John Edwards charges appear likely Friday

John Edwards will likely face charges on friday june third due to the fact of his extramarital affair and his smuggling of his own campaign money to cover up his affair during the 2008 presidential election. His lawyer, Greg Craig, was flown up to North Carolina earlier in the week and is said to be working out a deal with the prosecution. Even though he is supposedly being fully charged with taking of the money, he has still had the full support and backing of the State of North Carolina. He also, if charges are officaly filed, will be stripped of his liscence to practicing law, and would not even be able to be an attorney for the poor.

I believe that this man should be stripped of his law liscence. He should be stripped of it becuase of the fact that he stole money that people donated to his cause to run for the President of the United States. He, in wanting to run for president, should not have been straying from his wifes side, who by the way was going through the treatment for breast cancer, and not been dropping his pants all along the campaign trail. The worst part about this is not even the taking of the money, the worst part is his image. He tried to uphold the image of him being this family man, who would do anything for his family and that they were religous and promoted their religon, and yet he goes and breaks one of the holy sacraments. Yes, i understand that everyone makes mistakes, but at the same time if you expect to lead a country, you better be pretty close to fool proof.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43260386/ns/politics/

Microsoft give first look at Touch Windows-8

Today, Microsoft released the new prototype for the new Windows 8. And its really really similar to the newly release Microsoft 7 for the phone. Its not surprising though, the Windows 8 is made basically for touch screen and phones that dont have keyboards and dont require a mouse. Microsoft Windows 8 is just the temporary name for it until a new, better version can offically be released to the media and public. One disadvantage to the new software, is that all new touch screen electronics wont be able to run the older versions of software because there will be no compatibility layer.

I believe that all of these new programs and applications for phones and other electronics are a great idea..but at the same time they all are too expensive for someone to have to try to stay updated when they dont have compatibility modes. When they are compatible life is so much easier, but when its not, its just a struggle. I think that they should have to put a compatibility mode in due to the fact that its not possible for people to use the software that they purchase without it.

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/01/6766654-microsoft-gives-first-look-at-touch-friendly-windows-8

Ohio autoworker guilty of helping kill Jews in Nazi death camp

John Demjanjuk, a 91 year old german immagrant was sentenced to 5 years in prison on Wednesday because of his involvement in the Nazi concentration camps. He was a watchman at the prison called Sobibor camp in Poland, and is accused of his role in the extermination of 27,900 Jews. At the trials, he remained in a wheelchair or lying down on a gurney becuase he is to weak to stand trial. It does not look like he will actually be attending prison due to his health issues and his old age, but he may have the potential to spend the next five years in his home under house arrest. His lawyers are appealing the case, saying that it was unconstitutional due to the fact that just two decades earlier he was tried and found not guilty in Israel for the same crimes. Also the fact that his identifaction card that sealed his fate in the fact that he took part in the crimes, is also supposed to be a fake made up by the Soviet KGB.

I dont think that this old man should be punished for something like this, so late in his life. Yes i can see it happening back when he was young enough to stand trial and actually spend the time in prison, but now at such an old age there is no way that he will be able to last even long enough to serve his five years of sentencing. Even if he did do it, most cases of people in the Nazi party were forced to go and kill the Jews, either that or they were shot execution style and killed or starved to death. So he chose life over death. Im sure that everyone would, even if it was to commit horrible crimes. But at the same time he was a watchman, and since watchman were on the lowest rank possible how could he have killed that many people single handedly, he obviously had accomplises who by the way have now all died. If they have all died, its not fair for him to be blamed for everyones involvement just because he is the sole survior.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43002291/ns/world_news-europe/

Jobs And Welfare

One of the current issues that jumped out at me was the fact that poverty is such an issues in America. I guess that people hear about it, but when it doesn't directly touch them it doesn't seem to take full effect. Over 12.6 percent of Americans live below the poverty line, that's almost 37 million Americans. I believe that the people who are impoverished, seeem to take advantage of the programs provided for them. Take food stamps for example, the people who use them take advantage of them. They buy chips, soda, candy and everything else under the sun that seems to be unhealthy. Why aren't they regulated? Its a proven fact that impoverished children are more likely to be overweight than children who don't live in poverty. Also another thing that people seem to take advantage of is the free programs given out to people in need, such as social security benefits. The benefits that people who have real jobs, and their having that money taken out of their checks so they might have something saved for when they retire. To tell the truth, no one will ever see that money. That money is given out to people who use it as their main source of income, and support their family off of it for decades. I believe that the poverty in America is an issue because all the programs that are at their finger tips are taken for granted and are used until they are bone dry.

