GM Recalls Almost 100,000 Vehicles

General Motors Company in New York is now recalling nearly 100,000 vehicles do to two different problems. One that could cause the rear axle to break and the other a malfunction in the passenger side airbag of the vehicle causing it to not work. The recall for the air bag affects nearly 96,000 Cadillac CTS models ranging from the year 2005 to the year 2007. The recall for the axle affects approximately 1,300 2011 year versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 and Silverado 1500, and the GMC Sierra 1500.

I think that it is a good thing that GM is recalling them because they know that there is  problem with them and are willing to take responsibilty in fixing that problem. It is not good that the axle recall doesn't begin ntil January and that they still don't know when the recall will start for the air bag problem. There are a lot of vehicles being recalled and that really sucks but it will prevent accidents like what happened with Toyota and the acceleration pedal sticking. It is a bummer that the vehicles are nice new ones from 2011 and now they have to get fixed after being so new. Did GM thoroughly check these vehicles before they were available to consumers? Should there be more testing required before letting vehicles go on the market? How can this be prevented? It must be sucky for GM too since they just started selling stock shares a little while ago.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40793552/ns/business-autos/

12/23/10

Police: Houston Store Owner Kills 3 Would-Be Robbers

On Thursday, a jewelry store owner shot three would be robbers in Houston, Texas. There were two men in the store pretending to be customers when a third man walked in and said that he was robbing them. All three of the men had guns and tied up the store owner's wife. When they tried to tie up the store owner he pulled out a gun and killed one of the men. Then went and grabbed a shot gun and killed the other two. He is 52 years old. His name is Ramon Castillo and his wife's name is Eva. During the gun battle that followed his killing of the first suspect, Castillo was shot and injured in his shoulder, abdomen, and legs. He was in critical but stable condition in the hospital. Eva Castillo was unharmed.

I understand that the man was trying to defend his wife, but him killing other people is not necessarily okay. He murdered three people. If he took the first shot, he may have just escalated the situation. He may have scared the other robbers to want to defend themselves with their guns but he killed the first man so he could be the cause of all of the death that happened. Yes, they may have been robbers, but what if they were a few long term unemployed men who needed money and couldn't find jobs. What if they just made the wrong decision just once in their lives. They should have the right to go to jail and learn their lesson. Potentially changing their lives and making better decisions in the future. Now they have absolutely nothing because the store owner shot and killed all of them. He should have a trial and they should prosecute him if he took the first shot. He may have caused a lot of unnecessary death.

Like to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40713870/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

12/17/10

Issue #2

However old this information may be, These are the facts. Many people agree that Medicare needs to be reformed so that it is successful in the years to come. The way that Medicare is set up is that the doctors get paid for the amount of work they do, not the quality of the work. A "pay for performance" system was approved by legislature in 2006 to allow Medicare to pay doctors a bonus of 1.5% for information on quality and type of work they do. The goal of this is to reward better doctors for their efforts in their work. Some argue that federal officials do not know what type of standards to set for the quality and bonuses. Among these opposers is Representative Pete Stark of California.

I think that it is a great idea to let doctors get benefits for the quality of work they do and not the quantity of work. If they misdiagnose a person, the person needs to come back after already paying for the wrong diagnoses only to get a new diagnosis and another medical bill. This could just keep on happening as the doctor gets richer and the patient gets poorer and sicker without the correct treatment or medication. The doctors need to take their jobs seriously and this will just further encourage them to do this. The government may not know the exact level that the quality of work should be at but it can be close and people could vote to establish a level. The quality of doctor visits needs to be increased. The bills are also a little over priced but perhaps if they gain bonuses for better work than the prices that the patients have to pay can decrease.
The American Medical Association also thinks that this bonus for doctors idea is a good idea.






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S. Korea Fires Warning Shots At Disputed Border

There was a North Korean fishing boat that crossed the disputed border of South Korea and they were warned with warning shots fired by the South Korean Navy in Seoul. Approximately ten warning shots were fired in attempt to force the North Korean boat to return to North Korea. They did warn them from a loud speaker multiple times before firing the shots. There have been no incidences like this for seven years. Most North Koreans know not to cross the Northern Limit Line, set by the United Nations after the Korean War.

