Friday, November 30, 2007

YOUZ TOO FAT, SANTA MAN

America’s top doc told the Herald yesterday that Santa Claus should slim down, in the latest blow struck in a global politically correct crusade against the jolly fat man.

“It is really important that the people who kids look up to as role models are in good shape, eating well and getting exercise. It is absolutely critical,” acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson said in an interview after a presentation on obesity at the Boston Children’s Museum. - Boston Globe

lol, p.c

CD Review: Acid Rain


1) Intro
2) Narration 1
3) Red Rum
4) Some Ol' Wicked Shit
5) Out Ya Mind
6) 9 Dead Bodies
7) Play Dead
8) Finger in the Cake Mix
9) Boogie Man
10) Dying to be Down
11) Narration 2
12) Sunshine
13) No Singing at My Funeral
14) No Fault Insurance
15) Mental Stress
16) Would You Die For Me?
17) The Wicked Shit Will Never Die
18) Narration 3
19) Silicone
20) Comercia
21) Lola Falana
22) Nervous
23) Panic Attack
24) Everyone
25) Migraine Headache
26) La La La
27) How Do I Plead to Homicide?
28) P-P-P-Pow!
29) Redemption
Ever heard of Esham? If you haven't, that's a shame, because he's a great rapper and producer. Just listen to his beat and his flow on "Red Rum". Believe it or not, he made that song, along with his other early work, when he was 14.
Acid Rain is his greatest hits album, and most of the tracks are solid. However, many were edited so 29 tracks could fit on one CD. Had to take off some points for that...plus, "Boogie Man" and "Redemption" are terrible songs. Discover Esham with this album, and then hear what he sounds like uncut.
***1/2

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Atta Boy, John!

"If you’re prepared to send an 80-year-old grandmother who’s been here 70 years back to some country, then frankly you’re not quite as compassionate as maybe I am," McCain said Wednesday in response to a question from a Clemson University student who described himself as the child of legal immigrants. - John McCain

Myanmar update


More than 2,000 foreign buyers flocked to a gem auction in Myanmar, government media said Tuesday, despite international calls for a boycott after military leaders brutally crushed pro-democracy demonstrations.

Who knew that Myanmar produces up to 90 percent of the world's rubies, as well as a lot of other gems? The 2,000 foreign buyers who'd rather have these gems than support human rights.

Darfur update


The UN special envoy for Darfur has again expressed concern over the security
and humanitarian situation in the Sudanese region, where violence displaced at
least 30,000 civilians in October alone, and led to the deaths of seven
humanitarian workers.
According to Jean-Marie Guéhenno, UN Under-Secretary-General Peacekeeping Operations, the first elements of the AU Mission in Sudan have been deployed, including a 140-strong police unit and an engineering unit of 135. UNAMID's deployment is being delayed by red tape and a lack of transport units.

On this day in history...



People walking on Piedmont Street in downtown Boston may not realize it, but 65
years ago today it was the scene of a terrible tragedy.
The Cocoanut Grove
burst into flames.
492 people died in the fire. The incident led communities to adopt model fire safety codes and be prepared for disaster. Many tragic incidents of this sort have occurred since. Let's hope we can prevent many from happening in the future.

Academic Application: November 28, 2007

Vector Addition in Competitive Online Gaming

The aspect of competitive online gaming that will be discussed is straferunning. Strafrerunning is simply running sideways. For those of you who play FPS games on the PC, this can be achieved by pressing, for example, the left and right key while moving your mouse to the right. For those of you who play games on say the PS3, this can be achieved my using the left and right thumb sticks. Here is a visual of the vector addition used in straferunning.


Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Oprah to campaign with Obama


Talk show host extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey endorsed Barack Obama in May, and starting Dec. 8 she'll lend her star power on the campaign trail.

The question is, will this help Obama beat Clinton? I mean, this is OPRAH we're talking about. The most powerful woman in the world. Every housewife is at her command.

Darfur update


WASHINGTON (AFP) — The head of UN peacekeeping Tuesday complained that Sudanese government red tape and lack of resources are delaying the deployment of an international force to protect civilians in the war-stricken region of Darfur.

I've expressed my thoughts on the Darfur conflict countless times. With each new story, I think, "Hey, maybe the U.S. SHOULD get involved." Too bad all our troops are in the Middle East.

Ted Kennedy to write memoirs


WASHINGTON - Senator Edward M. Kennedy has agreed to a multimillion dollar deal with Hachette Book Group USA to pen his memoirs, giving the veteran Massachusetts lawmaker a forum for his own perspective on a life and career that has been examined by others in countless books and articles, negotiators of the deal confirmed yesterday.

Multimillion? Yeesh. Aren't the Kennedys rich enough? Can't wait to buy Ted's book and give it to Glen as a gift. Glen likes him, right? Right?

Boston.com's high school sports blog


Are you into high school sports? Me neither. But anyway, here's the Globe's coverage of aforementioned games. Right now, there's live blogging of a football game in Everett. Cool.

Wait, since when were there train horn regulations?


WAKEFIELD - “The town will have to come into compliance with train horn regulations set forth by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) by 2010,” said Department of Public Works Director Richard Stinson to the Board of Selectmen at their meeting last evening in the Town Hall conference room.
Stinson is planning to make a full presentation regarding the necessary safety requirements and the options available to the town at the next meeting on Dec. 10. However, he explained to the board that if the community wishes to maintain its “Quiet Zone” (no horns) status, a notice of intent to the FRA will have to be filed within the next few weeks.
“Although we fell into the pre-rule quiet zone category for the six crossing locations in town, there are amended federal regulations that we must come into compliance with now. We don't have automatic approval. We have to include some detail as to what options we have and what we intend to do,” Stinson said.
Stinson noted that the town must implement Alternative Safety Measures (ASM's) which will involve some cost to the town.
ASM's are engineering improvements which, when installed at crossings in a Quiet Zone, will reduce the risk of a collision. These measures, according to the FRA regulations, are meant to substitute the train horn and are installed in order to reduce the risk level, either to the level that would exist if the train horn were sounded (compensating for the absence of the horn) or to a level below the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold.
The Risk Threshold is the average risk index at all public gated crossings.
The town currently holds a risk index of 37,459, well above the 22,457 rating it held with the use of train horns.
Stinson said that number has to be reduced and once the safety measures are installed they will have to be approved by the FRA.
The improvements could include the installation of four-quadrant gates (train activated warning gates) or the construction of islands and/or medians.
“The gates could cost the town about $500,000,” noted Stinson, adding “and much higher if ‘presence detection’ is included.

