Prosecutor: Former Harvard student faked prestigious academic career

23 year old Adam Wheeler of Deleware is scheduled for arraignment on twenty counts some of which include larceny, identity fraud, falsifying an endorsement or approval and pretending to hold a degree. Wheeler had gotten into the prestigious Harvard University on false transcripts and earned a combined total of over 45,000 dollars in financial aid money--academic scholarships and need-based. Wheeler also tried to apply for an internship at the McLeod Hospital. At the same time he sent out transfer applications to Brown and Yale Universities saying that he was doing an intership at McLeod Hospital. Authorities could not determine Wheeler's whereabouts on Monday when they tried to locate him.

Wheeler's actions have been going on so long that I think it is more than just a problem with the law. This man's actions indicate that he must have some psycological issue occuring in his life. In my opinion psycological help needs to be administered to him at some point, whether before or after his trial.

Cameron eats 'humble pie' over Clegg joke

In a rather startling turn of events Conservative prime minister, David Cameron, apologized to his Liberal-Democrat deputy, Nick Clegg, for a joke he made about the latter. The two traditionally opposing parties have joined together to form a pact in Britain's Parliamentary System, calling the deal a "five year government."Of the joke Cameron said, "We're all going to have things thrown back at us. We're looking at the bigger picture. ... And if it means swallowing some humble pie, and if it means eating some of your words, I cannot think of a more excellent diet."

I'm not quite sure how this pact will turn out. Parties that are on the farthest ends of the political spectrum--Conservatives and Liberals--cannot be expected to cooperate on many issues. I can't imagine that this "five year government" will last any more than even a year. Sure, they may have buried the hatchet for now but when the time comes to instigate legislation their disagreements will keep them from accomplishing many things.

Man says Delta lost his dog

Josiah Allen claims that Delta Airlines lost his dog, Paco, on a recent flight from Mexico to his home in Seaforth, Canada. An airline representative warned Allen that his dog carrier was too small for Paco. Consequently Delta had him sign a waiver saying the airline would not be liable for any injuries that Paco might suffer as a result of the carrier's size. Allen signed it because Paco had already slept in the crate for three nights with no problems. When the plane landed in Michigan, though, the dog was missing.

Pets should always be left at home when their owners are flying. The pet could sustain unecessary injuries and there is really no reason to lock it up in a kennel for hours on end. I am faulting the owner for bringing the pet at all, rather than the airline company for "losing" the dog. The dog is better left at home with caretakers who can see to its needs as opposed to being locked away in the luggage hold. A pet that remains at home will have no chances to get lost like that. They will be in the saftey of the owner's home.

Arizona bans ethnic studies in public schools

Less than one month following the gubernatorial signing of a controversial immigration bill, a new piece of legislation has been signed that forbids elementary or secondary schools in Arizona from teaching that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people." School Superintendent Tom Horne has spent two years attempting to remove a Mexican-American studies program from the curriculum and was the one who pushed for the bill to be passed. In response to this recent act, several Californian cities have boycotted Arizona-based businesses and governments.

While I agree with the past immigration law I don't think this new law should have gone into effect. Promoting cultural and global awareness is mandatory in today's society and one of the ways to do so is to continue with culture-related classes. I agree that classes should not promote any kind of "overthrow of the United States gonvernment." A bill that restricts what type of information is being taught and its relevancy to the subject would be ideal here. That way, advocating the idea that a particular ethnic group is somehow being oppressed by our government or that rebelling against the U.S. democracy is the right thing to do would be no longer taught in classes.

Romaine lettuce recall expands

An investigation of a food-borne illness that has sickened 19 people in three states is underway. Those who contracted the illness experienced symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening such as hemolytic uremic syndrome. E. coli is the likely culprit behind the illness and authorities connect it with Romaine lettuce. The latest batch of lettuce to be recalled hails from a farm in Yuma, Arizona. Some have sued the grocers where the lettuce was bought. Most, however, recover before they get a chance to sue with the average sick time for healthy adults being about a week.

