'He wanted to die with his family'

blocks at his house. His right left was broken in two places. He left leg was smashed below the knee. It was cold and turning black. His father walked into the yard and just fell apart. He lost his wife and four other children.
He was so thankful that he was able to pull out the son above. He just wanted to go someplace other that back to Port-au-Prince.
Then we had to tell him he had to return to the hell he had just left. He son¹s leg needs to be amputated for him to survive.

These sad stories just continue to pile up by the thousands. This is one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded. I cant help but feel so sad for all these people who are unable to get help and needed supplies.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Haitians dig themselves out as quake damage slows outside aid

Haitians took recovery efforts into their own hands Thursday as aid workers trickled into the quake-battered capital where impassable roads, damaged docks and clogged airstrips slowed the arrival of critically needed assistance.
Using chisels, blowtorches and bare hands, one group of Haitians worked for 24 hours to free a man pinned under a collapsed school; still others -- possibly including students -- were trapped inside.
Across town, an 11-year-old girl pleaded for water and screamed in pain as a group of people painstakingly tried to lift a piece of metal off her right leg. After sunset, they managed to set her free.

It is just sickening to me that there are still people trapped under buildings and wreckage that are unable to be rescued. That just breaks my heart. I hope that everyone can get the appropriate help they need and fast.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Trying to prevent 'absolutely catastrophic' situation in Haiti

International aid groups were feverishly trying to get supplies into quake-ravaged Haiti on Thursday to prevent the situation from going from "dire to absolutely catastrophic."
The search-and-rescue efforts are the top priority.
"The ability to get people out of that rubble is paramount," said Jonathan Aiken, a spokesman for the American Red Cross. "You have a very limited time to accomplish that before people die and before you start to get into issues of diseases."
Behind the scenes, a massive coordination effort involving dozens of aid groups, the Haitian government, the United Nations and the U.S. military was under way to get food, water, tents and other supplies to survivors of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
Ian Rodgers, a senior emergency adviser for Save the Children, said aid efforts were at a "tipping point."

When I see such chaos happening I really feel spoiled when there is nothing threatening my life at all. I hope that all people can find help and water and food. The supplies needs to get there faster.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Chaos at Haiti airport calmed by Air Force

Haiti's Port-au-Prince airport, now critical for the quick delivery of supplies and aid, was an uncontrolled "mess" when the Air Force arrived Wednesday night to rehabilitate the facility, according to the commander of one of the Air Force's elite special operations units send to Haiti.
One of the biggest problems early on was that for more than a day after the earthquake, the airport was in disarray, Lt. Col. Brett Nelson said. Planes landed and parked just about anywhere.
"When we initially established airfield control last night, that followed 24 hours of uncontrolled activity," Nelson said.

When an earthquake or a natural disaster takes place it really scrambles everyone. So it is so important for everyone to work together especially when everyone needs help with little things or bigthings like an airport.

Haiti Airport Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-au-Prince_airport

Honore: U.S. military should have reached Haiti sooner

The retired general who took charge of relief efforts in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina said Thursday that the U.S. military should have arrived in earthquake-devastated Haiti 24 hours earlier.
"The good Samaritans who moved early on the first day are to be applauded. They made a difference," said Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, a CNN contributor.
"What we've got to do now is get the heavy equipment in. I thought the U.S. military could have been there a day earlier. They're on the ground now, and they have a brigade en route, and that's going to make a big difference," he said.

When chaos is prominent and everyone is disorganized, I believe it would be easy to start pointing fingers and to blame others. I dont think it took too long for the military to get there, everyone just needs to work together to get through this tough time.