When the Wakefield Daily Item isn't publishing cute photos, they're telling the people of Wakefield where their tax dollars are going.

A Friendly Reminder from the Administrator of the Wakefield Étudiant

Lemme tell you a story. So, last night, I see that Glen's made a post. And I said to myself, "Wow, he's just ASKING for another flame war!"
Listen, I love intelligent debate as much as anyone. To Glen and all the visitors, feel free to talk about abortion! But please, please, keep it civilized. No name-calling, or, as Chris Morrill calls it, "feces-throwing."
Want some examples? Sure. I don't want to see any of this:

Glen makes Hitler look like a Panzy

Hey, I think some of Glen's views are crazy, too, but I don't go around comparing him to a guy who killed six million people just because they were Jewish. If you're going to compare somebody to Hitler, pick someone who's really, really evil. Someone who eats babies. Glen doesn't do that. He wants the babies to live.
"Any past events, such as a rape, will have to forgiven and forgotten."

Try telling that to any rape victim, asshole.
Yeah, see? This is what I mean. Watch your language.
There's no such thing as a safe stance on abortion. If one expresses his/her pro-life/pro-choice (in Glen's language, "pro-death") views, he/she's gonna get attacked by those who believe differently! But remember, there's a difference between intelligent debate and...feces-throwing.

"Happy Holidays" Mars Meaning of Christmas


I am not exactly in the mood to write a long essay on the evil of saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". America is pre-eminently a Christian nation. No one can deny this fact. Do we really need to belittle the importance of Christmas just to appease non-Christians? Christmas is of course now associated with secular traditions. Many non-Christians celebrate Christmas not to commemorate the birth of Jesus, but merely to exchange gifts. Religion needs not be banished, but encouraged in the splendor of such a solemn festival as Christmas. The politically correct evil of "Happy Holidays" promotes a stigma that all religious holidays are to be celebrated, but is a faithful Christian really going to place equal value on all other holidays? I think not.

Businesses and people in general need to stop catering to the political left by excluding "Merry Christmas." I support freedom of religion, but this to me seems to be yet another example of "freedom from religion." All religions should be offended by a statement of "Happy Holidays." Replacing the birth of Christ with such a general statement is not acceptable. It might be appealing to P.C liberals, but not to Christians who care about the meaning of Christmas.

On The Spot Admissions Not On The Spot?

What senior wouldn't like to hear right away of their college application outcome? This actually is an option for students who take advantage of the On the Spot Admission Program conducted each year through the Guidance Department.
On the Spot Admissions with UMASS/Lowell is scheduled for December 20th. Students need to fill out the paper application, with fee(by check or money order only) transcripts, unofficial SAT scores and letters of recommendation by December 11th. On that day at representative from UMASS will come out to WHS and pick them up. On December 20th, UMASS will come back here to meet with each student at 10 minute intervals to let them know if they got accepted. Please have all students sign up with Ms. Healey in Guidance.
Salem State College has already visited WHS and accepted students. They will return for a 2nd round of interviews on November 29. Suffolk University will be on site on December 6 to evaluate student applications. Students need to consult with their guidance counselors for the particulars of application to these schools and sign up with Counselor Kathy Healey for any of the On the Spot Admissions opportunities. - WHS Website

I guess I was wrong. I presumed that on the spot admissions went like this: you meet with a college representative and give all of your application information including scores and recommendations. After that, the representative browses through these forms attentively, making sure that you meet all of the requirements for the school. Then, a short time later the representative lets you know whether you have been accepted or not. If somebody sends in their forms by December 11th and then more than a week later on December 20th they are informed of the college's decision, doesn't that kind of make it not on the spot?

Teacher In Sudan Arrested After Naming Teddy Muhammad

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British teacher was arrested in Sudan for allegedly insulting Islam by naming a teddy bear Muhammad, taken as a reference to Islam’s prophet and founder, the Sudan Media Center said yesterday.

The teacher, who wrote the name on the bear, was in custody and being interrogated yesterday. She was arrested Sunday after the Ministry of Education filed a complaint, acting on behalf of a parent of one of her students. - Source: Associated Press


Muhammad is a very popular name in Muslim countries so it is semi-puzzling to hear of this arrest.

Report Says Redskins Safety Taylor Has Died


Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died, said family friend Richard Sharpstein.

Taylor had been in critical condition Monday after he was shot during what police are investigating as a possible armed robbery at his home.

The 24-year-old player was in the intensive care unit following several hours of surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Taylor lost a "significant" amount of blood because the bullet damaged his femoral artery, and doctors were worried about blood flow to the brain, according to Sharpstein, his former lawyer. - Source: CBS5.com
According to an ESPN.com article, Taylor responded to simple commands on Monday. Unfortunately, this is what significant blood loss does to you.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Abortion: A Grave Offense

There is a continuous holocaust occurring in America and we the people need to stop it. America was a unanimously pro-life nation for a very long time; in fact by 1875 every state in the US of A had laws that banned abortion. Margaret Sanger, a champion of eugenics who had connections with the Nazi Party, came along in 1916 and formed the Birth Control League. The BCL is now known as Planned Parenthood. More than fifty years later in 1973, Roe Vs. Wade legalized abortion on demand. Moreover, states couldn't prohibit abortion during the first three months.

Some of you pro-death advocates might be saying "those aren't babies that are being killed, but merely tissues." Let us step backward to fertilization and see if you guys are right. Upon fertilization, the sperm and egg have already formed up to 50 sets of DNA. This DNA is a determining factor in physical characteristics, personality, and intelligence. By Day 22, the baby's heart begins to beat and by this time his brain and nervous system should be near complete. By just the fifth week, the baby has taken shape. Need I go further? The little one develops so much in the early stages that there is no doubt that he/she is more than just a "tissue."

