Cross-eyed opossum capturs the hearts of Germans

Middle-aged, gray-haired, stays up late, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum in a big sensation in Germany, and she hasn't made her debut at the Leipzig Zoo yet. Heidi appears to be the next animal celebrity. Heidi is 2-1/2-years old and has a growing Facebook group, sparked a song on YouTube, and will soon be a plush toy. People will get their first glimpse of Heidi in July when the zoo opens. Heidi first appeared last month in Germany's mass-circulation newspaper Bild. Heidi is the most recent example of animal celebrities which include Knut the polar bear in Berlin and the deceased Paul the octopus in Oberhausen. The zoo has dedicated a portion of its website to answering Heidi-related questions.

Zoo officials think that Heidi's crossed eyes could have come from poor diet when she was young. Vision is not much of a problem for Heidi, the zoo said. Opossum's rely heavily on their sense of smell instead of their sight.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110111/lf_nm_life/us_germany_opossum

I think that this is really cool. Heidi the cross-eyed opossum is getting people and kids interested in animals and how they could become cross-eyed like Heidi and other questions as well. She is opening up kids and people to our world and everything that is on our planet.

I think that it is crazy how poplar she has become in just a month. It is pretty cool.

I am glad that she is going to be properly cared for at the zoo in Germany.

Employers Post Fewer Jobs in November

Job openings dipped in November, latest evidence that employers are cautious about adding new workers. They advertised 3.25 million jobs that month, a drop of 80,000 form October says the Labor Department. Openings have risen 39 percent since the end of the recession in June 2009. Although they are still below the 4.4 million openings advertised in December 2007. Report show that there were 4.6 unemployed workers competing for jobs. Heavy competition put employers in the drivers' seat and hold down wages. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey counts the number of jobs advertised on the last business day of the month. Economists say that the report of November provides an indication of hiring patterns because it can take three months to fill jobs. In December only 103,000 jobs were added. Some economists had forecast twice that number. Unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent, about half of that drop was due to people giving up on job search.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41019738/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

It is true that employer post fewer jobs in November (I remember reading an article about it in December). I didn't know that it took about three months to fill a job. I start to wonder why it would take that long. I mean a lot of unemployed people are applying for the job and people who are looking to move up in their profession are applying for the job. Why can't the employer just interview those they think will best fill the position and make a decision so that another person will become employed or another position at the person's previous work can employ another person.

It is a good thing that the unemployment rate dropped .4 percent. I think that that means that some people are either becoming okay with not working or they have a reason as to why they can't work. I hope that they aren't just giving up. Because if you give up, you won't get anywhere in life. Even though it has taking a while for them to find a job, it doesn't mean that they aren't meant to work, it just means that the job that is destined for them is waiting for the person to find it.

Wall Street Kicks off 2011 with a Rally

Thanks to better new on the economy, stocks started 2011 with a lift. Manufacturing activity and construction spending rose more than predicted. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped .81 percent, according to preliminary calculations. The Standard and Poor's 500 index gained 1.13 percent and Nasdaq rose 1.46 percent. Financial companies led with a 2.2 percent jump. After settling a dispute with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Bank of America Corp. shot up 5.1 percent being the best performance among 30 stocks that make the Dow Jones. The largest fall of 0.1 percent was Intel Corp. Small companies, considered a riskier investment, surged. Shares also rose throughout Europe, the Euro Stoxx 50 index rose 0.6 percent. The dollar rose 0.1 percent. On the last day of trading in 2010, the U.S. ended mixed, investors think that it turned out better than expected. In the U.S., every major stock market index increased by double digits. Stocks ended 2010 strong.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40886637/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/



I think that it is great that the stock market is kicking off the year at a good start. In class we are playing the virtual stock market game and I am looking for stocks to buy, short sell, or the stocks that I currently have that need to be sold.

Seeing that the stock market is doing well and that the major stock indexes are increasing, shows a good sign for the future. Maybe if the stocks keep doing well, our economy will get better.

I think that it is great that some of the risky investments surged. It means that they are doing better and are able to accommodate their consumers.

