Give juvenile convicts a shot at hope

Imagine being locked up for life when you are only fourteen? You would not know any life outside of a jail cell and be trapped inside of a cell 24 hours a day.  Next week the , "Supreme Court will be confronted with two cases that question whether juveniles convicted of murder may be locked away forever, without even a possibility of parole" and it is a heated debate. One boy is convicted because two of his friends went in to rob a video store when he waited outside, but the clerk was shot and he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parol. Another case involves a fourteen year old brutally beating his neighbor with a baseball bat and then setting the house on fire, making it impossible for the immobilized victim to escape the flames. One case involves a boy who made a wrong decision, but did not kill the man himself, and the other involves a truly disturbed person, but the court's decision will affect them both. 

This article is a part of a country wide debate that involves 79 boys between the ages of 13-14 and their wrongdoings. I believe that if at that young age, if you are capable of capital murder, then you should be locked away for life, they are a danger to humanity. This article showed both sides to the story and was extremely interesting to read. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/give-juvenile-convicts-a-shot-at-hope/2012/03/15/gIQA3QZ2ES_story.html

A Meter So Expensive, It Creates Parking Spots

Traffic is a commuters worst nightmare and some city streets are clogged with angry people fighting for a prime parking spot.  "As much as a third of the traffic in some areas has been attributed to drivers circling as they hunt for spaces" (Cooper). A new program in San Francisco tries to raise the rate of the parking spots that are in high demand and lower the price on the emptier neighborhoods. It has shown that the spots are remaining open and available to more people when the rates were raised by a dollar. Parking sensors have been put in place to monitor the streets and the parking improvements. Some critics are saying that the city is ripping people off just because their work place is located on a busy street. 

This collaboration between Michael Cooper and Jo Craven McGinty show the benefits and downfalls to the ever growing traffic problem. For some it is an improvement while others are fiercely opposed. Many quotes and lots of logos complete this article that could determine the future of the parking situation. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/us/program-aims-to-make-the-streets-of-san-francisco-easier-to-park-on.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

Michigan Woman Wins Lottery, Still Collects Welfare

            This is just ridiculous and proves how greedy people have become in today's society. It came after an anonymous tip came into a Michigan news station to do a story about people who won the lottery, but are still collecting welfare. They found that, "A Michigan woman who won a $1-million lottery jackpot last fall admits she's continued to collect $200 a month in public assistance" (Lynch) and the worst thing about this is that she believes that she deserves it because she is still without a job, even with her millions. She accepted the money after paying off her taxes and collected it in a lump-sum, making it easier to hind her wrong-doings. With her money, she bought two houses and a new car, so maybe if she saved some of it the welfare would not be needed. A new legislation is being made up to monitor anyone who wins over $1000 and to take them off the welfare list until they reapply. Michigan's state rep. say, "Public assistance is for those people who can no longer purchase food for their families, or pay their heating bills. It's not here to help those who win millions of dollars". 

              Rene Lynch knew her audience very well, hard-working tax payers who hate to see their money going to a person who already has a million. It used a lot of pathos and could easily anger many people in not only Michigan, but all over America. The logos was also another strong factor that Lynch used, getting quotes from the winner, the winner's mother, and the state representative. It was a great news story that will shed light on how states waste money on already wealthy people. 

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-nn-na-lottery-winner-collects-welfare-20120307,0,3643323.story

Preschoolers in Surgery for a Mouthful of Cavities

            No one likes a trip to the dentist, no imagine if 11 out of your 20 teeth had cavities. Youngster, Devon Koester, had to take a trip to the  Center for Pediatric Dentistry at Seattle Children’s Hospital for a surgery to remove some of the cavities while filling and putting crowns on the rest. His mother said, "I had a lot on my mind, and brushing his teeth was an extra thing I didn’t think about at night". This is a bad example and with dentists, "seeing more preschoolers at all income levels with 6 to 10 cavities or more" (Saint Louis), it is becoming a huge problem in the U.S.. Snacking constantly and sugary juice drinks are also contributing to the horrible decay seen in the preschoolers. Dental surgeons say, "The average age of patients is 4, and most have decay in six to eight teeth" and "The most severe cases have 12 or 16, which is seen several times a week", both of which are appalling to think about. 

