Violence flares at Greek teen's funeral

Protests and fighting in Greece has initiated after angry protesters went berserk over a teen-age boy's funeral after the boy was shot by the police. Thousands of people paid their respects to the boy, but a small number of them became violent at the end of the ceremony which sparked the rioting. Over 10,000 people marched into the country's  parliament street in Athens on Tuesday to protest. They were expressing their anger over the teenagers death and other major issues such as jobs, the economy, and allegations that the government is corrupt. The various protest groups clashed with the riot police all over the city of Athens. The riots started over the weekend after Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot by the police as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the police car. The event happened in an area of Athens were there has been regular tensions with the police. Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis vowed on Tuesday that those responsible would be punished for their crimes. As the cities clean up crews worked around the city the effects of the devastation could be seen everywhere as rows of shops had all their windows broken and vandalised. The Prime Minister quotes that "No one has the right to use this tragic incident as an alibi for actions of raw violence."  Various schools and universities around the country have been closed because of their students violent uprising. The government officials have condemned the shooting and the officer who shot the boy has been charged with "manslaughter with intent". 

This is a terrible day for Greece. So far Greece has seemed to be a peaceful country with calm and non-violent people. I understand that people would go rioting about issues on the economy, jobs, and possible government corruption but to use the death of a boy does not make sense. The police officer that killed him shot him because the boy was about to throw a fuel filled bomb at him. From what it seems, the officer was just defending himself because he would have died if the bomb hit him. In addition, the fact that people are using this incident as an excuse for violence is ridiculous. What the Greek Prime Minister said may be one of the few memerable moment of his term. The ruling party may have corruption allegations against them but at least they recognize the need for security in the capital. 

Obama to fill out national security team

 President Elect Barack Obama has just announced that he will name Senator Hillary Clinton as secretary on Monday. Hillary Clinton claimed to be excited about the job and cannot wait to take on the position. The Obama team has also confirmed that they would help Hillary. Obama sources have also said that Obama will nominate Susan Rice as United Nations ambassador; Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary; and Eric Holder as attorney general. Some say that these choices show Obama's bipartisanship and his confidence as a leader. Some observer believe that Hillary's husband may create problems for the up coming commander-in-chief and may become a serious obstacle in the way of his governing. The former president has also reportedly received funds for his global foundation from international business figures connected to human rights abuses, including the governments of Kazakhstan and China. To ensure that there is no influence on Hillary from these donors Bill Clinton is required to publicly disclose all future donors.

I think it was a good choice to chose Hillary as Secretary of State. She is qualified for the job and it seems from her present reactions that she would take this job seriously. It is still hard to believe that there really are no hard feelings for losing the democratic nominee for president.  It seems that Bill Clinton is a threat to the Obama administration and might influence Hillary negatively. Bill Clinton's global foundation is something for people to worry about because of the donors who are connected to human rights abuses. Obama cannot afford to have people like them influence the members of his cabinet and inner circle. On the other hand Hillary may be the most quilified for the job for this elections.

Canadian troops complete large operation in southern Afghanistan

Canadian soldiers have just completed one of their largest operations in southern  Afganistan. During the operation they killed twenty-one insurgents fighters and have captured a few others.

"Operation Janubi Tapu 2" was aimed to reduce the number of insurgent fighters and reduce the ability of the insurgents to attack Kandahar city.  The head of the military operation was Lieut.-Col. Roger Barret. Over 500 soldiers, most of which were Canadian joined the Afgan national security forces in the three day attack. The soldiers captured twenty insurgents and located and destroyed numerous weapons caches. There were no Canadian casualties. The attacks from insurgents have increased by forty percent this year and over 5,400 people have died as a result. 

It is releiving to hear that the Canadian troops suffered no casualties in one of their biggest operations in Afganistan. This appears to be a victory for the troops as they elminated another insurgent threat. The operation overall was considered a succes by the commander and its good to know because victories in Afganistan are not too common. The troops should be proud, especially Lieut.-Col. Roger Barret because his men suffered no casualties under his command. By far this victory is a good sign for the coalition forces as the insurgency in Afganistan has greatly increased since the troop surge. The Taliban is gathering resources and increasing its influence in Afganistan which is causing problems for the troops. Their work there is far from over but at least there is progress being made in Afganistan unlike the other Western-Middle East conflict the war in Iraq.

