Katie Tu/Th Boisean starts recall campaign against Luna
Nancy Berto a retired secretary from Mountain home Air Force Base is taking a stand against Tom Luna and his policies. Berto is trying to have Tom Luna recalled. Something that hasn’t been done in over a hundred years and has never been done in Idaho. However with the help of the internet and social media she’s hoping she’ll be able to do it. Berto disputes Luna’s claim for change which include higher class sizes, required online classes and a laptop computer for every high school student. Melissa McGrath a Luna spokesperson said “The people of Idaho spoke in November and made it clear who they wanted to serve as state superintendent and the direction they wanted the public education system to go. Superintendent Luna won more than 60 percent of the vote with a 21 percent margin.” Berto plans to start collecting signatures April 16th which is ninety days from when Luna took office in his second term. Something that is required by law. Berto will then only have seventy five days to finish the job. “She’s got a huge effort in front of her, especially in a heavily Republican state,” said Gary Moncrief, a Boise State University political scientist. “But the social media does make it easier” Only eighteen states allow recall petitions and Idaho happens to be one of the most strict. Berto said her goal is 200,000 signatures. If the effort succeeds, Luna would get five days to resign. If he remained in office, Secretary of State Ben Ysursa would order a special election, either on Aug. 30 or Nov. 8, depending on how quickly petitioners work.
Trial for and ex-Aryan Nations Lawyer Moved to Boise Regan S. This article was about a 65 year old man named Edward Steele who has been accused of hiring a man to kill his wife and her mother. Steele was a lawyer and had represented many controversial people in his career, including an Aryan Nations leader in 2000. Today, Steele’s trial has been delayed until April, which is the third time the defense has been granted a continuance since he was arrested in June. This most interesting part of this investigation is that Steele’s wife, who he was supposedly trying to kill, is actually on his side, insisting that he is innocent. The hit man that Steele is accused of hiring gave tapes up to the prosecutors of recordings that he and Steele had to set up the hit. Steele and his wife both say that the voice on the tapes is not Edward’s, but that will eventually be up to the jury to decide. This article did not include any information about the wife’s mother, who was also supposed to be killed. This makes me wonder whether she thought Steele was innocent or guilty. The article also did not include any sort of background on why Steele may have wanted his wife and mother-in-law killed. The trial is set to begin in mid April; hopefully that will be enough time for the Steele’s lawyers to prepare a good defense, and hopefully no more continuances will be granted and the trial will finally see an outcome.
Kyle Shirley Is Microsoft Hiring for the Next Xbox?
According to IGN investigators, speculation towards the next generation of video game consoles is almost all the proof they need that the new hardware across all platforms will be hitting store shelves soon. Recent job postings on networking website LinkedIn, reveal the company is hiring positions to work on next-generation console architectures in its Xbox division. This posting is speculated to be more used for Beta testing the system, however, rather than beginning to build the actual technology. A Graphics Architect position for Xbox hardware was also posted on the linkedIn sight which is requesting someone to lead a team responsible for "defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation." Gaming producers have lately been releasing new screens of their latest in game graphics engines in process. Unreal Engine 4 and the Crysis 3 engine are two big indicators that the new system take over is about to begin as well mainly due to the fact that no current system can operate nor have the capacity necessary for the graphics engine to function correctly. Which raises the question, why would a company build it in the first place? Additionally, an open Senior Engineer position seeks someone for "development and verification of the Xbox and future platforms," while a third posting for a Senior Performance Architect will be involved in "product definition from early evaluation all the way through high volume manufacturing." Microsoft began work on the current Xbox 360 architecture back in 2003 with the console releasing in 2005. If the two-year development cycle continues, and if these job postings prove to be accurate, the earliest we'll see Microsoft's next console will be 2012 or 2013.”
Aaron Nelson Week 8 post www.physorg.com Some exciting news about life in our universe has been discovered. Richard Hoover a NASA scientist may have found life like organisms in a meteorite. Hoover “sliced open fragments of several types of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, which can contain relatively high levels of water and organic materials, and looked inside with a powerful microscope”. When he did this he found bacteria like creatures called “indigenous fossils”, which are not Earthly in anyway. "The implications are that life is everywhere, and that life on Earth may have come from other planets." Since the beginning of time we as humans have always wondered are there other life in our universe. Most people would say yes there is life in other places, and with these new developments we might be closer to an answer. There will always be skeptics that do not believe in these findings, that is why 100 experts are looking over the findings and will give there scientific opinion once they have a close look at the findings. Over the coming months hopefully we can get a conclusive answer if there is life or not. It is a bit ironic that an alien invasion movie Battle: LA is coming out this Friday. This fuels people to think that there is life out in our universe, will we ever meet them. If we do will they are harmful to us or helpful, the questions can go on and on. In all we will have to wait and see what the evidence shows us, and we can get a good idea of what is out there in the universe.
Classmate arrested in popular death of Nevada girl Source: idahostatesman.com By: Whitney Holm
Micaela "Mickey" Constanzo, a 16-year old native of Westover, NV was reported missing as of last Thursday. Her body has since been recovered in a deserted area between the borders of Utah and Nevada. There were over one hundred volunteers searching for the young girl. Her body was found on Friday. A volunteer found fresh dirt and gathered people to start digging. The suspect in this case is 18-year old, Kody Patten. Kody was an old boyfriend of Micaela’s. He has a new girlfriend at the present time. He is being held in the Elko country jail on suspicion of murder. There has been a limited amount of information for this case. Micaela’s school is in mourning for their classmate’s death. There have been several memorials placed in honor of her life. The autopsy was scheduled for Monday. Results have not yet been released. The high school that Micaela attended has a class of 300 students. The community has been greatly affected by this terrible tragedy. The accused, Kody Patten had planned on joining the Marine Corps in the spring. This may be delayed for an upcoming trial date. I can not imagine what this community is going through. During my high school career there was a student death and there was a very sad time for all of us. It saddens me that such a young girl has been taken away from her family and friends at such an early age. I hope that justice is served and the correct person is sentenced for the wrong they have committed.
When Jay Ricker, owner of the BP gas station off Interstate 70 in Plainfield, Indiana, set the price of unleaded gasoline at $3.44 per gallon on Monday of last week, it was 4 cents higher than the Friday before. That alone might have been irritating to drivers who are paying the highest gas prices seen in more than two years. It was probably more irritating to drivers given the fact that the price of crude oil, which is used to make gasoline, fell almost $1 a barrel.
Gas prices rise when oil prices rise, and fall when oil prices fall—except when they don’t. What you pay at your gas station depends on an array of factors—from what happens on an exchange in New York to what the competition is charging. Unlike an iPhone, a pair of jeans, or a Big Mac, oil and gas are commodities, and their prices can change every second at the New York Mercantile Exchange and other trading hubs. Those far-off changes affect the cost of the next day’s commute.
Sellers of commodities, like gas station owners and refineries, price their product based not on what it costs to produce it, but on what it costs to replace it. Stations like the Plainfield BP must adjust their prices to keep up with changing costs of their shipments.
I found this to be a very interesting article for two reasons: gas prices are on the rise across the nation, affecting millions of commuters, and I happen to work at a gas station. It’s painful to see customers putting $50-$100 worth of gas in their vehicle. My store has been offering a 6-cent fuel discount when customers purchase diesel because it’s the most expensive grade of fuel. We are paying $3.35 per gallon while the gas in Venezuela is only 9 cents per gallon. Something is not adding up here. When the price of fuel increases, the price of product shipment increases, therefore the consumer pays more for the product. It’s crippling our economy. The United States has large oil reserves in such places as Wyoming and Alaska that are sitting idle when we could be drilling that oil and depend less on foreign oil. The foreign oil companies have us right where they want us and unless we change our ways, things are going to get worse before they get better.
