Shocking Mug Shots Reveal Toll of Drug Abuse

Deputy Brett King, in an effort to keep teens and others away from hard drugs, created a 48 minute documentary called, "From Drugs to Mugs." In the documentary there are before and after shots of drug users. Deputy King remembers that when he was a teenager it was very important to wear the clothing that was in. His hope is that by targeting a teenagers vanity he can keep them from hard drugs. The damage of hard drugs can be noticed in only a matter of months. Meth and heroin are often cut with sugar and when that is injected into the bloodstream the body is more directly in contact with the oily sugar and acne is triggered.

Personally I don't see much hard drug use in my school. It seems more like it's the middle age people that do hard drugs. When you are in high school you live with your parents, for the most part, and a good percentage of those parents care about their children and want their children to be in good health. I do think this documentary will work on teenagers especially ages 14-17. They most definetely care about what they wear and how they look. They care so much that they become snotty sometimes. They can afford name brands and you can't. These hard drugs seem to cause your skin to age also, just like tanning. The only difference is that hard drugs affect the rest of your body too. People will do things to their body, like tanning, to make themselves more appealing, even if it isn't healthy. I feel like if they understand what hard drugs do to a body they will stay away from them more.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41787410/ns/health-addictions/

Protests in Libya Continue Despite Killings

In the Middle East and North Africa revolts have broken out against the government. Each of the countries are governed by one president and have been governed without much choice for years. The recent overthrow of president Mubarak from Egypt has caused protesters to take to the streets in Libya. Moammar Gadhafi, the president of Libya, is using force and false propaganda to hold off the protesters. The actual number of dead is unknown. Gadhafi seems to be using the same tactics that Mubarak did in Egypt. Gadhafi has ruled for 41 years.

Obviously if Mubarak wasn't successful using his tactics then Gadhafi won't be using the same ones. In a protesting situation the government won't be able to hold off a country of disgusted citizens. Eventually Gadhafi's support will dwindle and he will be alone. His soldiers will die or defect perhaps and no one will be left to protect him. The people only want the choice to choose their leader and the way they live. There is no disgrace in supporting your beliefs. Gadhafi's soldiers are killing protestors in order to protect him, but that could enrage the citizens even more. He really is sitting in a losing situation. Even if Gadhafi started listening to the citizens and what they wanted he'd be taken out of office. The people are sick of him. Whether he lasts longer than Mubarak or not he will fall to the people. Keep the people content. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41658587/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

War Dollars

When the federal budget for each year is established a certain portion is set aside for defense. Congress must approve the budget. An appropriation bill must be passed in order for the government to spend money. Many people think that the government is spending too much on the war in Irag and Afghanistan and that congress should limit the amount of money that can be spent. Congress did limit the American support of the Contra rebels fighting in Nicaragua. Other people believe that the president and his cabinet should have the sole ability to decide how much to spend on wars. The belief is that they president and his cabinet understand the situation of war and money needed to support the war better than congress.

I do believe that the president and his administration should have the majority of the power over how to fund the war efforts. They are in command of the soldiers and have a better connection to the soldiers than congress. If congress is able to restrict the amount of money going into a war effort then America is sitting on the fence between support and no support. It will be an even greater waste of human life if the soldiers aren't getting the support, weapons, defense, or money they need to efficiently fight. Even here in America it's important for those soldiers to have the resources they need. Over there the soldiers are keeping the terrorists occupied in their lands rather than here in our lands. The soldiers need to be able to efficiently protect us. Joe Biden, the vice president, is dealing with the war in Iraq and talking to potential leaders. It isn't congress going to Irag to talk. The president's administration deals with the government of other countries more than congress does. http://news.spreadit.org/joe-biden-iraq-visit-july-2010/.

http://katiebruzik.blogspot.com/2011/02/issue-2-spending-what-we-can-afford.html
http://emilyewblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-3-safe-to-eat.html

Playboy Mansion Visitors Come Down With Mysterious Illness

After attending a fundraiser for DOMAINfest dozens of attendees reported fevers, respiratory problems and headaches. Some people even reported pneumonia. The DOMAINfest conference was held at a hotel in Santa Monica and the wrap party was at Hugh Hefners' mansion. Right now the belief is that a bacteria in the air at his mansion caused Legionellosis. Together with DOMAINfest the LA County Health Department are investigating the source. Hugh Hefner is being cooperative with the investigation. None of the inhabitants of the mansion have complained of illness.
It is rather interesting that a bacteria can live in warm air like that. This makes me think about germ warfare almost. There is bacteria in the air, people are getting sick, and who knows if it was on purpose. Countries could release bacteria into the air in say an airport and people won't know for a day. If there are germs released into the air in an airport then it can spread around the world. If the government doesn't have people working on preventing and counteracting germ warfare then they need to get hoppin. The government seems to be working on topics that no one even knows about yet so i'm not too worried about that. Certainly other countries have scientists working on weapons and nothing has happened here yet, atleast on the large scale. I suppose we are more or less a super power in the world and countries don't want to attack us at home. I am very thankful for the protection that I have living here in the U.S.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41553815/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

Ditch TSA Workers? Airports no longer allowed to 'opt out'

TSA will no longer allow airports to hire outside security contractors. Right now there are 16 airports that do have private security contractors and they are being closely watched for now. Many other airports that had applied for private security contractors were denied with short statements and little reason. The TSA screeners and private screeners are going to be compared to decide whether or not all screeners should be part of TSA.
Personally a think that yes there are quite a few rules that we abide by, but when it comes to security, the best is important. If a terrorist gets passed the security checkpoint they can go virtually anywhere--without another screening. They need to be stopped at the checkpoints. TSA officials are trained and are all together, there is no bidding on who will do the job for what price. Private contractors will try to get you to go through them, but they may not be the best for the job. I'd rather have inconvience with waiting, than my plane being hijacked by terrorists. I don't want low rate security screeners in my airport. I want the best. Our safety is more important than money, life has no price. If i had to wait in line for 4 hours to get to a security checkpoint, then needed a personal screening I wouldn't mind. I have nothing to hide, no reason to be nervous, and the people around me can feel more safe knowing that I am clean. The cases where people aren't clean need to be caught always. We the people should have no complaint about our government trying to keep us safe. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41391509/ns/travel-news/