I decided to read the putting Welfare to Work article because of the fact that my first point in this assignment was also about welfare. I believe that the people who are on welfare are there for a reason, whatever that it may be, its not right. It's a parents responsibility to take care of their children and provide for them. I understand that some people do not have the skills or the education to go out and find a job that pays over 28 dollars an hour but that does not give them the right to abuse the welfare system. I believe that the government was right to cut the deadline for how many months that your allowed to be on it, but at the same time its not fair to the people who are on welfare that have a disablity and depend on that for their main mode of income. I don't really think that there is a possibilty for a person to have an opinion on these issues when its not fair to the people who pay for welfare and those who recieve it when there are so many ways that you can look at it, and from so many view points. Ben Nelson a senator from Nebraska feels that the people who recieve welfare should also be finding jobs and have them as well, I think thats a good place to stand on the issues at hand.

http://bennelson.senate.gov/issues/economic_security/welfare_reform.cfm

Bin Laden's hosts were 2 Pakistanis from frontier

As the world was told of Bin Laden's death, they were not told of two others. The two men who had owned the house that Bin Laden was hiding out in were also killed on the night of the raid. They were Pashtun muslims who never gave any information to their neighbors about where they were from, and why they were there. They built a beautiful three story home 7 years ago, but the only difference abou this home was that they had built a high wall with barbed wire over the top so that they may keep their privacy. As by usual muslim tradtion they did not hire a gate watchman, the gate watchmans are the people who know all of the families secrets. The two men who were the courriers for him also have left 9 children between the two of them as well as two wives who are now widows.

I think that these two men didn't deserve to be killed along with Bin Laden. I think that they should have been tried against their crimes for harrboring a fugitive but i guess that doesnt really matter anymore. These two men, in my opinion, are probably some of the bravest men that i have ever heard of. They built a home, and harrbored one of the most wanted criminals of all time in their home. They had to put on a straight face and act like everything was normal, and that they just lived a typical everyday life of the pashtun muslums. These men must have been good people if Bin Laden trusted them with his own life, as well as his families lives. But i guess all good things have to come to an end.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42889172/42853295

Explosion hits popular cafe in Moracco, killing 14

In Marrakech, Moracco a massive explosion occured on Thursday killing 14 people and wounding 20 others in a very popular cafe. The government is calling this act a criminal one, and if the bombing is confirmed as a terroristic act this will be the largest bombing in 8 years for the city. When the bombing occured it riped the front off of the large two story building that the cafe was housed in, leaving only awnings dangling. The passerbys quickly set into action by taking away the bodies of the wounded and putting out the flames of the building with fire extinguishers. The 14 peoples identities have not been released but they have been said to come from a variety countries, and that the investigation has now been confirmed as a no longer accident but a true criminal act.


I really do not understand why people feel the need to bomb other countries and people who live there or are visiting there. Its not like the people on the veranda of the cafe were looking to get bombed, they were just trying to enjoy some midday lunch. I think that the bombings and acts of terror taking place on other people are very ridiculous. What if the people who are doing the bombings, now have the situation reversed on them. This whole situatin just really gets my goat.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42797238/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

"Dear Mommy. I hope you're alive. Are you okay?"

