My little sister Alyssa is the coolest!

Stun and Run- A non-lethal defense.

       A very narrowly divided supreme court ruled that Americans should be allowed to keep hand guns in thier home for self defense purposes only.  Now, the laws on self defense are very particular in when and where you cannot shoot your weapon.  Given the increase in more effective but less lethal weapons, it is likely that the government will keep narrowing down laws to when the use of these guns will and will not become a crime. 

      With more and more non-lethal weapon technology becoming available the line between immediate necessity becomes blurred.  Penal code states that deadly force (a hand gun) can only be used if immediate force is needed.  With a non-lethal weapon at hand as well, choosing the deadly force to stop a intruder will be considered illegal.  The laws will be drawn thicker and thicker if these non-lethal weapons start to make thier way into more and more homes.

      The most common of the non-lethal weapon is the taser.  A stunning device meant to deliver a painful electric shock to any attacker or intruder.  Though it is true that the taser may not always be effective in long range combat.  Taser, at a good quality, will shoot up to and around 35 feet.  A average quality taser will probally shoot at around ten feet.  Now, if you feel that the distance is too short, law says that any deadly force used cannot be at a long range.  If you fire a gun from a long range distance at your attacker who is not within close proximity to you, you’re probally going to jail.  Remember it has to be “immediately necessary” firing at someone 100ft a way doesnt seem like a immediate threat.  Defensive force is considered within the ten foot radius that your taser will cover.

      The taser is not the only non-lethal technology that is effective.  This includes the hand held light laser.  This device points a laser at someones eyes and gives the sensation of their skin on fire.  Devices like these are making it harder for people to get away with using deadly force as a defense mechanism. 

      If someone is shopping for a device to stop an attacker and chooses a hand gun over something less lethal like a taser, well they cannot say that they killed with no option.  This new gun law implemented by the supreme court may allow you to keep deadly force in your home but it does not mean that there are better more effective ways to protect your family and your home.

 

Starbucks Announces Closing of 600 Stores.

       Starbucks announced the closing of 600 U.S stores.  The worlds largest coffee chain is taking a hard economic hit because of the housing market and the pinch at the pump.  Starbucks drinkers are giving up thier frapaccinos in order to fill thier tanks.

     “I don’t think it’s overly surprising,” says analyst. “These stores were in aggregate unprofitable.”  Shares in Starbucks rose as high as $16.53 in after-hours trading Tuesday after closing at $15.62. They have fallen about 24 percent this year.  Is it really such a bad thing that these stores are closing, starbucks has been brewing up thier over priced coffee for years and people were buying for years.  The signs of this bad economy actually made consumers realize that 4 dollar coffee cups may just not be worth it?

      The chain was known for their aggressive amount of chains, that as well was not as neccessary seeing as how we just started to notice the downfall in the economy.  As of september the store operated 6,793 outlets in the U.S.  Also, about 70% of the stores that will be closing down had just been opened only three years prior. 

      The store also says that in the next fiscal year they will be opening 200 new stores compared to the 250 new stores intially planned.  Maybe this economy was an eye opener.  Consumers actually realized that starbucks should not be on thier list of neccesities.  Now, with fewer chains of coffee opening, things are looking like they should have been years ago.

Barrack Obama Expands Roles of Religous Groups

       

                                                                                                      

       Barrack Obama’s plan to invest federal money in religous based charities could be the tactic that wins over the evangelical vote for him. The plan originally proposed by the Bush administration but never followed through with will be expanded under Barrack Obama.  This plan will invest money into charities that help poor, and under privilged children.    “The fact is, the challenges we face today — from saving our planet to ending poverty — are simply too big for government to solve alone,” Mr. Obama said. “We need an all hands on deck approach.”  The plan is intended to fight poverty, and perform community aid works.  Obama realizes that keeping a speration of church and state is not compromised by helping and aiding organizations willing to fight for the least among us. 