In 40 years, from 1965-2005 more than 500,000,000 babies were killed via surgical or chemical abortion. This is not even counting the 1,000,000 that were murdered before 1965. The methods of killing the unborn are outright gruesome, but need to be described to get the point across. Prisoners on death row who are presumably guilty don't even face the pains that the innocent unborn child does. Here are a few of the methods (Source: American Life League):

Dilation and extraction (also known as D&X or partial-birth abortion): Used to kill babies well into the third trimester (as late as 32 weeks old), the abortionist reaches into the mother's womb, grabs the baby's feet with a forceps and pulls the baby out of the mother, except for the head. The abortionist then jams a pair of scissors into the back of the baby's head and spreads the scissors apart to make a hole in the baby's skull. The abortionist removes the scissors and sticks a suction tube into the skull to suck the baby's brain out. The forceps are then used to crush the baby's head and the abortionist pulls the baby's body out the rest of the way.

Prostaglandins: Used during the second and third trimester, prostaglandin abortions involve the injection of naturally produced hormones into the amniotic sac, causing violent premature labor. During these convulsions the baby is often crushed to death or is born too early to have any chance of surviving.

RU-486: RU-486 blocks the hormone that helps develop the lining of the uterus during pregnancy (progesterone). This lining is the source of nutrition and protection for the developing baby. The tiny boy or girl is starved to death and then a second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions so that the dead baby is expelled from the womb.
Let us take, for example, a woman who has just aborted her baby. She got it over with and now expects to be relieved of the hardship of bringing up a child. But wait....are the hardships really over with? Emotional symptoms of abortion include Acute grief reaction, depression, and guilt. The chance of a woman being diagnosed with breast cancer increases 140% following an abortion. If the women decides to have a pregnancy in the future following an abortion, she is 600% more likely to suffer from Placenta previa, which is extreme and life threatening bleeding.

What about the "special cases"? These include, but are not limited to: rape and incest. As Judie Brown of the American Life League put it "Killing the child doesn't solve [the mother's] problem." "What if the mother's life is......." You can stop it right there. There is no such thing as a situation in which it is necessary to kill the baby to save mother. Ever.

A culture of death has plagued America and needs to be ended. People all often too often take for granted their own life. We all were born the same way that the unborn will be born. Thus I ask: is taking away innocent life ever justifiable? In every circumstance, the answer is no.

Darfur update


The International Crisis Group (ICG) has cautioned that new dynamics in Sudan's
Darfur crisis could result in an Arab insurgency and a possible spillover of the
conflict into neighbouring Kordofan.
The last thing Darfur needs is Arab insurgency. 200,000 civilians have died, two million displaced. UNAMID isn't coming until early 2008, and I question how effective it will be. Sigh. At least no American troops will be dying over there.

Trent Lott to resign



JACKSON, Miss.—Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the Senate's No. 2 Republican,
plans to resign his seat by the end of the year, congressional and Bush
administration officials said Monday.
o rly? A congressional official says Lott has "other opportunities" he wishes to pursue. Factors leading to his resignation may include the furor over his comments made in 2002 about Strom Thurmond...remember? Lott, who lives in Mississippi, was also affected by Hurrican Katrina, and the government's response to it.

MLB film of this year's World Series screens tonight!



After winning their second World Series in four years, the Red Sox are already
larger than life in this town. And they'll really be larger than life tonight on
the big screen at the Wang Theatre during a showing of the official MLB
Productions film of the Rockies vs. Red Sox World Series, along with
behind-the-scenes footage of the locker room celebration and the rolling rally
from Series MVP Mike Lowell's point of view.
Glory days, well, they'll pass you by/Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye/Glory days, glory days...NESportsNews!

Join the Ski and Snowboard Club!



Attention Skiers and Boarders: Permission slips are now available for the
first WHS Ski and Snowboard Club trip to Loon Mt.
Even if you have no skiing or snowboarding experience, sign up! You can get a lesson while you're over there. Pizza. French fries. It's that simple!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

C and G Present......Music Show #2

Click Here To Listen To The Étudiant Music Show

MS Explorer Iceberg Incident: All Safe

All passengers and crew, including the captain of M/S Explorer, are completely safe, uninjured and in good spirits. The passengers spent the night at King George Island in Antarctica. There are plans for passengers to board flights today and tomorrow to Punta Arenas, Chile. Accommodations have been arranged in Punta Arenas and flights home from there are currently being scheduled.
The passengers include 2 Argentines, 10 Australians, 2 Belgians, 24 British nationals, 12 Canadians, 1 Chinese national, 3 Danes, 17 Dutch, 1 French, 1 German, 2 from Hong Kong, 4 Irish, 1 Japanese, 4 Swiss, 14 Americans, 1 Colombian and 1 Swede. The captain of the ship is Swedish and the majority of the crew are understood to be from the Philippines. The crew onboard M/S Explorer consist of 45 Filipinos, 4 Swedes, 2 Bulgarians, 2 New Zealanders, and 1 Pole.
We can now confirm that at 19:00 GMT, Friday, 23 November, M/S Explorer sank. - Source: Wikipedia

Thankfully all ships these days have enough life boats for everybody.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Songs of the Week

00's- Converge- Concubine (2001)

90's- Elliot Smith- 2:45 A.M. (1997)

80's- Afrika Bambaataa- Planet Rock (1982)

70's- Terry Jacks- Seasons in the Sun (1974)

60's- The Velvet Underground- Candy Says (1969)

50's- Johnny Cash- Don't Take Your Guns To Town (1958)

Friday, November 23, 2007

Musicians, Read this Book!