Idaho Statesmen: Boise State, Idaho women face off in first round of WAC Tournament
The Boise State Broncos Women’s Basketball team left yesterday for the final round of basketball for the 2010-2011 season. The team headed down to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Western Athletic Conference tournament. The team is ranked 8th right now going into the tournament and is faced with the none other rival, Idaho Vandals. The broncos are picked to only be in Sin City for a day or two due to the lowest seed in the tournament. The Vandals have swept the broncos this year by an average of 18 points for the first time since 1996. Coach Gordy Presnell said that this year’s play from the Western Athletic Conference has been very top heavy, meaning that there are a lot of very old girls. He said that 8 of the 11 first team players are seniors and will be leaving the conference this year. Coach Presnell feels that he does have a very good nucleus of girls and talent from this year’s team. They are young with only 2 seniors on the team and have just extended his contract to 5 more years with the broncos. This season is Coach Presnell’s first losing season in his career as a basketball coach. One of the bronco’s seniors, Melissa Rima said that they are not going to go down this weekend without a fight. They are ready for the Vandals and can’t wait to see what they are going to bring.
Representative Erik Simpson has an idea that he believes would make those on campus safer. Simpson proposed that students, faculty, and staff on college campuses may carry concealed weapons, if they have the correct permit. The concealed weapons would not be allowed in undergraduate dorm rooms.
Jana Hoffman, the writer of this piece, voiced her opinion about this proposition. She says that if Simpson is concerned with safety on campus it would be better to put up metal detectors at each door.
Hoffman doesn’t think that carrying around a gun at all times to protect yourself or others is a good way to live. She mentions the quote by Anne Frank which says, “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” This quote is something that Hoffman thinks should be focused on instead of Simpson’s idea. We should be focusing on the good in others and not focused on the bad that could be done.
She says that the United States would become a scary place if its citizens always had to live on defense. Students and staff have the freedom to learn in a “gun-free zone.”
Hoffman says that, “college is about learning and participating in reasoned discourse.” Her argument continues when she says that students should have the ability to voice their opinion and shouldn’t feel threatened.
If this proposition was passed college campuses would definitely be changed. Some many feel safer, but others may feel threatened. Many people have strong opinions about this proposition from Simpson and it will be interesting to see what happens.
Jacy Skeen Tu/Th Article retrieved from the New York Times on March 10, 2011
Idaho Rancher Revealed as Gangster From Boston For almost two decades Enrico Ponzo has been “missing.” He was a “man made” mobster, who was part of a violent faction intent on ousting the “bosses” of a mob family in Boston in the early 1990’s. In 1997, Mr. Ponzo was charged with crimes that included attempted murder and extortion, and was also a listed target of a contract killing planned by one of the other people charged with him. However he was never arrested because he had been “missing” since 1994. Now jump to Marsing Idaho, and Jeffrey John “Jay” Shaw, who showed up one day in bib overalls and a straw hat. Jay was not a natural rancher, but was always willing to lend a helping hand to move furniture or fix a faulty computer. He was eventually trusted to manage the irrigation system that the town people depended on for water, and began to raise 12 cows on his 12 acres. On February 7, as Jay, or should I say Enrico, drove down the rural roads he was arrested. He admitted to being Enrico from the east and was then extradited to Massachusetts. Many of his friends from Marsing had no idea who Enrico was, and he has since been calling back to Idaho to say his sorrys and tell the town which pipes need to be fix on the irrigation system. The federal marshals arrested him after watching him for over a week, but declined to describe how they tracked him down.
This article is about the recent revision in the Boise State University constitution. The Senate sent the faculty two versions of the new constitution and the faculty was able to decide which one they agreed with. With the new constitution, professors are given more academic freedom and are allowed to discuss more controversial topics with students. Also with the new constitution, Boise State University’s Senate decided to agree with Legislature and prohibit guns on campus even if one has a government permit or license. It is very good to hear that Professor are getting more freedom when it comes to teaching. A lot of the classes can get dull when the professors deliberately deter conversations away from topics the students really care about. It can be really frustrating, especially attending a school in such a conservative state. Students and Professors together should be able to discuss topics that matter and current events to stimulate the classroom experience. I also think that the new no gun policy on campus is a good idea. It’s a comforting thought to know that my peers aren’t carrying a concealed weapon and I also feel that it will make walking on campus at night, alone, safer. I like that this article is updating us on current events going on with our school but it would have also been nice to see some facts from other schools and if other schools have implemented a policy similar to this. Also it would be nice to know statistics of gun crimes on college campuses.
No quiero Taco Bell: Fast food standards are repugnant By Christine Ritchie
This article is about Taco Bell’s beef and the recent studies that have been done in order to test that it is in fact only 35 percent actual beef. Many lawsuits have been brought against the company based on this fact and they are losing customers, rightfully so. The reasons the lawsuits are being brought against them is because USDA standards require that beef be at least 70 percent beef in order to be considered real meat.
This editorial was very strongly written and based on that fact I think the author did a good job. She did her research and made a strong case against Taco Bell and she now has her readers questioning whether or not they want to go back to this popular fast food chain. Personally, I find the whole issue a bit comic. I understand people don’t want to be putting “fillers” into their body, but what do you expect from Taco Bell? You get a taco for 79 cents, do you really expect quality, healthy meat?
Taco Bell did lie about the percentages of their beef, but it really isn’t the end of the world. Sure they lost quite a bit of business, but there are still the loyal fans out there who don’t really care if it’s real meat or not; it tastes delicious and that’s all that matters. I’m going out on a stereotypical limb here as well, but those who eat here don’t strike me at the type of people who are too health conscious of what they put into their bodies.
That being said, I thought the article was well written and entertaining, but I don’t think it was persuasive enough to turn people away from eating Taco Bell.
Kristine D/Mon Reporting and News Writing March 10, 2011 Charlie Sheen Vs. War Casualties original source CNN Website
A status update on Facebook is an appalling reminder of the news media’s coverage of the Afghanistan war. The update was posted someone upset that Charlie Sheen our beloved celebrity drug addict has received non-stop coverage of his continuing debacle while Andrew Wilfahrt, Brian Tabada, and Chauncy Mays soldiers who lost their lives this week for our country, didn’t even receive a media mention. From the Sheens to the Lohans, what good are they doing? What is society doing collectively? How do we wake people up? Andrew Wilfahrt was killed on foot patrol outside Kandahar the same day the media frenzy around Charlie Sheen went into over kill. Andrew was described by his parents as compassionate, smart and witty. He stunned everyone with his decision to enlist. He was gay, didn’t have a wife and a child and in a way went over so that someone with a young family wouldn’t die. Tabada was the youngest, killed February 27th when his patrol was ambushed by insurgents. He joined the Army in 2008 and swiftly racked up an array of medals. Mays was a father of two young girls. He was a highly decorated soldier who saved countless lives disarming hidden bombs in the region. “A leader who led from the front “, says his commanding officer. Since the Sheen story began dominating headlines at least 13 U.S. troops have died supporting the Afghanistan war. Where is the press when the truly newsworthy events are taking place? Probably smoking a pipe with Charlie.
