Broward County Schools take a different approach.

       Broward county schools recently received the news that more students were arrested on school campuses there than in any other state district. As a result of this, Broward county schools decided to take an approach that has been taken by schools in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Baltimore, where the school will stop expelling and suspending students for non-violent crimes to keep them in schools and off the streets away from crime. The schools will offer counseling and other alternatives in order to promote a change in behavior.
       I completely agree with this move. When you think about it, when you kick kids out of school for possession of marijuana or graffiti (as mentioned in the article), you are only pushing them further into their criminal ways. What do you think they do when they are away from school? The Broward County school district is making a very smart move that will help aid these kids in the best way they possibly can. At the end of the day, if these kids wanna commit crimes, they will. However, at least the school system is trying their best to make a change for the better in the lives of these kids. If one child changes his ways and is better because of it, I feel that the move was completely worth it. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/education/seeing-the-toll-schools-revisit-zero-tolerance.html?src=recg

White House launching new ObamaCare push, as GOP sees 2014 opening

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/03/white-house-to-pitch-obamacare-after-healthcaregov-re-do/

         After much criticism and controversy,  this week President Obama will campaign for Obamacare. He will be once again selling the benefits of his creation, that has been receiving much backlash for some time. Obama comments on the fact that the website is having some difficulty doing its job, ""Tell your friends, tell your family -- do not let the initial problems with the website discourage you," Obama said. Republicans say that this last minute attempt to bring in more recipients for the program, is not confronting the main issues with the program. The Republicans are  using the issues that have occurred with Obamacare to their advantage by bringing it up in next elections. Will Obamacare be the end of the Democrats?

Biden talks Chinese president

The United States has "deep concerns" over China's newly declared East China Sea air defense zone. So this week Vice President Joe Bidden went to privately talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing.  Some of the area is  uninhabited islands between China and Japan. China has claimed an air defense zone. This has stop the trade between two countries putting ships and planes on hold. China's newly declared defense zone could spiral out of control. This effects use because we are trying to stop a potential war. The U.S. Vice President has joined Japan in rejecting the lines China has drawn in the sky.  China is literally taking over the air boundaries of neighboring countries, and the tension has begin to tighten between the countries. I feel that we need to keep communicating with China, so that they can understand what they are doing is completely wrong. If this continues I feel that it is going to get pretty ugly.




http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/04/world/asia/china-us-japan-tensions/index.html?hpt=po_c2

Obama loosing his younger supports?

When the national survey on the younger generation came out the turn out numbers were disappointing to President Obama.  The survey included the question asking people from the ages of 18-29 whether or not they planned on signing up for ACA, better known as Obamacare. Only 22% of the younger generation planned on signing up for this new health care and 29% of those do not have health care at all.  This troubling statistic has started worrying Obama's administration. Since the ACA has become active, it has not been pushing out the numbers it was originally planned to push out. It has constantly been in the press for its negativity and the constant struggles it has been facing.  In 2008, when President Obama was elected, the younger generation has been known for backing up his beliefs and enjoying him as a President. So when these numbers came out, it was surprising not only to me but I am sure to others that the younger generation wasn't in favor of him.  However, since the ACA has come out President Obama has been loosing support from his usual crowd.  With the numbers being so low in the younger generation the administration is scared that without the support this entire health care plan has the ability to completely fall apart and fail.  One of the main reasons this health care act could fail is because Americans are worried that with this new plan the quality of medical care will go down due to the low payments. Not only is the support polls low for the health care act, it is also at a record low for President Obama. His approval ratings have dropped below 45%. I am surprised that with all the negative press and the approval ratings dropping every month that the Democrats and President Obama are still sticking by this health care plan. Although re-election is not an idea that President Obama has to worry about, you have to think about the Democrats that support the ACA and that are up for re-election. Could this health care act hurt their chances at regaining office?

Fox news

Amazon Drones

Amazon.com CEO, Jeff Bezos, appeared on CBS’s show, “60 Minutes,” where he revealed his new innovation of drones that will make deliveries. He has proposed the idea of small, flying drones that can deliver small packages within a ten mile radius of one of Amazon’s distribution centers. These package-delivering drones could cut delivery times down to less than thirty minutes. Bezos said that the drones could be ready as early as 2015. However, these drones won’t be making any deliveries until approved by the FAA. Another drawback to having drones is that there are many people who would like to destroy these drones. Drones also cannot make any deliveries into apartment or condominium buildings.  A person could see a drone flying outside his house and feel uncomfortable and decide to shoot it down, because he does not want to be spied on.  Not every American citizen will be excited to see a drone flying around their house every day.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/04/drone-warfare-jeff-bezos-feds-and-media-manipulation/

Iowa Woman Sentenced to Life in Prison as a Teen Granted Parole

               A dying inmate in Iowa who had been sentenced to life without parole is now the first person in the state to have such a sentence altered. The inmate, Kristina Fetters, is suffering from late stage cancer and has been transferred to a hospice where she will regularly meet with a parole officer. She had been convicted of murder when she was only fifteen years old. This decision follows quickly after a Supreme Court decision last year that deemed life sentences without parole were illegal for minors. While this is a large step forward for the American judicial system, it’s sad that the case had to take place at all. Before this ruling, the United States was the only country that sentenced youths to die in prison. It was legal in over half of states and over 2,500 inmates are currently serving for life without parole that were sentenced as minors. The fact that this was allowed for so long shows a complete lack of responsibility from our nation’s leaders. Someone who is in their mid-teens does not possess the mental development to fully understand impulse control and consequences. This isn’t to say that they should be exempt from severe punishment. But to be destined to a life and death in jail while still just a kid is disgusting.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/us-usa-inmate-iowa-idUSBRE9B20ZY20131203 

Guns Blazing Over Advertisements

     In 2010, Alan Korwin, an owner of a gun-safety business, filed a lawsuit after 50 of his paid advertisements had been removed from Phoenix owned bus stops.  Mr. Korwin explains that the ad was simply to “educate the public, spread firearm training and safety information as broadly as possible.” The advertisement has a large blue heart with a bold text in the middle that says "guns stop crime".  Although underneath this bold statement, it advertises gun safety classes.  Mr. Korwin is arguing that his freedom of speech is been violated by this removal; however, the city officials claim that the writing "guns stop crime" is considered political speech.  The verdict of this case is currently unknown, but Judge Patricia K. Noris assures that the court will issue their decision as soon as possible.  

    I do not understand why such a big deal was made over these advertisements.  In the city's defense, politically charged advertisements are not permissable, but I have a hard time understanding exactly how this advertisement for his business is political.  Sure, it says that "guns save lives," but that sounds like nothing more than a catchy slogan to me (considering that his business is dealing with guns and safety)  In my opinion, advertising gun safety is a smart thing to do considering that Arizona eliminated permit requirements for concealed weapons in 2010.  Ultimately, they simply cannot allow for religious posters yet deny this man's business advertisement.  As he argues, doing so is restricting his freedom of speech- which governs far above the laws in Phoenix.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/us/case-over-gun-safety-ads-fosters-unlikely-alliance.html?ref=politics&_r=0