I think that if the South Koreans warned the fishing boat multiple times over a loud speaker they had the right to fire warning shots to force the boat back out of their territory. They have the right to protect themselves and if the boundary is known, then no North Korean should be able to cross into it without the permission of South Korean officials. They have the right to be cautious of North Korea because of the Korean War and conflicts that have to do with that. They most definately have the right to protect themselves whether from a fishing boat or a navy. They did not fire at the boat, only warning shots so I think it was okay to do so.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39983651/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

11/03/10

At Least 7 Hostages Killed In Rescue From Iraq Church

In Baghdad gunmen held Iraqi catholics hostage wanting al Quida prisoners released. U.S. Military says that around 22 people were killed in the rescue including, hostages, Iraqi security, and gunmen. Gunmen blew themselves up or threw grenades when approached by Iraqi security forces, killing themselves and hostages. The gunmen picked one of Baghdad's largest churches to attack. U.S. Military officials observed the rescue from helicopter cameras. Iraq's deputy interior minister Lieutenant General Hussein Kamal says, "We expect attacks will continue and increase in the coming days."

I think that people should not take hostages just because they want prisoners released. They especially  should not kill anybody. This is a disaster for many families who will never get their loved ones back. It is even worse that they targeted a church. That should be a safe place for many people and now they may never feel safe there again. It could, however, have been worse. The gunmen could have targeted a school or building with many children in it. Violence is just not the answer in conflicts like these. But there is no reason to kill people over prisoners. This was just a lose lose situation. And as far as I'm concerned, U.S. Military officials should have nothing to do with this. Why were they even watching? What was their purpose? Intruding in another country's business.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39939359/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

10/31/10

Inquiry: BP, Halliburtan Knew Well Cement Was 'Unstable'

BP's cement contractor, Halliburtan, knew that the cement mixture they planned to use was unstable but they used it anyway. This may have been the cause of the April 20th disaster, killing 11 people and causing the "largest offshore oil spill in history." There may have been other factors contributing to this oil spill. On the well piping BP used fewer stability rings, possibly making it more dangerous. Halliburtan said that tests on the cement said it was stable. A staff letter shows that 3 of the 4 tests did not meet industry standard.

I think whether BP knew the cement was stable or not they should take responsibility for the mess that the oil spill has created. Halliburtan should also be partly responsible if he lied about the cement being unstable. Do you actually read these. If the cement did not pass industry standards in three of the four tests and Halliburtan lied about it he should have to own up to what he did. Maybe BP or somebody on a state or governmental level should press charges. This was the worst offshore oil spill ever and somebody needs to make a huge effort to clean up and help to prevent this from happening in the future. There should be a crack down on the quality of equipment used to build wells and the cement should definately pass the standards of the company before they use it.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39894210/ns/us_news-environment/

10/27/10 

Witness: 13 Slain at Rehab Center in Border City

In Tijuana Mexico, a witness says that 13 recovering addicts were shot by a gang of armed men. Police have not confirmed the 13 dead but say that at least 10 were killed. The attack occured late Sunday and was witnessed by Jesus, not wanting to reveal his last name to protect himself. Police still do not know the motive of this violent mass killing. Police also found the bodies of six men who had been blindfolded and executed outside of Acapulco. The bodies were found with handwritten messages, often a sign of Mexico's drug gangs threatening their rivals.

I think that it was horrible to shoot members of a rehab clinic because they were actually people trying to change their ways and get away from drugs. But maybe this clinic was targeted because of past gang members turning their backs to the gang. Or maybe they were rival ex gang members. Or even possibly, the gang just wanted to get out a message of how powerful they are. It is quite scary that there have also been murders outside of a tourist city like Acapulco. I think the police need to try very hard to solve these murder cases and crack down on the gangs. The fact that innocent people are being killed for maybe no reason at all is horrible. In fact, it makes me not want to travel to Mexico, in fear of being killed.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39828239/ns/world_news-americas/#slice-2

10/25/10

Parents Arrested For Hosting Wild Homecoming Party

Shlomo and Jeannie Rasabi of South Florida were arrested because they threw their sons an extreme homecoming party. They let the kids have fun while they stayed in the master bedroom and did not hear anything through the walls. After being notified of a loud party the police arrived to find teens passed out in the front lawn, teens throwing up, and some still drinking.The police were not so fond of this homecoming party and arrested the Rasabis and a handful of teens.

I think they deserved to be arrested because they were home and allowed underage teens to drink alcohol on their property. Even though they said that tey didn't know about all of the kids and the alcohol. But how could they not know? They were home and if someone, not even at the party, reported it because it was such a loud party how could they not hear it when they were in the very same house? Or finding out about minors and saying that they brought their own alcohol and must have already been drunk when they got there.... As if they knew who was drunk before, weren't they in the bedroom? They completely deserve being arrested for being irresponsible parents and allowing a party of such grand size happen and then not even owning up to it. Parents should not give their children everything they want. SAY NO!

