Sam's Blog

Assessment

Sam — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:49:41 +0000

This week had many headlining stories but the one I found most interesting is the constantly developing story involving Tiger Woods. As we all know, Woods was involved in a ‘fender bender’ the morning after Thanksgiving. After the accident, we found out that Wood’s had dealt in “transgressions” that he was not happy about. Since then, his wife has moved out, and is living elsewhere. It seems like much to-do from a little fender bender.

This morning, an unidentified woman was rushed to the hospital from Woods’ house. This woman was identified as Woods’ mother-in-law. This story never seems to end for Tiger. The sad part about this story is that while important things are happening in our country, they are over-looked because of a celebrities status. Is this what our society has become? 30,000 more troops are going to be sent to Afghanistan, but the story of the day is Tiger Woods’ love life? I think, as a culture, we need to re-evaluate our priorities.

Link to story:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/index.html

Top Ten!

Sam — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:11:30 +0000

Top Ten stories of the past week!

International:

U.K. Newlywed Charged With Murdering Wife

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579706,00.html

Deadly Baghdad Blasts

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579691,00.html

PA/Erie:

Details Released in Police Slaying Case

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21894935/detail.html

Baldwin Students Suspended After ‘Sexting’ Incident

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21889536/detail.html

National:

Woman Taken To Hospital From Tiger Woods’s House

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579698,00.html

13 Year Old Girl Led High Speed Car Chase

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579682,00.html

2 Teens Charged in Pizza Delivery Woman’s Murder

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579717,00.html

McDonald’s Refused To Hire Trans-gender Teen

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579679,00.html

Missouri Schools Complain About Obama Logo Supplies

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579652,00.html

Gas Line Explodes at Illinois Factory, Killing One

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579677,00.html

Assessment

Sam — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:39:36 +0000

This week has been filled with interesting headlines, but the one I thought was the most profound happened earlier today in Seattle. Police are still looking for Maurice Clemmons who is the prime suspect in the tragic killing spree. Clemmons told someone before he went on the rampage to “watch the news, because [he's] going to kill a bunch of cops”. Clemmons was shot during the altercation and wounded. He is currently on the loose, and police are doing all they can to locate the suspect.

This story is so tragic. Clemmons has been in jail previously for raping a young girl and assaulting an officer. Each time, he was pardoned and let free, only to commit a crime like this. People, like these officers, who risk their lives for our safety, become innocent victims because of failures in our criminal justice system. I think we need to re-evaluate our criminal justice system and make sure people like Maurice Clemmons are put away the FIRST time.

Link to Story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577765,00.html

Top Ten!

Sam — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:27:45 +0000

Compilation of “Top Ten” stories.

International:

5 Brits Taken To Iran After Yacht Stopped In Iranian Waters

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578029,00.html

Pirate Hijack Oil Super Tanker Headed to US

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577785,00.html

National:

Cop Killing Suspect on the Loose

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577765,00.html

New York Elementary School Teacher Killed at Home

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578007,00.html

Driver Responsible For Deadly Crash Dies In Hospital

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577967,00.html

PA Family Mourns Fatally Shot Washington Officer

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577925,00.html

Missouri Man Suspected of Killing Wife and Daughters in Kansas

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577826,00.html

Fake ‘Police Officer’ in Jail for Pulling Over Driver

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577648,00.html

Erie/PA:

Students Pack Meeting in Protest of Proposed Tuition Tax

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21758499/detail.html

Uniontown Man Charged in Sex Affair With Girl, 15

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21760039/detail.html

Assessment

Sam — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:15:40 +0000

More and more we see stories of parents/guardians/authority figures taking advantage of their rights and using them in inappropriate and unacceptable ways. This week, I found a story about a man and his adult sons who are being charged with numerous counts of child sexual abuse. Seventy seven year old, Burrell E. Mohler Sr. is charged with independence of rape, sodomy and use of a child in a sexual performance among other charges. His four sons were also charged with rape.

