He, She, or It? Keeping Baby's Gender a Secret

Kathy Witterick and her husband David Stocker have decided to keep the gender of their new baby, Storm, a secret. The only people who know Storm's gender are of course the parents, the midwives who delivered Storm, a close family friend, and the couples two sons, Jazz (5) and Kio (2). This decision is based off of a book the couple found in the library and the idea that keeping Storm's gender a secret is about giving their children freedom. Stocker told the paper “What we noticed is that parents make so many choices for their children. It’s obnoxious.” Of course their decision has striked up major controversy and Storm's parents have been accused of being irresponsible, confusing to their children, and putting Storm in a place where he may encounter "future damage." Another couple in Sweden decided not to disclose the gender of their baby Pop. There haven't been any recent stories about Pop and no one seems to know the gender yet!
http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/05/25/6715267-he-she-or-it-family-keeps-babys-gender-a-secret?GT1=43001

First off, I was very surprised that the other kid pictured with storm is his brother! Jazz looks very much like a girl, he has hair just like I used to have! I understand the parents' idea that sometimes gender identity may cuase some people from hiding their true colors. However, I see more problems to this than benefits. For one, their newborn child I'm sure won't know if they're a boy or a girl. Also, are they every going to reveal Storm's gender? It may only confuse Storm. And which bathroom will he go into in kindergarten? Whichever one s/he feels like? It also makes me wonder if Jazz, the older of the two other children, understands why Storm's gender is being kept a secret from the rest of the world. I feel that in our ever-changing society, instances such as this are going to become a lot more common. Guess they're just going to have to make a new sign in multiple colors or neutral colors saying: "Welcome New Baby!"


 Baby Storm (in red) and brother Jazz



'Obese Fetus? Let mom pop a pill, doc says'

Dr. Hassan Shehata, a British doctor, has suggested that obese pregnant women should take a pill otherwise meant for those with diabetes. The pill is called metformin. A trial study that is going to involve 2,178 participants already started this past fall and the trial is planned to continue until December 2013. Some women are taking up to 3,000 mg of metformin daily while others are taking a placebo. The doctors are hoping to see a decline in high birth weights (10 lbs or more). “By dropping the baby’s weight, the prevalence of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and hemorrhage will be lower,” said Dr. Shehata. Metformin works by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin, subsequently reducing insulin resistance. These are common problems for women towards the end of pregnancy. Also, more and more women are obese and pregnant. There is controversy over how much weight an obese woman should gain. Some people are even saying they should gain little to no weight, or even try lose some weight. Dr. Shehata said “I’m very confident about it and I don’t think there are any issues.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43114076/ns/health-diabetes/

All the possible complications and birth defects that could go with an obese woman's pregnancy had never really crossed my mind. But it's so sad to think that women who are already struggling to control their own weight must now control another life. Their weight has a negative effect on their unborn baby. I really hope this metformin works because that would be a very helpful breakthrough for many women. With an increasingly obese nation, we can definitely expect more obese pregnant women. Also, I'm sure that a baby's size can be affected by an obese father. Although it's a good thing that a doctor may have found a solution, I also feel like along with being an increasingly obese nation, we are a nation increasingly dependent on pills. There's a pill for almost anything and it's making us lazy! I do understand though that losing weight is very difficult, so in this case, it almost becomes a moral dilemma.

'Blazing Jet Makes Emergency Landing'

The Cathay Pacific Airbus 330 made an emergency landing in Singapore when one of the engines caught fire. This actually isn't the first time an Airbus has had to make such a landing. In November, another Airbus with slightly larger Rolls-Royce engines had to turn around because one caught fire. Luckily, the landing went very smoothly and the fire was put out immediately upon arrival. Passengers held onto each other and prayed for the plane and for God to save their flight, which indeed He did.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43043233/ns/travel-news/

These passengers are certainly very lucky! Not only did they survive the flight but the landing went smoothly and they were on steady ground as soon as possible. For that, I commend the pilots. What I really like about this story though is how the passengers sort of bonded together in prayer during this time of fear. I would be so scared if I looked out the window and could see smoke coming from one of the engines! Lastly, I'm sure everyone is even more thankful for all the hard work of the pilots, crew, and air traffic control and the wonderful technology that works to prevent disasters, such as in this case.