Title: Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991

Author: Michael Azerrad

Year: 2001

Pages: 522

OBCBYL is a study of 13 independent, underground rock bands that stampeded the music industry during the Reagan Conservative decade we call the 80's. These are the bands that grew right under the nose of mainstream America; these self- made musicians took the musical influence of their punk predecessors and said "Fuck It! I'm not playing New Wave, Who cares if we never make any money or appear on MTV, let's just Jam!" And so they hopped in the van with their companions and toured the nation non stop, founded their own independent labels, and began issuing fanzines. This was music run by kids (teens- early twenties), played by kids, and for kids; existing entirely outside the music industry. DIY (Do It Yourself) at its finest!
First off, this book details some of the greatest artists in the history of music. Despite the fact that few of these bands broke into the mainstream, their influence is immense. Without Sonic Youth there's no Nirvana, without Black Flag there's no hardcore, and so on. Okay, here's the bands:


Black Flag
Minutemen
Mission of Burma
Minor Threat
Husker DU
The Replacements
Sonic Youth
Butthole Surfers
Big Black
Dinosaur Jr
Fugazi
Mudhoney
Beat Happening

Of these bands, Sonic Youth is definitely my favorite, with Black Flag being a close second. If I were you I would go out and buy a SY album immediately! I highly recommend Goo (1990). If you don't feel like spending dough, then download their shit, they have a huge, plethora of works. For those of you Étudiant Radio listeners, which should be all of you! you will hear at some point or another all of these artists, in fact Glen and I already played Fugazi and Beat Happening.
Warning!: If you plan to read this book (Do It Now, it's at Newbury Comics, Barnes and Noble, hell you can order it online, you won't even have to get off your ass!) please do not read this criticism section and rather go into the novel with an open mind, you will discover an insightful analysis of underground culture and possibly the greatest chronicle of music in history.
Though this book is amazing, it is not 100% free of foibles. My main criticism is its lack of numerous, other, troubadours from that era, chief amongst these artists are: The Pixies, Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys, Misfits, Daniel Johnston, Descendants, Melvins, Meat Puppets, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, and who could forget The Smiths? Now of course the biggest flaw in my complaint is the fact that if Azerrad had included all these artists it would have been over a thousand pages (I would read em'!) and also it's most likely he tried to contact these artists, but they wanted nothing to do with the novel. Who Knows? Maybe we'll see a Volume 2, hopefully! Another criticism is the author's gratuitous use of the word "indie." I showed one chapter to Glen and he pointed this out, without even my mention of it. A final criticism is the way the author leaves out certain info or uses his opinion as if it is fact to build a story, for example in the Mudhoney chapter, he makes it sound like "Touch Me I'm Sick" was the only great song the band recorded... my favorite album of theirs is My Brother The Cow (1995) , where the song does not appear, and in fact there is no mention of this album or any other album by them on Reprise (major label) records. Sorry Azerrad.

My Rating: 4 and a half out of 5 stars. A must for those who think punk stopped in 1978 and then resurfaced with Nirvana in 1991.

Here are some (but certainly not all) other works I recommend you check out if you like this novel:

American Hardcore: A Tribal History by Steven Blush

Get In The Van by Henry Rollins

American Hardcore (film, 2006)

We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (film, 2005)

P.S. that was not a knock at Nirvana above.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

At least eight police killed by Al Qaeda


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda militants killed at least eight police in southern Baghdad on Thursday, raking them with machinegun fire from a stolen Iraqi army vehicle, police said.

Separately, police said insurgents fired 10 mortar bombs at Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone just before dusk, in attacks coinciding with the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.

A Reuters witness said he saw what appeared to be a body hanging from a damaged minibus in the zone, which houses the U.S. embassy and many government ministries. Police said there were casualties, but had no details.

The eruption of violence ran against the trend of a sharp drop in attacks in recent months.

Al Qaeda in Iraq militants opened fire on a neighborhood police patrol in the Hawr Rajab area of Baghdad, a mainly Sunni Arab area, approaching in at least one of two vehicles they had stolen after shooting at least two Iraqi soldiers.

An Interior Ministry official confirmed that eight "Awakening Council" police patrol members had been killed. He said three Iraqi soldiers were killed and another three were wounded, and that two al Qaeda gunmen had also been killed.

Lovely place, Baghdad. Just a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summertime. Stupid statements by Indiana congressman Mike Pence aside, yes, believe it or not, Al Qaeda DOES have a presence in Iraq! However, Iraqis comprise five percent of the entire Al Qaeda insurgency. Yes, our number one priority, according to the Bush administration, is crushing that five percent.

Myanmar update


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The European Union and Southeast Asian leaders called on Thursday for enhanced economic cooperation and the release of political detainees in military-ruled Myanmar, but set no deadlines for either.

A free-trade agreement between the EU and its fifth-largest trading partner the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has stumbled over issues such as reform in military-ruled Myanmar, which the EU slapped sanctions on this week.

A joint declaration welcomed the decision of the Myanmar government to step up dialogue with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and called for a peaceful transition to democracy, although the two blocs clashed over sanctions.

Is a peaceful transition to democracy possible? The catalyst for this worldwide movement for change is the slaying of peaceful protesters. Maybe, just maybe, war is what Myanmar needs.

Darfur update


BEIJING (AP) — A joint peacekeeping force planned for Darfur remains threatened by political deadlock and a shortage of equipment, the head of U.N. peacekeeping said Wednesday.

The 26,000-strong peacekeeping force may not be a reality. Remember, the U.N. and A.U. are putting this force together with no help from the U.S. or Europe. They thought they could pull it off with mostly African nations participating. Come on, Europe! Pitch in! You don't really expect US to keep the peace in Darfur, do you?

Another year, another parade of balloons and floats.


NEW YORK—Unseasonably balmy weather greeted cheering crowds as the giant balloons in the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floated through the streets of Manhattan.

Poor New York. They haven't gotten any snow yet...and their baseball teams haven't won the championship since 2000. Boo hoo.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Wakefield Étudiant!

Wakefield Loses To Melrose 14-15

A heart breaker of sorts; the Wakefield Warriors held a 14-6 lead at one point in the game, but they were not able to hold onto that lead as they ended up losing 14-15. The one thing that hurt the Warriors was turnovers. QB Brian Millea had a fumble and an interception. The latter cost the Warriors the game.

Wakefield lost its best receiver, Shane Taylor, early in the game. Taylor was on the ground for several minutes with an apparent leg injury. He got injured following a first down catch. Taylor did not return to the game and was later driven to the hospital via ambulance.

RB Martin Hyppolite, who injured himself two weeks ago, was back on the field for the Warriors. He clearly was not 100%, but he was occasionally able to move the ball down field. Overall, the Warriors offensive attack was weak, particularly due to Melrose's strong front seven. The Red Raider defenders aren't exactly huge guys, but they play very tough and plug the gaps. And that is exactly what they did today against Wakefield.

One player I have to give a lot of credit to was dressed in Red and not Silver. That player is Melrose QB Dale Parsons. Parsons is a lengthy senior who stands out not because of a great arm, but because the dude is quick. If nobody was open, he just ran through gaps for gains of 10+ yards. He threw an early interception to his QB counterpart Millea, but soon after that he was right on the money.