Nigerian city tense after riots

Hundreds are feared dead in the Nigerian city of Jos following two days of religious and ethnic clashes. The violence was sparked by rumours that an election has been rigged. The Nigerian government has dispatched soldiers because of the escalating violence. The Nigerian police and military have been ordered to shoot troublemakers on sight. ''The situation this morning is gradually returning to normal," army spokesman Brig Emeka Onwamaegbu told AFP news agency on Sunday." The violence started on Friday when a Christian governing party was declared to have won state elections in Plateau state. The election was accused of being rigged by the All Nigeria People's Party which is mostly Muslim. Groups supporting both parties took to the streets with machetes during causing the riots. Both mosques and churches were burned. In recent years ethnic and religious violence has claimed thousands of lives in Nigeria as political parties fight for control over precious resources. 

This is a big problem for Nigeria because these political parties are promoting ethnic violence so they can get what they want. It is a good thing that the military and the police have been given orders to use lethal force to keep the peace. Without them the riots would not end and more people would be killed. Religious violence does not make any sense because supposedly both religions preach peace. This is the result of greed with people of influence that cause these riots and make neighbors turn against each other. It is a same that innocent people have to die everyday because of these reasons. The government should keep that level of security because that may be the only way to keep the peace because the local people cannot be trusted with peace. One of the opposing groups would allways do something to start another conflict between the ethnicities. People need to be taught to draw a line between religious beleifs and people's freedom. You cannot force someone into your religion if they disagree with your views deal with it, do not kill them. The people in Jos need to understand that violence is not the answer because it has been tried many times to solve conflicts by eleminating the opposition and this option has failed in the past.

Shuttle Endeavour's mission STS-126: The ISS renovation project

                                                                                            The International Space Station is set for an extreme makeover as the latest shuttle mission hauls supplies and components into space. Extreme improvements to the ISS was the focus of Endeavour's mission that lifted off on November 14, 2008 from the Kennedy Space Center. The seven astronauts that are taking off with the Endeavour are to expand the living quarters so that it can house six astronauts. The mission will take 15 fifteen days before the ISS is transformed into a home with three bedrooms, one bathroom, and two kitchenettes. The entire crew are American citizens and one member would replace the current space station's flight engineer Greg Chamitoff. The astronauts are hauling over 14,000 kilograms of supplies and equipment including an exercise machine. One of the main components to be added is a water recycling machine which would recycle the astronaut's urine into drinking water. The crew will also conduct space walks repairing worn out parts and installing cameras on the outside of the space station. The Endeavour will be docking with the Space Station on its 10 anniversary on Nov. 20.

The space station is one of mankind's greatest modern treasures. It is amazing what we can achieve when we work together. I was surprised when I read that the Space Station can only house three astronauts that stay there for a whole six months. Expanding it to house six astronauts does not seem like it is a big difference but that is doubling the crew. It has got me wondering what the astronauts are really doing up there for so long. What are their objectives? I think that space flight and research does not get the amount of funding it needs to achieve impressive results in a short period of time. It seems like progress is slow when it comes to space flight because it has been 10 years since the space station was first launched and now it can house only six astronauts. We need to invest in space exploration because not only because space is the "final frontier" but it could offer access to certain resources that we cannot get on Earth. This is a great achievement because there is now a home for people in space. What should happen next is to start developing a ship that can conviently take people into space that is more economical and safer than the space shuttle. 