Volunteers of the Peace Corps Complain of Rape and Sexual Assault

An investigative report by ABC News uncovered hundreds of women who had been victims of rape or sexual assault while serving as volunteers in the Peace Corps overseas. The Peace Corps' mission is to be known as "an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship." The Corps was established by President Kennedy and there are currently 8,655 volunteers and trainees in 77 countries. Volunteers work in such areas as education, health and business development.  The volunteers were not trained or warned or prepared to watch out for violent situations such as these. After sharing their stories with officials, they were accused more than consolidated. They were actually made to think like the whole thing was their fault! Testimonies of the cases are going on in court.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42988397/ns/us_news-life/

To me, it is incredibly disgraceful that an organization that works under the name of the federal government and that works in so many different parts of the world to promote peace and really just help other's out should have so many cases of assault. It's almost as though the Peace Corps sends the volunteers off to work for good, believing the world is bad place that can simply be fixed with the goodness of your heart. Unfortunately, this can't always be the case. What absolutely appalls me is that the officials of the Peace Corps whom these cases were reported to that made the victims feel as though it's their fault for getting into trouble. A victim does not choose to be a victim. If they did have control they would be the same and the incident wouldn't be considered a crime.

"Peace Corps volunteer Catherine "Kate" Puzey of Cumming, Ga., was killed in March 2009 after she complained by email to Peace Corps managers about a local man who worked with the volunteers"

Boosting the Minimum

The Federal Minimum Wage establishes a minimum pay for all workers to ensure enough money to live off of. However, minimum wage alone still doesn't put a worker above the poverty line. That is where food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) come into play, pushing people over that line. Nevertheless, the fact that minimum wage on its own isn't accomplishing what it is defined to do outrages some people. People who believe this also support raising minimum wage, believing it will positively affect millions of Americans, particularly single mothers. With people making more money, the economy will benefit as people are more willing to spend. People on this side of the debate also say there should be no more new tax cuts because it will take away from the money that's needed for the government. Those who disagree believe raising minimum wage is counterproductive. It doesn't fight poverty as well as they say because so many of the people receiving minimum wage are teens. Also, if the cost of doing business increases, prices and job cuts will also increase. Opponents also say that supply and demand should determine wages because the economy works best that way. Instead, they say that expanding the EITC would help fight poverty better and it wouldn't interfere with the market.

As a teengaer, it would seem as though I would be for the minimum wage increase; however, after reviewing some facts, I don't believe that boosting minimum wage is the way to fix poverty. That really is what the whole issue comes back to being about getting people who only make minimum wage above the poverty line. But it really does make sense that about half of the people receiving minimum wage are teenagers, most probably still living at home. Sean Hannity, a Republican, also supports this side of the issue, saying "High minimum wage falsely inflates overall wage rates."  The economy can't afford to be increasing minimum wage. The cost on businesses will only create inflation.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-OEZw-uPmDgmztZF1DygGfqT32e62S66-g7GodrLYzlEWMIzTe9S1jPXTiFR6A9J5AkP5FptqgxwlPlUdwcZNwq9Ap0OfQBeyjjepC4edg7fDZ4k0OBwXlhNU7BUTKx4j9S34jneDnGf/s400/minwage.gif

Other issues on Jobs and Welfare:

