Taylor's Blog

Click Here

topic: strict gun laws

title:”California’s strict gun laws failed to stop mass shooting”

article source: KLTV

summary: “SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The deadly shooting in San Bernardino happened in a state with some of the nation’s toughest gun laws: California bars assault weapons, blocks the sale of large-capacity magazines and requires universal background checks for all gun purchases.Authorities say they believe attackers Syed Rizwan Farook and wife Tashfeen Malik had legally obtained two handguns and that two rifles were also legally purchased in California. Federal officials say the attackers had large-capacity magazines that violate California law in their SUV.Since the attack Wednesday at a social service center in Southern California, the state’s strict laws and the apparent legal purchase of the weapons have set off a debate over the effectiveness of gun measures and whether getting tougher would help prevent more violence.The gun-control advocacy group rates California’s gun laws No. 1 in the nation; the state ranks 42nd in its rate of gun deaths. Louisiana’s gun laws were ranked 50th and it is No. 2 in deaths, according to the group’s 2014 rankings.Gun laws vary dramatically state-to-state, even city-to-city. The patchwork of regulations means it’s often easy for determined gunmen to acquire weapons by skirting laws in their home state, they say. Untraceable weapons can be built from scratch using parts bought online.As a result, gun control advocates in the days since the shooting have called for more stringent laws in California and nationwide. At least two state lawmakers say they will propose measures to close what they consider loopholes in the state’s gun laws.Crime Prevention Research Center president John Lott, a critic of additional gun laws who is often cited by the gun lobby, argued that the shooting illustrates how expanded background checks supported by President Barack Obama do not stop mass public shootings.He noted that California, Colorado and Oregon – sites of the three most recent shootings – already have such laws in place.The FBI said Farook legally bought the two handguns used in the attack – purchases that would have required a background check. And there is no indication he or Malik had any criminal record or history of mental illness that would have triggered California’s unique law allowing authorities to seize weapons from those who aren’t allowed to own them.Federal officials are investigating whether the military-style rifles used were part of an illegal straw purchase, possibly from a former neighbor of Farook, and then given to Farook or Malik.California limited access to high-powered, military-style rifles in 1989 and lawmakers passed further restrictions in 2000, when the state banned specific types of AR15 and AK-47 style rifles. It also bans the sale of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 bullets.Legislation that would have banned so-called bullet buttons, which allow shooters to rapidly exchange empty magazines for ones fully loaded with bullets, stalled in the state Legislature two years ago.David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, said it is foolish to draw policy conclusions based on the facts of one specific shooting when the U.S. has more than 30,000 gun deaths per year. He questioned whether the assault-style rifles used in San Bernardino should be legal anywhere.Newsom has proposed a ballot initiative that would require on-the-spot background checks when buying ammunition, ban the possession, not just the sale, of large-capacity magazines with 10 rounds or more and require police reports when guns are lost or stolen.Those measures might not address the specific circumstances of what happened in San Bernardino, he acknowledged.” By Juliet Williams and Don Thompson

reaction: I feel that this event is outrageous and that this event may be connected to the Paris shootings. This event makes me fear and wonder about what will happen in the future.

world impact: I believe that  this event impacts the world majorly, this puts everyone in danger. No one has any idea of what will happen in the future.

topic: kidnapping

title:”Philadelphia Convenience Store Clerk Hailed as Hero for Stopping Alleged Kidnapping”

article source:abc news

summary: A convenience store clerk in Philadelphia is being hailed as a hero after putting himself directly between a suspected carjacker and a doctor whom the suspect had allegedly abducted from a parking garage.Manveer Komer was working the overnight shift Wednesday at a gas station in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia when the suspect arrived with the female doctor, according to ABC station WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. Surveillance video appears to show the doctor and the suspect inside the gas station, with the suspect using the doctor’s credit card to buy cigarettes. As they were leaving, Komer came from behind the counter and stopped the doctor, physically putting himself between her and the suspect. The suspect then took off the the woman’s car, but soon later the police caught up with the suspect by tracking the woman’s phone.

reaction: I feel good knowing that we still have good people in this world that still care about over people in their community.

world impact: It will inspire more people to be like the man in this incident.