India: Pirate 'mother ship' left in flames

An Indian warship that exchanged fire with a pirate vessel off the Horn of Africa sunk the ship in the Gulf of Aden. The skirmish took place on Tuesday when the frigate spotted the pirate ship towing two small speed boats. The pirate ship was left badly damaged and in flames but the captain of the frigate could not confirm it had sunk. The battle followed a recent pirate strike seizing the Saudi-owned supertanker. The oil tanker was carrying an oil cargo worth up to $100 million, which the pirates anchored of the coast of Somalia. So far no confirmation of a ransom can be made. The owner of the ship "Sirius Star" were negotiating with the pirates. The frigate that opened fire on the pirate vessel the Tabar, demanded that the ship stop so it could be inspected. The pirates replied by threatening to destroy the frigate and opened fire on the Tabar. The International Maritime Bureau in London quotes the "it has never seen a situation like this before". Of the 39 succesful pirate captures 17 of them are still in pirate hands. The risks are low for pirates in these areas and the return that they can get outweigh the risks. The pirates are taking advantage of this low-risk opportunity to loot and hold for ransom the valuable ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden.

This is sort of a surprise to me that pirates nowadays still exist and are seizing giant ships such as oil tankers. I never knew that Somali pirate's have acces to enough resources to take on the navi of many different countries patroling the Gulf of Aden let alone hijack cargo ships. I doubt that there are not enough military ships around to stem the piracy. Nowadays most people when they think of pirates they think of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in the Pirates triology. It seemed that for a while that piracy was extinct until this year when Somali pirates have succesfully captured over 39 ships. I think that the only reason these pirates have succesfully captured so many ships is that the countries and shipping companies of the world have become careless by forgetting there is a risk other than weather on the high seas. I am sure that the crew of members of these cargo ships would at least be trained to deal and avoid pirate attacks. After all these ships carry million of dollars worth of cargo it would be absent minded not to protect them with an armed crew or more naval ships patroling. The only problem with an armed crew is that if the pirates succed the crew may be killed so it is up to the naval ships to intercept the pirates before they attack an unsuspecting trade ship.

Impossible task for UN in DR Congo

The UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest, most expensive and powerful in the world. Yet it still has been unable to prevent civilians from being killing in the conflict. The force was sent under the UN's most powerful piece of legislation - Chapter Seven. This gave the peace keepers the right to use and means necessary to impose their will. This tactic should have proved effective as it gives them the right to use lethal force in any situation. An additional 3,000 troops have been sent to Congo after an urgent appeal for troops made by the civilian head of the missions on the ground, Alan Doss. Since then thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and many have been slaughtered. Both sides of the conflict, the rebels and the government troops have been accused by the United Nations of committing war crimes. The UN force in Congo is made of soldiers from 18 different countries, India being the largest contributor. Yet with about 16,500 troops in the Congo the UN force is still outnumbered by 1000 to 1 by the civilian population needing protection. The former commander officer of the UN forces in the Congo resigned after stating that he believe that the mission in the Congo was "doom to fail". However, despite the great challenges facing the troops in the Congo they have managed to secure the capital Goma which is definitely a main target of the rebel forces. 

It is relieving to know that there are efforts being made by the UN that they have not done before. I think it was a good idea to allow the soldiers the right to use lethal force if necessary to impose their will. I also think that one of the great successes of this mission was securing the capital Goma. The UN is really making an effort this time by stationing the largest force it has there. Yet there are still atrocities being committed on both sides of the war. Both the government and the rebels are committing war crimes and this should be taken very seriously by the international community. Since the government is committing these crimes the UN should forcefully change the leadership in the government because obviously they are no better than the rebels themselves. People are being murdered and raped by both the rebel and government troops. I can understand why the commanding officer of the UN resigned because the force that the UN is against is a massive array of rebel forces who are driven by ethnic hatred and the desire to control the countries mineral wealth. What I cannot understand is the intensity of the ethnic hatred shown by these people. I do not know what can make a human hate another so much that he would be happy to slaughter his family as well as anyone associated with him.  

Congo rebels make roadblock out of bodies

The road that leads into rebel-controled Congo has been blocked by the two bodies of government soldiers laid across the road. The two soldiers were blocking the road that led into Congo's capital Goma. The scence was meant to warn government troops who fought the rebels recently. For the terrified civilians it is seen as a clear message that Congo's ruthless civil war is easing.  Over 250,000 people have been displaced in the vicious fighting between the army and the rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda despite having the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world stationed there. Eastern Congo has been unstable since the millions of Tutsi and Hutu refugees fled across the border in Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Many of the Hutu extremists have remained in the region and are prompting the Tutsi-held Rwandan government to send troops into the Congo to flush them out. 