As if you needed another reason to not drink and drive in Idaho - Idaho Statesman
This Idaho Statesman article serves as warning to those who might consider driving under the influence, and as a comfort to those who want to know that they are being protected and served by law enforcement officials. Idaho State Police and the Transportation Department are working together to increase patrols on Friday and Saturday nights. They will focus on impaired drivers and also seatbelt law enforcement. I thought this article was written well. The lead answered the 5W/H except the “why” which was covered over most of the rest of the article in a very effective way. The article gave statistics on DUI cases in Idaho and how many of those cases resulted in deaths as well as the percentage of fatalities that involved not using seatbelts. The statistics were presented effectively and the journalist did not go overboard with facts and figures. The article also offers suggestions on how to keep our roads safer as well as stay out of legal trouble. The advice is good and it is offered in bullet-point format which is very reader-friendly. I always like reading stories where the information is broken into smaller, less intimidating chunks. It is just easier on the eyes and the reader is less likely to be overwhelmed by a block of text. I’m especially happy that this technique was used for this article because of the nature of the advice that is being given. I hope lots of people read it and will think twice before they drink and drive.
msnbc.com: "Tsunami waves from Japan quake hit California coast" by msnbc.com staff and news service reports
First turning on the computer this morning the red bar on the msn.com homepage blared the tsunami warnings and the fact that the tsunami waves hitting the west coast of the United States, like Oregon and California. How many people who are like me worrying about family members that they last knew were either visiting or living around that very coast or the Hawaian Islands? I know that I'm suppose to be writing this in third person but it's kind of hard when you're being personally effected by what is going on. There are hundreds reported dead or missing in Japan, will there deaths due to the tsunami also be added to the death toll? I remeber researching a tsunami that hit Hawaii at least 60 or more years ago where there was at least 30 people killed (but my estimate might be a little off in one way or another on both how long ago and how many dead, this is purely from memory) and while I know that there are people who monitor such things it's in my nature to be concern for family members that I care about. My prayers are not only with those I care about but also with the people in Japan and in the west coast that I'm not related to. Only time will tell what is going to happen.
Larisa Gavrilyuk Mon 6-9 Class CNN http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/11/tsunami/index.html?hpt=T1
Damage reported at California, Hawaii ports, harbors
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan has reached the United States. California and Hawaii both have been affected by the waves of Tsunami. Crescent City, California, was hammered by at least three tsunami waves, including one reaching a record 8.1 feet. Many harbors through out California and Oregon have suffered damage to the docks. All the coast areas have been issued warnings to evacuate and stay clear form the harbors, and beaches and try to stay away from water as far as possible. The tsunami brought waves of about 6 feet to a harbor in Maui, authorities said, but other areas reported lower levels, including Honolulu at 2.2 feet and Hilo at 4.3. The waves have washed up the fish from the ocean and also there were damages to the harbors in those areas. Everyone has been cooperating with the officials and evacuated the areas as advised. This is not a one big wave that will hit one time and stop this is something that can go on for hours through out the day. It appeared the state's residents had heeded calls to move away from the coast. Honolulu officials told residents to "be aware that inundation effects could continue for several hours." Also in Hawaii many roads were closed due to the warnings. Obama said he instructed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be prepared to help Hawaii and other U.S. regions "that could be affected" by the disaster. Many people in the United States are sad what has happened in Japan, yet many are relieved that our damage was not as great as in Japan.
Joe Ross T/TH NCAA verdict for skidding Villanova could be an 11 seed Philly.com
The story for the Villanova Men's basketball team has gotten worse. The late regular season losing skid has ended simply because there are no regular season games. Nova started the season out 16-1 and finished the regular season 21-10. That losing skid continued in the Big East conference tournament. Villanova dropped the first round match up agaisnt South Florida, the second worst team in the Big East. Despite the losing the Wildcats have experienced late in the season, Villanova is still projected to be in the NCAA tournament. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently has Villanova as an 11 seed with a match up against Texas A&M. Despite the losing Head Coach Jay Wright still feels that the Wildcats are capable of beating any team in the country. He feels that the team still has the ability of being the same team that started the season 16-1 and also capable of making a run in the NCAA tournament.
Idaho Statesman: Players’ Union Decertifies as Talks Break Down The National Football League Players Association has officially decertified itself as a union and will be locked out until a new collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the players and the owners of every National Football League team. The common issues for the breaking down of the owners and the players are: how to divide $9 billion dollars of shared revenue between the owners and players. The owners are upset because they only get $1 billion out of the deal and they want more. The players are upset because the owners have no justification for why they “need” another billion dollars. The owners have been reluctant on giving up their financial records for proof of why they need the extra billion. Another thing is the rookie wage scale, which reduces the amount of money that rookies can receive with their draft status. The players want tenure and the owners just want to pay the players less. The owners also want an 18 game season, yet they want to pay the players less? This is why there is no chance of this deal getting done unless there’s a compromise between the two sides. The owners need to give up their money to the players and the players provide them with a gigantic service that is the most profitable sporting league in the world. Everyone will miss the game of football, this needs to get done. As of right now there will be no National League Football next year until a new collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the players and the owners. No training camp, no free agent deals, no trading, no rookie contracts, no football operations, no nothing until the agreement has been reached.
Today the entire Pacific region stretching from Japan all the way to Alaska and down the western coast of the United States and Canada was sent into fear after tsunami warning went into effect in the early morning hours. The tsunami was triggered by a massive 8.9 earthquake below Japan. The affects were immediately felt throughout Japan as citizens braved the catastrophic aftermath. Boats were lost, harbors destroyed, huge waves carrying masses of debris wiped out many parts of the islands east coast all in only a few hours. Photos depict residents huddling in their homes while their roofs are literally caving in. Amidst the tsunami waves, fires throughout the country blazed out of control. Early reports estimate that over 300 lives were lost and many more reported missing. The quake centered at a shallow 15 miles below the Earth’s surface, sent shock waves in all directions. The Tsunami alert system was in full effect for the rest of the Pacific region. Buoys throughout the ocean monitor the swells generated by the massive quake and provide the monitors with details and expectations of the waves to come. Hawaii was in the line of the storm and initiated evacuation procedures for the coastal areas, luckily the swells went around the small islands and had little affect besides slight beach damage in Waikiki. The Oregon coast was also in evacuation mode as alarms rang out at 2 am this morning. Fortunately US coast line suffered minimal damage from the waves. Now comes the after effects that follow a large scale natural disaster and those are the clean up and support of Japan and the losses they suffered today.
The article I read was about a man, Ramon Benavides Ramirez, who stabbed his stepson, Moses Ibarra, to death last September. Ramirez was 34, was charged with second degree murder. According to Find Law, second degree murder is defined as: 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable "heat of passion" or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life. Second-degree murder may best be viewed as the middle ground between first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. On September 11th, Ramirez and stepson Ibarra got into a heated debate at a residence on North Stanford Street in Nampa. According to prosecutors, Ramirez grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Ibarra one time in the heart. Police officers reported to a disturbance call at the home at about 1:37 a.m. Upon arrival, they found out that Ibarra had been taken to Mercy Medical Center in a private vehicle. He died there shortly after. Investigators in the case identified Ramirez as the suspect and apprehended him at about 3 p.m. in the 1400 block of West Flamingo Avenue. If Ramirez receives the maximum sentence for manslaughter, he could serve up to 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25th at 1:30 p.m.