START moves a step closser to approval

With 67 senators voting, they stepped closer to approving the START treaty on Tuesday. The bill needed 60 votes to move forward, a procedural vote for the GOP. The final ratification will require 2/3 of the senators present. Many Republicans announced their intention to ratify the treaty who were in question of which side they were going to vote. Present for the vote was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden. Around Tuesday or Wednesday, the final vote is expected.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/21/5690778-start-moves-a-step-closer-to-approval-

The START treaty is a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia. The treaty builds on a previous agreement that expired in December. It cuts nuclear weapons held by both countries by a third. (Source)

I think that it is a good idea to build on the previous agreements from the other treaty, START I. If we have already had an agreement in order and it worked out very well, it just makes sense to create another one after it expires. I hope that they get closer to ratifying the treaty.

Image Source

Dem. leader says Senate could finish Saturday

Senate Democratic leader says that lawmakers could complete, by Saturday, an agenda of a nuclear arms treaty, a spending bill and a repeal of the ban on gays in the military. Senate Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said on the Senate floor that the path is clear to finishing. Ried needs Republicans to sign on to wrapping up pieces of legislation. He scuttled a $1.3 trillion catch all spending bill in favor of a smaller measure to keep the government running into next year. He also set votes for Saturday on the repeal of the "don't ask - don't tell" policy. he vowed to finish a arms control treaty with Russia. The Senate needs to deal with a bill to aid people who were sick after exposure to dust from the Sept. 11 collapse of the World Trade Center.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40717468/ns/politics/

I think that it is great that the government is trying to complete these bills. I haven't really gained an opinion on the treaty with Russia. I guess I need to get a little bit more information on the subject. As for the "don't ask - don't tell" policy and gays being allowed into the military, I think that if it is something that that particular person want to do they should be able to go into the military. I also think that we should come up will a bill that will aid the people who were near the World Trade Center because if they had known that the World Trade Center was going to be attacked, I am pretty sure that they wouldn't go anywhere near there. So I believe that they should create a bill to aid people who were sick.

Jobless rate jumps to a seven-month high

Hiring slowed sharply as unemployment rate climbed to 9.8% in November. Retailers, factories, construction companies, financial firms and the government all cut jobs. Paul Dales, U.S. economist for Capital Economies, said that they economy is going nowhere when companies are not willing to boost hiring. This marks the 19th straight month that they jobless rate has been above 9%. Mark Zandi expects the nation's unemployment rate to move above 10%. Analysts say that the economy would need to add 200,000 to 300,000 a month to make a dent in the unemployment rate. Economists say the the economy is flashing signs of stronger growth in the final months of the year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40489052/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

In the article it said that there were some 15.1 million people that were unemployed last month. I find that to be crazy. They were talking about the jobs that were created this month were lower then last month. They talked of how that was crazy. I don't see how it can be. If they added a lot of jobs in October, not as many jobs in the factories and companies are available to create more jobs for those that don't have work. I agree with Zandi in the fact that unemployment rate will continue to rise in the next few months. I think that we need to start small and work our way up to adding around 250,000 jobs a month. If we try to do it all at once, I think that it will really hurt our economy.

School bus-driving mayor hurt in LA wreck

A tractor-trailer hit a school bus that had its lights flashing and stop signs extended, critically injuring 3 kids and hurting the other 18 and both drivers. The bus driver, also the town mayor, and the trucker have minor injures. Most of the kids had minor to moderate injuries. The crash happened in the morning on a straight, clear stretch between Port Barre and Opelousas. Eric Thibodeaux, supervisor for Acadian Ambulance Service, said that the back bumper was pushed in almost to the rear wheels of the bus. A seat had to be cut to free a trapped child. The Port Barre Mayor Gil Savoy was working as a substitute driving the bus. David Cox, the truck driver, said that bus was starting to leave the stop with its warning lights flashing and stop signs extended. The Mayor told the children to brace themselves when he saw the truck coming. The truck stopped and Mayor Savoy stopped the bus a few hundred feet down the highway. The kids ages range from 5 to 17. The medics worked swiftly and patients were quickly routed to hospitals.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40493932/ns/us_news/

The article said that they road was clear and straight. From that I guess that there was no ice on the road and that the weather was clear. So I don't understand why an incident like this would happen. My dad is a bus driver and I have been driving on the roads for a couple of years, so I know not to move my car until the lights have stopped flashing and the stop sign is no longer out. I don't see why the truck driver didn't just stop his truck. Also how would the truck get so close to the bus when the bus was just stopped and it takes a second or two to start going again. It is hard to understand what all happened in this situation. I hope that everyone involved in the accident are doing well and back to their version of normal very soon.