I think instead of complaining or suing the organizations who aren't even initially responsible (such as the grocers) people should learn to grow their own items. A lot of hassle would be prevented if individuals could simply section off a bit of land for a garden. To grow one's own food would present them with the option to pick or harvest what one wants, when one wants it. Food-borne illness would be less likely and if it did occur it would not spread at all.

3 plead not guilty in deadly home invasion linked to internet ad

Clabon Terrel Bernaird, 23; Kiyoshi A. Higashi, 22; and Joshua N. Reese, 20, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, robbery and assault. The men are accused of killing a man in a house break-in in Pierce County, Washington. The victim, James Sanders, and his wife has posted an ad on Craigslist in the hopes of selling a diamond ring for $1050. A couple responded to the post, agreeing to meet at the Sanders' home just outside of Tacoma, Washington. When they arrived they pulled out a handgun, restrained Sanders, his wife, and their two children with handcuffs. In an attempt to free himself and help his children, Sanders was shot and killed. The suspects face seventy years in prison and a two million dollar bail.

It has almost come to the point where it is dangerous to post things online. Something as simple as trying to sell a ring may result in murder. Craigslist needs to better regulate who is allowed to visit their site or create an account. I think that if something was done to implement this tactic the buyers and the sellers would be a lot safer. A part of it, too, is common sense. The two parties involved in the sale of an item or a service should not overlook any effort in making sure the other party is safe and responsible when creating plans to come into contact with each other.

Holder: Pakistani Taliban helped direct Times Square plot

Faisal Shahzad, a man likely connected with the Pakistani Taliban, is suspected of being part of the failed Times Square bombing. New evidence suggests that the Taliban helped direct, facilitate, and finance the car bombing. Shahzad allegedly tried--but failed--to set off a car bomb in Times Square. Two days later he was arrested while trying to fly out of New York. This is the second failed terrorist attack in the past six months. According to John Brennan, the assistant to the president for counterterrorism and homeland security, any U.S. counterterroism efforts have detered terrorist groups from launching successful attacks.

Despite critics denouncing Obama for reading alleged terrorists the Miranda rights, I think he is right to do that. If they are legal American citizens they should have the same chance to know their rights as anyone else regardless of what they have done. NOT reading them their rights wouldn't necessarily guarantee a truthful response.

Jobs and Welfare ~ All Things Being Unequal

Obama's Tax Plan

In 1979 45.4% of the national income went to the richest 20% in America. That percentage of national income has increased to 53.5% as of 2004. In those same years the bottom 20% has seen their share of the national income decrease from 5.8% to 4.1%. Even today the economic gap seems to be growing, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. In the past the government has attempted to solve or at least ease this problem. They implemented such things as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security during the Great Depression. More recently a Federal Minimum Wage has been established as well as a welfare program. Those who agree that the wealth needs to be more evenly distributed say that the government should impose trade and outsourcing restrictions to protect domestic job and maintain salary levels. They also say that those who are defined as belonging to the wealthy bracket need to take on a tax increase and those in the poverty level should take on a tax decrease. Thirdly they advocate a job retraining program, wage insurance,and unemployment benefits. Of course there are those who oppose the idea of welfare and all that is related to it. Directly challenging the advocate of government involvement, the opposition says that government interventions would have a negative effect on workers and tax increases would stifle economic growth. They propose that supply and demand should be left alone to its own momentum and eventually things wil even themselves out.

In my opinion the wealth does not need to be more evenly distributed. The proponents of the even distribution of wealth say that we need to tax the wealthy considerably more. Yet if America is the land of opportunity then why are the wealthy being punished for their success? People's income is directly related to their hard work and their skill. (And sometimes luck.) Therefore it is unfair to take away their rightful earnings. They already get a percentage of their income taken away for state and federal taxes as well as for the pool of money set aside for the SS benefits for the aged. It can also be pointed out that some of the people who qualify for the welfare benefits and Medicaid, ect are unemployed but not even looking for a job. So why should the middle class or even the rich have to foot their bill? Even distribution of wealth would be a sign that our country is veering toward a Socialist or even Communist government. Either of those types of governments signify that too much control is being placed at the federal level. With the central government having so much control over its people the recipients of the laws will have little decisions to make regarding their own lives--the government will have decided it all for them! Individuals won't get to make any of their own choices.