All Things Being Unequal
Putting Welfare to Work

Obama Mocks Trump and Self at Gala Dinner

At an annual Correspondents Dinner, President Obama finds a way to get back at Donald Trump. He not only mocked how Trump took the credit for putting his legitimacy to rest by the relase of his birth certificate, but also his experience as a politician and the change he would bring to the White House. It was not in a harsh way necessarily either, it was calm, cool, and collected. He also showed a picture of the change Trump would bring to the White House. It was now transformed from a mansion to a tacky casino with big lights and a whirlpool in the garden. Sethy Meyers of SNL was also there and picked up where Obama's jokes left off, mostly singling out Trump. The night was not all about the jokes though as Obama did seriously thank the soldiers over-seas and sent out his best wishes and prayers to the people that have been victims of all the tornadoes. He also told the the journalists to keep sharing their stories. Some of the night's proceeds went to scholarships for college students of journalism.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42837356/ns/politics-white_house/

After reading the article, I watched a video that showed a snippet of some of Obama's jokes. I don't think he was being rude or acting in bad taste at all, he's the President of the United States! He takes a lot of criticism all the time so he certainly deserves the chance to share some of his opinions. The idea that Donald Trump talks of running for president just makes me angry. Just because he can run a TV show and has billions of dollars, it doesn't mean he can successfully run the country. I also thought Obama's jokes were quite witty and very well-played. It's also times like these (when the presidents shows a less serious side) that Americans feel a little closer and more connected.



Seth Meyers and First Lady Michelle Obama



Mall Bomb Plot Found Unrelated to Columbine

There was an attempted bombing in Littleton, Colorado at a shopping mall located only two miles away from Columbine High School, the infamous site of the shootings back in 1999. The bombs were found after there was a fire in the mall and everyone was evacuated. Luckily, no one was hurt. After the fire, authorities found a pipe bomb and two propane tanks in a hallway of the food court. They were worried that the attempted bombing was intended to coincide with the anniversary of the shooting at Columbine 12 years earlier. The FBI discovered the motive but won't release any more information. However, Moore has an extensive criminal history and is still on the run. He was also recently released from prison.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42745214/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

I think that it seems a little ridiculous for officials to make the connection between this bombing and Columbine and then realize how the dates correlate and then assume that the bomb plot was on that day for a reason. I think this suspect is really dumb to have been released early out of prison and then hardly a week later, go and cause more chaos that will surely put him in prison for a much longer period of time. If he's that dumb to do something like this, he probably won't be able to hide from the FBI for very long. We've just gotta hope that he's caught before he does anything or anyone else any harm!




Earl Albert Moore, the suspect in the attempted bombing



Dying for the Sake of Information

Two well-known and prestigious photo-journalists were killed Wednesday morning while covering fighting taking place in Misrata, a city in Libya. The circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear, but it is believed that one was killed by a rocket- propelled grenade. Tim Hetherington was nominated for an Oscar and has won the Sundance Festival's top documentary award for his work "Restrepo." His current project focused on humanitarian efforts during times of such conflict and war. Chris Hondros, the other award-winning photojournalist died covering the wars in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Mohamed Abdel Dayem,  program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists in the Middle East and North Africa, said a total of 14 journalists have been killed worldwide this year. Ten of those deaths have been in North Africa and the Middle East. In regards to the deaths, the White House said, "Journalists across the globe risk their lives each day to keep us informed, demand accountability from world leaders, and give a voice to those who would not otherwise be heard, the Libyan government and all governments across the world must take steps to protect journalists doing this vital work." 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42682853/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/



Chris Hondros (left) and Tim Hetherington (right)

Sadly, these two men are not the only innocent people who have been killed over in the war- torn areas of the Middle East and North Africa. My very first skeptical thoughts were that these two were maybe getting more hype since they're famous and well- known. However, these are the type of people who really deserve to be recognized because they are the one working hard and risking their lives to inform us as realistically and accurately as they can. I was impressed at their accomplishments while I was reading the article, and then I remembered again that these two are gone now, and a whole new sense of sadness hit me. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I'm so sick of violence and war!! How much more can we take??

