Worsening conditions loom as rain pummels California

This week I read an article about California's worsening conditions as they continue to get tons of precipitation. The main points of the article are:

• San Joaquin Valley citizens have been cleared to return home after fears of major flooding prompted evacuations.
• estimated 400 to 500 homes were in danger,evacuation recommendation for about 3,000 people was lifted Monday afternoon
•  stormy weather has gripped California since late last week, triggering mostly minor flooding, mudslides, road closures and power outages.
• Virtually the entire state was affected by the bad weather, from coastal cities to the Central Valley, Sierra Nevada and southern deserts.
• Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crews were working to restore power to the last of about 282,000 customers that lost electricity since the storm arrived
• Repair crews braced for predicted winds of up to 45 mph, along with heavy rain and snow in elevated areas

Precipitation in the form of heavy rain and snow continues to fall, and threatens almost the entire state of california with various hardships such as flooding and mudslides. There have been a few casualties, and repair crews are working hard to make sure that people have power and that their homes are safe. They are being very cautious.

It really is awful that California is always dealing with disasters such as mudslides, and it seems like it is almost year round for them I hope that they deal with no further hardships resulting from their worsening weather conditions.

Tax Cuts Brighten still-dim economic outlook

This week I read an article on tax cuts in relation to the economic outlook. The main points of the article are:

• Retailers are reporting a better than expected shopping holiday season. Manufacturers are seeing a pickup in production. And private sector job growth — though still very sluggish — has picked up from the first half of the year
• the outlook also brightened on the news earlier this month that Congress and the White House agreed to keep federal income taxes constant and cut payroll taxes.
• it all adds up to another year of relatively modest growth, not nearly enough to make much of a dent in the painfully high 9.8 percent unemployment rate.
• "The consensus of msnbc.com's Economic Roundtable calls for the gross domestic product to grow just 2.6 percent next year, even a bit slower than the estimated 2.8 percent growth seen in 2010. The unemployment rate is expected to drop only slightly to 9.2 percent by the end of next year, with the most optimistic of our dozen panelists calling for a drop to 8.5 percent."
• "A huge hangover from the housing bust is one of the major factors holding back the economy, with millions of homes still facing likely foreclosure. And high unemployment is holding down consumer spending and creating a cascade of unpleasant consequences, including huge budget shortfalls at every level of government."
• Inflation is also expected to remain low; the consensus estimate sees consumer prices, excluding food and energy, rising just 1 percent next year, about the same as 2010.
• "Despite a pickup in growth next year and in 2012, our forecasters expect the unemployment rate to remain stubbornly high for years to come. The consensus pegs the jobless rate at 9.2 percent by the end of next year and not falling back to pre-recession levels of 5 percent for five to seven years — or longer."

The economy is coming back from the biggest recession since WWII.Our economy is growing modestly. It is not growing enough to notice a major change. Forecasters predict that it will take several years, possibly over seven, before the jobless rate to fall back to pre-recession levels.

We are still facing hardships with our economy continuing to be in rough shape. It is unfortunate that it is not growing at a rate where people can appreciate it, and it make take several years to improve a significant amount. The good news is, it is improving. We are slowly but surely taking steps in the right direction.

NASA halts monkey radiation experiment for now

This week I read an article on NASA's halt on radiation experimenting on squirrel monkeys.
The main points of the article are:

• irradiate squirrel monkeys to better understand the risks of long-duration spaceflight on humans
• called for exposing 27 squirrel monkeys to high-energy gamma-ray radiation so researchers could observe its effects on the monkeys health and task performance
• Animal-rights activists called the project cruel and poorly designed
• NASA has said that studies involving other primates are essential to predicting the neurobehavioral effects of space radiation on humans
• The radiation study would reportedly expose the monkeys to radiation similar to what astronauts would experience on a three-year voyage.

NASA has, for now, stopeed its experiment on squirrel monkeys. They wanted to do this experiment to see the effects that radiation would have on their behavior and health, because astronauts traveling on a three-year voyage would be exposed to similar radiation. Many people feel that this is cruel treatment of animals, and are not at all okay with NASA's research techniques.