Idaho Statesman: "Jury finds man guilty of voluntary manslaughter in stabbing death of his stepson in Nampa last year"
This article depicts the fate of Ramon Benavides Ramirez, who was found guilty of manslaughter in the stabbing death of Moses Ibarra. Ramirez was originally charged with second-degree murder with regards to Ibarra, who happened to be his stepson.
The article informs the reader the back story behind the gruesome scene. On September 11, Ramirez and Ibarra were in an argument at a residence on North Stanford Street in Nampa, Idaho. Investigators say that the argument got heated and Ramirez grabbed a cooking knife and forced the murder weapon into the chest of Ibarra, fatally striking his heart.
The Statesman also details the events following the stabbing. The Nampa police department responded to a dispatch around 1:30 a.m on the night of September 11, 2010. When the officers arrived at the scene of the crime, bystanders informed them that Ibarra's bleeding body had been taken to Mercy Medical Center, where he would die not too long after arriving.
Nampa authorities located Ramirez as their primary suspect and later found him that afternoon of West Flamingo avenue. The article outlines the penalty for voluntary manslaughter, which is 15 years in prison. Ramirez is expected to be sentenced on the 25th of April.
Boise State Rally Can’t Catch Utah State in WAC Final
Idaho Statesman
The Boise State Broncos chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament came to an end Saturday night as the Broncos lost in the final match to Utah State. It was the Broncos third loss to the Aggies this season, and could not have come at a worse time. Because of this loss the Broncos will have to settle for a tournament besides the NCAA one, which could be an NIT or similar tournament. The Broncos are looking into other options as to where to go from here and could be playing in a game as early as Tuesday, either home or away. The Broncos closed the lead down to within five points with under ten minutes to play, but just couldn’t catch the Aggies. Boise State was up big close to the end of the half, but then Utah State went on a seventeen to zero run, that put them up big, and eventually out of reach. The Aggies finished the season with thirty wins and just three losses, number twenty three in the country in ranking, and a spot in the national tournament. The Aggies shot twenty three of twenty six from the free throw line, shot fifty three percent from the field. Although the Broncos lost, Coach Rice was very pleased with his team’s effort, and was proud of the way they fought. For the Broncos, it will mean the coming to an end for the careers of nine seniors.
Massive 'quake rips through Japan, launches tsunami Orlando Sentinel
I've never watched so much news in my life until this weekend, as the "apocalyptic" events in Japan unfolded, radiating throughout the world like ripples in a pond. The death toll continues to rise, and each day I become increasingly worried about my exchange student who recently moved back to Japan. Reading news stories like these make me worry even more; boats were swept away, trains disappeared. Has she not thought of getting on her Facebook, or is the internet down, or has something worse happened? I think for a of people who aren't personally connected to Japan, it's more of a situation where you watch the news...the disaster, the distraught people...and while you feel terrible for these people, you're secretly glad is isn't you. It's horrible. I heard someone make racist comments the other day---ignorant comments, i might add---about how Japan is a third-world country and that because they have such a huge population, it's probably good that so many perished in the tragic event. I was furious. First of all, they didn't have their facts right. Regardless, who are people to dictate who should die and who shouldn't? What if your family is there? I wait in anticipation to hear from my friend, I hope the deceased rest in peace and I hope the remaining find the strength to carry on.
Meridian man charged with murder for shooting local attorney Emmett Corrigan being held in Ada County jail with no bond- Idaho Statesman
At about 10 pm Friday night police were called to the Walgreen’s Pharmacy at the corner of McMillan and Linder Streets for shots fired. When they arrived at the scene, two males were down, one with a fatal gunshot wounds to the head and chest, the other with a superficial gunshot wound. The man with the superficial wound was taken to the hospital for treatment but police say he is the suspect in the shooting. The victim was 30-year-old Emmett Corrigan, a local criminal defense attorney. Police believe the suspect confronted the victim in the Walgreen’s parking lot over domestic issues (specifics were not released). When the suspect pulled his gun, the two men struggled. Evidence suggests that the suspect purposely harmed himself. Police arrested 42-year-old Robert Dean Hall on Sunday after he was released from the hospital for treatment of his head wound. During Hall’s arraignment, Ada County prosecutors were able to give a more detailed account of what happened that night. Hall’s wife was an employee of Corrigan and the two met in the parking lot of Walgreen’s shortly before 10 pm that night. Hall found out that Corrigan and his wife were together. He called his wife, she informed him that she was with Corrigan and said they were returning to the parking lot. Hall met them there. At that point Hall and Corrigan got into an argument and Hall shot Corrigan in the head and chest. Hall is charged with first degree murder. He did not enter a plea.
Due to the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated Japan last Thursday, the three nuclear reactors have had emergency cooling systems shut down. The result is catastrophic. Nuclear reactor unit #2 has had its core partially melted due to the fact that the cooling mechanism had shut down. Seawater is now being poured into all three reactors to try to prevent more overheating.
The reactors are also experiencing explosions, and crew members are being evacuated. A minor explosion was heard at the reactor unit #2 on Saturday, and a larger explosion—able to be felt from 25 miles away—was heard at the same reactor on Sunday. Reactor #3 has also been experiencing minor explosions.
Radiation leakage is a top concern with these nuclear stations. Partial radioactive contamination has been spread out from the reactors, but not above legal limits. Officials are trying to lessen the radioactive activity by pouring elements into the water that would remove radioactive harm. A U.S. navy boat that was ordered back to the U.S. has shown to be contaminated with radioactivity. Radioactivity limits have also been passed just today, and Japanese officials explain that if the uranium core melts through the outer layer in one of the reactors, widespread radiation and health problems will ensue.
Emily Bill gives ID doctors legal shield in driving cases
A bill designed to protect Idaho physicians from legal action after they make recommendations of a patients driving ability is headed to the Senate for approval on March 8, 2011. Often, lawsuits are filed against Idaho physicians who have contacted the Idaho Department of Transportation to recommend that a driver’s privileges be revoked, after deeming a patient incompetent to drive. Physicians cite Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Epilepsy, and seizures as reasons for these recommendations. Many drivers are frustrated by the actions of these physicians, and if it is illegal to file suit against them, many doctors may feel more comfortable when making these recommendations. How many of us feel comfortable driving on the same roads with those who don’t know what they’re doing, where they’re going, or those who may suffer from convulsions or simply fall asleep at any time while behind the wheel? Doctors making these recommendations certainly know more about a patient/driver than the employee behind the counter at the DMV. If they feel it’s in the best interest of their patient and for the safety of others, it should not be legal to file suit against a physician who speaks to the Idaho Department of Transportation.
Katie
ReplyDeleteTu/Th
Boisean starts recall campaign against Luna
Nancy Berto a retired secretary from Mountain home Air Force Base is taking a stand against Tom Luna and his policies. Berto is trying to have Tom Luna recalled. Something that hasn’t been done in over a hundred years and has never been done in Idaho. However with the help of the internet and social media she’s hoping she’ll be able to do it. Berto disputes Luna’s claim for change which include higher class sizes, required online classes and a laptop computer for every high school student. Melissa McGrath a Luna spokesperson said “The people of Idaho spoke in November and made it clear who they wanted to serve as state superintendent and the direction they wanted the public education system to go. Superintendent Luna won more than 60 percent of the vote with a 21 percent margin.” Berto plans to start collecting signatures April 16th which is ninety days from when Luna took office in his second term. Something that is required by law. Berto will then only have seventy five days to finish the job. “She’s got a huge effort in front of her, especially in a heavily Republican state,” said Gary Moncrief, a Boise State University political scientist. “But the social media does make it easier” Only eighteen states allow recall petitions and Idaho happens to be one of the most strict. Berto said her goal is 200,000 signatures. If the effort succeeds, Luna would get five days to resign. If he remained in office, Secretary of State Ben Ysursa would order a special election, either on Aug. 30 or Nov. 8, depending on how quickly petitioners work.