Mom Dies with her Three Children After Driving into a River



A teddy bear with a cross on it lies on the ramp where the woman drove into the river





LaShanda Armstrong, a 25 year old woman, drove her minivan with her four children in it into New York's Hudson River, killing herself and three of her children. LaShaun Armstrong, a 10-year-old and the eldest managed to escape through the window and then hitched a ride to the Newburgh Fire Department. The deceases children were of the ages 5, 2, and 11 months. The firefighters and police officers responded and divers searched the murky water for about an hour. They found in 25 yards from shore in 8 feet of water. LaShanda was described as a very good mom and the kids all seemed to have gotten along. Newburgh, a town about 60 miles north of New York City, takes pride in its strength as a group. They know that they can pull together during this tragedy and help each other heal the empty space.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42564046/ns/us_news-life/



Rescue workers search for the minivan in the Hudson River

Any story that involves the early death of people is deeply saddening and disturbing. LaShanda Armstrong was only 25, her life had barely gotten started! This was even more so the case for her four children! They were all so young, it's so tragic that only one survived. I can't even begin to imagine what Lashaun must be feeling right now! Maybe it will hit him even more as he grows and matures, that his mother tried to kill him, and succeeded in killing herself and his three half-siblings. He's probably still in shock, as everyone else seems to be too. Thank goodness this story wasn't complicated by the passer-by who brought Lashaun to the fire department. If they had been untrustworthy and ended up kidnapping him, this case would still be unsolved and the young family would be reported as missing for who knows how long.

Job Cuts

201,000 jobs were created recently by private employers, certainly a step towards fixing the unemployment crisis. However, this was actually predicted  by the ADP Employer Services Report. Nonetheless, the rate of recovery in regards to people without a job is moving at a reasonable pace. Although there is continuous downsizing in the public sector, the number of planned layoffs in March at U.S. firms fell slightly in March. Funnily enough, the government has been the leader in job reduction with the highest number of planned layoffs from the last 12 months.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42336451/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

This article really threw around a lot of numbers, and particularily large numbers (in the ten-thousands). This suprised me, it seems so weird that creating hundreds of thousands of job is just a number being thrown out into this ho-hum article. Even though so many more jobs were created, we cannot expect a change in the actual unemployment percentage- it would take the creation of a lot more jobs before that would happen. I also thought it was very ironic that the government is actually hindering job creation. I also thought that people with government jobs could feel the most secure about maintaining their position. I was surprised that the government has been laying so many people off.

Brain Waste

Many immigrants come to America in search of a better life. Unfortunately, in too many cases, these immigrants are not getting to work at their full potential. Unemployment is so high and jobs are hard to find, especially when you're not necesarily fluent in English compared to Spanish or employers aren't sure how to compare foreign credentials to those here in America. The term 'brain waste' is used to describe the instances when successful people in other countries come to America and end up working random, realtively smaller jobs such as a sales clerk or a taxi driver. For instance, Maria Montenegro came to America as a doctor. She's actually worked many areas of medicine in her profession; however, now she works as a medical assistant. And that's after she worked as a sales clerk and babysitter. All in all, it hurts everyone in that the immigrants aren't earning as much as they have the potential to earn, for employers it means less potential candidtaes for jobs, and for America as a whole it meansa missed chance at hiring professionals in fields they are needed in.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42288751/ns/health/

America isn't all it's cracked up to be anymore. It's always seemed to be the thing to say that America is a place for opportunity, a place where dreams come true! In all reality though, we're struggling. There's hardly enough room for Americans to find jobs. When you throw immigrants into the mix it just means more people demanding a smaller proportion of available positions. It's sad though, when a well-to-do businessman or doctor or something  comes here and ends up working at places many teenagers end up working at. It's just not right, it's very unfair. The best thing for these people would actually be to stay in their own country where, whether they believe it or not, there is actually a higher chance that they will succeed and prosper.


Maria Montenegro, an immigrant from Colombia, is one example of
someone who is not reaching their full potential here in America.