      Some say these organizations may possibly use this money given to them in order to feed thier own religous priorities, or discriminate who they use the money on which is why Barrack has stated that he will use a montering system in order to make sure the money is used properly.  Barrack is said to be gaining to vote of evangalist through this plan.  Most christians are coming around and realizing that going with this not so conservative candidate might be the better choice.  Why, well his stance on the war for one.  Christians realize that innocent blood is bieng shed over seas and as of now it doesnt look like McCain plans on ending the war anytime soon.  Second, Barrack is the candidate who has claimed over and over again that he will help the middle class, that he will be thier warrior.  If Christians and evangalist decide to go with Barrack McCain will be loosing alot of his conservative vote to Barrack. 

       Barrack Obama has done extensive work with under privilaged kids in his neighboorhood in Chicago and is using this experience as a reasurrance that the job will be completed un-like the bush administration claims.  McCain who is said to be President Bushes third term, also claims that he has has supported faith-based initiatives. A spokesman has said that, if elected, the senator wanted faith-based groups to “have at least the same standing as they have now.”  Sounds like a big change, I know.

     

Weather Halts rising production in Corn Ethanol Fuel.

    

       As Americans look for more efficient ways of transportation, the search for an alternative energy supply struggles on.  One energy source Americans have began to invest more into is corn ethanol fuel.      

       Ethanol fuel represents only 6 percent of the fuel consumed in America but the numbers are expected to rise up to 19 percent within the next decade, mainly due to the high price of foreign fuel.  Analyst are saying “watchout”, storms that have ravaged the mid-west are effecting the amount of ethanol fuel that can be produced, hence weather playing  factor in the price at the pump. 

       Ethanol sounds like a great alternative, it can be produced right here on our soil, but when dealing with crops, a small hail storm could double pump prices.  Basing our fuel economy on a system that will vary depending on weather which is never consistent could drain Americans wallets even more.  A storm over a corn field could be just as damaging as bombing an oil field over seas.  We realized the weather would be playing a factor in gas prices after a series of storms ravaged through the gulf coast throwing prices up double in that period of time.  Raising the amount of ethanol bieng produced could be very risky. 

       Iowa, the countries largest producer of corn ethanol, is said to have lost nearly ten percent of its crop in the floods.  Corn ethanol was at nearly 1.50 in september and has doubled since the storm.  Other oil interruptions along with weather could triple gas prices in just weeks which is not what Americans need right now. 

       Currently the ethanol mandate is set at 9 billion gallons for 2008.  The estimate for the bio-fuel is expected to rise to 36 billion by 2022.   Although, the cap for corn ethanol will be at 15 million.   Having the number of gallons of bio-fuels shoot up so high could be very cost effective in the event of a disaster.  We know that the fuel is being used more and more because the amount of corn being used for fuel jumped from 7% in 2001 to 15% in 2008.

       “There is now a vulnerability to perfect storms, not just in a metaphorical sense, but increasingly in a literal sense,” said Daniel Yergin, the chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, a consulting firm. “In addition to geopolitical risks, you must now add weather risks.”  Both the government and the ethanol industry recognize the risks of tying fuels to crops.  The secretaries of energy and agriculture, in a joint letter to the Senate, recently said: “If we assumed a supply disruption of ethanol, we would expect a fairly large increase in the price of gasoline until ethanol supply were re-established or new market equilibriums were achieved.”  Meaning had corn and other bio-fuels gone array, we know that prices will sky rocket.  You decide whether corn ethanol fuel is the way of energy independence in the future.  Remember no source will ever be 100% effective and perfectly un-interrupted.  I might add Brazil has been energy indepedent from the rest of the world for nearly a decade now on purely corn ethanol fuel.

This package put out by CBS talks about the increase in Corn ethanol fuels.

Grand Jury lets killer walk free after killing 2 illegals.

       A Grand Jury refused to indict Joe Horn after he shot and killed two burgalors as they attempted to leave his nieghbors home last year. 