Four year old Manami Kon of Japan has been motherless now for 20 days since the earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan. Her mother, father, and a sister, are still unaccounted for. She wrote the words, "Dear Mommy. I hope you're alive. Are you okay?" in a letter written to her lost mother. It took her 20 minutes to write, but thats a short amount of time for a four year old to write that long of a note. A few days later, they had found the girls father and sister, they are now accounted for, but are no longer living on this earth. Her mother is still missing, and she sits above her old village everyday waiting for her mothers return. I think that this story is so sad, it's bad enough that the girl is missing her mother. But to find out that her father and her sister are no longer alive must be really tough. It is a very good thing that her grandmother is still alive and well and able to take care of her, if she wasn't alive she would just be one of the many faces lost in a sea of orphans. This story is almost a chilling reality that is now taking place in our world. Thousands of people have now been misplaced, radiation is billowing out of the Japanese nuclear plants, and their food and other products are not safe to eat. Something more should be done for these people but at the same time as Americans we should also take care of our own first. We have thousands of men, women, and children going hungry every single day, and nothing is done to help them. Sure, there are organizations to help them but they can only help so many people a day. I feel that it is our responsibility to help us first and then the other people around the world second. Maybe thats wrong, but at this point I dont really care. http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/31/6380113-dear-mommy-i-hope-youre-alive-are-you-okay-4-year-old-quake-survivor-writes

Top diplomats skip talk about arming Lybian rebels

The top diplomats of the world did not talk about arming Lybian rebels, earlier today in a London conference. The top 40 including United States representative Hilary Clinton and Great Britians representative William Hauge were in attendance. Hauge says that the weapons emabargo now includes all of Lybia. While at the same time Quatar has offered to sell the Lybian oil and the money will go through the United Nations council and be distributed throughout the Lybian people so that their basica humanitarian needs are met. Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. have taken actions towards freezing Gadhafi's accounts throughout the world. I believe that the UN has taken some very appropriate steps towards the goal of getting Gadhafi the heck out of Lybia. I think that the embargo on weapons will be a great help to everyon that is involved over there. Not having any new weapons coming in will help greatly with the cause as well as limiting the number of terrorists who are bent towards destruction. The freezing of someones assets i believe is taking it a bit far. Its not like he is going to be able to access those accounts without drawing some major attention to himself and his wereabouts. I think that maybe haveing a watch team looking after them would be a better plan than completely freezing them because then maybe they can track him to a certain area or country in the world. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42319658/ns/world_news-europe/

Pirates hijack oil tanker off east Africa

In Nairobi, Kenya pirates in two skiffs shot rocket propelled grenades and guns at an oil tanker off the East coast of Africa before boarding and hijacking the vessel. Their were a total of 29 crew members and their status of health was not available. The somalian hijackers had taken control of a vessel that was carrying 150 million dollars worth of crude oil. After a three hour long battle, India's navy and coastgaurd captured 16 of the pirates. The pirate trawler caught fire, after an intense battle was held, and all the leftover pirates were taken into custody and now are headed to Mumbai. I think that all of these pirate hijackings are getting very out of control. Its becoming quite ridiculous on how many of these type things happen per year. When is the UN going to notice that this is a mjor problem, and take some action. Innocent men and women who are just trying to do their jobs are constantly put under threats of being placed in not okay situtations. I believe that the country of Somalia, where most of the hijackers come from, should take some action and decide what the punishment would be if the perps were caught. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42302609/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

Medical pot ranks as a blockbuster drug

The new medical marijuana market that has been opened up is now a 1.7 billion dollar industry. To put that number in perspective, the Pfizer company sells 1.9 billion dollars worth of Viagra each year. New entrepenuers are coming into the world looking at this business in a new light, the projected growth rates for the medical marijuana are expected to rise at least fifty percent in the next two years in the fifteen states that it is legal. If another 20 states pass the medical marijuana the projected income is at least 8.9 billion by the year 2016.