Desperation in Japan

Many Japanese people are still struggling with survival and loss every day. There is one school that is missing many of its students and has now adopted 400 homeless and lost people.  These people are sleeping on the floor and the building is also without running water or heat. One mother who has two kids of her own was telling the reporter that the children don't completely understand what has happened. Many of these kids are also missing their parents and there are posters for missing people everywhere. There was also one man who was just eating his second hot meal in the last ten days. His whole life is in limbo right now as his wife and three daughters are still missing.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42196345#42196345

The gravity of the whole situation in Japan is absolutely mind-blowing. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have no place to call a home anymore nor any more of my belongings. It's especially tragic when people are missing their wives, husbands, children, and/or parents. The man mentioned above has really had his whole life swept away and now he's stuck in limbo. I don't know if it would make it easier to know where they are. Not knowing must be killer but knowing they're dead would also leave very little to live for and would make the struggle that much harder.

Complications due to Tainted Wipes



Dr. Christine Nyquist holds a sample of the bacteria Bacillus cereus



Doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado set up red flags about contaminated wipes from the supplier Triad Group of Hartland, Wisconsin. The hospital uses approximately 2,500 wipes a day, a dangerous number if an unknown quantity of these wipes are infected. Actually, back on November 29, 2010, the FDA started an inspection. Unfortunately, problems with the wipes started back in 2009. Michael Rogers, the acting director of the Office of Regional Operations for the FDA, claimed that Triad’s plant posed no “imminent health hazard.” Peyton Armstrong, a 10-year-old battling leukemia, was one of the victims of the tainted wipes. He contracted a deadly infection consequently delaying his chemotherapy. Jessica Armstrong, his mother, is deeply saddened for the added stress of infection and has bonded with another mother whose son died victim to contaminated wipes with the common belief that no other child should have to endure this.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41914778/ns/health-infectious_diseases/



Peyton Armstrong had to delay his chemotherapy due to the
 Bacillus cereus infection he contracted



The world becomes a scarier place when medical supplies that are supposed to clean and protect against infection end up being the causing agents. When I was mentoring at the hospital I saw countless wipes being used, particularly for IVs. If this company, Triad, has had so many run-ins with contaminated products, they should really be shut down. In the medical field, cleanliness and sterility are not just a necessity, they’re a must. I feel especially bad for the family that now has to battle this infection along with leukemia and the chemotherapy!



Protestors in Middle East Rise, As do Our Gas Prices

Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve Chairman, has recently that due to uprisings in the Middle East, oil prices will also rise some. However he also denied that we would face a lot of prolonged inflation. The prices of consumer items will rise, consequently temporarily curbing consumer spending. We'd be in real trouble and on our way into a recession if gas prices reached as high as $5 a gallon. Bernanke also reported that the economy is still on track to recovery, but not at a very fast or necessarily impressive rate. Unemployment is still high and is going to take several years to get it back to "normal." Lastly, he reported on the bond-purchase program that is working towards more consumer spending, lower interest rates on loans, and higher stock prices. The program is set to end in June.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41845694/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

I'm so disappointed to see gas prices on the rise again. I was recently in the cities and prices down there are about 10-12 cents higher than they are here. I'm just hoping those prices aren't on there way to our local gas stations! Even though Bernanke says the temporary rise in prices and inflation isn't going to be too bad, it's still very discouraging for Americans. I also think people are hoping for a relatively quick recovery. We need a quick recovery otherwise I really think a rise in prices and high unemployment are going to curb spending more than Bernanke is guessing.

"Such rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated."

In a town-hall meeting, Paul Broun, a Republican representative from Athens, Georgia, was startled by quite a remark from an audience member. "Who is going to shoot Obama?" This remark was difficult to hear for some but was still greeted with laughter. Broun did not directly denounce the statement, but instead calmy mentioned the general unhappiness of Obamacare, the healthcare plan that was passed last year. He said later that he chose not to say anything directly to that audience member because he felt the comment deserved no recognition or dignity. The Secret Service questioned the accused and found them to be of no danger to the president or other government officials. He or she just acted "in poor taste.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41780873/ns/politics-more_politics/

I think it is incredibly sad that someone would say that! How embarassing for them! It's pretty ridiculous that even though most people seem aware of how tight everything is regulated in our society, especially when it comes to security, that someone would still make such a comment that's obviously going to draw a lot of attention. I was also pretty surprised the Broun didn't say anything to the comment, but I  suppose he handled the best he could spur of the moment like that. If it was a Republican-hosted meeting, it's pretty safe to say most attendants aren't too happy with Obama, but this, as the Secret Service said, was just an act of poor taste.