Trial for and ex-Aryan Nations Lawyer Moved to Boise
ReplyDeleteRegan S.
This article was about a 65 year old man named Edward Steele who has been accused of hiring a man to kill his wife and her mother. Steele was a lawyer and had represented many controversial people in his career, including an Aryan Nations leader in 2000. Today, Steele’s trial has been delayed until April, which is the third time the defense has been granted a continuance since he was arrested in June.
This most interesting part of this investigation is that Steele’s wife, who he was supposedly trying to kill, is actually on his side, insisting that he is innocent. The hit man that Steele is accused of hiring gave tapes up to the prosecutors of recordings that he and Steele had to set up the hit. Steele and his wife both say that the voice on the tapes is not Edward’s, but that will eventually be up to the jury to decide.
This article did not include any information about the wife’s mother, who was also supposed to be killed. This makes me wonder whether she thought Steele was innocent or guilty. The article also did not include any sort of background on why Steele may have wanted his wife and mother-in-law killed. The trial is set to begin in mid April; hopefully that will be enough time for the Steele’s lawyers to prepare a good defense, and hopefully no more continuances will be granted and the trial will finally see an outcome.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/08/1556415/trial-for-ex-aryan-nations-lawyer.html
Kyle Shirley
ReplyDeleteIs Microsoft Hiring for the Next Xbox?
According to IGN investigators, speculation towards the next generation of video game consoles is almost all the proof they need that the new hardware across all platforms will be hitting store shelves soon. Recent job postings on networking website LinkedIn, reveal the company is hiring positions to work on next-generation console architectures in its Xbox division. This posting is speculated to be more used for Beta testing the system, however, rather than beginning to build the actual technology. A Graphics Architect position for Xbox hardware was also posted on the linkedIn sight which is requesting someone to lead a team responsible for "defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation." Gaming producers have lately been releasing new screens of their latest in game graphics engines in process. Unreal Engine 4 and the Crysis 3 engine are two big indicators that the new system take over is about to begin as well mainly due to the fact that no current system can operate nor have the capacity necessary for the graphics engine to function correctly. Which raises the question, why would a company build it in the first place? Additionally, an open Senior Engineer position seeks someone for "development and verification of the Xbox and future platforms," while a third posting for a Senior Performance Architect will be involved in "product definition from early evaluation all the way through high volume manufacturing." Microsoft began work on the current Xbox 360 architecture back in 2003 with the console releasing in 2005. If the two-year development cycle continues, and if these job postings prove to be accurate, the earliest we'll see Microsoft's next console will be 2012 or 2013.”
Aaron Nelson
ReplyDeleteWeek 8 post
www.physorg.com
Some exciting news about life in our universe has been discovered. Richard Hoover a NASA scientist may have found life like organisms in a meteorite. Hoover “sliced open fragments of several types of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, which can contain relatively high levels of water and organic materials, and looked inside with a powerful microscope”. When he did this he found bacteria like creatures called “indigenous fossils”, which are not Earthly in anyway. "The implications are that life is everywhere, and that life on Earth may have come from other planets." Since the beginning of time we as humans have always wondered are there other life in our universe. Most people would say yes there is life in other places, and with these new developments we might be closer to an answer. There will always be skeptics that do not believe in these findings, that is why 100 experts are looking over the findings and will give there scientific opinion once they have a close look at the findings. Over the coming months hopefully we can get a conclusive answer if there is life or not. It is a bit ironic that an alien invasion movie Battle: LA is coming out this Friday. This fuels people to think that there is life out in our universe, will we ever meet them. If we do will they are harmful to us or helpful, the questions can go on and on. In all we will have to wait and see what the evidence shows us, and we can get a good idea of what is out there in the universe.
Classmate arrested in popular death of Nevada girl
ReplyDeleteSource: idahostatesman.com
By: Whitney Holm
Micaela "Mickey" Constanzo, a 16-year old native of Westover, NV was reported missing as of last Thursday. Her body has since been recovered in a deserted area between the borders of Utah and Nevada. There were over one hundred volunteers searching for the young girl. Her body was found on Friday. A volunteer found fresh dirt and gathered people to start digging. The suspect in this case is 18-year old, Kody Patten. Kody was an old boyfriend of Micaela’s. He has a new girlfriend at the present time. He is being held in the Elko country jail on suspicion of murder. There has been a limited amount of information for this case. Micaela’s school is in mourning for their classmate’s death. There have been several memorials placed in honor of her life. The autopsy was scheduled for Monday. Results have not yet been released.
The high school that Micaela attended has a class of 300 students. The community has been greatly affected by this terrible tragedy. The accused, Kody Patten had planned on joining the Marine Corps in the spring. This may be delayed for an upcoming trial date.
I can not imagine what this community is going through. During my high school career there was a student death and there was a very sad time for all of us. It saddens me that such a young girl has been taken away from her family and friends at such an early age. I hope that justice is served and the correct person is sentenced for the wrong they have committed.
Jarrod Driskell
ReplyDeleteT/TH
AP/Idaho Press-Tribune
Gas Prices Are About More Than Just Oil
When Jay Ricker, owner of the BP gas station off Interstate 70 in Plainfield, Indiana, set the price of unleaded gasoline at $3.44 per gallon on Monday of last week, it was 4 cents higher than the Friday before. That alone might have been irritating to drivers who are paying the highest gas prices seen in more than two years. It was probably more irritating to drivers given the fact that the price of crude oil, which is used to make gasoline, fell almost $1 a barrel.
Gas prices rise when oil prices rise, and fall when oil prices fall—except when they don’t. What you pay at your gas station depends on an array of factors—from what happens on an exchange in New York to what the competition is charging. Unlike an iPhone, a pair of jeans, or a Big Mac, oil and gas are commodities, and their prices can change every second at the New York Mercantile Exchange and other trading hubs. Those far-off changes affect the cost of the next day’s commute.
Sellers of commodities, like gas station owners and refineries, price their product based not on what it costs to produce it, but on what it costs to replace it. Stations like the Plainfield BP must adjust their prices to keep up with changing costs of their shipments.
I found this to be a very interesting article for two reasons: gas prices are on the rise across the nation, affecting millions of commuters, and I happen to work at a gas station. It’s painful to see customers putting $50-$100 worth of gas in their vehicle. My store has been offering a 6-cent fuel discount when customers purchase diesel because it’s the most expensive grade of fuel. We are paying $3.35 per gallon while the gas in Venezuela is only 9 cents per gallon. Something is not adding up here. When the price of fuel increases, the price of product shipment increases, therefore the consumer pays more for the product. It’s crippling our economy. The United States has large oil reserves in such places as Wyoming and Alaska that are sitting idle when we could be drilling that oil and depend less on foreign oil. The foreign oil companies have us right where they want us and unless we change our ways, things are going to get worse before they get better.