Eight countries where the dollar goes further

Many people think that they can't afford to go on a vacation to places like Europe, but they can afford to go to Hungary where the dollar goes the furthest. Hungarian currency has a 9.2 drop against the dollar. They have low prices and a generally low cost of living, making it affordable to visit. People could also consider visiting Argentina and Mexico.

STA Travel looked at 35 countries tracked by The Economist's Big Mac Index to create their list. They ranked the countries in 3 affordability categories: performance, local currency movement against the dollar, and cost-of-living. The categories are linked to one another. If currency is weak, the relative costs lower. The survey should be seen as a set of suggestions for people looking to stay on the beaten path. The survey doesn't factor in transportation, it simply addresses how far you dollar goes once you arrive. They advise not to expect all the countries to stay cheap for long.

Rebbeca Powers, a principal global consultant at Mercer, said that the economy is changing globally and that you'll start to see Hungary's cost of living go up than see Western Europe's go down.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39951802/ns/travel-travel_tips/

I think that it is great that people are researching the cost of vacations in other places than the United States. It is good to know that you can go to a less expensive country and still experience the culture and style of the country. A lot of people in America are always working and working to try and afford a vacation and thinking that they will never be able to. It is good to see that vacation can still be affordable to those that work all the time. It is true that our economy is changing and when you think about it, if Hungary is an affordable place to visit now and won't be later on and Europe will be affordable later, you can still go and visit Europe and experience their culture and lifestyle, you will just have to wait a little bit to travel there.

New Quarter

NEW QUARTER

Man pulls shark's tail to save woman in Australia

In Perth, Australia a female diving guide was bitten by a shark and she was saved when another swimmer pulled the shark's tail. Frank Pisani of Fermantle Sea Rescue said that an unknown man grabbed the tail of the shark when it bet Elyse Frankcom 30 miles south of Perth. Pisani said that Frankcom started to sink but the man grabbed hold of her and brought her to the surface and into the boat. Frankcom was guiding a group of people on a dive with dolphins. Tony Cappelluti, spokesman for Department of Fisheries, said that the 10- foot shark was either a great white or a whaler shark. Frankcom, after surgery, is in a stable condition.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39934565/ns/world_news/

This is one crazy story. First off, I hope that Frankcom is doing well and isn't too seriously injured. Second, I give a round of applause to the guy how saved Frankcom. I think that he was very brave to pull the shark's tail, when the shark could have turned on him next. I would really like to know who the man was so he could have recognition as a hero in this situation.

I wonder if anyone saw the shark coming. I mean, Frankcom was diving with dolphins with a bunch of other people, so did any of them see the shark coming. Plus, it is crazy that Frankcom didn't see the shark coming or maybe she didn't expect it to get that close. Anywho, I bet the company that does the diving with sharks feels bad about one of their workers getting bitten by a shark, but I bet that they are glad that they don't have to deal with being sued if one of the group members was bitten by a shark.

Again, I hope Frankcom is doing well and that no one else got hurt during this incident.

Michelle Obama reflects on reluctance to get into politics

Michelle Obama returned to The Women's Conference to address a group of 14,000 people, most were women. The last time she was at the conference was a few years ago where she appeared in a panel with four presidential candidate wives. It took a lot of convincing for Michelle Obama to think that running for president was a good idea. She worried a lot about her girls and what to say. She beat herself up about the thinks she didn't get right during the campaign.

She spoke about an issue that is now one of her priorities as first lady. It is military families. They have to move every few years, adjust to new schools and surroundings, find jobs. Jill Biden spoke about being a military mom. She talked of troops she has met.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/10/26/5354425-michelle-obama-reflects-on-reluctance-to-get-into-politics

I would think that being a child in a military family has got to be hard and for our first lady to recognize this is pretty great. Michelle Obama can learn to help those people struggling with jobs, moving and adjusting to school for kids. I would really like to see what she does to address this issue in the future.

I agree with Michelle in the fact that if my dad were going to run for president, I might need a lot of convincing. I have school to worry about and if I had to be away from my parent to long, I would go crazy. I also agree with being worried about what to say and what not to say. Being a teenager, sometimes what we think just comes out of our mouths still and we can't control it. I would be on my toes and thinking out every little detail of what I said. I would also beat myself up and feel horrible if I said something wrong. I understand Michelle's concerns with running for the President of the United States.