Russel L. Honoré Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russel_Honore

Aid workers heading to Haiti fear for their safety

International aid workers scrambling to get into Haiti face a series of obstacles, from an airport that is already overwhelmed to blocked roads and a lack of communication, electricity, food and water.
And, as if that weren't enough, they will encounter a serious crime problem, a veteran disaster relief specialist told CNN.
"Security now in this particular crisis has already been raised as a major, major issue," said Paul Sherlock, a senior humanitarian representative for Oxfam.
"If you'd been in Haiti 25 years ago, even in Papa Doc's time, it was a pretty nasty dictatorship, and lots of people were killed. But infrastructure and services worked better then than they do now," he said.

To be in a place where everything is falling apart and they are in turmoilwould bethe worst. I am such an organized, analperson and if something isnot in my controli have a hard time. So tobe in a relief force where it is not being succesful i would falter.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

Where her son made music, anguished mother listens for life

Jean Baptiste Vanise suffers the anguish no mother should have to bear.
She received a text message from her 12-year-old son Tuesday afternoon asking, "Where are you?"
Since then, nothing.
Her only child, Marc Valends Louis Charles, played the violin at Holy Trinity School and Craft Center in Haiti. That's where she believes he was when Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake flattened large parts of Port-au-Prince and turned this mother's life upside down.
She returned to the school Thursday, just as she did Wednesday and Tuesday.
A sign at the gate says "Visitors Welcome."
The music classroom where she believes her son remains entombed sits in a corner of the teal building with its open courtyard.She has heard from someone at the school that Marc Valends was not there when the tremor hit; that he was with another child or that one of the teachers dropped him off somewhere.
As much as she might want to, she does not believe that's the case. So she returns to the school.

If I wear to lose someone in an accident like that i would never stop looking. I would keep hope alive until i found them. It would be hard for me to accept the truth.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

'Heroes' actor contacts parents in Haiti

On Thursday, Jimmy Jean-Louis finally received the phone call he had longed for: He spoke with his mother in Haiti.
"I got a phone call from my sister who said she was able to reach home," the Haitian native and "Heroes" cast member said. " So I picked up the phone and my mom answered. The first reaction from both of us was simply to cry."
The actor had been searching for his elderly parents in Haiti after a powerful earthquake struck his homeland. Adding to his desperation to find them was the knowledge that the house he had grown up in had collapsed during the disaster, killing several of his relatives.

After Hearing about the tragic incident that took place in Haiti, I just hoped that everyone was ok. I hoped that everyon would be able to find their family memebers and friends. So when i hear about happy news it always make me happy.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

Social Networks Fundraise?

A day-old fundraising campaign done solely through text messages and made viral on networking sites like Twitter and Facebook has raised more than $5 million for the Red Cross's relief work in Haiti.
"It's shattered any record that we've seen with mobile giving before," said Wendy Harman, social media manager for the Red Cross.
The campaign leads a spate of online efforts that have allowed people to help victims of the earthquake that has devastated the island nation.

I think it is so great that these social networks can be used to fundraise for the people who are really in need and who need help with money. It is just great to see how much they can help because they cover so many people in this world.

Social Network Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networks

Yankees win 27th World Series title

The Yankees won the World Series for the 27th time. Matsui was the world series mvp.
I was so mad to hear that they won. I wish the Phillies could have puled it out. I don't like the Yankees that much. If I could choose a team to loose I would choose the Yankees. Booooooo Yankees!
Yankee Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees

Softball players recalled for smiles, skills

Three DSU students, teammates, friends were found drowned in a duck pond. authorities are not sure what they were doing but they pulled the vehicle out of a pond. the students were known for star gazing but nothing is known for why they were there.
This is just sad story about a terrible accident. I feel bad for these students and I feel terrible for their friends and family. I hope everyone comes through alright and that these students will be remembered.

Guantanamo: Closing Time by Tim Lukes

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the press Sunday, September 27th that it would be tough to close the Military Prison Guantanamo Bay. He said there would be numerous time problems and he knew that trying to close the prison by January 2010 was an impossible task. There is nothing wrong with keeping the prisoners in prison longer, they deserve to be there.

I agree with Tim, that prison is keeping us safe. I am sad to see it go even though it was the root to alot of controversies.