David A. Hartman of the Institute for Policy Innovation also takes this stand.

Boosting the Minimum
Putting Welfare to Work

New immigration law won't hurt economy, Arizona governor says

Arizona Gonvernor signed into law a piece of legislation that will require immigrants to carry their alien registration cards at all times. This will hopefully reduce the amount of illegal aliens who have entered the country and are working. Previously the law only allowed officers to chech someone's immigration status if that person was suspected of another crime. But now this law, which will go into effect ninety days after the close of the state's legislative session, permits officers to check the registration of any people who give reason to suspect they're not. Critics say that this law will enforce and support racial profiling.



While I agree that something must be done about the illegal immigration problem, I don't think this is the best way. Yes, it will work to some extent. But it could promote racial profiling, just as critics say.

Ten People Shot Dead in Mexico

On March 28 ten children and young adults were killed in Pueblo Nuevo, Mexico presumably by drug traffickers. No arrests have been made in the incident yet but Mexican Federal Police are invesigating the crime. The unknown gunmen apparently set up a fake checkpoint, then shot and threw grenades at victims while they were returning home from school.

I think an incident such as this is a horrible occurance. There needs to be more security in areas like this. One way they could do that is to separate the police force into more areas and have them cover more ground. This would not be too difficult to do.

Health Care: Comprehensive vs. Incremental Health Care Reform.

Those who are pushing for universal health care believe that everyone should have equal access to medical care regardless of age, health condition, or income level. By implementing universal health care, advocates say that the government could be the single controller, the single purchaser, acting on behalf of all (also known as a government-sponsored medical program). On the flip side, those who oppose universal health care (mostly Conservatives) think that way not because they wish to deprive anyone of medical care, they say, but because a government-controlled system would weaken the people's power over the insurance companies. According to them a weakened body of citizens would cause the companies to raise prices; without people in charge of their own research on which company is best, the insurance agencies have no motive to reduce prices, trying to gain customers. Because of all this taxes would skyrocket. Conservatives believe that enhancing tax-free Health Savings Accounts and offering tax deductions for people who buy their own health insurance are potential solutions to the problem.



It is my opinion that health care reform is a necessity. But the way to go about this is not through universal health care. As Conservatives have outlined, taxes would increase, not everyone would receive health care anyway, and companies would feel free to charge any price. Thus it becomes a cyclical problem: Insurance companies continue to raise prices because government is paying for health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid; the government is forced to raise taxes to cover costs; the people pay the higher taxes; and the insurance companies, realizing that the people were willing to pay the higher costs, raise their prices again. Because people aren't shopping around for their own deals but rather letting someone else pay for it, they are blind to how much the insurance companies are charging. A second issue with universal health care is that the people who are already paying for their own health care have the added burden of paying taxes on another person's health insurance. There are many cases where the people who don't have health insurance lack it because of choice, not necessity. Or they are unemployed and perhaps not even looking for a job but still have the audacity to demand that someone else pay their hospital bills. JB Williams, a journalist for Conservative Truth.org, says that this so called reform for privatized health care is more like the wiping out of privatized health care.

Man fatally stabs 8 schoolchildren in China

A 41 year old man entered the school grounds of the Experimental School in Nanping City, stabbbing eight children to death and wounding five others. This attack occured shortly after 7:00 AM. This school is considered to be one of the best in the city.

Schools clearly need more security--especially inner city schools such as this one. This school may have been considered one of the best but after this bloody attack on the children its rating will more than likely go down. Some form of new safety measures would be an ideal way to regain the confidence of the parents of the schoolchildren and the rest of the population.

Obama taking health care push to Ohio

President Obama is traveling to Ohio to push for his health care bill. He will speak on "going through why reform is important, going through what it will do the minute he signs the legislation on behalf of millions of Americans, discussing what happens, again, if we decide now is not the time," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said at a news briefing Friday. Obama has asked Congress to cast the final vote on this bill. This bill would extend coverage to about thirty one million Americans. In response to this bill Republicans have stated that it will not slow the upward spiraling costs nor will it lower taxes and premiums of middle-class Americans. It could also lead to deep Medicare cuts. Democrats are aware of the American dislike for this bill and so, according to Republicans, are trying to force the bill through by reconciliation. Recent public opinion polls have illustrated the general American dislike for the health care bill, although individual elements of the bill are still popular.