Dancing with the Stars - Jennifer Grey

Jennifer Grey is starting to feel the pressure as the front runner of Dancing with the Stars. Jennifer says that she doesn't know if she can handle two dances a week. Even though in Monday nights show they showed Jennifer and her partner Derek Hough fighting, they say that the producers actually left out all the good stuff. In the end Jennifer said that she wasn't going anywhere.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39742262/

If you don't watch Dancing with the Stars, I suggest you start. It is a very interesting show and the dances that the celebrates create are very good.

On to the article. I think that it would be stupid if Jennifer left the competition without even trying to attempt two dances a week. I know that she has had some back problems, but I feel that she can do it and perform two well crafted dances.

As for her and Derek arguing, who doesn't argue? Everybody has their ups and downs with somebody. And nobody can get along with everyone 100% of the time. Plus, we need to add in the fact that Derek and Jennifer are with each other most of the week rehearsing together, so it is expected for them to have some differences and not get along sometimes.

I think that the producers should have put some of the good stuff, from their week of rehearsal, in their little video that is shown right before they dance.

All in all, I am glad Jennifer and Derek are still in it for the mirror ball trophy.

Protect Your Facebook

The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook's 10 popular apps transmit users' IDs to outside advertisers. It also reports the ongoing problem of the "app gap" - users who don't use apps are still at risk of personal info shared with 3rd parties. The only way to prevent your personal information getting out is not to play games or take quizes. If you have already well, your info is probably out there. You should still lock down your profile from future apps.

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/10/18/5311247-how-to-protect-your-facebook-info-

Personaly, if you don't want information about your life getting around, whether it is through the apps, advertisements, or people, then don't get Facebook or don't put it on your Facebook in the first place. I know that people use Facebook to connect with friends and relatives and want to share what is going on in your life with them, but you don't need to put every single minute of your life on Facebook. I have a Facebook myself, I original got it because it was the in thing and everyone had it. Now, I rarely use it because I have my cell phone.

If you are a person who uses Facebook a lot and concider it your life then I think that it would be a good idea to protect your personal information. I would start with the precautions and steps they tell you to use on the website above. Something else I would do, would be to remove my phone number from my Facebook. So you don't have to delete your Facebook.

Too much screen time can psychologically harm kids

A new study suggests that over 2 hours a day watching tv or playing computer games could put a child at a greater risk for psychological problems. Activity is good for both the physical and mental health of children. There is son evidence that screen viewing associates with bad behavior, researcher Dr. Angie Page said. She along with others have studied over 1,000 kids ages 10 to 11. The kids filled out a questionnaire (how long in front of a tv/computer and their mental state) and an accelerometer measured their physical activity. Psychological difficulties were about 60% higher for kids spending more than 2 hours in front of a screen compared to the kids who spent less than 2 hours in front of a screen. Problems increased if kids did less than 1 hour of daily exercise in addition to increased screen time. Dr. Thomas N. Robinson did a related research and found that limiting screen time reduced weight gain, aggression and consumer behaviors in kids. Robinson found that kids stuck to a screen-time budget.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39612834/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

I agree that people should put a limit on the amount of time kids spend on the computer and watching the television. For kids in elementary school they can use the computer to learn some of the concepts they are learning in school and if it is just for fun then it can be counted as their time in front of the screen, but I think that if a child needs to use the computer for homework that it shouldn't be counted as their time in front of a screen. Also, kids in middle school or high school shouldn't have a set limit of screen time because I know that a lot of my homework uses the computer to write papers, to create graphs for math class, and to even research some historical events.

Sometimes sticking to a screen limit can be hard and kids lose track of time. If this happens maybe they can do some more physical activity to balance out the time they spent watching tv or on the computer. Or they could just subtract it from the next days limit. There are numerous ways they can make up for the extra screen time. I also think that if a child does some extra physical activity that they should be allowed a few extra minutes of screen time.

There are a lot of bad stuff for kids to see on the Internet and even on some tv shows, so they can encourage bad behavior. As for the psychological problems, I really don't know about them but I think that kids could have psychological problems if they watch too much tv or are on the computer a long time.