1.Topic: Praying on the field

2. Title: “HS Football Coach Placed on Administrative Leave for Praying on the Field”

3.Source: abc news

4.Summary:

The Washington State high school football coach who had been warned to end his on-field, post-game prayers has been placed on paid administrative leave for continuing the practice.

Joe Kennedy, head coach of junior varsity football and assistant coach of varsity football at Bremerton High School, has openly prayed on the football field after games since 2008, but school district administrators were just  recently informed of it.

Kennedy received a letter in September from Bremerton School District Superintendent Aaron Leavell demanding he keep religion off the field, but he continued to conduct the prayers, with some players joining in.

The district followed through on its threat Wednesday, saying in a news release that Kennedy has been put on paid administrative leave and will be paid throughout the remainder of his contract term, “unless his employment status is changed in the future.”

“This action was necessitated by Kennedy’s refusal to comply with the District’s lawful and constitutionally required directives that he refrain from engaging in overt, public religious displays on the football field while on duty as a coach,” the news release says..

The district said that although Kennedy’s contributions to the football program were appreciated, his practice “poses a genuine risk that the District will be liable for violating the federal and state constitutional rights of students or others.”

The news release also notes that Kennedy had been offered a private location to pray that didn’t interfere with the performance of his duties, but he declined the offer.

5.Reaction

• If I took a position on this issue: If I was a football player that didn’t have the same beliefs, or didn’t believe in praying, or it was against my religion I would simply walk away when they are having their pray time.
• I feel that this event is unnecessary the player/players that had a problem with it could have simply walked away or talked the coach about it instead of getting the whole school and community involved.
• This event doesn’t have a big effect one me.

6.World impact

This event impacts the world: I wouldn’t say that this event really had an impact on the world. It makes you think what you can and can’t do now a days without getting in trouble.

The school board is holding an emergency meeting on Friday, Feb.6, to vote on renting computers because of a security system breach. The district is installing new security software, and all computers, including student computers, throughout the district are offline for the next three weeks.

The deadline is set for a 22 year old tradition that the school has sponsored called “Yearbook Day”, which is essentially a senior signing party. All the seniors are released from class at noon to pick up their yearbooks and attend the party at the gym.

Junior and editor of the yearbook, Alexis Zavia was not very pleased with this hacker.

“This year we pushed our final yearbook deadline back as far as we could to add more coverage to the book. Our yearbook representative warned us that if we didn’t make the deadline, the chances of the book arriving before summer break were slim.”

Senior, Reggie White shares his thoughts.

“We have to get our yearbooks before school is out. Yearbook Day is one of the highlights of senior year. It would be weird not to get my friends to sign my book before I go off to college. I certainly will not be able to come back for a signing party in the summer or fall. Yearbook day is more popular than prom.”

Ed Robles believes he’s coming closer to solving the mystery of who hacked into the schools system.

“Whoever hacked into our system is bright . They didn’t leave many traces. I dont think it was a student. This is some pretty sophisticated hacking. The police are getting closer to the hacker, though. He or she left a few bread crumbs for us to follow.”

Topic: Netflix
Title: Netflix raises prices
Article Source: CNN
Summary: It’s going to start costing a little more than usual to use Netflix. The streaming TV service said it is raising the cost of its standard plan, which allows customers watch programming on two devices at the same time, from $8.99 a month to $9.99.
The price hike affects new customers in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Current subscribers aren’t going to see their bill go up until next year. Netflix said it’s raising the price so it can add more TV shows and movies to its service.

Reaction: I’m a Netflix customer, and I believe it’s a great idea to pay a couple of dollars more each month in order to get more shows on Netflix. I feel that this event is much needed. This event doesn’t really effect me, I will just have a bigger and better choice when I get on Netflix.

World Impact: The price hike affects new customers in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. It doesn’t really impact the world it hair impacts the Netflix customers around the world.

topic: One-pound baby

title:”One-pound baby survives birth at sea”

article source: Kltv

summary: A baby born on a cruise ship, more than three months early and weighing about a pound.

Twenty-three-week-old Haiden Morgan was born more than 100 miles out at sea and 14 hours from land.

“I knew that this was the true labor pains and I was going to have this baby,” Emily Morgan said.

Morgan was two days out at sea on a cruise with her husband and 3-year-old daughter when she suddenly went into labor. The baby weighed just over one and a half pounds.