Kelly Sweeney
ReplyDeleteIdaho Statesmen: Boise State, Idaho women face off in first round of WAC Tournament
The Boise State Broncos Women’s Basketball team left yesterday for the final round of basketball for the 2010-2011 season. The team headed down to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Western Athletic Conference tournament. The team is ranked 8th right now going into the tournament and is faced with the none other rival, Idaho Vandals. The broncos are picked to only be in Sin City for a day or two due to the lowest seed in the tournament. The Vandals have swept the broncos this year by an average of 18 points for the first time since 1996. Coach Gordy Presnell said that this year’s play from the Western Athletic Conference has been very top heavy, meaning that there are a lot of very old girls. He said that 8 of the 11 first team players are seniors and will be leaving the conference this year. Coach Presnell feels that he does have a very good nucleus of girls and talent from this year’s team. They are young with only 2 seniors on the team and have just extended his contract to 5 more years with the broncos. This season is Coach Presnell’s first losing season in his career as a basketball coach. One of the bronco’s seniors, Melissa Rima said that they are not going to go down this weekend without a fight. They are ready for the Vandals and can’t wait to see what they are going to bring.
Guns on campus, bad idea- Arbiter Online
ReplyDeleteSydney Gill
Representative Erik Simpson has an idea that he believes would make those on campus safer. Simpson proposed that students, faculty, and staff on college campuses may carry concealed weapons, if they have the correct permit. The concealed weapons would not be allowed in undergraduate dorm rooms.
Jana Hoffman, the writer of this piece, voiced her opinion about this proposition. She says that if Simpson is concerned with safety on campus it would be better to put up metal detectors at each door.
Hoffman doesn’t think that carrying around a gun at all times to protect yourself or others is a good way to live. She mentions the quote by Anne Frank which says, “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” This quote is something that Hoffman thinks should be focused on instead of Simpson’s idea. We should be focusing on the good in others and not focused on the bad that could be done.
She says that the United States would become a scary place if its citizens always had to live on defense. Students and staff have the freedom to learn in a “gun-free zone.”
Hoffman says that, “college is about learning and participating in reasoned discourse.” Her argument continues when she says that students should have the ability to voice their opinion and shouldn’t feel threatened.
If this proposition was passed college campuses would definitely be changed. Some many feel safer, but others may feel threatened. Many people have strong opinions about this proposition from Simpson and it will be interesting to see what happens.
Jacy Skeen
ReplyDeleteTu/Th
Article retrieved from the New York Times on March 10, 2011
Idaho Rancher Revealed as Gangster From Boston
For almost two decades Enrico Ponzo has been “missing.” He was a “man made” mobster, who was part of a violent faction intent on ousting the “bosses” of a mob family in Boston in the early 1990’s. In 1997, Mr. Ponzo was charged with crimes that included attempted murder and extortion, and was also a listed target of a contract killing planned by one of the other people charged with him. However he was never arrested because he had been “missing” since 1994.
Now jump to Marsing Idaho, and Jeffrey John “Jay” Shaw, who showed up one day in bib overalls and a straw hat. Jay was not a natural rancher, but was always willing to lend a helping hand to move furniture or fix a faulty computer. He was eventually trusted to manage the irrigation system that the town people depended on for water, and began to raise 12 cows on his 12 acres.
On February 7, as Jay, or should I say Enrico, drove down the rural roads he was arrested. He admitted to being Enrico from the east and was then extradited to Massachusetts.
Many of his friends from Marsing had no idea who Enrico was, and he has since been calling back to Idaho to say his sorrys and tell the town which pipes need to be fix on the irrigation system.
The federal marshals arrested him after watching him for over a week, but declined to describe how they tracked him down.
Shantel Darrah
ReplyDeleteArbiter Online “Faculty Senate approves of expanding liberties, prohibiting guns.”
This article is about the recent revision in the Boise State University constitution. The Senate sent the faculty two versions of the new constitution and the faculty was able to decide which one they agreed with. With the new constitution, professors are given more academic freedom and are allowed to discuss more controversial topics with students. Also with the new constitution, Boise State University’s Senate decided to agree with Legislature and prohibit guns on campus even if one has a government permit or license.
It is very good to hear that Professor are getting more freedom when it comes to teaching. A lot of the classes can get dull when the professors deliberately deter conversations away from topics the students really care about. It can be really frustrating, especially attending a school in such a conservative state. Students and Professors together should be able to discuss topics that matter and current events to stimulate the classroom experience.
I also think that the new no gun policy on campus is a good idea. It’s a comforting thought to know that my peers aren’t carrying a concealed weapon and I also feel that it will make walking on campus at night, alone, safer.
I like that this article is updating us on current events going on with our school but it would have also been nice to see some facts from other schools and if other schools have implemented a policy similar to this. Also it would be nice to know statistics of gun crimes on college campuses.
Sara Cray
ReplyDeletehttp://arbiteronline.com/2011/03/10/taco-bells-beef-exemplifies-low-processed-food-standards/
No quiero Taco Bell: Fast food standards are repugnant
By Christine Ritchie
This article is about Taco Bell’s beef and the recent studies that have been done in order to test that it is in fact only 35 percent actual beef. Many lawsuits have been brought against the company based on this fact and they are losing customers, rightfully so. The reasons the lawsuits are being brought against them is because USDA standards require that beef be at least 70 percent beef in order to be considered real meat.
This editorial was very strongly written and based on that fact I think the author did a good job. She did her research and made a strong case against Taco Bell and she now has her readers questioning whether or not they want to go back to this popular fast food chain. Personally, I find the whole issue a bit comic. I understand people don’t want to be putting “fillers” into their body, but what do you expect from Taco Bell? You get a taco for 79 cents, do you really expect quality, healthy meat?
Taco Bell did lie about the percentages of their beef, but it really isn’t the end of the world. Sure they lost quite a bit of business, but there are still the loyal fans out there who don’t really care if it’s real meat or not; it tastes delicious and that’s all that matters. I’m going out on a stereotypical limb here as well, but those who eat here don’t strike me at the type of people who are too health conscious of what they put into their bodies.
That being said, I thought the article was well written and entertaining, but I don’t think it was persuasive enough to turn people away from eating Taco Bell.
Kristine D/Mon
ReplyDeleteReporting and News Writing
March 10, 2011
Charlie Sheen Vs. War Casualties original source CNN Website
A status update on Facebook is an appalling reminder of the news media’s coverage of the Afghanistan war.
The update was posted someone upset that Charlie Sheen our beloved celebrity drug addict has received non-stop coverage of his continuing debacle while Andrew Wilfahrt, Brian Tabada, and Chauncy Mays soldiers who lost their lives this week for our country, didn’t even receive a media mention.
From the Sheens to the Lohans, what good are they doing? What is society doing collectively? How do we wake people up?
Andrew Wilfahrt was killed on foot patrol outside Kandahar the same day the media frenzy around Charlie Sheen went into over kill. Andrew was described by his parents as compassionate, smart and witty. He stunned everyone with his decision to enlist. He was gay, didn’t have a wife and a child and in a way went over so that someone with a young family wouldn’t die.
Tabada was the youngest, killed February 27th when his patrol was ambushed by insurgents. He joined the Army in 2008 and swiftly racked up an array of medals.
Mays was a father of two young girls. He was a highly decorated soldier who saved countless lives disarming hidden bombs in the region. “A leader who led from the front “, says his commanding officer.
Since the Sheen story began dominating headlines at least 13 U.S. troops have died supporting the Afghanistan war. Where is the press when the truly newsworthy events are taking place?