       Joe Horn’s case became popular as his 911 call was released and was very interesting.  “Am gonna shoot them” Horn told the operator.  Despite the 911 operators pleas, Horn shot 3 times killing both illegal immigrant burgalors.  This cased raised alot of issues in racial bias, morals, and gun and property rights.  Horn says he shot and killed the two men in self-defense, but some disagree.  The pre-meditated murder over the phone with the 911 operator is what sold me on him not having any remorse or even being a tad bit nervous before shooting and killing.  Texas law says he has the right to shoot at anyone who has entered his property, or if he was asked to protect a neighboors property as well.  The law also states it must be in self-defense which is exactly what horn was thinking as he shot three times at the backs of the burgalors.  “I’m not going to let them get away with it,” he told the emergency operator. “I’m going to shoot.” He added, “I’m going to kill them.”  This pre-medidated mind set of murder shows a calm Horn on the phone with 911 operators before he shoots and kills. 

    Police arrived on scene just as Horn fired his shotgun but they werent in time to save the lives of the men — Hernando Riascos Torres, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30.  Alot of people are looking at this as a race issue, stating that a black man would have never got away with this.  Joe Horn is a white male, computer programmer.  “I wonder if Joe Horn were black if he would be free tonight or in the Harris County Jail,” said the lawyer, Joseph Gutheinz Jr., of the National Republican Lawyers Association. “It’s a sea of white faces that doesn’t look anything like the county,” Mr. Gutheinz said. 

     Opposing Lawyers stated that not only was this not in self-defense but Joe Horn clearly wanted to shoot even after being directed by the 911 operator not to.  Case closed grand Jury allows one more murder to walk free tonight.  Im going to shoot them, Im going to kill them sounds like you were in grave danger, good luck sleeping at night Mr. trigger happy Horn.  The video is the full tape, decide for yourself if he sounded scared and if it was neccesary to shoot. 

Supreme Court Overturns D.C Gun ban.

    The Supreme Court lifted a sweeping hand gun ban throughout Washington D.C allowing registered hand guns, in the home and or in the car.  The band was lifted after supreme court justices ruled that the ban was in violation of the second ammendment.  This lift is a huge victory for the NRA who will now start to go after all cities gun bans.  “We are very excited to have hand guns back on the streets” says a gangster from washington D.C.  They were going to have the guns anyways right?  The court is giving the city 21 days to impelement a system for registering these weapons of mass destruction.  In other news, only 4 days after the ban was lifted CNN came out with a report that nearly half of all gun deaths are suicides, proving that hand guns face a graver danger to the owners rather then home intruders.  Way to be timely on the reporting CNN, not that the supreme court justices might have taken that into account before they lifted the ban.  The Second Ammendment remains steady and firm as gun activist use the ammendment for thier own personal gain.  Most activist seem to find comfort in owning a hand gun, but some of these activist are just alittle too sketchy for me.  One told a reporter “dont get me wrong, I am all for gun control, as long as I am controlling the gun” as he hooted and hollered into the camera to get his mothers attention.  The law had been in place for 32-years but was lifted after some argued they had fallen victim to crime and needed the guns for protection.  The Second Amendment says, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”  Therefore all gun owners must be part of a militia.  That’s right aunt Mindy is considered a militia.  Actually better idea, each family is there own militia.  Immediate family will be part of your platoon, and larger family members will make up the full militia.  These gun haloogans wouldnt even be worrying about this if they didnt have the immediate desire to fire these high powered killing machines.  No more guns, just peace, please.  Watch the video at the top while mayor Adrian Fenty is speaking.  Look at the womens facial expressions as he makes his statement, she seems to disagree.

 

Crist buys out U.S Sugar in 1.7 Billion deal

    

     Clewiston Florida “The sweetest town in the Nation” will be loosing their identity.  The countries oldest sugar company, will go out of business after a 6 year transition and will be turned over to the government for everglades restoration. 