Doctors braced the Morgans, telling them their son was unlikely to survive.

“I was basically just trying to stay strong and really focus on Emily,” Chase Morgan said.

Emily was determined to keep her baby alive, her maternal instinct kicking in, and she insisted on seeing her baby.

“All I wanted was just to see him,” she said.

Meeting him for the first time she saw his pink skin and heard him breathing and said she knew he was a survivor.

As the captain raced to shore, the Morgans and the medical staff fought to keep the baby alive, wrapping him in towels and heated saline packets,

creating a makeshift incubator.

“I’m going to do everything possible. I don’t want to live with any regret,” Emily said.

They reached land with no time to spare.

“It was a miracle to push through that and he was a fighter,” Emily said.

Haiden remains hospitalized, but the family is hopeful he will be released by late December  — his original due date.

reaction: This event is incredible, the baby survived when only weighing one pound. The mom seemed very determined to keep her baby alive.

world impact: I wouldn’t say that this event impacted the world, but it’s a very interesting story.

http://www.kltv.com/story/30111517/longview-swat-team-raids-apartment-arrests-alleged-drug-dealer

Topic- Longview SWAT team

Title of article-” Longview SWAT team raids apartment, arrests alleged drug dealer”

Article source- kltv.com

Summary-

SWAT agents raided a suspected drug operation at an East Texas apartment complex. The Longview SWAT team raided the Autumnwood Apartments on Lake Lamond Road around 9:30 Thursday morning.

A resident at the apartment complex caught video of the raid on his cell phone. Neighbors say they had seen what they thought was drug activity going on, and there was a danger of possible firearms

“We chose to use our SWAT team to serve this warrant. Also, for the safety of the community ,because there are a lot of men, women and children that live there, just in case something did go wrong,” said Longview Police PIO Kristie Brian..

“We have kids out here and we really don’t need that in our neighborhood,” said resident Michelle Bradley.

A neighbor who had seen enough tipped police about what was going
on.

“We got some help from community members. They were just tired of what was going on, and decided to call, give us information, and then we were able
to follow up on that information and obtain a search warrant. And we got a prominent drug dealer off the streets,” Brian says.

Police found drugs and guns in the apartment, and one man was taken into custody.

Neighbors say will do whatever they can to stop this from happening again.

“Another one bites the dust. It’s happening everyday all around us. People are getting killed, and to get one off the streets, that’s good. It’s
happened before and every time they come and get them. Y’all can’t stay in Autumnwood and get away with it,” Bradley says.

lead #3
Mr.Fred George Salvada Trail Principal, has made a call to Mrs. Mobley, he shared that he has a student that’s name is Napolen Dynamite that has been tested to be a genius he says that the student has been tested numerous times. Because of his genius status, Mr.George would like to have him move up to the high school early, keep in mind that ND is supposed to be a 6th grader. Mr.Fred George would like to have him start at RHHS immediately, so that “he doesn’t waste any time in middle school”. He feels that this move will help Napolen get into medical school earlier and be more prepared.

lead #4
A survey was released yesterday by the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Baltimore, stating that three to four children die every day in the US from child abuse or neglect. Study shows that the number of child abuse cases rose to 2.7 million, from 2.6 million the previous year. More than half of the children who died were under the age of 1 and about 79% were under the age of 5.

lead#5
Homeowner, Kathy Mahoney was awakened by smoke and flames, she suffered from minor burns on her hands and feet. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 3:30 a.m., and found the Los Gatos two bedroom home on 2300 block of Main Street on fire. The fire caused $76,000 in damages. Fire officials say the fire was started by a lighted cigarette on the sofa, they had the blaze under control in five minutes.

lead #1
RHHS will start having an open campus lunch policy, The policy gives the privilege of extending the lunch period by 10 minutes, giving the students a 45 minute lunch. The policy was granted because of “Phenomenal Test Scores” over the past 3 years. This option is open to all students except freshman. This will began on September the 21st.

lead #2
Walmart has just announced that Rock Hill will be receiving the next Super Walmart in May of 2006. Some community members feel that this is a bad idea because it will hurt local business. They usually don’t build their stores within 75 miles of each other, but WM feels that since RH is such a growing community they can handle two SWM’s in one town. They are sending around a petition and will be having a town meeting on September the 21st.