This health care bill will do no good for our country. Costs will rise substantially as middle-class Americans are forced to pay for those who cannot afford health care. Thus, higher taxes and premiums for the middle-class. If Americans are opposing the bill, why even continue with the Congressional debates? Obama is wasting his time, slogging through the country, campaigning for something that Americans, and even twelve of the Democrats in Congress, don't approve of. Abortion costs would be also covered under this health care bill. Abortion isn't a health issue and those who want to have an abortion should bear the consequences of their actions rather than trying to fix their problem with the quick and easy solution of abortion. This bill would only make that easier which is something that does not need to be done.

Ex-Toyota lawyer says documents prove company hid damaging information

Dimitrios Biller, former defense lawyer for Toyota, resigned his top-ranking position recently. He worked for the company from 2003 to 2007. He quit because, even then, Toyota was apparently committing "criminal acts" such as withholding information the company was legally required to turn over to plaintiffs' lawyers during litigation. When Biller left the auto giant he took with him 6000 internal documents which contain classified information on everything from roll-overs to roof safety to sudden unintentional acceleraction. Thus far Toyota has successfully managed to keep Biller from testifying against them.

Clearly Toyota has been involved in this scheme of withholding information for many years. It surprises me that only after a major incident, such as the current recall, has the world found out about the criminal activites of this auto company. I think that Toyota was extrememly thoughtless in their actions: it seems as though they knew beforehand about the problems with the accelerator yet they allowed those cars to enter the market nevertheless, believing it would save them money. But now that hundreds of people are suing the company for the injuries and other problems the sudden unintended acceleration caused, Toyota finds itself in possibly worse trouble than it would have if they had just fixed the problem imeadiately. They should have solved the issue while it was at its root rather than wait until it had stemmed out into an almost unmanagable crisis.

Archdiocese defends decision to deny children because of lesbian parents

In Boulder, CO a Catholic schoool is excluding two young children of lesbian couples from attending. They are enrolled this year but will not be allowed to continue their education next school year. The Denver, CO the archdiocese is defending its decision saying that "[T]he Church does teach that sexual intimacy by anyone outside marriage is wrong; that marriage is a sacramental covenant; and that marriage can only occur between a man and a woman. These beliefs are central to a Catholic understanding of human nature, family and happiness, and the organization of society. The Church cannot change these teachings because, in the faith of Catholics, they are the teachings of Jesus Christ." DignityUSA and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation opposed the decision and declared the archdiocese to be in the wrong. This decision was made public last week although the children themselves have not been identified publicly.

Seeing as this school is a Catholic school I think the archdiocese was right in preventing these children from entering school. Even though it is only their parents and not necessarily the children themselves who believe and are involved in a lesbian lifestyle the parents may nevertheless instill in them these beliefs. When the children learn the Catholic principles and Bible teachings in school those teachings will conflict majorly with what the children see and are taught at home. This sets up a harmful mental and emotional confusion and the children will not know whom to trust or believe. Also the Catholic Church was founded on these teachings and they still work for the church today. Why change something that has proven to be successful other hundreds of years?

Spending What we can Afford

Government has been tallying up large deficits and debts for the past forty years. In an attempt to alleviate these deficits the Federal Government borrows money from foreign countries but debts on top of the already large deficits piled up. Per dollar, the most is spent on National Defense with Social Security not far behind. And defense spending increased after the September 11 attacks to pay for increased homeland security and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Such things as taxes (including increased taxes, tax cuts, and the Alternative Minimum Tax) and Earmarks have been used to try to turn the debts and deficits around. The problem with increased taxes is that the American public will complain. The problem with tax cuts is that the government must get the money to pay off the debt from another source, one they may not have. The problem with Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is that the initial reason it was implemented (to ensure that wealthy Americans pay their fair share of taxes) is now extinct. Between inflation and revised deductions the AMT now targets middle-class Americans more than the wealthy. Earmarks have also become a problem lately with Congressmen annonymously slipping a provision into a bill at the last second, costing the American people an annual sixty four billion. Another attempt to clean up the national debt has resulted in a great debate: a "paygo" budgeting measure that was passed in 2007. Some see this as a positive entity, insisting that this system helps keep the spending in line, and eliminates the collection of unpaid taxes. Others say that unnecessary spending will not stop, rather "paygo" will bring about tax hikes to pay for these new programs.