Probably smoking a pipe with Charlie.
Lindsey Hileman
ReplyDeleteAs if you needed another reason to not drink and drive in Idaho
- Idaho Statesman
This Idaho Statesman article serves as warning to those who might consider driving under the influence, and as a comfort to those who want to know that they are being protected and served by law enforcement officials. Idaho State Police and the Transportation Department are working together to increase patrols on Friday and Saturday nights. They will focus on impaired drivers and also seatbelt law enforcement.
I thought this article was written well. The lead answered the 5W/H except the “why” which was covered over most of the rest of the article in a very effective way. The article gave statistics on DUI cases in Idaho and how many of those cases resulted in deaths as well as the percentage of fatalities that involved not using seatbelts. The statistics were presented effectively and the journalist did not go overboard with facts and figures.
The article also offers suggestions on how to keep our roads safer as well as stay out of legal trouble. The advice is good and it is offered in bullet-point format which is very reader-friendly. I always like reading stories where the information is broken into smaller, less intimidating chunks. It is just easier on the eyes and the reader is less likely to be overwhelmed by a block of text. I’m especially happy that this technique was used for this article because of the nature of the advice that is being given. I hope lots of people read it and will think twice before they drink and drive.
Marijane Weitensteiner T/Th 1:40 Class
ReplyDeletemsnbc.com: "Tsunami waves from Japan quake hit California coast" by msnbc.com staff and news service reports
First turning on the computer this morning the red bar on the msn.com homepage blared the tsunami warnings and the fact that the tsunami waves hitting the west coast of the United States, like Oregon and California. How many people who are like me worrying about family members that they last knew were either visiting or living around that very coast or the Hawaian Islands? I know that I'm suppose to be writing this in third person but it's kind of hard when you're being personally effected by what is going on. There are hundreds reported dead or missing in Japan, will there deaths due to the tsunami also be added to the death toll? I remeber researching a tsunami that hit Hawaii at least 60 or more years ago where there was at least 30 people killed (but my estimate might be a little off in one way or another on both how long ago and how many dead, this is purely from memory) and while I know that there are people who monitor such things it's in my nature to be concern for family members that I care about. My prayers are not only with those I care about but also with the people in Japan and in the west coast that I'm not related to. Only time will tell what is going to happen.
Larisa Gavrilyuk
ReplyDeleteMon 6-9 Class
CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/11/tsunami/index.html?hpt=T1
Damage reported at California, Hawaii ports, harbors
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan has reached the United States. California and Hawaii both have been affected by the waves of Tsunami. Crescent City, California, was hammered by at least three tsunami waves, including one reaching a record 8.1 feet. Many harbors through out California and Oregon have suffered damage to the docks. All the coast areas have been issued warnings to evacuate and stay clear form the harbors, and beaches and try to stay away from water as far as possible. The tsunami brought waves of about 6 feet to a harbor in Maui, authorities said, but other areas reported lower levels, including Honolulu at 2.2 feet and Hilo at 4.3. The waves have washed up the fish from the ocean and also there were damages to the harbors in those areas. Everyone has been cooperating with the officials and evacuated the areas as advised. This is not a one big wave that will hit one time and stop this is something that can go on for hours through out the day. It appeared the state's residents had heeded calls to move away from the coast. Honolulu officials told residents to "be aware that inundation effects could continue for several hours." Also in Hawaii many roads were closed due to the warnings. Obama said he instructed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be prepared to help Hawaii and other U.S. regions "that could be affected" by the disaster. Many people in the United States are sad what has happened in Japan, yet many are relieved that our damage was not as great as in Japan.
Joe Ross T/TH
ReplyDeleteNCAA verdict for skidding Villanova could be an 11 seed
Philly.com
The story for the Villanova Men's basketball team has gotten worse. The late regular season losing skid has ended simply because there are no regular season games. Nova started the season out 16-1 and finished the regular season 21-10. That losing skid continued in the Big East conference tournament. Villanova dropped the first round match up agaisnt South Florida, the second worst team in the Big East. Despite the losing the Wildcats have experienced late in the season, Villanova is still projected to be in the NCAA tournament. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently has Villanova as an 11 seed with a match up against Texas A&M. Despite the losing Head Coach Jay Wright still feels that the Wildcats are capable of beating any team in the country. He feels that the team still has the ability of being the same team that started the season 16-1 and also capable of making a run in the NCAA tournament.
John Lloyd
ReplyDeleteIdaho Statesman: Players’ Union Decertifies as Talks Break Down
The National Football League Players Association has officially decertified itself as a union and will be locked out until a new collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the players and the owners of every National Football League team.
The common issues for the breaking down of the owners and the players are: how to divide $9 billion dollars of shared revenue between the owners and players. The owners are upset because they only get $1 billion out of the deal and they want more. The players are upset because the owners have no justification for why they “need” another billion dollars. The owners have been reluctant on giving up their financial records for proof of why they need the extra billion.
Another thing is the rookie wage scale, which reduces the amount of money that rookies can receive with their draft status. The players want tenure and the owners just want to pay the players less. The owners also want an 18 game season, yet they want to pay the players less? This is why there is no chance of this deal getting done unless there’s a compromise between the two sides.
The owners need to give up their money to the players and the players provide them with a gigantic service that is the most profitable sporting league in the world. Everyone will miss the game of football, this needs to get done.
As of right now there will be no National League Football next year until a new collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the players and the owners. No training camp, no free agent deals, no trading, no rookie contracts, no football operations, no nothing until the agreement has been reached.
Hunter White
ReplyDeleteToday the entire Pacific region stretching from Japan all the way to Alaska and down the western coast of the United States and Canada was sent into fear after tsunami warning went into effect in the early morning hours. The tsunami was triggered by a massive 8.9 earthquake below Japan. The affects were immediately felt throughout Japan as citizens braved the catastrophic aftermath. Boats were lost, harbors destroyed, huge waves carrying masses of debris wiped out many parts of the islands east coast all in only a few hours. Photos depict residents huddling in their homes while their roofs are literally caving in. Amidst the tsunami waves, fires throughout the country blazed out of control. Early reports estimate that over 300 lives were lost and many more reported missing.
The quake centered at a shallow 15 miles below the Earth’s surface, sent shock waves in all directions. The Tsunami alert system was in full effect for the rest of the Pacific region. Buoys throughout the ocean monitor the swells generated by the massive quake and provide the monitors with details and expectations of the waves to come. Hawaii was in the line of the storm and initiated evacuation procedures for the coastal areas, luckily the swells went around the small islands and had little affect besides slight beach damage in Waikiki. The Oregon coast was also in evacuation mode as alarms rang out at 2 am this morning. Fortunately US coast line suffered minimal damage from the waves. Now comes the after effects that follow a large scale natural disaster and those are the clean up and support of Japan and the losses they suffered today.
Kyle Blackhurst
ReplyDeleteJury Finds Man Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter
The article I read was about a man, Ramon Benavides Ramirez, who stabbed his stepson, Moses Ibarra, to death last September. Ramirez was 34, was charged with second degree murder. According to Find Law, second degree murder is defined as: 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable "heat of passion" or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life. Second-degree murder may best be viewed as the middle ground between first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.
On September 11th, Ramirez and stepson Ibarra got into a heated debate at a residence on North Stanford Street in Nampa. According to prosecutors, Ramirez grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Ibarra one time in the heart. Police officers reported to a disturbance call at the home at about 1:37 a.m. Upon arrival, they found out that Ibarra had been taken to Mercy Medical Center in a private vehicle. He died there shortly after.