Spending What We Can Afford

Unfortunately, budget deficits have become a very common thing and ultimately, they lead to economic stress and unease among Americans. America is so far into debt right now that no one is really sure what we should do. Of course there have been several ideas proposed but like any other debate, each idea's positive is accompanied by it's drawback. President Bush tried to fix the budget by issuing temporary tax cuts. However, these have expired now. Congress's solution to too much spending was issuing a pay-as-you-go budgeting rule (aka "paygo"). Basically, we will spend only what we can pay for. This also requires a balance between entitlement spending and other spending reductions. People supporting this measure also say that if the recession gets too out of control, it can always be suspended. People opposed to paygo spending believe it will just make voters angry, hurt them, and upset the economy. They say that economic growth is the key to eliminating deficits, not by increasing taxes and cutting programs.

In my opinion, I don't think pay-as-you-go budgeting is the solution to our huge national debt. If we're always paying for things now, when will there be time to actually work on cutting the debt? It seems like a rather temporary solution to a problem that's haunted us for quite awhile now. The tax increases and program cuts and other such measure that would be required just don't seem worth it now. People are frustrated and getting tired of our poor economy and they will only get more angry at the government if we are forced to pay more! John McCain also withdrew his support for paygo in the Senate by voting against it.

http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/varv06092009a20090609051258.jpg (picture link)

Other issues:
War Dollars: http://roseyerickson.blogspot.com/2011/02/war-dollars.html
Social Insecurity: http://boesen-boesen.blogspot.com/2011/02/issue-3-social-insecurity.html

Piracy!

Jean and Scott Adam and  Phyllis Mackay and Robert A. Riggle are two American couples out on a sailing adventure of a liftime. They were sailing around the world in their yacht, Quest, handing out donated Bibles to villages in remote places of such countries as New Zealand, the Fiji Islands, Alaska, and French Polynesia. Their trip took a turn for the worse when some Somali pirates hijacked their boat. The yacht is supposedly going to land in Somalia on Sunday (February 20, 2011). It is being said that these pirates have made a huge mistake; they aren't going to get any ransom money which will definitely "threaten their business model." Thankfully though, a Puntland minister is calling for an urgent rescue and says they are going to deal with the pirates "relentlessly and mercilessly."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41672888/ns/world_news-africa/

This whole story almost doesn't seem real! It just blows my mind that right now, people are being held hostage in their own boat by pirates. It's always seemed that pirates are something only in stories and whatnot, but there are actually pirates out there! This story also made me a little sad. Apparently there have been over 600 hostages held by pirates within this last year! It would be scary enough to be out in the ocean so far away from land for so long; having unwelcome visitors would definitely be freaky! I just hope they get rescued soon, unlike the Chandlers who spent 388 days captive! Hopefully it won't come down to killing either, but that may not be so hopeful because the Somalians are pretty angry at Americans for the recent sentencing of a Somali pirate to 33 years in prison.