With less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Red Raiders were inside the 20 yard line of Wakefield. A costly mistake came in the form a Nick Serino hold. Serino, perhaps unintentionally, held onto a Melrose receiver and unfortunately for him the referees saw this. The Red Raiders gained the first down and I believe they wound up kicking what would be the game winning field goal.

Wakefield's streak of Thanksgiving wins over Melrose is now over. Wakefield simply wasn't as good as they were in other years. They didn't have the offense of 2005 (Tom McManama, Shane Brown, Marc Fiore) or the defense of 2006 (Bill Curran, Chris Roberto). I can't imagine Wakefield getting any better either as the team, despite having a host of current juniors, will be quite young and inexperienced. Good job, Melrose on a well played game.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Suspects Rearrested in Holloway Case

ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Three young men previously detained as suspects in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway have been re-arrested in the case, the Aruban public prosecutor's office said Wednesday. Source: Fair and Balanced, Fox News

The disappearance of Holloway was pretty much the only thing that CNN covered in the Summer of 2005. One other thing I remember is that her mother refused to leave the island until her daughter was found.

Myanmar update


SINGAPORE (AFP) — Myanmar was hit Wednesday with demands to release democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and criticism over its bloody crackdown on dissent, at a regional summit that embraced its friends and foes.

There is overwhelming demand for change in Myanmar, and releasing Suu Kyi from house arrest is the first step towards democracy. Too bad Myanmar is run by madmen who ignore what the world tells them to do. If you don't think these madmen should be in charge of a nation, let your voice be heard.

Good Stem Cell Breakthrough!


By using a simple recipe of four genes to reprogram ordinary adult cells into stem cells, the new approach appears to bypass the ethical, religious, and political objections that have blocked government funding for research on stem cells culled from human embryos.

Embryonic stem cells have been likened to blank slates because they replicate themselves endlessly and can form any of the 220 cell types in the body, including blood, bone, organs, and nerves. - Source: Boston Globe

The bottom line as said by Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk: "These new strategies remind us . . . it is never necessary for laboratory researchers to cross fundamental moral lines in order for science and medicine to advance."


Lowell Ninety Nine auctions it's stuff for charity


Gail Metropolis absolutely had to have the eagle.
It was carved in a wood
plaque, painted blue and gold, and measured five feet wide. Bids started at
$100, and on the last day of the auction she stayed until midnight at the Ninety
Nine Restaurant in Lowell where it had hung near the bar for 15 years, locked in
a fierce bidding war.
Proceeds from this auction went to Lowell's public school and the city's Boys and Girls Club.

Traffic lights coming soon at the future home at Dunkin' Donuts


WAKEFIELD - Traffic lights will soon be installed at the intersection of Salem
Street and Audubon Road, according to a plan of temporary traffic improvements
approved by the Board of Selectmen last week at the request of DPW Director
Richard Stinson.Dunkin’ Donuts is required to install the temporary lights,
Stinson explained, as part of the Zoning Board of Appeals’ decision on the new
Dunkin’ Donuts currently under construction on Salem Street across from that
intersection.
Does this town REALLY need ANOTHER Dunkin' Donuts?

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Myanmar update


UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — A UN General Assembly panel on Tuesday passed a resolution strongly condemning the recent crackdown on anti-government protests by Myanmar's ruling generals.

Question is, how will this resolution affect the effort to improve human rights and political situation in Myanmar? The world hates what the junta did...will that stop them from doing it again? Will Myanmar see democracy?

It's the most wonderful time of the year.


If you're flying this week, buckle up. It could be one of your bumpiest trips
ever - and that's before you even set foot on the plane.
An estimated 27
million passengers are expected to fly US airlines during a 12-day period that
includes Thanksgiving week - the busiest travel period of the year. That's 4
percent higher than the number of air travelers during the same period last
year, according to the Air Transport Association. And if recent months are any
indication, the start to this year's holiday travel season, which runs roughly
through New Year's, could be one of the most frustrating for flyers: Fares are
up. Planes are fuller. And more and more passengers are being bumped.
Going anywhere this holiday season? Me neither.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Myanmar update


SINGAPORE : ASEAN leaders have agreed to let Myanmar deal with the United Nations on its own.

But Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the grouping stands ready to help resolve Myanmar's internal affairs if and when the country is ready.

ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Myanmar situation is a domestic affair, but someone should intervene. Myanmar needs democracy, and the junta must be ousted before more people lose their lives.

Darfur update


The UN and African Union (AU) mediated Darfur peace talks have spread beyond the Libyan town of Sirte in efforts to get all key groups on board, according to a UN official.

"Although we cannot as yet set the exact time for full-blown negotiations, meetings are now ongoing in Sirte [the original venue of the talks] as well as in Darfur, Khartoum and Juba," George Ola Davies, spokesman of the UN-AU Joint Mediation Support Team, told IRIN.

Let's hope this works. I'm not so sure that expanding the talks will get the Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Army/Movement on board. The leader of the SLA/M, Abdul Wahid, says he'll only join the talks after the peacekeeping force is deployed...

FBI liable for two Whitey Bulger killings


A federal judge ruled today that the FBI was liable for the 1982 execution-style deaths of two men allegedly killed by James "Whitey" Bulger and his associates, saying the government acknowledged in several other criminal cases that the men were killed because a rogue FBI agent told mobsters that one of the victims was an informant.

Is it just me, or does this story sound a lot like The Departed?

Bangladesh death toll reaches 3,113


BARGUNA, Bangladesh - Four days after super cyclone Sidr killed more than 3,000 people in Bangladesh, rescuers struggled on Monday to reach isolated areas along the country's devastated coast to give aid to millions of survivors.

"The tragedy unfolds as we walk through one after another devastated village," said relief worker Mohammad Selim in Bagerhat, one of the worst-hit areas. "Often it looks like we are in a valley of death."

The confirmed death toll from the cyclone reached 3,113 Monday, while 3,322 are injured and 1,063 missing, Lieutenant-Colonel Main Ullah Chowdhury told reporters in Dhaka.