China’s army of graduates is struggling

This week I read an article on how despite a booming economy the graduates of China are still struggling. The main points of the article are:

• Often the first from their families to finish even high school, ambitious graduates  are part of an unprecedented wave of young people all around China who were supposed to move the country’s labor-dependent economy toward a white-collar future.
•  "In 1998, when Jiang Zemin, then the president, announced plans to bolster higher education, Chinese universities and colleges produced 830,000 graduates a year. Last May, that number was more than six million and rising."
  It is a remarkable achievement, yet for a government fixated on stability such figures are also a cause for concern.
• "The economy, despite its robust growth, does not generate enough good professional jobs to absorb the influx of highly educated young adults. And many of them bear the inflated expectations of their parents, who emptied their bank accounts to buy them the good life that a higher education is presumed to guarantee."
• “For many young graduates, it’s all about survival. If there was ever an economic crisis, they could be a source of instability.”

China's economy is booming and continually growing. Many graduates of chinese families are the first in their family to do so. Just last May, chinese colleges and universities produced over 6 million graduates which is unbelievably impressive. These numbers also cause concern. Their country does not generate good professional jobs to absorb the influx of highly educated adults. For many young graduates its about survival, because even in their booming economy they could be a source of instability.

I am extremely impressed by the number of graduates China has in a given year. I can only imagine how scary and stressful it would be for the graduates. They empty their parents bank accounts with the hope that they are going to become very successful. Then they are in a very unstable situation where they might not find a job at all. That is so much pressure and stress to be put on a young person.

Authorities: Armed Student Holding Hostages

This week I chose to read an article about a student who was holding hostages in a highschool. The main points of the article are:

• An armed student burst into a high school classroom in eastern Wisconsin on Monday, taking more than 20 students and a teacher hostage
• A Marinette High School administrator called authorities after 3 p.m. to say a student had taken over a classroom
• authorities had been able to communicate with the teacher inside the classroom. No injuries had been reported as of Monday evening and Skorik said no shots had been fired.
• police know the identity of the suspect and have contacted that student's family.

This story is fresh, so these are the most updated details they have at this time. Basically, this student came armed into a classroom, and is continuing to hold the teacher and 20 students hostage.

The thing that frightens me the  most about this story is that the student, at this time, appears to have no motive. That can be the most dangerous kind of armed student. On the positive side, at least the authorities have communication with the teacher in the classroom, and they know who the student is. I can't imagine how scary it would be to be in a hostage situation. I feel for all the students and the teacher that are in that position right now, and I hope that everything turns out alright.

When Disaster Becomes the Backdrop For Childhood

This week I chose to read an article about a 4 year old boy facing numerous hardships in Haiti.
The main points of the article are:

• "Amid a growing cholera epidemic, two weeks after a hurricane threat and 10 months after losing his left leg in an earthquake, 4-year-old Schneily Similien was turned away from school."
• His family owes the school tuition money: about $875 U.S. dollars.
• boy's left leg and foot where crushed by concrete, and he has a prosthetic leg
• family lost their make-shift home when hurricane Tomas barely bypassed Haiti- the winds destroyed their house.
• their famly has avoided the cholera epidemic by treating their water with chlorine and being very careful
• Schneily's artificial leg is cracked and causes him to be unable to walk straight.
• family tries to make money by running  a roadside "grocery store"
• cannot afford Schneily's education

My thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy who has suffered so much in his 4 years of life. He lost a leg, can't go to school because his family can't afford it, lost homes in hurricanes, and his prosthetic leg is even breaking. It is a blessing that they have been able to avoid the cholera epidemic thus far, and I hope their luck stays with them. They could use some good fortune. I feel for everyone in Haiti who has been through so much. They continue to get bombarded with disaster, and they keep pushing through. They are extremely strong people, and I admire them for that.

ISSUE #1 -Comprehensive vs. Incremental Health Care Reform

In 2007 the censuses showed that people wanted some form of healthcare reform to take place. Experts characterized the vast range of proposals in two different ways: comprrehensive health reform and incremental health care reform. Comprehensive changes focus primarily on universal healthcare. The other uses incremental to expand existing programs to reduce the number of uninsured people. Comprehensive health care reform supportives argue that universal health care argue that overhauling the nation's health care system is the best way to make sure that equal access to medical care takes place. They believe that Medicare and Medicade have increased medical costs, and create a wasteful bureaucracy. They also think there is no safety net for the uninsured. Advocates of universal health care say the governement could become a single purchaser and act on the behalf of all patients. Another comprehensive health care proposal involves relying on government subsidies where the poor receive credits to get insurance with. There is also the hybrid system of universal health care vouchers where the government funds basic health care, and also elements of competition and choice. Care would be universal and there would be no eligibilty test. Patients could choose from plans for additional coverage if they choose. People in favor of incremental health care reform are not against health care for all, they are just against how comprehensive health care chooses to reach that goal. They think that government sponsered health care would produce poor care, and less competition for providers. In Canada and the United Kingdom they have universal health care. They also have long waiting places for surgeries. They believe universal health care would add to bureaucracy, inefficiency, and soaring costs instead of working to get rid of these issues. They also argue that health care is a huge industry, and state-sponsered health care would leave tons of insurance and medical industry workers unemployed. They believe in enhancing tax-free health savings accounts. They also believe in giving tax deductions for people who purchase their own health insurance. Overall they believe in empowering consumers with greater knowledge on medical costs and quality. If consumers pay the majority or at least greater quantities of health care insurance and medical expenses they believe that the market will start to rein in the medical costs.