I do not think there will ever be peace in the Congo. This area of Africa has been fighting for years. There are just too many minority groups trying to get power. These groups are no willing to compromise for peace. They just want to eliminate the opposition so there is nothing stopping them from gaining absolute power. The UN peacekeepers are doing nothing to stem the violence. They are not positioned between the rebels and the government troops which is the most effective position for peacekeepers. The global community is just sitting back and not interfering with force as it should. This could be another genocide like the one in Rwanda if it is not one all ready. It is disgusting to realize that when a country in Africa is found with a resource of value the local community is displaced by wars. I do not understand how the other countries of the world found peace and but countries in Africa still have ruthless leaders slaughtering people to maintain control. 

Egypt: 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered

Archeologists have recently discovered an 4,300 year old pyramid under the sands of Saqqara. Saqqara is an ancient burial site which is mostly unexplored but has recently unearthed a string of pyramids. The monument is beleived to have belonged to the mother of the founder of Eygpt's 6th dynasty and was built several hundred years after the Great Pyramids of Giza. The discovery was a part of the burial site of the rulers of Memphis, which was the capitol of Eygpt's old kingdom. All that is left of the pyramid 5m tall structure buried under 25m of sand. Zahi Hawass is Eygpt's chief of antiquities. His team was excavating at the site for over two years before they discovered that the structure they unearth was a pyramid. The structure they found was the base of the pyramid. From the evidence the excavating team found at the site they calculated that the pyramid was once 14m tall. This is the 118th pyramid discovered in Egypt so far. The diggers are about two weeks from being able to get into the tomb, but Hawass is sure that grave robbers looted the tomb long before.

This is a very exciting find. I never knew that archeologists were still unearthing pyramids and tombs in Eygpt. I could not beleive that this pyramid is the 118th found by archeologists. It is amazing how much is hidden underneath Egypt's desert sands. I also did not realize that grave robbers werw able to steal so many antiquities and treasures from the tombs. These tombs were buried under the sands for thousands of years how can they find them. The thieves must have stolen the treasures soon after the tomb was built. I was a little disapointed when the article stated that the finding was only the base of a pyramid. I was expecting it to be something like the Great Pyramids of Giza buried completely under the sands.

Ottawa alleges Toronto charity is running a tax-shelter scheme

The Canada Revenue Agency shut down a charity that was taking part in a tax sheltering scheme. The Choson Kallah Fund received numerous donations of malaria and other pharmaceutical drugs bought overseas at a greatly reduced price. Then the charity sold these drugs for $177 million at a higher Canadian retail value. The charity kept 1% of the total as a fee, which is about $1,770,000. In a letter that outlined the allegations, the Canada Revenue Agency stated that the Choson Kallah charity was "promoting a tax shelter scheme. The willful promotion of the for-profit scheme violated its charitable status. The charity was being run as a business instead of a non for profit organization. In 2003 the Choson Kallah had about $6 million in total revenues, donating money mostly to Jewish organizations and schools. None of the donations exceeded $25,000. The Choson Kallah is no longer a charitable organization and is now being taxed as if it was a business.

I think this is mainly the government's fault. They need to realize that their policies have loop holes where tax evaders can slip through. I think the person who was running the Choson Kallah is very lucky to not have been prosecuted yet. Isn't it a crime to make a profit from a charity? There has to be some type of fine he must pay at least. I know if anyone evades taxes for years and gets caught, they have to pay those taxes back plus interest. If they can pay it back they need to get a bank loan or be put in prison. Not only does the owner of the organization need to pay a fine for deceit, he needs to pay the taxes that he was exempt from because his business was registered as a charity.