Ban Ki-moon said that the U.N. may donate several million dollars to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government said it has allocated $5.2 million for rebuilding houses. The U.S. and other nations have pledged aid.

Megan Meier's parents seek justice


The parents of a 13-year-old Missouri girl who hanged herself after a failed MySpace romance — later uncovered as a hoax — say they have yet to receive an apology from the family they blame for their daughter’s death.

Megan Meier committed suicide on October 16, 2006. After she had a falling out with a friend, the friend's parents created a fake MySpace account. Meier hoped to start a relationship with a boy she didn't know was fictional. Someone using the fake account sent out cruel bulletins, saying things like "Megan Meier is a slut." Megan hanged herself that day. The Meiers are seeking to file criminal charges under a federal law that prevents online harassment.
Some people just never grow up. The friend's parents bullied a girl young enough to be their daughter. Megan's parents are right to blame them for their daughter's death. That said, Megan's family and friends could have and should have done something. Even before this MySpace game, Megan was a depressed girl who attempted suicide. That's a red flag. If someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, make sure they know that killing yourself is not the answer.

If Drugs Were Legal.......

If all drugs were legal, addicts would no longer pay black-market prices to criminals for drugs of questionable and dangerous origin. They would get drugs produced by legitimate pharmaceutical companies and pay market prices. They would no longer die from buying toxic drugs, and they would no longer have to mug innocent people to support their habits.

If all drugs were legal, addicts could seek help by going to doctors - no longer afraid of being prosecuted for their medical problems.

If all drugs were legal, criminal drug dealers would no longer be on our streets. They couldn't compete with the low, free-market prices for drugs sold at pharmacies.

If all drugs were legal, criminal drug dealers would no longer prey upon our children - any more than distilleries and breweries try to infiltrate schools to hook kids on alcohol. When I grew up in Los Angeles in the 1940s, the worst schools were safer than L.A.'s best schools are today.

If all drugs were legal, our government would no longer be dispensing propaganda that makes children want to try the forbidden fruit. - Populistamerica.com

I typically don't consider myself a social libertarian, but these are convincing arguments!

Kids Don't Read

We know what young people are doing more of: watching television, surfing the Web, listening to their iPods, talking on cellphones, and instant-messaging their friends. But a new report released today by the National Endowment for the Arts makes clear what they're doing a lot less of: reading.

The report - a 99-page compendium of more than 40 studies by universities, foundations, business groups, and government agencies since 2004 - paints a dire picture of plummeting levels of reading among young people over the past two decades. Source: Boston.com

Why is this not surprising?

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Call Me Frank Beamer Around This Ho'

"I don't know what guru means, but I know it means somethin' goooood".

FreeRice: Build Your Vocabulary Whilst Giving

FreeRice is a not for profit organization whose mission is to feed the hungry. How?

FreeRice is not sitting on a pile of rice―you are earning it 10 grains at a time. Here is how it works. When you play the game, advertisements appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these advertisements is then used to buy the rice. So by playing, you generate the money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people.
In other words, the more words you get correct, the more you feed the hungry. It is a pretty fun game and is especially helpful in preparing students for standardized tests like the SAT.

FreeRice.com

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Displinary Record On College Application?

While some colleges have asked about student conduct for decades, hundreds are now seeking the information through the common application accepted by 315 schools. For the first time last year, the form added questions for students and guidance counselors about whether applicants have ever been punished for academic or behavioral misconduct that led to probation, suspension, removal, dismissal, or expulsion. It also asks whether they have been convicted of a crime. - Boston.com

As one man in the article says, this is a very sticky issue. The students who leave the section blank are dishonest and I agree with the colleges who don't consider these kids. If you have committed a crime or have been punished in school, then say it! If you haven't, then select "No". If you leave it blank, you are hiding something and I'm not so sure I would want to admit a suspicious student. There are different degrees of severity in terms of what a student has done, so in some cases it may not be even that bad of an offense (a silly mistake).

Friday, November 16, 2007

Songs of the Week

00s - Head Automatica - Beating Hearts Baby (2004)

90s - SOAD - Soil (1998)

80s - Black Flag - TV Party (1981)

70s - Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage (1979)

60s - Phil Ochs - I Ain't Marching Anymore - (1965)

50s - Ben E. King - Stand By Me (1959)

Étudiant Éxclusive Senior Show Scoop!


There has been much speculation about this year's upcoming senior show, so much so, the class advisors and officers decided to hold a meeting Wednesday afternoon to clear things up. The administration decided not to hold a meeting of the entire senior class, since there would be so many complaints. Instead, seniors were invited to come down to Mr. Cresta's room and hear the scoop.
Here's what I learned at the meeting...Ms. Acevedo met with Ms. Freedman and learned that the administration has decided to put only the skit portion of the senior show. The play portion has been cut to cut the cost and length. The seniors may write their own skits, but not a full-length play. Some suggested combining the Mr. W.H.S. competition with the senior show, but that idea was thrown out. The administration does not want any kind of competition in the show, or any mocking/mimicking of faculty or students.
Formal signups and auditions will take place in January. All skits must be submitted for administrator approval. The dress rehearsal and first show will be on March 14, my birthday. The second show will be on March 15.
In addition to all this info, Mr. Cresta revealed at the meeting that the senior WILL have a Class Night just like the one the class of '07 had, i.e. no overnight. He also said that the cuts from the senior show are among hundreds of thousands of dollars cut from the budget this week. The school needs to make these cuts because they are spending $2 million making the school more handicap-accessible.

A poem I wrote.


In English class, we wrote poems about ourselves. We had to describe our likes and dislikes, physical appearance, and dress, and have a few rhyming couplets in there. Mine is somewhat amusing...I think. Enjoy.

"Ben"

People say I’m crazy, but they said that about John Lennon, too.
That guy wasn’t crazy.
People aren’t always right.
Or are they?
I don’t know.
I don’t have social skills or common sense.
I have friends, but I’m clingy to them.
That freaks them out.
I can be mean without intending to be.
I try to be nice.
Some think I’m nice.
I’m a loudmouth, sarcastic class clown.
You can’t please everyone.
I’m weird. I’d much rather listen to
The Beatles,
I love that music,
Than Nickelback,
That stuff is whack.
Some say I’m a man in a boy’s body.
I look like just another Joe in a
Jacket,
Hat,
Jeans,
And sneakers.
I’m a big guy. They call me
BBT.
Big
Ben
Tan.
I like the blues, and classic rock.
Teenagers aren’t supposed to like that stuff.
But teenagers are crazy.
I think people are crazy.
And people think I’m crazy.
But now I’m not so sure.
This poem’s over. I can’t write any more.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

A-Rod To Sign 10 Year, $275 Million Contract

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees have agreed to the outline of a $275 million, 10-year contract, a deal that potentially would allow him to earn millions more if he sets the career home run record.
This deal will shatter the MLB record 10 year, $252 million contract that Rodriguez signed in 2001.