I support the Incrremental Health Care Reform view on things. Universal health care would result in less competition for insurance companies as well as the medical industry, and that isn't fair to them. Universal health care would also result in poor health care. As stated above, there are places around the world that have universal health care. They have really long waiting lists for surgeries which is not something I want our country to deal with. Tons of insurance and medical industry workers would lose their jobs. It is important for consumers to have a knowledge and understanding about our medical costs and quality. The incremental route seeks to provide consumers with that information. Also, some people choose not to purchase health care because they don't want it. Universal health care would in some cases be forcing health care on people who do not wish to have it. The Republican Party Platform is very against the universal health care reform plan. They said "We reject any notion of government-run universal health care because we have seen evidence from around the world that government-run health care leads to inefficiencies, long waiting periods, and often substandard health care."

http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/06/co-ops-socialized-medicine-and-deregulation/

For More information on similar issues:
ISSUE #2 -  Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients.
http://the-brack-blog.blogspot.com/2010/10/health-care-reform.html
ISSUE #3 -  Safe to Eat?
http://kristaschoolblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-3-safe-to-eat.html

Surgery error leads doc to public mea culpa

This week I read an article on how a doctor from Massachusetts performed an incorrect surgery on an elderly lady, and how he openly talks about it to provent future mistakes. The main points of the article are:

• Dr. David C. Ring, a hand and arm surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital operated incorrectly on the hand of a 65-year-old woman with a painful “trigger finger.”
• "In 2008, the most recent year with complete records, 116 wrong-site surgeries, up from 93 in 2007, were recorded by the Joint Commission, a national hospital accrediting agency. Preliminary reports logged 137 wrong-site surgeries from March 2009 through June 2010"
• the patient whose ring finger on her left hand was stiff, painful and sometimes got stuck in a flexed position,has a condition known as "trigger finger.
• Ring performed a carpal-tunnel-release operation, instead of a trigger-finger-release procedure.
• "Although he apologized to the patient, waived her fees and successfully performed the correct surgery, Ring said nothing could undo the mistake. But by writing and talking about it publicly, he hoped to break the silence that still surrounds doctors’ errors — and prevent them in the future"

Dr. David Ring is a hand and arm surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. Through a series of mishaps he accidently performed carpal-tunnel surgery instead of trigger-finger release surgery on a 65 year old patient. He chose to talk about it openly to prevent future mistakes like his own.

I think it is very brave of Dr. Ring to talk about his mistake to the public. It would be very hard because he got a lot of grief from the patient and her family about the ordeal. However, he is choosing to look at the positive things he can accomplish by speaking out about his mistakes. He can prevent other doctors from making the same mistake, or similar mistakes to the one he made.

Cyclone slams Myanmar; Thai flood deaths rise

This week I chose to read an article about the Cyclone in Myanmar. The main points of the article are:

• cyclone hit the west coast of Myanmar
• Cyclone Giri had struck the coast near the western town of Kyaukphyu, with winds reaching 100 miles per hour, and could trigger a tidal surge of up to 12 feet in some towns on the Bay of Bengal coast
• tons of damage, many left homeless
• "The Mandalay area northeast of the coast where Giri made landfall has suffered torrential rain in the past few weeks and residents contacted by Reuters said there had been flash floods recently"
• "Coastal and delta regions in the Southeast Asian country are often hit by strong storms. More than 130,000 people were killed or went missing when Cyclone Nargis struck the Irrawaddy delta in May 2008"
• "two main roads linking Bagan to Mandalay had been damaged by torrential rain caused by Giri. In Thailand, at least 25 people had been killed since October 10, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Migitation said on Saturday, raising the toll from 17 on Friday. The state-run Narenthorn Emergency Medical Center put the death toll at 32"

Cyclone Giri struck the westcoast of Myanmar. There was a large amount of damage, and many people have been left homeless. Giri also damaged main roads connecting Bagan to Mandalay. The flood in Thailand has a death toll of 32.