Palin costing McCain, poll suggests

A recent poll on the United State's elections has suggested that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin is costing Senator John McCain votes for the presidency. The CNN run poll released the results of a survey it conducted showing that McCain's running mate is becoming less popular with the voters which is costing him the votes he needs to win.  The results stated that 57% of likely voters believe that Sarah Palin does not have the personal qualities that a president should have. Surveys down in early September showed that 53% of likely voters would vote for Sarah Palin instead of Joe Biden if there was a separate vote for the Vice Presidency. Now, Joe Biden would beat Sarah Palin by a good 12 points if they were voted in separately. If voting was separate for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, calculations have shown that Sarah Palin is costing John McCain 2 percentage points.

I think choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate was a big mistake for John McCain and it could be something that could cost him the presidency. Sarah Palin talks to a country as if it was a six year old. She embarrassed herself when she claimed that she had foreign policy experience because Russia is next door to Alaska. She has never met any Russian government official as governor and only sees their planes fly over Alaska. She is somewhat hypocritical in her beliefs especially when it comes to teenage pregnancy. Her daughter is a teen parent yet she is pushing to cut social funding to teenage parents. She has no knowledge on the economy and foreign affairs. She does not know what exactly the Vice President does. Usually someone reads the job description before applying for it. She has none of the experience Democratic Vice President nominee Joe Biden has. I personally think she is a terrible public speaker and that everything she says is 100% scripted and not original. I was not surprised when the news got out of Sarah Palin being prank called by comedians from Montreal who made her beleive that she was talking to Nicolas Sarcozy. 

U.S. authorities uncover skinhead plot to assassinate Obama

On Monday U.S. secret services stated that they have successfully broken up an assassination plot on the democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and 88 other African Americans in the state of Tennessee. The court records state that federal agents foiled the plan of two Neo-Nazi skinheads trying to rob a gun store and target a high school. The two men confessed in the court that they were planning to kill 88 African Americans and of those 88, 14 of them were to be beheaded. Senator Barack Obama was to be their final target after attempting to go on a national killing spree. The two men never actually thought they would be able to pull of their act. One of the Neo-Nazis is Daniel Cowart who is pictured in the top right hand corner. The federal agents who apprehended the two men later found the necessary legal documents that proved that the plotters were planning to "drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows". The men also stated that they were willing to die in the attempt. So there is no evidence that others are involved in the plot. 

The racism that still exists in the world is horrifying. Some would think that the racism in the U.S. would have died down a bit to a point when people are not going to run into schools and shoot every race they hate. It is a very good thing that federal agents know how to deal with these issues and are able to stop these plots from being carried out. It is also very unlikely that the two men part of this plot to assassinate Obama are the only ones involved. IT does not make sense how skin heads still exist. I think the next United States president should really begin to pass legislation enforcing human rights, whether it is McCain or Obama. The fact that these men's plot was to go into a school and after go on a cross country killing spree is unimaginable. If this does not give the government a good enough reason to limit arms distribution in the States I do not think anything will. These men were going to rob a gun store, which sold military grade weapons. What would the average American do with these weapons? You do not need a fully automatic rifle to go hunting. 

Revolutionary paper is stronger than steel

Florida State University just unveiled their revolutionary "Buckypaper". This new material was created using the third form of pure carbon "Buckyball". The scientists who discovered "BuckyBall" did it by accident and were awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1996. Buckypaper looks like an ordinary piece of paper, in reality to it is potentially 10 times lighter than steel and 500 times stronger.  It can conduct electricity as well as copper and silicon. Each sheet of Buckypaper consists of tube-shaped carbon molecules that are 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. The unique properties that Buckypaper has could be used to improve technology in light energy efficient, airplanes, cars and improved TV screens. If Buckypaper is used to build huge oil tankers and cargo ships instead of steel it can reduce the weight of the ships and overall improve their speed and fuel efficiency. Researchers are now developing manufacturing techniques for Buckypaper to increase the quantity produced and lower the price. If this happens Buckypaper would be a revolutionary material that could possibly take the place of steel making products 500 times stronger and 10 times lighter. The developers of Buckpaper are hoping that it can be used in conventional aircraft as it will make aircraft lighter and stronger while providing better protection against electromagnetic interferences and lighting strikes. The goal is to make Buckpaper commercially available within 12 months. 

