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.