      Hippies pressured the Florida government to buy out the company due to an influx of hazardous waste into the everglades.  The buyout is going to cost the government 1.7 billion, money that they budgeted out for the river of grass restoration plan.  The large sum of money will now have to be re-budgeted after this investment.  The company’s mill held 400,000 acres worth of the states everglades, and now will be reduced to nothing.  For the everglades a great deal, but the towns people don’t know what to think.  “I used to tell people where I live now in Arizona that I was from Clewiston and they would say, the sugar town? How can they take that away from us?” says a community member.  As we drive through the town signs read, sugar reality, cane stadium, just about everything was sugar.  Not to mention half of the town worked at these mills.  It was their whole economy.  The city manager says they do realize the economic impact of this deal and have been planning on finding other ways to create jobs and keep the economy stable, like the commerce park currentlyin contruction.  Crist says this is a historic moment for the state and the everglades, but am alittle ashamed by his decision to pick grass over humans.  These people dont know what to do. “Whats more important, the enviroment or the people who live in it” said a mill worker.  For now the town that was once known as the Sweetest town in America will have lost their jobs, their money, and their identity.  It’s sad when we forget out roots isn’t it.

Gas Price Overview

    

     Its hard to believe but Americans were actually paying 90 cents a gallon in 1999.  So how on earth could prices soar this high in such a short period of time.  I am going to take a look at the course of action that brought us to were we are now.

1.      Supply and Demand.  A basic economic term we learned in highschool, did we learn from our mistakes though, no.  Now I will admitt I only started driving about two years ago but Its not hard research.  The more we use gas the less we have.  As demand grew, the supply ran relatively flat starting the soar in prices.  Maybe the cheap prices until 2004 was the downfall.  Since prices were so cheap, we used and we used, not thinking twice about filling our S.U.V’s.  Now we’ve created a lifestyle around gas consumption but the supply just cant keep up.   Plus, we have other world powers buying gas as well and now we’ve dug ourselves into a deeper hole.  “Our demand has skyrocketed, but our ability to supply that demand has stagnated,” said Stephen Schork, publisher of the industry newsletter The Schork Report.  Oil from another part of the country just isnt enough to cover the demand.  Prices roase to 2 dollars a gallon in 2004.

2.      In 2005 Hurricane Katrina blows through and knocks out majority of U.S refiners causing another slip in supply.  The price of gas hit an all time high of 3 dollars a gallon for the first time ever in U.S History.  It proved the small capacity of Refineries in the U.S, plus since the last decade there have been no other refineries built since, although in all fairness even though this is my newsroom and I can say whatever I want, they have had many expansion projects on the remaining refineries after the storm.  We never recovered.

3.      In 2006 global events and conflict spike prices over 3 dollars a gallon.  the Bush Administrations invasion of Iraq, global dictators who threaten to restrict supply if attacked request more profits, ex. Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin.  Tempers are hot and oil prices spike.  Oil is so globally traded that when countries begin conflict, business between them tends to go array, hence all the global conflict today and the highest prices ever.

4.      2007 rolls around and there are talk of non-OPEC (organization of petrolium exporting countries) supplies coming in to ease demand, but conflict in Russia and Kazakhstan, plus the sweeping ban of drilling in the United States doubles oil consumption.  Analysts say OPEC, which holds two-thirds of the world’s oil reserves but sees a global economy scimming along despite $130 oil, has little incentive to increase production.

5.      Investors, the last cause that made prices sky rocket.  These investors saws the flaw in the market and seized upon the opportunity.  Analyst are saying since 2003, the number of oil contracts exchanged on the NYMEX has more than doubled.  Investors are looking for good returns and are stopping at nothing, even if it means speculating the price till it rises above 4$ a galling were it is at today.  Some say these investors did not contribute and the market is where it should be at.  I agree, the problem starting when we based our economy on a energy that can and will eventually run out. 

     Prices were cheap, we all created habits, now were stuck in this rut and were trying to figure a way to break the habit.  Had we known this might happen just a few years prior we could have prepared before we were spending hundreds at the pump.  For now we need to budget out money and buy veggie cars, that way we screw the companies that put us in this mess.  Plus we would have to start eating more vegetables and would would be healthier too, I love when I come up with Ideas like this.

 

Tim Russert- R.I.P

 

Alittle Late, but neccessary.  As a fellow journalist I can honestly say this man was just about 99.9% unbias because noone can be perfect but this man was dam close.   His legacy in broadcast news will never be forgotten.  He did what he loved and we will always remember him for that.  Some politicians are still shaking in their shoes.