I think this is a revolutionary discovery. This could change how everything from refrigerators to passenger jetliners are made. Governments as well as ordinary people should invest in this composite material because according to the scientists who discovered it said that when Buckypaper reaches full potential it would become the leading composite material. The best feature of this material is that it increases a plane's fuselage and it also protects it from lighting. This material can save the lives of innocent people because of its incredible strength. Its amazing how that any consumer product can last longer if built with Buckypaper. Even though this find is revolutionary I beleive that governments and big companies are not paying attention to it as much as they such. This material can reap huge profits to anyone who begins to mass produce it. It is possible that in the near future Buckypaper may even replace steel. 

Laser beam hits WestJet pilot in the eye on Calgary takeoff

Transport Canada and the police are investigating the complaint of a West Jet pilot taking off in Calgary who claimed that a laser beam hit him in the eye during take off. The same West Jet flight took off from Calagary two weeks earlier when a green laser briefly lit up the cock pit and hit the first officier in the eye. Fortunately neither the pilot nor the first officier received any serious injuries which would have ended their flying career. The police are taking these incidents very seriously even dispatching search helicopters to find the sources of these laser beams. There have been about 33 reports of bright lights shining into cockpits in the past two years according to Transport Canada. People caught could face fines exceeding $1000.

In my opinion the idea of someone actually having a laser powerful enough to blind a pilot momentarily seems ridiculous. First of all they planes are travelling very fast so how can it possible that someone on the ground can even aim into the cockpit. The cockpit is on the top side of the plane and the people aiming on the ground are underneath it. I think anyone caught doing it should be punished harsher because they could be putting people's careers and lives at risk. The fact that this is becoming a serious issue is ridiculous. I suggest that they fit planes with window panels that filter the light that goes through so pilots cannot be blinded by sudden flashes of light. I think pilots should be able to handle a tiny green laser beam if they are trained to fly through thunder storms safely. One can also ask why are such powerful laser pointed being distributed. Isn't their function to point a laser at something so wouldn't a low power red laser suffice? So some of the blame can be put on the companies are selling powerful laser pointers because no one really uses those lasers for anything productive.

Hong Kong Tests Find Melamine in Cadbury Candies

On Sunday Hong Kong's food agency claims to have discovered unsafe quantities of melamine in Cadbury Chocolate products made in Beijing. The British chocolate company recalled its Chinese made candies the day after the report. Two different types of products produced by Cadbury were recalled from parts of Asia and the Pacific. The Centre of Food Safety in Hong Kong said that the two products contained over the city legal limit of melamine which is 2.5 parts per million. Cadbury's Dairy Milk Hazelnut Chocolate bars contained 56 parts per million while the Dairy Milk Cookies chocolate contained 6.9 parts per million. Health officials are advising the public to stop consuming these products because of the high levels of melamine. Melamine is a substance that is high in nitrogen and can mask low nutrient levels when going through tests. The officials beleive that it was used to hide low protein levels detected from low quality milk.

In my opinion this incident did not come as a suprise. Chinese made products are notorious for having the possibility that some cheaper unsafe substance may be used in the production process. I think that the Chinese officials do not care at all and that the Chinese government would have to be very corrupt to allow incidents like these to happen. It is also the fault of major corperations that are taking advantage of China's low Health and Safety standards to make quick profit. Not only should the Chinese government be blamed but the companies that are aware that their products are made with dangerous chemicals that can cause serious health issues.

U.S. stocks rebound after bailout failure

The U.S. stocks bounced back early on Tuesday after the worst percentage drop for stocks since the 1987 crash. The Dow Jone industrial rose 223 points from yesterday when it dropped a record 777points. Soon after the stock market failure in the U.S. Asian and European markets began their downward slide as the world hoped that the bailout plan would be passed in Congress. Market Strategists say that the reason for the American market rebound was the hope that a revised bailout plan would be passed in the next view days, not because the market is repairing itself. The market turmoil across the world was caused when U.S. House of Representatives voted against the biggest government intervention to the economy since the Great Depression. Monday's stock market drop alone reach 1.2 trillion dollars in value which was the first time in history that the world market dropped over a trillion in one day. In the United States both major political parties the Republicans and the Democrats support the idea of renewing the bail out plan.