             The one thing that I learned from this is that whether or not your child enjoys brushing their teeth, you should make them because it could cost you in the future. Dental health is a part of your overall health and people should consider this to be as important as taking a shower and sleeping. Catherine Saint Louis is extremely passionate about this issue, clearly caring about these toddlers and their teeth issues. No matter the effects people just don't seem to learn, "Janine Costantini, the ambulatory practice director at Children’s Hospital Colorado, said the staff treated a 3-year-old who was making his second visit to the operating room for dental work. The boy arrived with a bottle of Coca-Cola" (Saint Louis). It is incredible to think about how careless and stupid people can be when making parental decisions. Saint Louis purpose in writing this is to inform everybody that this is becoming a major issue in the U.S. and needs to be taken much more seriously by parents. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/health/rise-in-preschool-cavities-prompts-anesthesia-use.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

Five So-Called Health Foods You Should Avoid

            Do you think you make smart diet decisions? Maybe, maybe not. This article highlights five out of the many foods that are advertised as healthy, but in fact are actually hurting your body. Reduced Fat Peanut butter, enhanced water, energy bars, multi-grain foods, and Non-fried chips are all on the top of the list. The reduced fat peanut butter eliminates the peanut oil, the only beneficial ingredient in it. It is just replaced with sugar and artificial flavors. It is just recommended to eat regular peanut butter, which is proven to reduce the risks of heart attacks. Enhanced water is just filled with sugar plus a vitamin pill. Just drink water and enhance it with some lemon or lime juice, naturally. Energy bars are just "calorie bombs" with candy bars just being added with vitamins, protein, and fiber. Don't believe that multi-grain" is "whole grain" and non-fried chips are just added with refined grains and starches. 

           Everybody is now obsessed with themselves and their bodies and can sometimes be tricked into believing something when the opposite it true. This article written by, Katherine Tallmadge knew her audience very well, a health nut that needs to educate themselves with the truth. Everybody makes mistakes, but its how you fix them that makes you a better person. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/5-so-called-health-foods-you-should-avoid/2012/01/31/gIQA6E7vfR_story.html?tid=pm_pop

Does Couples Therapy Work?

              You see on television, couples headed towards divorce battling it out in therapy and you have to wonder if it really does anything. I, myself wonder if therapy is helpful or hurtful. Personally, yes some people cannot make their own decisions and need guidance, but now it just seems like everyone has to consult with a therapist. Author, Elizabeth Weil says when dealing with couples, "You often feel confused, at odds with a least one of your patients, out of control”(Weil). I can see her point, a therapist can't just sit there,  “You have to like action. To manage marital combat, a therapist needs to get in there, mix it up with the client, be a ninja. This is intimidating” (Weil).

                  It has been proven that therapy can rekindle love in marriages and it is worth the try if you truly love someone.Weil used logos effectively, using quotes from therapists and psychologists. It was a well put together piece, with evidence to back up the thesis. The audience would be couples in danger of divorce, a big issue in today's society. 

            

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/fashion/couples-therapists-confront-the-stresses-of-their-field.html?src=me&ref=general

The Secret Science of Stardom

           This article, The Secret Science of Stardom, reminds me of the article we read from Patterns, Fame-iness. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett defines what she believes fame is saying, "The basic criterion for being a star is that society is collectively interested in someone for things that transcend their talent". Halkett also reminds the readers that some people are only famous for being famous. Halkett and her partner studied hundreds of celebrities and how many times they were photographed and how it correlated with their celebrity status. They wanted to see if talented stars act differently than the ones driven by the media. Halkett wanted to see the different behavioral patterns in different levels of stars. Paris Hilton, is the most photographed celebrity, but that is not because of her level of talent, but because she has gone to the most events and has gotten her photo taken everywhere that she goes. Halkett explained saying, "Hilton attended over three times as many events as Oscar nominee Brad Pitt" and "Viola Davis a mere four events in the very same year that Hilton attended 95 events". Halkett is not impressed by Hilton and uses logos to back up her thesis. 

              There is a method to becoming a star and at first you may need to be in every photograph, but once you are an Oscar winning actor, the less events you go to, the more famous and in demand you are. I am fascinated with the idea of fame and would love to experience it for myself, but only for a week or two. There is something about going out to eat and everybody would know your name and envy you, it would be thrilling. Back to reality, this piece pointed out that even though you see the Kardashians in almost every tabloid, it does not mean that they are a truly famous. Being famous, means that you need to have a mysterious side to you and you draw people in just to be seen a couple of times a month. Halkett knew her audience and wrote the article this week because of the Oscars on Sunday. 

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/24/the_secret_science_of_stardom/