I believe that this whole projection is a great thing. If they decide to legalize marjiuana throughout the United States, the massive amounts of money that will be coming into the governments coffers will be astronomical. This might even have the potential, in my opinion to get the United States out of debt. The medical benefits aside, marjiuana is a more healthy alternative compared to the other types of smoking. Tobacco. If you smoke cigarettes you have a much higher chance of getting cancer in many different parts of your body, while the marijuana is given to cancer patients to help them with their pain. I think that the Obama administration should seriously consider legalizing marjiuana throughout the whole United States.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42237531/ns/business-small_business/

Burn Victim recieves first full face transplant in United States

Dallas Weins, a 25 year old from Fort Worth, Texas recieved the first full face transplant in the United States this past week. He was injured in an electrical power line accident in November 2008, this left him disabled and disfigured. His injuries included being left blind, and he no longer had a nose, eyebrows, lips and could no longer feel sensation in his face. Dallas will not look like the donor of the new face, or his old self but he will look like something that is more imbetween. The surgery took more than 15 hours and involved over 30 nurses and doctors. The surgery was paid for by the Defense Department, and it cost around 3.4 million dollars which was given as a grant from the military for transplant research.

I believe that this is a miracle. An absolute miracle. This man who went from one day being a normal average everyday person, to in an instant becoming a victim of a freak accident and no longer able to see or feel his three year olds kisses on his cheek is just tragic. The family that donated this gift to this man should be rewarded. They helped improve his life, while at the same time improving and advancing medical research into the future of facial transplants. I believe in donating organs to others once you have passed on, but also at the same time it is a sacrafice for the family who is giving the ok for it to take place. The emtional scale for a person whos loved one has just died is immaculate, but then making the decision at the same time to give up that person in pieces to help someone else is just amazing to me.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42192670/ns/health-health_care/

An issue that really grabbed my attention that i thought tied very well into the first background section was that the government spends beyond their means. When the government makes the budget for the year they tend to add in little spending bills that are not necessary, but are given to groups as pro-bono work for the people of congress. While they may increase taxes, they are not making the American people happy if they are only doing it because they cannot keep the budget within their own means. Also when they decide to use paygo as a rule of thumb for spending, they only end up hurting the economy while they cut taxes in certain areas so that they are able to make sure they get the money they need when they need it.

As current issues arise within the government, i believe that one thing that the american people need to push for in means of funding is education. I believe that in order for the American people to catch up to their forgein competitors they need to make a stand to have a more quality education. Having schools compete for vouchers in order to gain some more funding would be a great way to jump start this form of education. When the schools realize that they either a) bring their test scores up or b) lose some funding, i believe that they will work harder. The healthy competition that will be placed on the schools across the nation will only create a better environment for the children to learn in. On this issue I stand with the Republican party. I firmly believe that the education system in America has moved to far away from the core reading, writing, and mathematics that once helped build this country up. Obama's version may not be a republican way of doing things, but in the end I believe that his education plan will end up helping the country get back on it's feet.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/04/obama.education/index.html?iref=allsearch

Suit Filled in Dallas over Superbowl Seat Problems

At the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas many of the Superbowl attendees who had purchased season tickets for over 100,000 dollars filed a lawsuit on Tuesday February 8, 2011 on the grounds of fraud, breach of contract, and deceptive sales. Many of the season ticket holders sat in metal folding chairs that were placed in areas with obstructive views by metal poles and other objects. The NFL announced just hours before the game that 1,250 of the temporary seats set up were unsafe for the viewers. So as the league scrambled to find seats for 850 people, over 400 were placed in rooms outside of the arena and were forced to watch the game on T.V. monitors, and most weren't able to sit. The 400 peole were told that they have two options, one to have free tickets to next years superbowl and a cash payment of 2,400 dollars, which is three times the amount that the ticket was worth, or they can have a free ticket to any future game of their choice and this option includes free air-fare and hotel accomodations.

I really believe that the Dallas Cowboys owners were in the wrong here. Sure, they want to be able to pack as many people into that stadium as possible and make alot of money. But at the same time they should have thought about how much money the people who had purchased season tickets had spent and then accomodated them much better. I would personally be very upset about not being able to see a football game from my normal seat which I have purchased year after year. They also do need to realize though that it wasn't planned for them to have to sit in folding chairs, they had run out of the seating that the NFL had deemed was safe. So they shouldn't really be suing the Cowboys, they should really be pointing fingers at the NFL if they were going to start playing the blame game at all. Or they can look at it like the 30 million fans who sat at home and watched the game on T.V. they should be grateful they were able to purchase them at all.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/41491715/ns/sports-nfl/