Stocks close higher after manufacturing data

Shares of big manufacturing companies rose after the Instittute for Supply Management said its index showed that factory activity is still expanding, although not as fast as analysts had hoped. Stock indexes started off higher but lost some of the gains later in the day. The market is coming off a surge that brought the Dow Jones average up 10.4% in the 3rd quarted. Eric Thorne, an investment adviser at Bryn Mawr Trust Wealth Management, said that expectations are rising for the economy, that is a good thing and it also means that to drive stocks higher, data needs to show signs of improvement. Both income and spending rose in August. The savings rate climbed and it can be an indication that spending may not climb in the future. About 2 stocks rose for every one that fell.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39455321/ns/business-stocks_and_economy

I think that it is good that manufacturing indexes showed activity is still expanding, even thought is wasn't as fast as last month it is still good. With the stocks going up it is a sure sign that our economy is improving. But I am not sure whether the economy in our area is improving. It still appears that there is a slump in the housing department because people don't have money to invest in new homes. Also people are with out jobs, which doesn't help when the people don't have money to buy a home, and there are no tell tail signs that we are coming out of the slump. With the recent increase in the markets, hopefully it is just a matter of time before we see the changes in our economy.

States working harder to collect online sales taxes

More than 10% of the March of Dimes annual Signature Chefs Auction proceeds are going to the tax man. This is because they went online to buy 4,000 T-shirts to give to donors for the March for Babies Walk in April. They buy supplies and materials online and also raise money online by selling items - racking up a big tax bill. The director of the Nebraska chapter, Rosemary Opbroek, said "They didn't know and wish the law were different. It's taking money away from helping." It takes away about $26,000. March of Dimes owes for unpaid taxes for April purchases and online transactions over the past 5 years. Opbroek knows they owe money and it will have to come from this weeks proceeds. They hope the final tally will be like last years, about $215,000, but the tax bill will take almost 13%. A lot of people stumble over the same law.

There is confusion on tax policies for online purchases. Sales taxes for online purchases have always been there, but are almost never paid. There is also confusion on who collects and when. Businesses are responsible for collecting sales tax, if they have a store, office, or sales rep in your state, they tack on the sales tax.

If the seller's not responsible then you are. You're supposed to file your own report and pay the tax on your online purchases. The majority of the people don't know of the rules and the forms don't get filed and taxes don't get paid. The National Conference Of State Legislatures estimates $8.6 billion in 2010 alone go unpaid. Sales taxes (handled by a retailer) and use taxes (handled by the customer) pay for schools and public safety.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39159604/ns/business-personal_finance/

I think that having to pay taxes, or use taxes as they are now called, online wouldn't be that bad or make a lot of people upset if we didn't have to go through and fill out a form and send in money to they state. I know that I wouldn't want to pay more money for having just bought something online and then going and paying more of the use tax.

As for people who have no idea about the law, I don't think that they will want to pay they tax on the stuff they bought in the past years, when if they had known about they law they wouldn't have bought they stuff online in the first place.

I know that they law has been in place for some time now, but I think that if they online retailers haven't told they buyers about the tax then they retailers should have to pay for some of the taxes that they didn't tell the people about, because it is their fault in the first place for not telling the buyers about the tax.

I think that on all websites that sell items should put on their site the use tax law and what it is all about. I think that they should tell the buyers ahead of time so they aren't surprised when they find out that they have to pay the use tax. The websites should either put it on their front page of the website in bold writing or on the page where you have to pay for the items you are purchasing.

I truly think that us as consumers shouldn't have to remember to pay the tax, the producers or sellers should be the one to remind us that we have to pay the use tax.

Boehner backs tax cuts limited to middle class

John Boehner, House Republican leader, supports tax cuts for middle-class even though he thinks it a "bad policy" to exclude the upper-class from tax relief during a recession. One of President Obama's chief economic advisers is happy that Boehner isn't going to hold an extension of tax cuts for people earning under $250,000/year, or more than 97% of earners to gain a continue of breaks for the wealthiest. Elections are coming up and both parties want to score points with voters who are unhappy with Congress. Democratic leaders want to put up a bill that extends middle-class tax cuts. The argument between Obama and Republican lawmakers focus on tax-cuts and if they can afford to continue President Bush's tax breaks. Republicans want to cut back on government spending to focus on balancing the federal budget. Obama has been leading the charge against Boehner.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39131165/ns/politics/

In the article it talks about the government controlling their spending and trying to balance their budget, if the government can accomplish this it might be easier for Americans to deal with all the economic struggles that we are going through. I do find it a bit unfair that just the middle-class is getting the tax-cuts, when truly everyone is going through some budget cuts and have to give up some expenses. If Boehner is going to support the tax cut but also think that it is bad policy towards the upper-class, I think he is a bit fickle. True, the middle-class doesn't have as much money are the upper-class. True, the wealthy think the tax-cuts are a bit unfair. Although I can see both of Boehner's sides of the tax-cuts, I think that we need to level out the differences between the wealthy upper-class and the middle and lower classes.