In my opinion I think this bail out plan is needed to save the world economy. Even though some people in high positions may not agree with it, they have to remember that it was because of government intervention that the United States got itself out of the Great Depression. What really is confusing is how this mess started in the first place. I think people who against the bail out plan are correct in a sense that it was Wall Street that got itself into this mess, it was not really an accident. No economy suddenly fails suddenly with no one at least predicting that such a thing would happen. A long time has passed since the Great Depression and I beleive that economists and bankers would be better equiped to stop this catastrophe. 

Zimbabwe replaces $10 trillion banknote

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced its new 1,000 dollar note cutting ten zeros off the countries old ten  trillion dollar note. This was done to battle the countries cash shortages and hyper-inflation of over 11.2 million percent. The new note is so worthless it can only buy a loaf of bread. "It will not make even a small impact. What we need in Zimbabwe is a clear change of policies, start production and then inflation will start easing up," said John Robertson an economic consultant in Zimbabwe. The economic situation in Zimbabwe was started off when President Robert Mugabe violently seized land from the country's white farmers and gave it to inexperienced black farmers. However, the President believes that he is not to blame for the country's hyperinflation. 

I think it is obvious what the problem is here. President Mugabe is to blame for everything that is happening in Zimbabwe. He started the economic collapse in the country when he started reallocating natural resources to people who did not know how to use them productively. However, there must be more in place to create inflation exceeding 10 million percent for a country. So far al the facts lead back to President Mugabe's terrible leadership and inabbility to run a developing country.

Wing flap 'problem' on Spain jet

A wing flap failure on a Spainair flight last month claimed the lives of the 154 people on board. The MD-82 jet was flying to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands before it crashed after an unsuccessful attempt for take off. Further investigation has revealed that the aircraft was actually being considered to be swapped with another because of problem with an air temperature gauge. As the government is looking into the crisis new possible causes to the crash are being uncovered. Another idea being looked into is that the plane lacked proper engine power as it lifted off late on the runway. There is still no cause of the accident that investigators have agreed on.

I think is problem can be linked to airline companies trying to cut costs as much as possible risking the security of its passengers. When investigators uncovered that the airline was considering changing the plane because of its are temperature gauge it was a clear sign that the plane was not safe. This problem could have been avoided if the planes where checked and serviced after every flight, but airlines do not want to pay those costs. It can be related to rising fuel costs putting financial pressure on airlines which results in fewer services of their aircraft. 

Doctors add voice to energy drink worries

Numerous doctors in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island are raising concern over the various bad side effects of can carbonated energy drinks. The P.E.I Medical Society will be voting on Saturday to ban all energy drinks on the islands. Schools have been experiencing cases of children arriving to class in a highly agitated state. Many of these students have to be sent home because of nausea, vomitting, and hyperactivity. Many of the island's doctors are arguing the fact that the benefits of these drinks advertised by companies outweigh the negative side effects that come with taking those drinks. However, doctors cannot scientifically prove that these energy drinks are bad for children's health even with the various side effects that seemed to be linked to these drinks. 

I think that canned energy drinks are really bad for the body. These energy drinks are created by mixing different chemicals together which often are not the best for human health and I don't think that kids in elementary and highschool really need them anyway. I personally don't think there is any need for energy drink, people can get what they from the food they eat not from a can full of carbonated sugar.