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39659263/ns/local_news-miami_fl/

10/13/10

'Ecological Catastophe' Toxic Sludge Kills 3

A state of emergency was declared by Hungarian officials in Budapest because of a flooding spill of toxic sludge flowed through the area. This sludge being a waste product of producing aluminum is said to be toxic if ingested. But that is not the only harmful part. Many were injured from the sludge burning their skin. 3 people were killed from the sludge, an older woman, a young man, and a 3 year old child. So just how much sludge am I talking about? 35.3 million cubic feet of sludge. All sliding through 15.4 square miles. It is now feared that the sludge may reach the Danube and Raba rivers.

If there is that much toxic waste building up, especially 35.3 million cubic feet, why wasn't anything done with it? So many people's homes were damaged and filled with sludge. But this sludge was dangerous enough to burn skin on contact. It should not have been able to build up to near that amount and it should have been taken care of much sooner. 7 towns were affected by this toxic sludge. This incident should be paid for by the company or companies that all of this waste is from. It is their responsibilities to clean up the mess that they have created and pay for all of the damage and injuries that this sludge has caused.  This type of disaster should never happen.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39513858/ns/world_news-europe/

10/05/10

No Pay, No Spray: Firefighters Let Home Burn

Firefighters let a home burn to the ground in Tennessee because the owner, Gene Cranick, had not paid the $75 fee to the out of town firefighters. Cranick lives out of city limits and to recieve the firefighting service the fee must be paid. But it was not just his home that burnt to the ground. With it went his 3 dogs and a cat. When he called for help the operator responded that since he had not paid the $75 fee, Cranick claimed forgotten, they could not send the help he needed. They did however come later to put out the fire on the fence line to his neighbor's house, whom had paid the fee. They let the house burn to the ground. All of Cranick's possessions destroyed.

I think that in someways if he did not pay the fee for the out of town service he should not get the service. But on the other hand, now the firefighters have to live with the fact that they murdered 3 dogs and a cat because they could have been saved. Now a part of the family will always be missing for Cranick. If Cranick had forgotten the fee then a reminder should have been sent to each house that had not paid the fee. If a reminder was sent and the fee was still not paid then the firefighting service should not have been provided. It all depends on the point of view this article is told from. If he was not on the list because of not paying he should not have gotten the service. This being because if they could just pay the fee when needed, people would only pay the fee when needed and the firefighters would not get the money needed to support an out of town service.

Link to article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39516346/ns/us_news-life/

10/05/10

Issue #3 Social Insecurity

Social Security was started in 1935 to serve as a main source of income for the elderly Americans. Most people who benefit from this program are retirees, families of deceased workers, and disable workers. A percentage of each worker's paychecks are taken away to be used for social security benefits for other people. However, with the baby boomer generation soon to retire, the social security we pay now will run out and there will not be enough for future generations. The federal government is currently borrowing money from the social security fund because it is taking in slightly more than needed. But soon after baby boomers retire, there will be less workers' paychecks to take money out of and more retired people that need social security. The federal budget needs to be revised so that money is not borrowed from the social security fund to pay for other programs. These other programs should be involved in the federal budget instead of having to borrow and take away part of the money from other more important programs such as medicare. Either the retirement age needs to be increased, more money should be collected from workers' paychecks, or maybe both to make sure that there is enough for future generations. There should also be no borrowing money from social security for other programs allowed.

I believe that the amount collected for social security from paychecks should be increased. When the baby boomer generation retires the funds will quickly run short because of the offset of amount of people still working. There will be less workers than social security beneficiaries and the money taken in will not be able to compensate for the money going out. Soon funds will run out and there will be nothing left for the future generations. The age of retirement could be slightly increased as well. Not so much that the workers are no longer capable of completing tasks due to age, but by a few simple years. This keeps the number of social security beneficiaries a little lower while they continue to support the program through taxes. Kentucky Senate Candidate Rand Paul has similar viewpoints to mine. Click Link for information about his viewpoints.


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10/04/10

Parents Apologize Over Daughter's Acid Attack Hoax

28 year old Bethany Storro from Vancouver Washington said that she was attacked by a "black woman with a pony tail." She said she had just bought a pair of sunglasses celebrating a new job and that is the reason none of the acid thrown at her got in her eyes. One catch though, this so claimed acid attack was at night, and she was wearing sunglass. It has now been found out that she was lying about the attack and she admitted that she did this to herself.

I don't understand why anybody would do something so painful to themselves for attention. They could simply ask for help if they needed emotional help. But pouring acid all over yourself is horrible. Her face could be permanently damaged because of this. At least she was smart enough not to get it in her eyes or her mouth. I feel that the police should not take this hoax lightly because she caused the community pain by making them frightened of a possible attacker in their neighborhood. Plus all of the money it cost the police to investigate the crime and try to find who did this. I think that she should have to pay a fine and possibly get jail time with a psychiatric evaluation.

Link to article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39221785/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

09/19/2010