Ted Koppel will mourn his son for the rest of his life

Speaking out about his 40-year-old son, Andrew, Ted Koppel said that his son died Monday morning after a daylong drinking. The Koppel's, Grace Anne Dorney Koppel and Ted Koppel, say that their son was a brilliant caring man. Andrew lived in Queens with his girlfriend and baby daughter. He started drinking around noon at one of the Hell's Kitchen Bar and arrived at his apartment later that evening. A waiter at the bar and a roommate put Koppel in bed because he said that he wasn't feeling well. Noticing that he wasn't breathing they called 911. Andrew was the third child of four for Ted and Grace Anne.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/06/02/ted.koppel.sons.death.ppl/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

This is quiet sad. I feel for the Koppel family and Andrew's girlfriend and daughter. But I question what drove his to start drinking at noon and going until late at night. Could it be that he was having problems at work or with his family. I would think that since he had a baby daughter that he would want to spend some time with her, but he could have had a fight with his girlfriend and not want to be around the apartment. It is hard to know what caused him to drink for so long and I hope that he wouldn't have been having family problems. I know that from my dad to be away from his kids for too long, he would start to call us every 5 minutes and text us about random stuff.

I hope that the family is cooping well. It is expected for them to mourn losing their son, father and boyfriend for a while. May he rest in peace.

Wind blast form aircraft downs limbs at ceremony, 10 injured

A wind blast from Marine Corps tilt-rotor aircraft performing a Memorial Day demonstration and caused tree limbs to fall, injuring 10 people. The incident occurred after 9 a.m. at Clove Lakes Park on New York's borough of Staten Island. It was part of the annual Fleet Week Exhibition, which included military displays from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines. The tilt-rotor aircraft, an MV-22 Osprey, was coming in to land when the wind generated by its twin propellers gave enough force to knock branches off a tree that was 600 feet away. The injured were spectators. Medical and fire personnel were on the grounds and prepared to deal with the accident. The event continued and people were seen touring the aircraft on the ground. The tilt-rotor aircraft combines vertical flight capabilities of a helicopter with speed and range of an airplane. It can carry 24 troops.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/31/new.york.fleetweek.accident/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

It is sad that people were injured during a demonstration where people can meet sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen. They can also witness the latest capabilities of today's navy, marine corps, and coast guard team. I think that it is cool that they do this kind of demonstration so people can see and understand what the navy, coast guard, and marine do. I hope that all the people injured are alright. I find it weird that they have been doing this kind of demonstration since 1984 and they haven't had any problems until know, or at least problems that I have heard of. They should do some research on what they can do next time so that a similar incident doesn't occur. I hope that they are better prepared next time and that they have a designated area reserved for the spectators so that everyone can stay out of harms way.

Topical storm leaves more than 100 dead in Central America

After a tropical storm battered Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, about 115 people have died. Guatemala was hit the hardest, at least 92 deaths, 54 missing and 59 injured, 112,000 people have been evacuated and 29,000 living in temporary shelters says Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom. Mudslides have destroyed homes and buildings and burying some victims. Nine rivers have higher levels and 13 bridges have collapsed. Classes have been canceled throughout the nation.

In Honduras, 14 have died, President Porfirio Lobo said. 3,500 people have been evacuated and 3,300 in shelters. Over 140 homes are destroyed and 700 damaged.

In El Salvador, 9 people died. The rain stopped Sunday and river levels are beginning to drop. Classes remain canceled.

Agatha was demoted from tropical storm to tropical depression Saturday night and lost the status as a depression Sunday. It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/05/31/honduras.storm.emergency/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

This is very sad. I hope the people in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are doing okay. This is a scare situation that they are going through. Peolpe worrying about losing someone they love and losing their homes. These people have gone through a lot having to deal with the tropical storm, the rising rivers, and finding a place to live that will be out of the way of river overflow and mudslides. We should keep them in our prayers and hope that everyone gets back on their feet and can continue their lives. Also for those who lost someone, that they are doing well and can continue on without their loved one.