Investigators in the case identified Ramirez as the suspect and apprehended him at about 3 p.m. in the 1400 block of West Flamingo Avenue. If Ramirez receives the maximum sentence for manslaughter, he could serve up to 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25th at 1:30 p.m.
Kyle Blackhurst
ReplyDeleteSource:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/11/1562540/jury-finds-man-guilty-of-voluntary.html
From: David Lowenthal
ReplyDeleteIdaho Statesman: "Jury finds man guilty of voluntary manslaughter in stabbing death of his stepson in Nampa last year"
This article depicts the fate of Ramon Benavides Ramirez, who was found guilty of manslaughter in the stabbing death of Moses Ibarra. Ramirez was originally charged with second-degree murder with regards to Ibarra, who happened to be his stepson.
The article informs the reader the back story behind the gruesome scene. On September 11, Ramirez and Ibarra were in an argument at a residence on North Stanford Street in Nampa, Idaho. Investigators say that the argument got heated and Ramirez grabbed a cooking knife and forced the murder weapon into the chest of Ibarra, fatally striking his heart.
The Statesman also details the events following the stabbing. The Nampa police department responded to a dispatch around 1:30 a.m on the night of September 11, 2010. When the officers arrived at the scene of the crime, bystanders informed them that Ibarra's bleeding body had been taken to Mercy Medical Center, where he would die not too long after arriving.
Nampa authorities located Ramirez as their primary suspect and later found him that afternoon of West Flamingo avenue. The article outlines the penalty for voluntary manslaughter, which is 15 years in prison. Ramirez is expected to be sentenced on the 25th of April.
Ebenezer Makinde
ReplyDeleteBoise State Rally Can’t Catch Utah State in WAC Final
Idaho Statesman
The Boise State Broncos chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament came to an end Saturday night as the Broncos lost in the final match to Utah State. It was the Broncos third loss to the Aggies this season, and could not have come at a worse time. Because of this loss the Broncos will have to settle for a tournament besides the NCAA one, which could be an NIT or similar tournament. The Broncos are looking into other options as to where to go from here and could be playing in a game as early as Tuesday, either home or away. The Broncos closed the lead down to within five points with under ten minutes to play, but just couldn’t catch the Aggies. Boise State was up big close to the end of the half, but then Utah State went on a seventeen to zero run, that put them up big, and eventually out of reach. The Aggies finished the season with thirty wins and just three losses, number twenty three in the country in ranking, and a spot in the national tournament. The Aggies shot twenty three of twenty six from the free throw line, shot fifty three percent from the field. Although the Broncos lost, Coach Rice was very pleased with his team’s effort, and was proud of the way they fought. For the Broncos, it will mean the coming to an end for the careers of nine seniors.
Lauren Hooker
ReplyDeleteMassive 'quake rips through Japan, launches tsunami
Orlando Sentinel
I've never watched so much news in my life until this weekend, as the "apocalyptic" events in Japan unfolded, radiating throughout the world like ripples in a pond. The death toll continues to rise, and each day I become increasingly worried about my exchange student who recently moved back to Japan. Reading news stories like these make me worry even more; boats were swept away, trains disappeared. Has she not thought of getting on her Facebook, or is the internet down, or has something worse happened? I think for a of people who aren't personally connected to Japan, it's more of a situation where you watch the news...the disaster, the distraught people...and while you feel terrible for these people, you're secretly glad is isn't you.
It's horrible. I heard someone make racist comments the other day---ignorant comments, i might add---about how Japan is a third-world country and that because they have such a huge population, it's probably good that so many perished in the tragic event.
I was furious.
First of all, they didn't have their facts right. Regardless, who are people to dictate who should die and who shouldn't? What if your family is there?
I wait in anticipation to hear from my friend, I hope the deceased rest in peace and I hope the remaining find the strength to carry on.
Jessica Adamson
ReplyDeleteMeridian man charged with murder for shooting local attorney Emmett Corrigan being held in Ada County jail with no bond- Idaho Statesman
At about 10 pm Friday night police were called to the Walgreen’s Pharmacy at the corner of McMillan and Linder Streets for shots fired. When they arrived at the scene, two males were down, one with a fatal gunshot wounds to the head and chest, the other with a superficial gunshot wound. The man with the superficial wound was taken to the hospital for treatment but police say he is the suspect in the shooting. The victim was 30-year-old Emmett Corrigan, a local criminal defense attorney. Police believe the suspect confronted the victim in the Walgreen’s parking lot over domestic issues (specifics were not released). When the suspect pulled his gun, the two men struggled. Evidence suggests that the suspect purposely harmed himself. Police arrested 42-year-old Robert Dean Hall on Sunday after he was released from the hospital for treatment of his head wound. During Hall’s arraignment, Ada County prosecutors were able to give a more detailed account of what happened that night. Hall’s wife was an employee of Corrigan and the two met in the parking lot of Walgreen’s shortly before 10 pm that night. Hall found out that Corrigan and his wife were together. He called his wife, she informed him that she was with Corrigan and said they were returning to the parking lot. Hall met them there. At that point Hall and Corrigan got into an argument and Hall shot Corrigan in the head and chest. Hall is charged with first degree murder. He did not enter a plea.
Sam Alderman
ReplyDeleteSource: msn.com
Japan nuclear reactors in turmoil
Due to the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated Japan last Thursday, the three nuclear reactors have had emergency cooling systems shut down. The result is catastrophic. Nuclear reactor unit #2 has had its core partially melted due to the fact that the cooling mechanism had shut down. Seawater is now being poured into all three reactors to try to prevent more overheating.
The reactors are also experiencing explosions, and crew members are being evacuated. A minor explosion was heard at the reactor unit #2 on Saturday, and a larger explosion—able to be felt from 25 miles away—was heard at the same reactor on Sunday. Reactor #3 has also been experiencing minor explosions.
Radiation leakage is a top concern with these nuclear stations. Partial radioactive contamination has been spread out from the reactors, but not above legal limits. Officials are trying to lessen the radioactive activity by pouring elements into the water that would remove radioactive harm. A U.S. navy boat that was ordered back to the U.S. has shown to be contaminated with radioactivity. Radioactivity limits have also been passed just today, and Japanese officials explain that if the uranium core melts through the outer layer in one of the reactors, widespread radiation and health problems will ensue.
Emily
ReplyDeleteBill gives ID doctors legal shield in driving cases
A bill designed to protect Idaho physicians from legal action after they make recommendations of a patients driving ability is headed to the Senate for approval on March 8, 2011. Often, lawsuits are filed against Idaho physicians who have contacted the Idaho Department of Transportation to recommend that a driver’s privileges be revoked, after deeming a patient incompetent to drive. Physicians cite Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Epilepsy, and seizures as reasons for these recommendations. Many drivers are frustrated by the actions of these physicians, and if it is illegal to file suit against them, many doctors may feel more comfortable when making these recommendations. How many of us feel comfortable driving on the same roads with those who don’t know what they’re doing, where they’re going, or those who may suffer from convulsions or simply fall asleep at any time while behind the wheel? Doctors making these recommendations certainly know more about a patient/driver than the employee behind the counter at the DMV. If they feel it’s in the best interest of their patient and for the safety of others, it should not be legal to file suit against a physician who speaks to the Idaho Department of Transportation.