I am definitely sick of this icy, snowy weather and the icy roads that we all have to go through. On days like today, I think that the school closing was completely necessary to our safety. That should always be the first priority; if accidents can be avoided, then they should be avoided at all costs. I hope that we can get through the rest of the winter without another huge snowstorm and get to spring very quickly. I think we've all had enough winter for one year.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/weather/02/08/winter.weather/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

Powell in favor of repealing 'don't ask, don't tell'

Colin Powell, former secretary of state, believes that the "don't ask, don't tell" law should be repealed. He believes that things have changed in the last 17 years and that it should no longer be a law, but he thinks President Obama should have the last say. They believe that their main focus should be on how to best prepare for the possible repealing of the law. The Human Rights Campaign believes that this is a step in the right direction. They are for equality in all people.

I personally have no problem with this law being repealed. I believe in equality and equal rights for everyone, no matter what their race, religion, or sexual orientation. This shouldn't make any difference if someone wants to join the army and help fight for our country. I think that it is admirable to offer your services to your country. If someone wants to help, let them. Don't discriminate against someone just because they are different from you. The "don't ask, don't tell" law worked fine for a while, but it's old and outdated, in the view of some. I think people are much more accepting of people now, and will be willing to give them those rights that should have been theirs to begin with. I am not sure if this law will actually be repealed. If it stays in place, I would hope that no one is discouraged from helping our country if they want to. But if the law was repealed, I don't think our military would much any different. The only difference would be that there would be no suffering in silence.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/03/powell.gays.military/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

New rule for truck, bus drivers: No texting

Summary: Commercial truck or bus drivers are no longer allowed to text for safety reasons. Under federal guidelines that will go into place immediately, any bus or truck drivers that are found texting while driving may have to pay a fine of up to $2,750. This new law was meant to reduce distractions while driving and reduce preventable accidents on our nation's highways. Many people agree with this new law: President Obama signed an executive order that restricts the drivers of federal vehicles from texting.

My Opinion: I completely agree with this new law, not just for truck and bus drivers, but for everyone on the roads. I think that it would only do good: make fewer distractions for drivers, and in turn, make for less crashes on the highways that could have been easily avoided if the driver was not texting. I think that all cars sold should be sold with a device that stops cell phones from working while inside the car. There is nothing so important that a driver cannot wait until they get to their destination to text. Some may argue that they can successfully text and drive cautiously at the same time; I do not agree. If someone is texting, regardless of what kind of vehicle they are driving, they are not completely focused on driving. According to this article, 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver. This could be so easily remedied by just putting that cell phone away. I think that this new law not allowing truck or bus drivers to text should be extended to all drivers. It would make for much safer highways.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/26/trucks.texting.ban/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29