In my opinion the paygo system, if implemented correctly, would be a solid way to decrease superfluous spending and would at least stop the deficit from growing futher if not turn it around. By making sure that an increase of spending in one area would decrease spending in another, the overall budget would not fluctuate much. And emergency money, while it would have to be taken from other areas, would at least be available. Paygo was used from 1991 to 2002, when the legistlation lapsed and was not reenacted. Partly due to the paygo system, the federal budget was balanced and in 1998 a surplus was visible for the first time in years. The Brookings Institution details the specifics of paygo.

See Also: Issue #1

Issue #3

One Dead in Germany School Shooting

A 23 year old male is the suspected shooter of a Southern German vocational school. One German died and the school went into lockdown mode. The shooter is currently in custody.



I think that schools--especially urban schools--need to vamp up their security. They can't expect the same level of security that has worked in the past for them or that currently works for rural schools to adequately fulfill the safety requirements. Schools should spend a portion of their alloted funds to cover some security costs. If more money is spent on security the results would be better in the long run.

Revised psychiatry manual targets autism, substance disorders

Recently the American Psychiatric Association has revised the guidlines--known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--that define what qualifies as Autism. They have included Asperger's syndrome in the autism spectrum. Asperger's symdrome is shown to be on the milder side of the autism spectrum. The new criteria mandates that the symptonms begin in early childhood and that deficits be measured in two areas: social interaction/communication and repetitive behaviors/fixated interests. The guidelines have also been revised for psychosis risk syndrome which sometimes preceeds schizophrenia. Scientists have combined "substance abuse" and "substance dependence" to create the term "addiction and related disorders," with the subheading "substance use disorders." There will also be a division of neurocognitive disorders into "major" and "minor" and new classifications for learning disorders.

I think it was definitely time to update the classifications and definitions of some of the disorders. They were a bit outdated and no longer fit the modern world of psychiatic problems. However I feel that the addition of Asperger's syndrome to the autism spectrum only increases the already immense width of it. Now nearly any slight social issue can be labeled as "autism." I also think that people are unnecessarily ignorant about modern psychological disorders. Adults and children alike should be educated on these subjects to avoid making potentially fatal mistakes in both written and spoken conversation.

Blizzard Headed Toward Mid-Atlantic

Parts of Delaware and New Jersey are preparing for a blizzard and Washington D. C. and Maryland are expected to receive near-blizzard conditions as well. The blizzard warning, in effect from 4 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday, will amount to 24 inches of snow. Travel conditions are expected to be hazardous; as a result Southwest Airlines has canceled most flights to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington and more cancelations are anticipated. Amtrak has also canceled most services for Friday.

People are panicking unecessarily in my opinion. Snow in that little amount is not dangerous. It makes sense to me that flights and trains are being halted but all of traffic does not need to stop. People can still go about their daily business, just in a more careful and cautious way. Minnesotans haven't panicked about a little snow and neither should East-coasters.

iPad

Apple has released the new iPad today, a combination between the Smartphone and a laptop. It boasts a nearly full keyboard operated by touch-screen, ten-inch screen, and "lightning fast" speed. Available in 16, 32, 0r 64 GB versions, pricing will begin at $499, $599, and $699, respectively. Two mobile plans will be offered through AT&T and shipping will begin in approximately sixty days.

This new item of technology only furthers what we as humans have already accomplished. I think that the iPad will revolutionize the computer world and possibly replace computers and laptops. Obviously, if this piece of technology is successful, I think Apple's power in the technology world could increase drastically.