As a nation, it seems we’ve come to, for lack of a better word, “expect” and/or “turn our heads” when such stories come about. This doesn’t make it right, but within the past few months, there have been an increase in stories, such as this one. Is this really what we’ve come to as a society? I feel as though the more this happens, the more we become immune to such crimes, but with that said, it’s still taboo and looked down upon.

Link to the story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,575419,00.html

Top Ten!

Sam — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:40:14 +0000

Assessment

Sam — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:33:51 +0000

This past week, I feel, was filled with many interesting headlines, some more subtle than others. A story that I found the most interesting, happened this morning when a gunman took the principal hostage at a N.Y. school. The 40 year old suspect’s name has not been revealed, but we do know that he was a former student of the Stissing Mountain High School in Pine Plains, New York. The gunman did not fire any shots during the standoff with police. No one was injured, but police are still investigated the motive of the gunman. The gunman is in custody.

I find this story captivating, but not surprising. I’m not surprised at the fact that this took place because I feel like more and more, we see this kind of thing happening in schools all over the country. Not only in high schools, but especially on college campuses. People taking things into their own hands, which ultimately leads to violence. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but that’s not always the outcome.

Link to story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573597,00.html

Top Ten!

Sam — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:58:25 +0000

Compilation of the Top Ten stories of the past week.

International:

Macedonian Man Arrested in Ax Murders of Four Elderly Women

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573206,00.html

Russian Court Weighs Ban on Capital Punishment

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573172,00.html

Erie/PA:

GPS Used to Appeal Speeding Ticket In Beaver County

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21559638/detail.html

Student Taxes Among Items In Ravenstahl Budget Proposal

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21558994/detail.html

U.S.:

Robot Removes Suspicious Object Near California Courthouse

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573348,00.html

Texas Police Find Family Shot To Death In Home

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573175,00.html

Report: Major Hasan Tried To Contact Al Qaeda

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573166,00.html

Al Qaeda Video Found in Chicago Man’s Home

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573328,00.html

Iran Accuses Three Detained Americans Of Espionage

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573088,00.html

Case Against Ohio Sexual Predator Expands Worldwide

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573288,00.html

Assessment

Sam — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:05:13 +0000

A headline that I found intriguing and disturbing this past week, was the story about the father who allegedly ran over his daughter because she had become “too Westernized”. Twenty year old, Noor Faleh Almaleki, underwent spinal surgery but died after suffering fatal injuries. The father, Faleh Hassan Almaleki, fled the scene, but was later caught and admitted to the crime. He believes he had the right to “discipline” his daughter in this way because she “brought shame to the family. It was an attempt at an honor killing”.

This story is extremely sad. As Americans I don’t think we take into consideration other cultures, customs or beliefs other than our own. This man thought that running over his daughter was the right thing to do, and that, to Americans, is mind-blowing. But its commonplace in other cultures. (Not so much running over people, but discplining them as they se fit, whatever the extreme)

Link to story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571216,00.html

Top Ten!

Sam — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:32:15 +0000

Compilation of the Top Ten stories of the past week.

International:

North Korea Demands Talks With The United States:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,570995,00.html

Seven Indicted For Allegedly Helping Madrid Train Bombers Flee:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571065,00.html

Erie/PA:

Gunman Shoots BB’s at Trick or Treaters:

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21501474/detail.html

Two PA Children Receive Tamiflu Overdoses:

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21496503/detail.html

National:

Abortion Clinic Director Quits After Watching Abortion On Ultrasound:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571215,00.html

‘Westernized’ Woman Allegedly Hit By Dad’s Car Dies:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571216,00.html

Investigation Into Six Bodies In Ohio Focuses On 8-9 Missing Women:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571151,00.html

Wisconsin Woman Calls 911 To Report Herself As a Drunk Driver:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571134,00.html

Glitch With Foreign Social Security Numbers Fixed:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571128,00.html

Cops Search for Three College Students After Call For Help:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571222,00.html