Think This: November 15th, 2007

Don't just "Think This"..."Do This"

The Social Awareness and Responsibility Club is sponsoring an event during this Thanksgiving season to call attention to those who do not have enough to eat. The Fasting for World Hunger for Ox Fam America will be on Friday November 16th. Participating students will give up their lunch for a day and donate the equivalent of their lunch fee for the cause of those who may go hungry daily. Anyone signing up can go to the Library during heir lunch where water will be supplied. Signups will begin next week in the cafeteria and donations to Ox Fam can be made in cash or a check.
OxFam is a pretty legitimate organization; I like their platform.

Asterisk Bigger For Indicted Slugger


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday for perjury and obstruction of justice, charged with lying when he told a federal grand jury that he did not knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs.

Barry Bonds....performance enhancers? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Howie's Back!

“We are thrilled that Howie is back on WRKO,” Entercom New England vice president and market manager Julie Kahn said in a statement. “Howie is a one-of-a-kind talent, and I’m sure all of Howie’s listeners are looking forward to hearing him on our air again.” - Boston.com
Howie Carr, that is. He is famous for the "chump line" which is a daily playback of listener generated voice mail. WEEI stole the concept and turned the Chump Line into the now famous "Whiner Line."

I am happy that Carr is back. I usually only listen to him in the summertime, but since he is back I will probably be tuning in some more.

Ha Ha Ha! Merry Christmas

SYDNEY (AFP) - Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday.

Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported.

One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute.

I hesitate to call this being politically correct. I don't really know what to call it. The modern day Santa Claus needs to be abolished. I guess making him say "ha ha ha" is really no different than "ho ho ho." What makes me wonder is why this issue has come up in 2007 and not before?

O'Malley Voices Opposition to Pro-Death Politicians

Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley challenged the position of Democrats on abortions yesterday. O'Malley said that Democrats have "been extremely insensitive to the church's position, on the gospel of life in particular, and on other moral issues."Massachusetts Catholics have a long history of voting Democrat, but in recent years there has been more of a balance between Democratic voting and Republican voting. The Republican Party currently holds a pro-life platform, but falls short in other political issues. For example, the Republican Party is supportive of the death penalty and the war in Iraq. O'Malley is vehemently opposed to both of them. As O'Malley said, there really isn't a party that is in full harmony with Church teachings. Nevertheless, one-issue voting may be necessary for the elimination of candidates to choose from. Said O'Malley: "As Catholics we are not single-issue voters," but says, "a candidate's position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support."

- Thoughts expressed on Boston.com were used in this article.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Weed = Safer Driving

The effects of marijuana use on driving performance have been extensively researched over the last 20 years. All major studies show that marijuana consumption has little or no effect on driving ability, and may actually reduce accidents. Here's a summary of the biggest studies into pot use and driving.

A 1983 study by the US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that the only significant affect of cannabis use was slower driving - arguably a positive effect of driving high. - Cannisbusculture.com
One poster at the WTF.com message boards has this to say:

You know what the difference between a drunk driver and a stoned driver is?
A drunk drives through the stop sign, and a stoner waits for it to turn green

Call of Duty 4


As you might or might not have known, Activision and Infinity Ward's newest masterpiece Call of Duty 4 has been released for the PC, PS3, XBOX360, and the Nintendo DS. I decided to go pick up a copy of this game last weekend for my PS3, and all I can say is get it!!! The graphics are awesome (actually more than awesome) and the story of the game really grabs onto your attention. Even though the single player campaign mode only gives 5-6 hours of gameplay, the online multiplayer is where this game really excels. This game is really a must-have if you're a fan of first-person shooters, and if you have a PS3.

Former pilots and officials call for new UFO investigations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich may have been ridiculed for saying he had seen a UFO, but for some former military pilots and other observers, unidentified flying objects are no laughing matter.

An international panel of two dozen former pilots and government officials called on the U.S. government on Monday to reopen its generation-old UFO investigation as a matter of safety and security given continuing reports about flying discs, glowing spheres and other strange sightings.

Scientists successful at cloning monkeys

A technical breakthrough has enabled scientists to create for the first time dozens of cloned embryos from adult monkeys, raising the prospect of the same procedure being used to make cloned human embryos.

The work was led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a Russian-born scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Centre in Beaverton. Dr Mitalipov helped to pioneer a new way of handling primate eggs during the cloning process, which involved fusing each egg with a nucleus taken from a skin cell of an adult primate.

GAO: Investigators pass security at 19 airports with bomb parts

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators with bomb-making components in their luggage and on their person were able to pass through security checkpoints at 19 U.S. airports without detection, according to the Government Accountability Office.

GAO officials are expected to testify about the investigation Thursday before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The investigators reported that most of the time security officers followed TSA policies and procedures, but investigators were able to take advantage of "weaknesses in TSA [Transportation Security Administration] procedures and other vulnerabilities."

"These weaknesses were identified based on a review of public information," the planned GAO testimony says .

Investigators concluded that if they had attempted the same test at other airports, they would have evaded detection.

Recent Viral Video Scare

What are you talking about?
-
Viral videos

What are viral videos?

- The term viral videos refers to video clip content which gains widespread popularity through the process of Internet sharing, typically through email or IM messages, blogs and other media sharing websites. - Source: Wikipedia

Okay, I understand the definition now, but what videos in particular are you talking about?
-
If you have access to the internet, you know. Don't play dumb.

No, I really don't know what you are talking about.
- Okay, fine. The viral videos that I am referring to are among the grossest videos ever on the Internet. They have been viewed by millions of people and a portion of the viewers have gotten very sick after watching them.

I can handle anything! Give me the link.