China vows punishment after major recall of milk powder

Fifty babies in China suffered from kidney stones with one death as a result of using Chinese milk powder. The case only reignited fears of Chinese product safety. U.S. authorities has cautioned to not use any Chinese food formulas. There was no official waring issued in Canada as Canadian officials are looking into the threat. The contaminated milk powder was a product of Sanlu Group Co. which is the biggest producer of powder milk in China. The Chinese government recalled over 700 tonnes of milk powder said to be contaminate with melamine, a chemical that is used in plastics. The Chinese government quotes, "Those responsible  will face serious punishment" but there is little they can do to regain the trust of their customers overseas. Over 200 Chinese infants has suffered from contaminated or phony food products sold by Chinese companies.

The Chinese should have more control over its regulation. There should be more monitering of their own companies. They are a communist country, how can the government expect the world community to seriously beleive that the government had no idea of this going on. The Chinese have to fix the corruption in their government and maybe over time consumers will begin to trust Chinese products.

Hurricane Ike Threatens Texas with Wall of Water

Hurricane Ike on Friday moved within 24 hours of striking a populated coast near Houston. Meteorologists predict that Ike will throw a six meter wall of water into Texas which would make the storm the worst Texas has seen in fifty years. The National Hurricane Centre said the Ike would escalate from a category 2 to a category 3 storm with winds exceeding 110mph. The National Weather Service warned inhabitants of the target areas that if they do not evecuate they will be facing certain death and many homes in the area would be destroyed. "If you think you want to ride out the storm, and you're looking at a 20 foot wall of water coming at you, you better think again." said that Houston mayor addressing a city of two million which is in extreme danger. Another side effect of the storm is that 12% of the U.S.'s oil capacity is at risk of major flooding and damage. Weather forecasters predict major and longterm damage in refining cities near the coast. 

In my opinion I cannot beleive this is happening to the richest country on the planet. How can the United States be in such danger by hurricanes when it has been experiencing them for years. These hurricane are bigger and more powerful than ever before but can't the richest country in the world at least prepare for these storms instead of evacuating millions of people and have them returning to destroyed homes.

Dion will cancel $1200 universal child care benefit

Today the Conservative Party of Canada led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched a public information campaign warning parents about theLiberal's intention to scrap the universal child care benefit. The universal child care benefit was introduced in 2006 by the Conservative Government which provided parents $100 a month for every child under the age of six. "By January 2008, the Universal Child Care Benefit was paid out to 1,478,272 families and 1,973,415 kids under six." Since 2006 when the benefit was introduced $4,045,307,880 of payments were given to Canadian families. However, the Liberal's true intentions were not to cancel the universal child care benefit but institute a new refundable tax credit worth $350 per child per year and invest in creating more child care spaces for Canadians. In addition, a new Guaranteed Family Supplement will be provided for lower-income families, which is worth up to $1,225 per child. The Liberals quote, "Liberals do intend to replace the Conservative plan to create child care spaces, because their plan didn't work."

 

In my opinion I think that the Conservatives are at fault in this argument. They try to advertise that the Liberal's are taking away child care benefits for good when really they are promising to improve child care in ways the Conservatives could not. This issue seems like an attack on the Liberal party which can only gather support from people who do not know both sides of the story. I think if Conservative citizens read the Liberal's position in child care, it would change their opinion completely.

http://www.liberal.ca/story_14440_e.aspx

900,000 evacuate in Cuba as Hurricane Ike approaches

Hurricane Ike hit Cuba on Monday sending fifty foot swells crashing over the coastline. About 1,000 homes were damaged or destroyed as the massive waves ploughed through the island near Baracoa, Cuba. Over 900,000 people were forced to evacuate to higher ground. About 9,000 tourists were evacuated from Varadera, a popular tourist destination. The storm started as a category 2 hurricane and intensified to a category 3 before hitting Cuba. This hurricane came only nine days after hurricane Gustav and may devastate the island's economy that is dependant on nickel mines, sugar plantations, as well as tourism.

In my opinion I think this storm is an example of Global Warming's devastating effects. A CNN reporter described the hurricane like "the end of the world." If this storm cause 900,000 people to evacuate when it was only a category 3 then other countries within this hurricane's path should prepare. The effects of this storm to Cuba seem similar to Katrina in New Orleans. I don't think much could be done to prepare for storms like these after seeing the devastation they cause.