Quest, the yacht the couples were sailing in

Diet Soda Drinkers: Stay Tuned

A study that was conducted on more than 2,500 New Yorkers over the course of nine years came to the conclusion that there is an increased risk for vascular problems, such as heart attack or stroke, associated with drinking diet soda every day. In fact, the results show that people who do drink this kind of pop every day are at a 61% higher risk of a vascular event. That is, compared to people who completely avoid such drinks. However, the study isn't conclusive enough where the researchers can start telling people to avoid diet drinks. They aren't completely sure if this close relation is really due to the pop or if other occurances such as an otherwise unhealthy diet are contributing.  Additionally, caramel- colored drinks have shown a correlation with an increased chance for a vascular problem. Still, these findings are enough to scare some people away, especially those who may already be at risk for a heart attack or stroke.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41479869/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Personally, I don't drink diet pop. That is, unless it's mixed in with some of the regular stuff. But really, no matter if it's diet or not, soda isn't something you should be drinking every day! Drinking anything that unhealthy every day would obviously have some sort of impact on your health. Also, I don't know if the researchers did a thorough enough job because even though they say they have a conclusion now, it's still not conclusive enough because they didn't keep track of what other kinds of food the subjects were eating or possible pre-existing conditions. Also, to me, it always seems like people are trying to find what could be wrong with diet soda as if they don't believe it's really possible to have a sugar-free pop.


http://www.getyourtruthaboutabsbonus.com/fat-burning-foods/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/diet-soda.jpg

Save Yourself By Saving Your Sister

Gladys and Jamie Scott are two sisters who have been in prison for the last 16 years. They were in for life sentences for an armed robbery in Mississippi. However they didn't get away with much: about $11-$200. However, there was a loophole in this life sentence. They were free if one would donate a kidney to the other. So that's what they did, Gladys Scott is donating a kidney to her sister Jamie. A couple of the victims of the armed robbery claimed it was a traumatic experience, however they were just happy they'd at least done time. Of course this freedom raises ethical and legal issues which are ultimately cancelled out by the fact that one is saving the other with her kidney.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40963267/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Honestly, one of the first things I was thinking when I heard they'd been in prison for an armed robbery for 16 years, and found out how much money they'd taken, I was a little surprised that they were given life sentences. Nobody was harmed and the money wasn't that substantial and was obviously confiscated, so I wouldn't think a life sentence is necessary. I was also surprised that such a serious sentence would be removed just like that because one is donating a kidney to the other. If I were in their situation, I would be ecstatic, especially if I were Jamie, who is not only leaving jail after being there 16 years, but also is finally getting a kidney! But I do think it's good for the state because dialysis was so expensive. And I'm sure they are completely different people now, considering what they've been through and what is yet ahead.

 The sisters wave as they leave the prison in this SUV.

 Jamie Scott, the sister receiving the kidney
Gladys Scott who is donating a kindey to her sister

Facebook IPO is Possibly on Its Way

In 2012, it looks promising that Facebook will put out an IPO (initial public offering) which also means going public. Goldman Sachs printed a 101 page memorandum for wealthy customers with a $1.5 billion Facebook offering. Facebook is an incredibly wealthy, yet private, company. Last year alone just in the first nine months it made $355 million in net income! When you look at its revenue though, it made $1.2 billion in that same time frame! However there is little detail known when it comes to how Facebook makes so much money in revenue. Also, this social networking site has posed a threat to Yahoo and Google because more people are spending their time on Facebook and searching things on Facebook instead.  Goldman customers who want to buy shares in Facebook privately, will put their money into a company called FBDC Investors LP and they have until Friday (January 7) to do so. Lastly, it's said that investors are anxious to buy shares of Facebook because it's such a popular and growing company.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40955000/ns/business-us_business/

I think it's a great thing that Facebook is planning on putting itself out there like this, and honestly, I think it's about time. Everybody has heard of Facebook and many people use it. If it's even possible, I think it could have the potential of being one of those blue-chip stocks. I also think that this'll hurt Google and Yahoo share prices. I saw an interview with Mark Zuckerberg on TV once and it was brought up that not only are people spending more time on Facebook, but they're also doing searches in it. Like if someone wants to check out car ratings, instead of Googling it, one might just type it in the the Facebook search bar and find pages about it and see what others had to say. This made me think that investors might anticipate such a reduction in using these popular search engines and pull money out of stock there and instead invest in Facebook. I wouldn't be surprised if the price of a share of Facebook was right up there with Apple and Google and Yahoo. Then again, it could be a stretch since the article said that even though it has high value, it's "not outrageous."