Current Event 4/30/07

Hate crime charge for suspect in 101-year-old's mugging

A man accused of beating and mugging a 101-year-old woman and two others was arraigned Saturday on charges that included hate crimes. Jack Rhodes, 44, was held without bail on charges of robbery, grand larceny, burglary and assault.

What do you think this man's punishment should be? How do you think these types of people contribute to society, if at all? Do you think this act was a hate crime?

Read the article here.

Current Even for the Week of 4/30/07

Schools say iPods becoming tool for cheaters.

Banning baseball caps during tests was obvious -- students were writing the answers under the brim. Then, schools started banning cell phones, realizing students could text message the answers to each other.
Now, schools across the country are targeting digital media players as a potential cheating device. Devices including iPods and Zunes can be hidden under clothing, with just an earbud and a wire snaking behind an ear and into a shirt collar to give them away, school officials say.


Read this article here.

Do you think that iPod's should be banned from Perry? Have you ever thought about doing this? Do you think theres a way to put and end to cheating?

Current Even for the Week of 4-30-07

Three dead at Kansas City shopping center.

A man with a gun shot and killed two people at a shopping center in Kansas City, Missouri, and wounded at least two others Sunday before being killed by police, a police spokesman said.
The gunman was killed after police confronted him inside the Ward Parkway Shopping Center, about nine miles south of downtown, shortly after 3:30 p.m.


Read this article here.


Do you think this was planned out or thought up that day? Do you think this an VT attempt? What would you do if you saw a man with a gun walking through the mall shooting?

Current Event for the Week of 4/22/07

After the events of the Virginia Tech shootings universities are wondering if there can be more done about the security. Universities say there are solution to help with this issues. these issues consist of improving the emergency training of the staff, expanding communication methods, and more money for student mental health treatment.


Read Article Here

Do you think these solutions will help? Could this prevent another shooting as bad? What else could be done if not?

Current Event for the Week of 4/23

Imus Sidekick Producer McGuirk Also Fired
As you know, Don Imus, the long-time syndicated radio host was fired for his ill-natured words agains the Rutgers Womens' Basketball Team. Thursday the 19th of April, his producer Bernard McGuirk was also let go.

Read the article here.

In regards to Don Imus, do you think it is fair that Imus was canned for his actions and ill words against the Rutgers Womens' Basketball team? What about his cohort Bernard McGuirk? Do you think that the first amendment protects his right to free speech, campaign or press?

Current Event for the week of 4-23

Columbine Survivor: Expect an Emotional Rollercoaster

A Columbine survivor shares her story about what she went through and how tough things were for her. She tries to offer hope to those that were in the VTech shoting.

Read the article here.


Do you think that she is doing the right thing by extending her experiance with others? How do you think you would react if you went through what she did and why?

Current Event for the Week of 4-23-07

Fewer Students Participating In Sports As Costs Climb

Due to pay-to-play programs, causing students to pay as high as $350 to be in an extracurricular activity, the number of kids in activities has dropped. School officials believe that there should not be a cost because these extracurricular activities are what keep some kids out of trouble and enganged in learning, becoming ready for the world outside school, and making friends.

Read the article here.

Do you think that there should be a cost to be in sports and clubs? Why? If there were a cost would you still join? Do you think the cost helps schools or hurts them?

Current Events for the week of 4/23

Cat Saves Family From Poisonous Fumes

It seems like the past week is full of horrible anniversaries and birthday's from Columbine to Hitler's birthday to the Oklahoma City Bombings... to Virginia Tech... to our own backyard down at Edison... the list goes on.

We don't always here about the good news so I decided to add something with a little bit more happy side.

A family in Indiana would have tragically lost their lives recently if it wasn't for the efforts of their 14-year old cat. Evidently, a carbon monoxide leak was quickly threatening the family's lives and their cat meowed until they woke up. When they woke up, the family felt dizzy and immediately called 911. The son was found in his bedroom by authorities unconscious, but was quickly revived and the family is now safe at home.

Read the article hear.