Natural disasters are always devastating. It is really hard to read about Myanmar and Thailand, and all of the horrible things both these areas are dealing with. It is my hope that things start to turn around for these places, and that they can start the cleaning up and rebuilding processes.

Chile miners: From world fame to humble homes

This week i chose to read an article about the Chile miners' lives since being trapped underground. The main points of the article are:

• the 33 miners rescued are all now at home
• they are getting substantial offers for their stories but made a pact as a group to say little while negotiating book and movie rights
• as a group they are considering putting out a book
• many miners returned to lives in poverty and now are facing with possible unemployment
• Some of the miners have found other opportunities of employment
• "Franklin Lobos, a former professional soccer player who drove trucks at the San Jose mine, is wanted by the world soccer body FIFA to give motivational talks, Chilean soccer director Harold Mayne-Nicholls said"
• "And Bolivian President Evo Morales has offered Mamani a job in his government."
• The future of the other miners is very undecided and unknow to them.
• each has received about $12,000 in donations.

Even though each miner received about $12,000 dollars in donations, for many their futures are very uncertain. They spent 69 days underground. They no longer have jobs available at the mine they used to work at. As a group they have chosen not to say much until they can come to a negotiation on movie and/or book rights.

If I were in their position I would be feeling a little concerned as well. Even though they got  some money their lives and financial situations are still very uncertain. I am very glad they were rescued, and I am glad that some of them have been offered some exciting new job positions. I hope the remaining miners have similar opportunities opened up to them.

Ecological catastrophe: Toxic Sludge Kills 3

This week, I read in the news about a disaster in Hungary that killed 3 people. The main points of the article are:

• affected Veszprem, Gyor-Moson-Sopron and Vas counties
• Six people were missing on Tuesday and 120 injured
• contaminated mud burst out of containment pond at nearby Ajkai Timfoldgyar Zrt plant
•  chemical burns caused by the sludge could take days to reveal themselves and what may seem like superficial injuries could later cause damage to deeper tissue
• elderly woman, a young man and a 3-year-old child were killed
• about 35.3 million cubic feet of sludge has leaked from the reservoir and affected an estimated area of 15.4 square miles

The disaster agency said 390 residents had to be temporarily relocated and 110 were rescued from the flooded towns, where firefighters and soldiers were carrying out cleanup tasks. Local environmentalists said that for years they had been calling the government's attention to the risks of red sludge, which in a 2003 report they estimated at 30 million tons.

I feel awful that this happened to the country of Hungary. The government had been warned about the risks of red sludge, and they chose to ignore the warning. Ignoring it caused many people and the environment to suffer. I hope that they can get the mess figured out, and try to fix it as best they can.

Issue # 2 Spending What We Can Afford

  Every year, the President and Congress decide on a budget for the federal government. They decide where money will go. The President develops a budget, and then Congress takes over. No federal agency or program is allowed to operate without approval and funding from Congress. In 2007, Congress passed a pay as you go budgeting measure that they call paygo.It requires that any increases in entitlement spending or tax cuts have to be offset with spending reductions somewhere else. This prompted a debate on whether paygo was the right approach to take. Proponents say that paygo is necessary so that Congress understands that defits do matter and need to be continued. It responds to the citizens' fears about profligate spending and the national debt. They say it will hold Congress to the same level and standard that most business and families are already following. (spending only what can be afforded) This way Congress can easily raise most of the money needed to pay for new initiates with out creating more debt. If a recession or crisis takes place, paygo can be suspended. People who criticize paygo say it is the wrong approach to take. They believe paygo would result in tax hikes to pay for new programs which would not help. They think budget deficits should be elimated by economic groth, not painful budget cuts or tax increases. Some believe paygo will prevent Congress from being able to reduce the reach of the Alternative Minimum Tax. Others worry that Congress would be further restricted and unable to respond to national emergencies. Others believe the public wants Congress to be responsible, and that paygo would anger voters.