- I can't.

Okay....just give the names of the videos.
-
Sure....

WHAT THE........... ARE YOU.......... MOTHER FU......... DAMN YOU
- Don't blame me; blame the assholes behind the scenes

----

What do you think of this whole "viral video scare" as I termed it?

Anti-Smoking Ads Coming To MA Airwaves

For the first time in six years, state tobacco control authorities are returning to the television airwaves with an internationally acclaimed advertising campaign aimed at getting smokers to stop.

The TV ads, part of a broader initiative that includes Internet and transit advertising, were unveiled today and will begin airing tomorrow on cable statewide and on broadcast stations in markets including Boston, Springfield, and Southeastern Massachusetts. - Boston Globe

The ads won't make current smokers stop; I can see them semi-influencing the younger generations, however.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Myammar update


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari gave an upbeat report on Tuesday on his recent trip to promote democracy in Myanmar but Western ambassadors voiced doubts about the junta's will to cooperate with him.

Gambari told the U.N. Security Council that the situation was "qualitatively different" from a few weeks ago, and that he believed the junta could respond to the pressure for change. He noted that Suu Kyi had been allowed to issue a statement for the first time in four years and to meet members of her party. However, British Ambassador John Sawers warned that without sustained international pressure on the junta, signs of progress could be "a false dawn." U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad, along with Gambari, urge the junta to release Suu Kyi and other detainees.

Former Pakistan PM denounces Musharraf


Ms. Bhutto has given mixed signals about whether she would work with President Musharraf since he imposed emergency rule on November 3. But after being placed under house arrest Tuesday in Lahore, Ms. Bhutto gave the clearest denunciation yet of her political rival.

In a phone interview with Sky news, Ms. Bhutto said General Musharraf's autocratic rule had undermined the war against militants who are destabilizing Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"And that's why we say Musharraf must leave. The time for dictatorship is over," she said. "It was tried and it failed to contain militancy."

In interviews with other news agencies, she said she would not serve as prime minister under President Musharraf.

The president has said the government plans to hold elections on schedule in January, but he has also insisted that military-enforced emergency laws that suspend basic rights will not undermine those polls.

Opposition parties have rejected the claim and said they will boycott the elections if emergency rule is not lifted. Ms. Bhutto Tuesday suggested her party might join them.

President Bush has said the emergency order must be lifted to ensure free elections.

General Musharraf has defended the thousands of arrests of protesting lawyers and rights activists under the emergency laws as necessary to preserve law and order.

In Lahore on Tuesday, hundreds of security forces used barbed wire, steel barricades and dump trucks loaded with sand to hold back people trying to reach Ms. Bhutto.

Benzair Bhutto is the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. She has been placed under house arrest ahead of a planned protest march against the state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf. So far, Musharraf has been able to prevent large-scale rallies against him, silencing the many who are calling for him to step down.

Darfur update


U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told reporters after a meeting with President Umaru Yar'Adua in Abuja that the United States remains committed to a rapid deployment of UN-AU hybrid force in the troubled western Sudanese region.

This hybrid force is not expected to be fully deployed until sometime next year. Until then, an AU force of less than seven-thousand is the one that will keep the peace. However, this is the same force that has been there since 2003. Since then, 200,000 people have died. Time to send in the 26,000 UN-AU peace keepers!

Exposed: Pizza King

There's a local pizza chain around here called "Pizza King" that had one of its locations shut down after health inspectors found rat droppings in a box of shredded mozzarella. The restaurant's defense was that they were going to throw that box out, but that apparently wasn't true, because the box was still sitting there with all the other cheese boxes. But this is the best quote:

"The owner of the Wheeling Avenue Pizza King location disputed the charges, alleging that the contamination was actually mold, and not rat leavings." - Source: Chris Lovdahl
As Chris said: "That's so much more assuring..."

Democrats Please

Democrats: Colleges must police copyright, or else
New federal legislation says universities must agree to provide not just deterrents but also "alternatives" to peer-to-peer piracy, such as paying monthly subscription fees to the music industry for their students, on penalty of losing all financial aid for their students. - Source: News.com

This is teh gay

This Was Actually A Halftime Show

This is so bad, it seems fake.

Stupid Kid in Florida


RIVERVIEW - A 16-year-old boy drilling into a pipeline released a cloud of ammonia Monday evening, forcing what could be a two-day evacuation for hundreds of residents near the Alafia River.

The teenager suffered second-degree burns from his neck to his groin and was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Five firefighters also were taken to Tampa General as a precaution and were released Monday night. - Tampa Bay Online

So why exactly did the kid drill into a pipeline? He was told there was money inside. I can't believe this kid is a part of our generation..

Remember The Article.....

That I posted a while back about the 13 year old girl who got two detentions for hugging her friends in school? According to the Boston Globe, the girl's parents met with school district officials recently. I posted the article as "lol funny dude" as I thought "woah, this is just too funny." The sad part is that this story is under the top national news category on the Globe web page.

Sabathia Beats Out Beckett For Cy Young


The Indians ace received 19 of 28 first-place votes and finished with 119 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Boston's Josh Beckett was second with eight first-place votes and 86 points, while John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels got the other first-place vote and came in third. Cleveland's Fausto Carmona was fourth. - Boston Globe
Sabathia deserved the Cy Young as he had a better strikeout-walk ratio and a better earned run average than Beckett.

Random Observation

It is 4:56 PM and almost completely dark out. Pretty crazy stuff.

20-year-old pleads not guilty to murder



A lawyer for the man accused of killing an off-duty Revere police officer told
the media today that his client was not the shooter and charged investigators
with abusing their power, in one instance making a "false statement" in a search
warrant affidavit.
"We saw an investigation marred by wholesale speculation,
with the police barging into people’s homes without a warrant, knocking down
doors, and intimidating witnesses," defense attorney Peter Krupp said in a
statement he read to reporters outside Chelsea District Court. "One has to
question the validity of information gathered through such tactics."
In a
courtroom packed with Revere officers in blue uniforms with black tape over
their badges, Robert Iacoviello Jr., 20, pleaded not guilty.
Daniel Talbot was shot in the head. Prosecutors say Iacoviello and some other men were involved in a heated exchange with Talbot and other off-duty officers that eventually lead to Talbot's death.