What do you think of animals playing the role of savior in our society? Would you like to hear more stories like this instead of all the horrific news stories we see every night on the news?

Judge upholds part of Ohio law banning picketing at funerals

A federal judge on Friday upheld significant portions of a state law that limits when and where people may protest at funerals, a law aimed at a small fundamentalist Kansas church whose members picket burials of U.S. troops killed in combat, arguing that the deaths are God’s punishment for homosexuals.

The 2006 law prohibits protesters from being within 300 feet of a cemetery, funeral home, church or synagogue either one hour before or after a burial service.

The church (responsible for the picketing) has argued that the protests are a form of religious expression and that mourners can avert their eyes from unwanted forms of speech. Some of the members have held signs reading “God Hates Fags” and “God Made IEDs,” a reference to roadside bombs (the main cause of death of our soldiers in the middle east).

You can read the article here.

- Do you believe that picketing at a funeral is freedom of speech that is protected under the first amendment or should families mourning their loved ones be left in peace?
- Does the Westboro Baptist Church (aka, "GodHatesFags.com") misrepresent the Bible and give a bad name to Christianity?

Current Event for the Week of 4/16/07

Gunman killed after deadly Virginia Tech rampage

After a shooting at the Virginia tech campus, police say at least 31 people are dead. This is the deadliest school shooting in United States history.

Read the Article Here.

Do you think anything could have been done to prevent the shootings? Do you think that schools will take more precautions after this incident?

Current Event for the Week of 4/16/07

Anthony LaCalamita III, denied handgun permit had no problem buying a shotgun a few weeks later, allegedly opening fire at former office.

Read the article here.

While FBI background checks are used, should his sentencing be lessened due to his history of depression and mental health problems? Should gun licenses restrict those with "severe" mental health problems? Would this be discrimination? Should the government even allow gun ownership?

Current Event for the Week of 4-4

Justin Timberlake recently publicy denounced celebrity tabloids for their incessant prying into the lives or celebrities.


Read the article here.

Do you feel celebrities are treated unfairly due to tabloaid articles? Why is the American public so interested in the lives of the rich and famous? Is the right to talk about others' personal lives part of free speech? Do you feel such magazines should be punished for publishing information they know to be false, or not checking sources?

4/2/07

Anthony Capozzi placed in jail for 22 years, now found innocent of rape charges. He was placed in jail for being convicted of 2 rape charges. While spending 22 years in jail and being denied parole 5 times for not admitting his crimes. recently he was discovered innocent and is to be released.

read the article here.

Do you think it was fare for him to spend most of his life in jail for someone else's crime? What do you think should be done about it?

Current Event for the Week of 4/2/07

Middle School Teacher in Maryland Convicted of Making Bomb Threats to Students

A sixth-grade teacher was convicted Monday of making false bomb threats that targeted five students attending the middle school where she taught....

Read the Article HERE

Does this sound like a case of paranoia, or a real act of terrorism? Do you agree or disagree with the senctencing of Dohm? Should it be longer or shorter? What would you do as a sixth grader if a teacher was leaving you threating notes?

Current Event 4 -2 -07

Mom Offers 7 Year Old Daughter For Sex

A woman in Taylor, Michigan, offered to let an undercover investigator take pornographic photos of her 7-year-old daughter and have sex with her also. She pleaded not guilty in her trial, she is being charged with child sexually abusive behavior, illegal use of the Internet for child sexually abusive actions or materials and distribution of child sexually abusive material.

Read this article here

If this woman gets out of jail, or isn't found guilty, should she be allowed to have her children back? Should she be registered as a sex offender for what she did?

Current Event of the Week 4/2/07

Girl kicked off plane after coughing fit

A 16-year-old girl who caught a cold during a school trip to New York was kicked off her flight home because she was coughing. Continental said in a statement that Collier was coughing "uncontrollably" on the plane Tuesday and that "the captain felt he was acting in the best interest of the passenger and other passengers on the flight."

Read the article here.

Do you agree or disagree with the pilot's decision? Was it justified or should they have just listened to the plane's doctor?