I believe that paygo isn't the best route to take. It would result in a ridiculous amount of raised taxes. These raised taxes would pay for programs that wouldn't help the problem anyway. It would restrict Congress' ability to help with national emergencies such as recessions and crises. Even if paygo was suspended, it still would cause some problems. Also, the best way for the deficit to shrink is by economic growth. All 40 republicans voted against the bill saying it would be an excuse for huge tax cutts. Minority leader Boehner called paygo a sham, and said it was a political cover for lawmakers when they make huge tax hikes to "pay for" increased amount of spending.



Other sites to check out:
War Dollars:
http://daniellescurrenteventblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/issue-1-war-dollars.html
Social Insecurity:
http://theresasocial.blogspot.com/2010/10/issue-3-social-insecurity.html

New York, Portland among safest cities for kids

This week I read an article on why New York and Portland are among the safest cities for kids to live in. The main points of the article are:

• Both urban areas scored high marks in a study that assessed 50 of the largest U.S. cities on 25 safety criteria such as proximity of hospitals, bike helmet laws and how quickly local fire departments respond to determine the safest for children.
• New York firefighters were the quickest to respond to emergencies, while Louisville pedestrians were among the least likely to be in a traffic accident
• Columbus, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa were also among the safest cities
• One area where there might still be room for improvement is bike helmet laws. Only 39 of the largest urban areas have bike helmet laws on the books
• But 47 out of 50 cities had some non-smoking legislation and an equal number required carbon monoxide alarms. And all the cities insisted on inspections after construction or remodeling projects.

50 of the largest cities in the United States were tested to see how they matched up on safety. Almost all of the cities were found to be very safe, and it was found that New York and Portland were among some of the safest areas for children to live. One safety area that could still use some work is bike helmet laws.

It is a comfort to me to know that these big cities are becoming more and more safe for families to live in. I am more comfortable with the thought of one day living in a large city having read this information, and knowing that it continues to improve.

BP well is dead, but Gulf challenges live on

This week I read an article about the challenges the Gulf is still facing after the BP oil well leak.
The highlights of the article are :

• BP purchased the rights to explore that area for oil in 2008
• named the well Macondo
• April 20th the explosion on the rig killed 11 men instantly and started the disaster
•  in the three months before a temporary cap as much as 172 million gallons of oil and millions of cubic feet of natural gas spewed into Gulf waters. Some 50 million gallons of oil was burned or skimmed
• people of the Gulf area are still dealing with the after affects

The oil well, Macado, was purchased by BP in 2008. April 20th started one of the biggest disasters this country has seen in a while. It took months to kill the well, and much damage has been caused.

I feel bad for all the people still dealing with this spill even after the well has been killed. They will continue to deal with it as a large amount of oil escaped the well. I think that this just goes to show what can happen when people make careless and unthought out choices.

Most U.S. gaslines not inspected with latest technology

This week I read an article about gas line inspections. The main points of the article were:

• 2/3 of America's natural gas lines are susceptible to deadly faults because they can't use the industry's best technology for testing and cleaning
• Last week in San Bruno California a gas main exploded: at least 4 killed, dozens injured, many houses destroyed.
• it was made of steel which is regarded as a safety hazard because it is too rigid and easily corrodible
• robots called "smart pigs" clean pipe interiors, send data on flaws, and even fix leaks

Basically this article was about how a large amount of America's gas lines are in unsafe conditions. The "smart pigs" are unable to enter some pipes because they are too old and "twisty."

I feel very unsettled knowing about 2/3 of gas lines in America are in sketchy condition, and the majority of these are major lines. I really hope there is not a repeat of the incident in San Bruno, California, but if things aren't figured out and taken care of, it looks like that could be a definite possibility.

Obama to take Republicans to task on economy, taxes

This week I read the article about Obama taking his case against Republicans to the American people. The key points of the articles are:

• Democrats are in danger of losing control of the House of Representatives in November elections.
• Obama plans to unveil a tax and spend package this week
• Obama wants to let taxes rise for highest wage earners while Republicans insist on keeping rates low for highest wage earners.

Obama is placing blame on the Republican party for refusing to help turn the economy around, and not supporting his new tax breaks. Democrats are in danger of losing control during the November elections, and there is much disagreement between the two parties on what to do for taxes.

First of all, I do not believe it is fair of Obama to place blame and single out a specific party in front of the American people. It is quite obvious that there is a split between the two parties. They are not accomplishing much by not working together, and refusing any agreement on ideas. The key to running this country successfully is going to be compromise. When they can come together with their ideas and opinions and form new ideas and opinions together is when things will start getting done successfully.