Voice of Tim: http://thevoiceoftim.blogspot.com/2009/10/guantanamo-closing-time-colins-ssii.html

Guantanamo Bay: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp

Problems in Paraguay

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo ordered the replacement of top military commanders a day after publicly dismissing rumors circulating the capital about a military coup. The announcement came from the armed forces, not the president's office. But he has named the new top military commanders and hopefully it will tone down in Paraguay.
If I ever went to Paraguay I would not talk to the president about this. I am sure he has gone through alot of criticism about the decisions he has made during this time. I bet he just lost a game of cards to those old commanders and wanted some new guys to play with. That would be a great story.

Paraguay Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraguay
Coup Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup

Mexican Strip Club Massacre

A US serviceman was among six victims of an early morning shooting at a Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, strip club Wednesday. Unidentified gunmen entered the Amadeus club in the border city across from El Paso, Texas just after midnight and fatally shot six men.

If I went to Mexico i would not go to a strip club because of this story. I imagined strip clubs as being safe places to be, but after hearing about this you just never know. If your not safe in a Mexican strip club, where are you safe?

Ciudad Juarez Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_Ju%C3%A1rez

Tim Lukes Meteroite Blog

My fellow classmate Tim Lukes wrote a blog about a meteorite that fell in Latvia. The meteorite created a very large Crater after landing near a farm. The whole was about 65 feet wide and 32 feet deep. A fire was reported in the grassy area where the object landed, but there were no known injuries.

My Lord Timothy, I agree with you that that is some whole. I just cant believe how big a whole that is. If i was five feet tall, i could lay down about 13 of my bodies across that hole. And i could stake about 6 and 2/5 bodies up. That is alot of bodies. That is a big hole.

Voice of Tim: http://thevoiceoftim.blogspot.com/2009/10/meteorite-like-object-falls-in-latvia.html?showComment=1257398046217#c1012064021542379836

Meteorite Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite

Smell permeated Cleveland neighborhood where 11 bodies found, residents say

A smell was coming from a house on a street and neighbors were noticing how bad it was. They contacted the police but they were told that it was just a meat factory. They accepted that for the time being but when the smell continued to develop the called again and finally police came to investigate the house. Upon the investigation they found 6 bodies inside the house and 5 outside. Anthony Sowell is now being charged for the murder of all 11 people and more investigation is going into how the people were killed.
If this man does not get the death penalty I don't know what I will do. He there is overwhelming evidence against him. He has already been convicted for numerous crimes and it seems as though he doesn't car what he does.
More Info:http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/anthony-sowell-murder-case-highlights-broken-sex-offender/story?id=8999276
http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=124782&catid=3

Teen says he drowned a 4-year-old to protect a secret

A 14 year old California boy told police that he drowned his 4 year old neighbor because the child threatened to tell his mother that the older boy had molested him. Raul Castro has been charged in Fresno County as an adult because of special circumstances including murder during a child molestation, sodomy, kidnapping, and murder of a witness to prevent a testimony.
This just shows me how sick some people are, that a 14 year old would drown a 4 year old kid over sexual abuse. He just ruined multiple peoples lives. He will be regreting many decisions he made for he rest of his life. I just couldnt handle doing anything like that.

Video: http://us.cnn.com/video/?/video/crime/2009/11/04/ritchie.ca.missing.boy.murder.kmph
Being charged as a Minor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_(law))

Maine rejects same-sex marriage law

There was a vote on whether or not same sex marriage would be legalized in Maine. It was voted down 53% to 47%. There were many volunteers for both sides demonstrating and showing support for their side. Many people came together to see what the outcome would be.
I believe that gay marriage is wrong. The bible says that marriage should be between a man and a women. So to see how gay marriage has become such a popular thing is really discouraging for me. I don't just automatically hate all gays but I just don't agree with what they do.

Same Sex Marriage Information: http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage