Group 2 (Krista Lefflin on the Writer's Strike)

The article “Screen Writers Dig In for an Extended Brawl,” discusses the continual struggle between the Writers Guild of America and the big companies in Hollywood. The struggles have become much larger than just negotiations for pay; it is also about respect for the writers. The writers are who make a television show come together and they feel very undervalued and underpaid. The writers feel that if Hollywood could do business without them that they would, and by this strike happening and all the TV shows stopping it proves the point that Hollywood does need them. While the writers feel that they should be paid more, the big corporations feel that the writers are demanding more than just pay. The writers also want authority over the writers in reality and animated shows, they want to eliminate the no-strike clause and many other things. All these demands are showing that the television business is in for some big changes. This strike has affected televisions shows a lot because they are a lot more sensitive to short-term disruptions. People thought that an agreement might be reached soon but it is evident that the strike is in no way close to being over.

I think that writers in Hollywood are very undervalued and that the strike is a good idea because they do need to be paid more. I love television series and the writer strike is compromising the shows but I do think that they have a point. Do you agree with the strike, do you think it will be resolved and when do you think there will be a resolution.

Group 3 (Bryanna McCarrell on Obesity Rates)

In the article, Study Sees Signs of Obesity Rates Stalling (November 29, 2007, New York Times), researchers say that obesity rates in women have leveled off and obesity rates in men are showing signs of the same. Since 1999, the obesity rate in women has remained steady at 35 percent. The rate in men has remained at 33 percent since 2003. However, obesity specialists are not satisfied with the recent findings. They find it discouraging that levels have yet to decrease. One expert even claims that there was a slight increase of 2 percent from 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 showing that the rates have in fact not completely leveled off. Madelyn Fernstrom, the director of the weight management program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says the national goal of maintaining obesity rates at 15 percent is unrealistic. She says, "When the bar is set too high, people do nothing." Instead, she encourages maintaining weight as a more reasonable goal.

I don't see how a 15 percent obesity rate is an unrealistic goal. Dr. Fernstrom is only giving the obese an excuse to be obese by encouraging maintaining a very unhealthy weight. They should at the very least be trying to lose weight to stay healthy and alive. It doesn't seem right that a doctor is telling them that it's fine to be obese as long as you don't gain more weight, rather than finding ways to improve their health and help them live a better life. In time, the steady obesity rates we are seeing may begin to decline simply by doing what we are doing right now to level them off.

Group 1 (Beau Dobson on Bacteria)

In the article titled “Man Beats Flesh-eating Bacteria: Janesville Man Survives A Frightening Battle With The Often-deadly Disease,” the author Marcia Nelesen describes Dennis Cormier’s near encounter with death. The article traces Cormier’s scare from simply feeling ill, to having to be operated on in a matter of hours.

Cormier first started to feel ill while he was on a business trip with his fellow employees. Eventually, his symptoms worsened and he was taken to the emergency room and treated. “There, staff diagnosed cellulitis, a potentially serious bacterial infection - but not, it turned out, what he had.” Cormier returned home, and then was taken to a hospital once again. There he was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis. This is a bacterial disease that often results in death.
Cormier had surgery, and still has side effects from the bacteria which was operated on August of this year. The bacteria could possibly have been avoided if better hygiene was practiced and Cormier said. "I am a lot more conscious of washing my hands than I ever was before."

After reading this article, and thinking about my current environment where bacteria spreads rapidly, I was debating on whether or not I think that the University of Wisconsin-Madison takes enough precautions against deadly bacteria such as the one mentioned in the article. Some things I considered are fitness areas, food commons, bathrooms and other public areas here on campus and the access to products that would improve my hygiene. What are your opinions regarding this issue?

Group 2 (Jimmy Luccas on the BCS)

In the article, Still a Bunch of Losers, Josh Levin argues that there should not be a champion in college football this year. If everyone remembers Mike's presentation about the BCS, he argues that the BCS was not a legitimate way to rank football teams in college football. The article talks about the major loses just this past weekend and how they prove that there is no single champion in college football this year. Every week since October 1st, a number one or number two team in the nation lost to another unranked team. The playoff idea just seems not to work because there would have to be so many extra games played, and will all the upsets that have happened this year, nothing could be accomplished.
This article is very critical about the thought that all the ranked college teams have lost big games and have proven that there is no true champion. I totally agree with his argument, and I think it is absurd to name a team a champion after not truly proving it. Some kind of system needs to be worked out so that this cannot occur anymore.

Group 1 (Tyler Tiede on Brett Favre)

A hot topic for many “Wisconsinites” is the prospect of the Brett Favre led Green Bay Packers going to the playoffs this year. The NFC North 1st place Packers have a record of 9 – 1, which makes them tied with the Dallas Cowboys for an overall 1st place in the NFC. The Packers have already virtually knocked off the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, both division rivals, leaving only the 6 – 4 Detroit Lions standing in their way. A win on Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions will basically bury the hatchet and lock up first place for the Packers, preparing them for the for another Thursday night game a week later against the Cowboys.

This blazing start is the third best start in franchise history; behind Curly Lambeau’s 1929 team, which won ten straight games and eventually winning the NFL championship, and Vince Lombardi’s 1962 team that also won ten straight games and the NFL championship. A continued winning streak could set the Packers up to be a number one seed in the playoffs, with homefield advantage and a first round bye. I know the team consists of many players other than three-time MVP Brett Favre, but my question is: could the Packers have reached this feat under the leadership of Aaron Rogers, instead of the veteran Brett Favre?

Group 2 (Erin Banco on Why to Go to My Office Hours)

We all know how annoying parents can get, especially when they try to nag you about every little thing. In The Washington Post’s article, “New Study Gives Hovering College Students Extra Credit,” those nitpicky parents are actually praised. The article discusses the National Survey of Student Engagement. The NSSE collected data from over 24 colleges around the nation in which around 9,000 students had to answer questions about their parents engagement with their academic activities. According to the survey, students whose parents “helicopter” or “hover” over their activities actually engaged in ‘…frequent use of deep learning activities.’ These “deep learning activities” include TA office hours, writing exercises, and meetings with professors. According to Lynda Hitchcock, a career and college information coordinator at a high school said that most parents that intervene or take an interest in their children’s studies have an effect on their kid’s academic success. The “helicopter parenting” stereotype is usually negative. Most people think of hovering parenting as a nuisance and proof that the parent has issues letting their children grow as individuals. However, the NSSE has argued against the normal stereotype and put a positive spin on “helicopter parenting.”

This article can relate to each and every one of us. How much do your parents intervene in your studies? Do you need their help? Personally, I do not frequently rely on my parents for academic help, but when in a bind, their advice and guidance can be extremely helpful. How does “helicopter parenting” effect you?

Group 4 (Dylan Van Lith on Clutter)

Have you ever wondered if it was bad to have too much stuff in your house? Could it lead to damaging health conditions or could it even lead to your death? “The shock behind closed doors can be fixed with treatment” talks about how hoarding too much stuff in your house can lead to detrimental effects. This article takes place in our own backyard Madison, Wisconsin. The example in this article revolves around a 76 year old woman that just suffered a massive heart attack in her home. Once the paramedics reached her home, she was lying in the bathtub, unable to move because of the amount of clutter in her house. The article stated how this woman was forced to sleep on her couch because it was physically impossible for her to reach her bedroom because of all the clutter. The Madison Health Department commented to the fact that they receive about two calls a month from concerned citizens reporting the fact that they have seen an obsessive, even unhealthy amount of hoarding in their neighborhoods. Doctors have now found out that this hoarding might be related to the psychological disease Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so that would be positive because there is treatment for this disease. The treatment is help from community or family members that will help the patient deal with their obsessions. My question for you is whether or not it is unhealthy for people to have too much and if it is unhealthy what other methods can be done in order to decrease the obsession? I feel that it is important to find multiple methods of treatment in order to eliminate the hoarding because if it is leading to health issues, than it should be dealt with. Also, think of all the dirt and grime that must be filling that house and I believe that it is safe to say that the more stuff you have, the more dirt is collected. This affliction usually only affects the elderly people, so what should be done with these people if the treatment is unsuccessful? Should we put them in a n
ursing home or under guided care, or should we let them live their life to the fullest even under the clutter?

Group 5 (Luke Ehlen on the State's Health)

The article by Anita Weier, on http://www.madison.com/tct/news/255208, covers Wisconsin's decline in health rankings. Although the Badger state is still near the top, it dropped from 10th in the nation in 2006, to 12th in 2007. There are many reasons for the decline. The top include increased obesity, increased violent crime, and a rise of children living in poverty. Others include an increase of binge drinking and smoking. It also uncovered the interesting fact that African Americans in Wisconsin are much more likely to have premature deaths or die from cancer. The top three healthiest states are Vermont, Minnesota, and Hawaii. Mississippi and Louisiana were the least. As a trend, the national health rating decreased by .3%. The majority of the decline is due to the increase in obesity. Does something need to be done to restrict unhealthy foods to stop the increase of obesity?

Group 3 (Mike Preisler on Yuot)

After Walking Hundreds of Miles for Survival, a Refugee Turns to Running

Macharia Yuot will be running in the New York Marathon against our English 100’s own Matt Hooley this weekend for a chance to compete in the Olympics. Yuot, a senior at Widener, has won six Division III titles for track and cross country. But Yuot’s does not come from a running background. Actually he is more use to walking. Yuot walked an estimated 500-700 miles from Sudan to Kenya in order to stay alive. He is apart of what we know as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”. A group of 25,000 children who had to flee Sudan to escape from Arab Muslims who were murdering tribes they came across. Throughout this strenuous journey, half of the children died. Yuot found temporary shelter in Kenya until the US government decided to take care of numerous “lost boys”. Yuot moved in with a family in Philadelphia and began to run track in high school. He started to have success with running in college, and then started competing in marathons. The article talks about a trip Yuot made back to his ol
d home in Sudan and saw his family. Yuot talks about how he can see the world in a different view, and realized how well he has it in America. Yuot is not expected qualify for the Olympics, but he will be satisfied just to meet the goals he has set for himself.

This is a truly amazing story of how one’s life can change so drastically. Yuot had to sacrifice everything he had in his old life. One day he just had to pick up and leave it all behind. I could not even begin to fathom having that kind of courage. Not knowing what each day will bring, whether or not you will starve to death, be murdered, or killed by animals. I also cannot imagine how it would feel to come to a place that is everything your old life was not. I think the hardest part would be knowing that I was in a better place while my family was suffering. But on the other hand, If I was the family members I would want my son, or brother, or whatever, to be living the best life possible. The most moving part of the article is the description of his trip back home. I wonder what is was like for the family, who probably did not know if he was even alive, to see him in the shape he was in. He must have seemed like an entirely new person. I am sure he will never forget the
horrible events of his past, but now he can try and focus on a future that is bright and promising. I hope he does well in the marathon on Friday, even though Matt is going to kick his ass.

Group 2 (Cydni Chapman on Healthcare)

October 28, 2007

With the 2008 election nearing closer the debates continue and the race grows closer. Americans feel one main issue for this election is healthcare. According to the article “As Democrats Criticize, Health Care Industry Donates”, unlike previous elections, the healthcare field has donated more money to the Democrats rather than the Republicans. Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama lead the pack with $2.7 million and $2.2 million respectively.

While the closest Republican candidates, Mitt Romney and Ruddy Giuliani, trail with $1.4 million. Many ask why the sudden change in policy? According to Phillip J. Blando, a political advisor to insurance companies, money is being donated due to “smart politics”. Since healthcare is a major domestic issue, healthcare providers want to make sure their interests are being protected. Similarly, Kenneth E. Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, reports that “everybody in the industry knows that health care reform is on its way, and you have only two decisions: sit on the sidelines or get on the field.” In other words, the prediction that Democrats will take over the White House in 2008 has led to a skeptical healthcare industry that worries about their future. Democrats have made healthcare a primary issue that they promise to tackle if they get elected. Healthcare companies hope to protect themselves if in fact there is a reform in the near future. What is in store for healthcare in this country and is it even right for healthcare companies to give so much money to the campaigns in fear of their future?

New York Times

Group 5 (Carmen Coats on Menominee/UW transfers)

UW-Madison, tribal school hit deal
by Heather LaRoi

UW-Madison and the College of Menominee Nation has recently planned a transfer program that will allow students who attend the College of Menominee Nation to transfer to UW-Madison after two years if certain demands are met. The colleges believe it will benefit both schools by allowing Native American Student accessibility to a better education and and giving more diversity to UW-Madison. This program will make the transfering process for Native American Students a little easier. Like other colleges that have similar arrangements with UW-Madison there are certain requirements that are needed to qualify for the transferring process. Students need to obtain 54 credits and a G.P.A of atleast 3.0. If they meet these requirements than they are guaranteed admittance to UW-Madison.
I think that programs like these benefit our University. I think that we need more diversity in our school's population. I feel that bringing Native American students to our university will definitely increase the diversity, especially with a group of people that is not strongly represented in the population as of now. I think that transfer programs like these are good, especially for students. Transfer programs provide ways for students to get an education at a cheaper cost with also having the opportunity to go to a university that they want to attend for further education.

Carmen

Group 1 (Josh Gauger on NFL in Europe)

On a Slippery Day in London, Giants Hold On

The NFL played its first ever game outside of North America Sunday. The game was played at Wembley Stadium in London. The English fans who witnessed it firsthand saw a sloppy game between two of the NFL’s most boring teams to watch. Wembly stadium is meant to host European “futbol” games, not NFL style “football” contests. The teams sent abroad to represent American football to these Europeans were the slow and methodical New York Giants and the still winless Miami Dolphins. The NFL had no idea what these teams would be like when this game was scheduled but I’m not sure that this game will help our countries favorite sport catch on to these European people.
The pitch, as the field is called in England, was muddied by the rain and the fact that it is constructed of a grass not meant to support the trampling of 350 pound men and the cuts of powerful NFL running backs. The game itself was not an exciting one either, although this article attempts to convince the reader otherwise possible due to bias, it is a New York paper. The final score was 13-10 win by the Giants, with very little other than scrambling runs by Giants QB Eli Manning and mistakes by the mistake prone Dolphins QB Cleo Lemon. The article explains that the fans cheered on any down field pass complete or not, most of them were not. The most exciting thing for the fans may have been the streaker that the article claims ran across the field at half-time. The fans did show up in good numbers to the surprise of many sports analyzers who predicted that the NFL’s attempt to spread this sport would fall on deaf ears.
The NFL may look on this game as a successful one but I as a true NFL fan do not. This game could do nothing to hold my attention past the singing of the two national anthems. The NFL is looking to host several other games outside of the United States in years to come and possible the NFL super bowl as well. I hope that they do because I think that the world would really enjoy our sport. I do hope that when scheduling these games that they do not involve teams with a typically boring style of play or ones in which they have virtually no young talent and are in the first year of a coaching changes, as these teams were.

Group 4 (Christopher Martin on Cell Phones and Privacy)

In “Privacy Lost: These Phones Can Find You” in The New York Times, Laura Holson discusses the latest in cell phone technology. One can know where all of their friends, family, and co-workers are at any time. It is looked upon as a great advancement because no one will have to partake in the annoying task of opening their cell phone, dialing a number, and having to say “Where are you?” One can simply add this new service provided by Loopt and Buddy Beacon to their phone plan for about three dollars a month. Advocates say that the plan can be utilized to track employees and can be turned off for periods of time. College students could use it to find a friend to eat with or a fellow study buddy. But, those opposed to it say that it is an invasion of privacy and can cause conflicts in relationships. A man may want some along time and could turn the service off for a while, but then his spouse would want to know why, thus causing a fight over nothing. Or, an employee could turn the service off and wind up in trouble with their boss. The outcome could be disastrous.
I have to agree with the latter. This is defiantly an invasion of privacy. I would not want someone knowing my whereabouts at all times. It is basically a tracking device for everyone with the plan that has your number. Not only does it show where everyone is, but it also shows the exact distance away they are from you. Jealous ex-boy/girlfriends could follow someone around just to ruin the moment. Or, the girl that a guy gave his number to at a bar one night could wind up regretting the fact that she always knows where he is. Although someone could just block people, it is more of a hassle than it is worth. Picking up a phone and calling or text message would take a mere three seconds longer than trying to find someone’s homing beacon on a 2’’ screen, and it would allow for much more privacy. Plus, if you knew where someone was and wanted to meet them somewhere else, then you would still have to call them. This service is a novel idea, but is not for me. Would you seriously want everyone with your number to know where you are at all times?

Group 2 (Krista Lefflin on Wall Street)

In the article, “With Wall Street Slowing, Uncertainty Descends” the main focus is how the steady growth of the economy in New York has stalled. Many of the biggest firms on Wall Street have begun to struggle and more and more banks are making job cuts and their profit has gone down. The chief executive of Bank of America has even talked about how his company is no longer expanding like they had planed because they had huge losses in the last three months. The economy has had a steady growth for the last three years but now people are starting to realize that the growth is in the past. The Chief economist, Frank Barconi, in the comptroller’s office says he is “not sure whether the troubles in the financial markets will turn into something worse than we were predicting.” Major investment banks have already gotten rid of over 1,000 jobs and people are expecting more. Also financial firms in New York have made job cuts of 42,404 this year. While New York may become one
of the weakest economic places in America people are not sure that they will go into a total recession. One of the main questions is are major financial firms going to be able to keep their cost cutting under control or are more and more jobs going to be lost? Why has the economy slowed down? How much worse will the slowdown in Wall Street get or is it just a temporary lapse in economic growth?

Group 4 (Holly Feldman on Dumbledore)

Magical day for gays as Dumbledore is outed

JK Rowling, the author of the famous "Harry Potter" Series, recently spoke to a group of people at Carnegie Hall in New York. As she was taking questions on her final book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", she stated that one of the characters in the book was actually gay. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school that Harry Potter attends, is homosexual and was smitten by Gellert Grindelwald, a rival who the reader learns about in the final book. When making the 6th movie, JKR actually had to edit a scene in which involved Dumbledore with another girl. Gay-rights campaigners said that they were disappointed in JKR for not making Dumbledore's sexuality explicit. As for thier disappointment, I think that JKR made the right decision in not revealing the character's homosexuality. Reading closely enough, a person could easily determine that Dumbledore is gay, by the details JKR writes about him. By openly stating that he was gay could then cause some parents to prohi
bit thier son or daughter from reading the series. She made the decision to keep it quiet for the avoidance of hositilty and I think she made a smart move. Would the books have been as popular as they are if she would have bluntly stated that Dumbledore was homosexual? Do you think that she should have addressed his sexuality?

Group 1 (Lesley Hacker on Madeleine McCann)

Tests Show Madeleine McCann's Brother and Sister Were Not Drugged

(London Times, October 20, 2007)

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been a tragic story all over the media. Her parents were named main suspects months ago. There have been allegations saying her parents drugged Madeleine and their other children the night Madeleine disappeared. Forensic tests have been ran on their two other children proving that the parents did not sedate them. “Anything that enters the blood-stream also enters the root of hairs and stays in the same position as the hair grows." Although Madeleine went missing over five months ago, there were no traces of a sedation drug in their hair. it "grows at about 1cm per month so to test for five months ago you would need a 5cm-long hair.” Once again, the parents beat another allegation, but do you think they will be able to keep on fighting?

Group 3 (Lauren Brendel on MRSA)

Schools in Several States Report Staph Infections, and Deaths Raise the Alarm
(Ian Urbina, NY Times_

Summary: MRSA or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is responsible for more deaths in the us each year than even AIDS. It is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs. It can be spread by sharing towels, sports equipment, along with skin to skin contact with an open wound. Wednesday and Thursday schools in Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virgina were closed so crews could disinfect. Schools in three states have reported student deaths within the last two weeks and four others reported cases of infected students. Nearly 19,000 people died in 2005 from MRSA and 85 percent of the infections were in health care settings. MRSA is usually a mild skin infection that doesn't usually become life-threatening. Ashton Bonds a 17 year old football player from VA died Monday from the bacteria. 15 percent of invasive MRSA cases originated in the community without any health care risk factor.

Response: I think that since we had an outbreak two years ago killing nearly 19,000 and we are in the process of having another outbreak, we really need to crack down on hygiene standards. Locker rooms, bathrooms, classrooms, lunch rooms, everything in the schools need to be clean. I was lucky i went to a really nice and clean school where I don't think there has ever been a staph infection, but many schools aren't as nice, and there really needs to be a standard. Janitors need to sanitize everything and make sure bathrooms have everything for kids to wash their hands. Also, everyone needs to be informed about the chances, what happens when you get it, how you get it and how to prevent from getting MRSA. We didn't learn from our history and we are paying for it again. We need to get hygiene standards for schools and public places set in stone. Hospitals and nursing homes have inspectors, this would be a good idea for schools too.


Lauren Brendel

Group 5 (Casey Christian on Cold Medicine for Kids)

The article F.D.A. Panel Urges Ban on Medicine for Child Colds, written by Gardiner Harris (New York Times, October 20, 2007), describes how an advisory panel from the Food and Drug
Administration voted to ban over-the-counter cold medicine for children under age 6. There were actually two votes taken. The panel voted 21-1 to ban medicine for children under two, and 13-9 for children between two and five. The reasoning of this panel was that medicine is not effective and can actually have negative effects. This ban will have a drastic effect on pharmacies and companies nationwide if put into effect. However, manufactures of the medicine claimed they would fight against this ban. The FDA then has the choice to accept or decline this ban. The second vote was close, so the agency might feel there was too much uncertainty and may decline the ban. Therefore, the FDA is clearly in a predicament, being pressured from both sides. The panel obviously wants this ban to be put into actions, whereas companies will strongly oppose the ban because it will cause a loss in sales. The issue presented here is whom should the FDA agree with to make this decision. Should the FDA agree with the advisory panel or the companies and doctors?

Group 1 (Beau Dobson on School Violence)

Adults egged on boys in fight inside school, police say
Karen Rivedal-Wisconsin State Journal

Recently a fight broke out inside Madison La Follette High School. Arguments and small fights are common in schools across the United States but in an article from the Wisconsin State Journal it tells of adults egging on the three boys involved in the fight. The fight took place last Thursday and seven police officers along with 30 staff members were needed to stop it. Apparently two boys and two women approached another boy and the adults promoted the boys to fight. The mother of one of the boys actually “stomped on” one of the security guards. The article goes on to say how the Madison area is seeing a rise in violence at schools. Luis Yudice, the safety coordinator for the Madison School District commented on incidents like this reoccurring. "But sometimes you do your best and it's not enough," he said. "Obviously we're very concerned any time that kind of violence takes place in our schools." Do you think security needs to be increased at schools in the Madison area
so incidents like these become less frequent?

Group 5 (Luke Ehlen on Drinking in Wisconsin)

State Ranks High For Responsible Drinkers

Scott Milfred's article in the Wisconsin State Journal addresses the drinking statistics in the state of Wisconsin. While the state ranks very highly in some positvie categorires, its is also leading a very negative one. Milfred begins the article with a visit to the doctor. When the doctor asked how much he drank, Milfred replied, "two beers a day." The doctor suggested that he was an alcoholic. Scott Milfred's claim is that small amounts of alcohol every day actually promote a healthy heart. His high levels of good cholesterol supported his claim.

The article the moves on the state some startling statistics. Wisconsin leads the nation in binge drinking and adult drinkers. This brings up disturbing issues of drunk driving and alcohol abuse. Although that is a very negative statistic, the state tries to make up for it by ranking 8th in the nation for adults that consume alcohol, but do not binge drink. Also, 31% of the adults surveyed in Wisconsin claimed they had not had a drop of alcohol in the last month. This just shows that while Wisconsin has a drinking problem, it does not apply to the entire population.

Group 3 (Bryanna McCarrell on Sleeping Outside)

Los Angeles to Permit Sleeping on Sidewalks
(New York Times, October 11, 2007)


In recent years the Los Angeles police were, by law, able to arrest homeless people that were sleeping or lying on public sidewalks in and around Skid Row. Skid Row has one of highest concentrations of homeless people in the country at 10,000-12,000. On October 10, city officials agreed to no longer enforce that law until 1,250 low-cost housing units are built. Until then, the city will allow the homeless to sleep on sidewalks between the hours of 9 PM and 6 AM. They cannot, however, sleep within 10 feet of the entrance to a building, parking lot, or loading dock. Ramona Ripston, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said, “What this does is permit people to sleep throughout the city… without the police disturbing them.”

I do not think that LA is approaching their homeless problem in the right way. Instead of focusing on finding housing for their homeless, they should be focusing on getting jobs for them. Building only 1,250 housing units will hardly put a dent in the number of homeless people in the area – especially considering only half of the housing will be in the downtown area by Skid Row. I think that allowing them sleep on the streets is not the way to go. Ripston says that the police won’t be disturbing the homeless now, but what about the homeless now disturbing the other residents?

Group 4 (Olivia Zabel on Surveillance)

The article Google Spy: Zooming in on Neighbors, Nose-Pickers, and Sunbathers with Street View (June 8, 2007, Slate) discusses one of Google's latest technologies. This new technology is the ability to view "360-degree shots around the streets of
San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Denver, and Miami" from your computer. Vans equipped with cameras roam the streets and take these shots for our viewing pleasure, but is this right? Is it okay for us to be able to "spy" on a woman walking to work or shoppers in the street? A few specific incidents have been reported of some questionable images that had been captured on Google Spy, including a man standing outside of a strip club and some co-eds in bathing suits tanning on a hill. This seems a little harmless, but I do think that these cameras are encroaching on peoples' privacy. It is one thing to see these girls laying out on a
hill tanning, but the article mentions how "the men of the Web go a little crazy and 100 links to the 'Girls of Escondido Road' bloom." Although there are people who will not even bother with these images, there are also people who will take these images and make something out of them, and not always something good. People should be able to go out their daily rituals without having to worry about shots of them being posted on the web. Who knows when you might get caught at a bad moment and then have it displayed for the world to see? Should Google keep Google Spy active, or is this concept too much of a privacy concern?

Group 2 (Jimmy Luccas on Illegal Music)

In the article, Illegal music is costly for UW, Heather Laroi talks about the financial problems that many schools are having because of the illegal sharing and downloading of music in their networks. Sharing and downloading music is a serious crime. The RIAA, or Recording Industry Association of America, has a big problem with this issue and they say that schools need to be proactive and the problems with stop. If all the students in the universities network were notified about this then it would be easier to stop. But there is a big problem with getting the word out. In the last few years, UW-Madison has spent more than $300,000 to prevent the illegal downloading and sharing of music. It is very expensive for schools to go through the process of identifying individuals and verifying their identity.

This is a big problem for the University of Wisconsin and many other schools because there are a lot of people that are not aware of the downloading and sharing being a problem. Many people attend college not knowing the seriousness of this issue. There are some individuals who know it is illegal and some who do not, so sorting out the true criminals is difficult. Wisconsin is ranked in the top 10 for the copyright issues probably because it is such a large school and it is harder for the ones committing the crimes to get caught.

If it is such a big problem, I do not understand why they would not do more to get this known. If we are throwing away $330,000 on this then something is going wrong. We are just giving Madison a bad name to the RIAA and other big associations.

Group 1 (Tyler Tiede on the Tragedy in Crandon)

In the morning hours of Sunday morning, 3:00 a.m. to be specific, a 20-year-old Forest County deputy and part-time Crandon police officer by the name of Tyler Peterson went on a shooting rampage in the small town of Crandon, WI. Details are still unclear because the only survivor is in serious condition at St. Joseph’s hospital. At this time, it is known that Peterson showed up at his ex-girlfriend Jordan Murray’s house at 3 a.m., at which point he got into an argument with someone and left. Shortly afterward he forced his way back into the house and fired 30 shots from a SWAT team assault rifle called a R15. Six people were tragically killed in the shooting, and another was seriously wounded. Among the victims was three Crandon High School seniors, two 2005 Crandon High graduates, a student at UW-Milwaukee, and a 14-year-old girl. The only survivor is a 21-year-old man named Charlie Neitzel. The incident ended in a small town about six miles north of Crandon, where Peterso
n was killed in a shootout with the Crandon SWAT team. The rest, including the exact motive of the shooting, is still unclear.
Peterson’s parents were both questioned to try and gain insight on the cause of the rampage, but they were equally as baffled. “Like us, many of you are asking why and looking for answers," the Peterson's (Tyler Peterson parents) statement said. "There is nothing that happened before or after yesterday's events that has given any insight into why. We may never receive the answers we all seek. Like those close to Tyler, we are in shock and disbelief he would so such terrible things. This was not the Tyler we knew and loved." (Taken from the article “Parents feel ‘guilt and shame’ for young deputy's rampage”) The obvious question that I ask is: what could possibly be the cause that would make a seemingly “normal” person commit such a horrendous crime?

Group 2 (Erin Banco on Free Speech)

Washington Post, Monday, October 8, 2007. Anne Applebaum.
A Dutch Retreat on Speech? discusses the case of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Dutch-Somali politician and writer who voiced her opinions about the harsh treatment of women in the Muslim world. Her words led to death threats by the Dutch
Muslim community and forced her under Dutch protection in 2002. The murder of Theo Van Gogh intensified the threat toward Hirisi. A Dutch Muslim extremist murdered Van Gogh, director of a film about the oppression of Muslim. When Van Gogh was murdered, the knife stabbed in his heart had a letter with Hirsi’s name attached to it.

Many of Hirsi’s followers were in a sense inspired and wanted to address the mistreatment of women in the Dutch Muslim community. Others view Hirsi as a threat to the rest of the Dutch community and simply want her and her words gone. Hirsi
eventually moved to the United States after continuous battling with neighbors and other Dutch citizens who wanted her gone. Although she moved away, the Dutch Government cut off her security funding.

This week the Dutch leaders are set to talk about Hirsi’s status. Hirsi is still a Dutch citizen and most of the threats she faces come from Holland. Since she lives in the U.S. she has become somewhat of an international threat.

But what is there to say about the Dutch detachment and non-support of citizen Hirsi? Now the US has to support Hirsi through private security and financial grants. What is there to say about a country abandoning their citizen even though he/she presents
a threat to the country? The Greek word “phuego” means to flee and is considered to represent cowardice. Has the Dutch country become a coward? Or are the leaders just trying to protect their people?

Group 4 (Dylan Van Lith on Jobs for Ex-convicts)

S.E. Ruckman’s article,Program aids newly released inmates, in Indian Country Today details a new program in which inmates can locate a job after they are released. This article starts off with an Indian inmate who applied for a reintegration program that set him up with a case lawyer who helped him out with the process of finding a job. After working within this program many months before his sentence was served, the case worker found him a job. This job consisted of working with food at Oral Roberts University as a kitchen employee. This man is now saving up in order to reinstate his license.

This program is only for tribal men and women. It has many positive effects such as setting up the members with bus passes, rent, and job referrals. Also, the program focuses on helping people adjust to life out of prison. They show the prisoners how to live in everyday society, so they do not end up in jail again. My question would be whether or not there are programs like this that help all different kinds of people. Are there programs that focus on Caucasians, Hispanics, and African Americans? This program seems that it would need a financial backer and I was wondering whether or not the government would back a program like this or if this was backed by a personal buyer? When I first read the article, I found it difficult to understand how only 5 percent of the people being helped in this program are women. After reading a little further into the article this quote came up, “women inmates mostly have children waiting for them on the outside.” I was confused at first because don’t women need to work to help support their family as well or does the program think that only men are supposed to be working. It seems a little biased to me because what are the women doing with their children while they are in jail. The children are in homes or with other family members and in order to give your children a good life you need to have some sort of financial status. So far only 250 have gone through this process, but the program is hoping to help many people through their rehabilitation process in the future.

Group 3 (Whitney Spahn on Hunting Case)

Hunter guilty; spared life term
The Capital Times

James Nichols, of Peshtigo, was found guilty of second degree intentional homicide in a Marinette court room on Saturday. Nichols was convicted of killing Cha Vang while squirrel hunting in a wildlife area in northern Wisconsin. Although sentencing has yet to be scheduled the sentence carries a prison term of 60 years. The victim’s brother, Yee Vang, and other family members feel Nichols should have been given life in prison. This case has renewed racial tension in northern Wisconsin. Three years ago a Hmong man shot and killed six hunters. These cases have further separated the two races. Tou Ger Xiong, spokesman for the Coalition for Community Relations, believes, “the message sent to the Hmong community is that someone can shoot a Hmong hunter and not get the maximum sentence.”

I feel these two cases should not be related. They both revolved around totally different circumstances (one victim in the Nichols case versus six victims in the previous case). I think the race of the people involved is irrelevant and the case details should be examined without regards to race. In the Nichols case, I believe a 60 year sentence is worthy punishment.

Group 5 (Carmen Coats on School Food)

The Capital Times
Sour sweets: Schools' health push ends fruitful candy sales by Susan Troller
10-6-2007

A Wellness Policy was put into place last year for the Madison School District that affects students from elementary through high school. This Wellness policy forbids the sale of soda, candy, and other unhealthy snacks at schools in Madison. The policy has made it hard for clubs who used candy as there main source of fundraising. AJ Lenz said sales have dropped incredibly from the candy ban. This means a decrease in donations to charity as well as a drop in the amount of money given out to student for scholarships. There is a high demand for these unhealthy snacks. If the kids are not getting these snacks in school it is not very hard to get them other places.
I feel that this Wellness Policy that was put into place is pointless, especially for those in high school. I think it is important for students to learn about health and nutrition, but students in high school should be able to make up their own minds. If they do not get these unhealthy snack in school they will get the outside of school because it is not that hard with stores so close by. I also feel that it does put clubs in an extremely bad position. They are used to raising a lot of money by the sale of candy and they helped a lot of people, but now they unable to do that.

Group 1 (Josh Gauger on Duke Lacrosse)

Duke Lacrosse Players File Law Suite

These articles in the New York Times reveals that three former NCAA athletes falsely accused of rape have decided to press charges against the man who handled the case. For those who are unfamiliar with this issue, last spring a woman claimed that she was raped at a lacrosse team party in Durham, North Carolina. The woman was hired as a stripper for the men’s annual pre-season get together in the spring of 2006. Almost one year later this woman reported that she had been raped by several of the team members. Mike Nifong was the prosecutor in the case.
The men were eventually found not guilty of the crimes and now they wish to seek punitive of compensatory damages. The three men were released from the team and were slandered in the media when these charges first came out. Mr. Nifong was eventually released from the case because of poor judgment and withholding of evidence. The woman’s story changed from the time of the charges throughout the prosecution and her credibility was found to be lacking. She had previously charged rape against another man only to settle out of court for a sum of money. DNA tests, the evidence Mr. Nifong withheld, eventually proved these men innocent.

These former lacrosse players simply want to be compensated for their losses that were directly caused by Mr. Nifong’s faulty prosecution. The question I have is whether these men deserve this money or is it enough that Mr. Nifong was relieved of his duties and subsequently spent 30 days in jail.

Group 5 (Casey Christian on Poisonous Toothpaste)

The article, The Everyman Who Exposed Tainted Toothpaste written by Walt Bogdanich (New York Times, October 1, 2007), describes an interesting situation in which 51-year-old Eduardo Arias of Panama discovered a poisonous ingredient in his toothpaste. The toothpaste contained diethylene glycol, an ingredient that had been responsible for over 100 deaths in Panama last year in a similar incident involving cough syrup. Health alerts have been reported in 34 countries and Japan discovered 20 million tubes containing diethylene glycol. The toothpaste had been imported from China.

I cannot believe the fatal levels of the ingredient in this product went unnoticed and was sold on the open market. This is poor on China’s part, as there was clearly no regulation from any national administration. This is scary as we import so many items from China, and simple things such as toothpaste can pose a severe health hazard. China has ordered the manufactures to stop including the diethylene glycol. Nonetheless, serious oversights were made on China’s part. A country with exporting on such a massive scale should have harsher regulations on what they can ship all over the world. Mistakes such as this cannot be made.

Group 2 (Cydni Chapman on Darfur)

According to the article Darfur Rebels Kill 10 in Peace Force, by Jeffery Gettleman (New York Times, October 1st, 2007.), things in Darfur, although hard to believe, have just gotten worse. Over the weekend ten rebels violently raided a peace camp in the town of Haskanita. It was reported that the rebels stole all camp supplies, weapons, killed at least seven soldiers, and 50 people are still missing. Officials are still not sure who is responsible for the destruction as the fighting has spread to numerous groups. The two main rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, are now not only fighting against the government but each other. Although some have linked the attack to the Justice and Equality Movement group they denied it blaming it on the government, while the government said they would not interfere with the peacekeepers because they are just trying to help the people of Darfur. It is true that about 7,000 peacekeepers are trying to bring help to the people through food and medicine, but their job is becoming more and more difficult. Many have abandoned areas such as Haskanita, where the fighting is perhaps the worst, because the fighting has become too intense. Every day peacekeepers are robbed and killed for their efforts. There are so many groups in Darfur fighting against each other it is hard to say if peace will ever come.

Owing to the recent surge of fighting, African peacekeepers are hoping that the Union Nations will still send troops that are due later this year to help stop the fighting. However they know that many are skeptical and worried because the fighting is no longer rebel groups versus the government. Darfur has taken over 200,000 lives and left over 2.5 million people homeless. I’m not sure how the United Nations cannot be willing to give the people of Darfur help. This is a serious problem of our generation that has been completely overlooked and I worry what will happen if the U.N. does not get involved. It is hard to see this genocide happening while the rest of the world sits by to watch it happen. Will things in Darfur change and why are we not getting involved to help them change?

Group 4 (Christopher Martin on Congressional Criminals)

In Congress: The most dangerous neighborhood in America (Harper’s Magazine, by Ken Silverstein, 9/25/07) Silverstein compares the crime rates of two of Americas must troubled cities with that of Congress. Although Congress does not commit as heinous crimes as Anacostia and the South Bronx, the crime rate is much higher. These crimes do not include rape and murder as far as public knows, but the sheer number of crimes per person more than makes up for that. One cannot help but ask how the leaders of America produce one of the highest crime rates in America at 7 percent. This is nearly seven times that of the South Bronx and it is roughly double that of Anacostia. Many of these criminals are reelected for another term.

Unfortunately, most of the cases are not widely publicized, so the public is unaware of the level of criminal activity. I think that these cases should be publicized so that the nation knows what kinds of people are representing their respective states.
A person that has been recently convicted of a crime has an extremely hard time finding any job, but any Congressman that is under investigation for a white collar crime is able to help represent the voices of the people. Many jobs today require a background screening too. Something needs to be done to stop all of the corruption in Congress, such as a legislation to stop past offenders from being reelected. Unfortunately, those that commit these crimes are also those that vote on the legislation. There has to be a way to pass a law to keep those that make the laws honest.

Group 3 (Mike Priesler on the 'NFL's First Prayer')

Alan Goldenback, Washington Post
After NFL’s first prayer, religion touched down

In the article “After NFL’s first prayer, religion touched down” written by Alan Goldenbach, the writer describes the first time a football player showed his faith by praying after a touchdown. It was Oct. 7, 1977 when Herb Lusk scored on a 70 yard touchdown run, and then when he was four yards deep in the end zone, he dropped to one knee, bowed his head and prayed. A few seconds later he got up and returned to the sidelines, and as Alan writes “His legacy was sealed.” Steve Sabol, the president of NFL films said “Herb Lusk was the first NFL player to kneel in the end zone and pray.” The article goes on to tell how Herb had paved the way for not only all football players to express their faith, but other sports as well. Pitchers point to the sky after a good game, or basketball players pray at center court when a game is over. Lusk says in the article “I'm very proud of when I look and see guys praying in the end zone or praying after [a game]. I see these guys as my sons.I gave birth to them. I see that as my purpose for playing in the NFL".

I think what Herb did was actually a very brave act, especially for a football player. Football is a sport of looking tough and acting macho, especially when it was in the 70’s. Herb could have easily been ridiculed for his actions. He could have been called names and lost respect from his fellow teammates. It doesn’t seem like what he did is a big deal because nowadays it is so common, maybe even overused, but he was the first one EVER. His actions really had an affect on other athletes, showing them that it is ok to express themselves. And with athletes being such huge icons, Herb actually had an affect on a mass number of people, even the team I play for. Before every game we kneel and hold hands while a priest says a prayer for us. All of these types of things can relate back to Herb.

Group 4 (Holly Feldman on Drugs and Kids)

Drug-proof your kids in the London Times talks about the use of drugs in a child's life. One mother found a poster in her 13 year old daughter's room that said " “Busted for blow. Cannabis should not be illegal.” When she asked her daughter about the poster, the child simply said that "everyone tries it" and that "it isn't dangerous". The mother was dumbfounded so she went to a support group on how to drug-proof your child. It was later discussed that telling a child about the risks of drugs, instead of telling them not to do them has a better effect on him/her. Of course, throughout a child's lifetime they are given so much information about the negative effects of drugs, and simply brush off the facts they were given. They are given "informed choices" and the popular thing to do to get rid of this extra stress is to just go get high. The successful way to reach out to a child on drug use is to improve the child's confidence and self esteem. The family should have an honest relationship, and be able to tell each other if they have engaged in drug use or not. If they have, then they can talk about why they did it and ways to prevent it from happening again. It's a better idea to have the child be able to be honest with thier parents, and to be able to admit they made a mistake. After doing drugs, it's important for the child not to be scared to tell thier parents what they have done. A totally open, friendly relationship between a parent and a child is key so that the child doesn't feel the need to rebel.

Group 5 (Luke Ehlen on Golf and the Oneida Nation)

PGA Play Begins in Indian Country by Tom Wanamaker, at highlights a break through for the Indian nation. The Oneida Indian Nation, held the inaugural Turning Stone Resort Championship at its new Atunyote Golf Course in Verona, New York. This is the first time an Indian nation has held a major golf tournament. It is also a step at bring the Indian Nation closer with the surrounding community.
The Championship isn’t the only first in this situation. The Atunyote Golf Course earned the first “environmentally friendly certification”. This is the only course of its kind on the PGA tour. Atunyote is still a very challenging course. It has many water hazards, bunkers, and narrow fairways. Top golfers have praised its scenic beauty and difficulty.
In attempt to better the relations of the Indian nation and the rest of New York, all proceeds from the tournament will go to charities. The estimated revenue so far is greater than $250,000. The reason for friction between the two parties lies in the fact that the Indian Nation is not required to pay taxes. Despite their differences, this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Group 3 (Lauren Brendel on the Zapata Case)

Body not needed for conviction (Ed Treleven, Wisconsin State Journal)

The jury last week was unable to reach a verdict for Eugene Zapata. He was accused of killing his wife 30 years ago, but there are no traces of her body. Dane County prosecutors are undecided as to retry after having the latest mistrial.In the past when it comes to bodyless murder cases, 1989 Homberg from Stoughton was charged with the murder or his wife after just 5 hours of jury deliberation. Also,2001 Dan Kutz was accused of murder of his wife with no body as evidence. All the cases in the Dane County area were the killing of wives in difficult marriages. Debora Denno has found that these types of cases are not always marriages. For example the Manson case, in which a ranch hand was killed. The court said "the government need only prove a crime has been committed." The main problem with bodyless cases is that the jury has to come to a total agreement and in the Zapata case there were 10 guilty, 1 not guilty and 1 undecided.

In these types of cases its very hard to know exactly who killed the missing person. Its more likely when there are divorces or promotions and so on involved but how do you really know how the person was killed and by whom. It's sad that all the court needs it to prove it yet, how can you prove someone is even dead without seeing the body? It's also surprising that there are even six cases that were bodyless murder convitions in Wisconsin. I think that the court should be able to convict these people on these three facts. First, If the missing person was a spouse and there was a divorce. Second, if the missing person didnt take any belongings with them and absolutely no one has heard from them. And third, if there are people that can testify that the person on trial and the missing person had a terrible relationship and that he/she had a reason for killing the missing person. In conclusion it's possible but I think its very hard to convict a murderer if you don't have the body.

Group 2 (Krista Lefflin on Hurrican Katrina)

The article Hurricane Katrina Exacts another Toll: Enduring Depression from the Washington post, discusses the aftermaths of hurricane Katrina that continue to happen today. Hurricane Katrina was one of the largest hurricanes to hit the United States, it completely destroyed New Orleans. It has now been more than two years since the hurricane hit and New Orleans continues to be severely damaged. People are frustrated that the cleanup is taking so long and the long recovery period is taking a toll on the mental state of the residents in New Orleans. A survey taken of the Gulf Coast’s mental health shows that even though the levels of depression and other mental illnesses doubled after Katrina, those levels continue to increase two years after the hurricane hit.
Hurricane Katrina caused a variety of problems: many people lost their jobs, their homes, their friends and their family. Psychiatrists are trying to show these people that they are not crazy and are trying to help them in any way they can. Residents of New Orleans are still living in trailers, on deserted streets with a lot of damage to them. Because of these poor conditions, people have become a lot more depressed and they feel helpless. The only thing that will help is if the efforts to clean up the damage from hurricane Katrina get better, and if those people can get back to a stable life.
I think it is ridiculous that the conditions are still this bad in New Orleans. I can understand why people are having depression issues because it seems hopeless that conditions are going to get better. It has been two years since the hurricane and people continue to live in trailer homes that are dirty and unsafe. Relief efforts need to increase so these people can go back to having a stable life. If our government would step it up and help these people, they could lead normal lives again and their mental health could return to normal.

Group 1 (Lesley Hacker on Stem Cell Research)

Stem Cell Bank Picks up Lines

David Wahlberg from the Wisconsin State Journal has a very informative outlook on stem cell research. The National Stem Cell Bank is housed at the WiCell Research Institute and is affiliated with UW-Madison. This is the country's only official repository of the cells and contains government-sanctioned human embryonic stem cells. Wicell grows and studies these cells and then sends them around the world for research and in hope for cures. Wicell received 16 million dollars over four years from the National Institute of Health to run tests and store 21-stem cell lines. Each stem cell line contains fifteen vials, each which are composed of three million cells. These cells are extremely fragile and are very vulnerable when they are being thawed out.

This is a very slow process due to the competitive nature of science and politics. There are rules such as receiving federal funding only if cells used were created before August 9, 2001. Also, as politics and leaders begin to change, views and regulations will change as well.

This is a very controversial issue because many believe that its wrong to destroy these embryos because they are human life. Others believe that this is the gate-way to finding cures to diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's. Stem cell research has a very unclear future and only time will tell. What do you think will happen with this process?

Group 4 (Olivia Zabel on Russian "productivity")

William Saletan's article F--- Off: Skip Work and Make Love for Your Country (Slate, September 13, 2007) discusses a strange issue of orders given by a Russian governor. A governor in Russia actually gave orders to employers to allow a day off from work in order for the employees to have sex. Although this may seem like a joke, the reasoning behind this was actually to increase the population of the country after a "radical decline" due to AIDS, drug abuse, and other population killers. Cash awards were said to be issued to couples who could give birth exacty nine months after the day that employees were alotted to have sex, and believe it or not, a main doctor said that due to a similar deal that
happened the prior year, "women delivered three times the usual number of babies on payoff day." A rebuttal to this story is that having women try for this prized day of birth will only cause women to induce labor which could possibly lead to premature birth. Would women really threaten the lives of their children for a cash prize, or would they pass up the chance to have a healthy baby? Also, could this concept be reversed to decrease the population? In countries where there are way too many people, could a government issue cash prizes to couples who refrained from having more children, and would the population follow through? Maybe not--sometimes human nature is hard to resist.

Group 5 (Carmen Coats on the Zapata Trial)

Mistrial Declared in Zapata Trial

Jurors had heard testimony and circumstantial evidence. The jurors went into deliberation Friday and continued for 30 hours, but could not agree upon a verdict. The vote was 10-1-1. The majority of the vote was for guilty, but there was one juror who was undecided, and another who would remain with his innocent vote because of a lack of evidence. The jurors were deadlocked. On Monday afternoon Judge Fiedler declared it a mistrial. Now prosecutors are deciding whether or not they should have a re-trial, Linda Zapata says she'll be ready to testify against her father if there is one.


I think that the case needs to be re-tried because I think that a new jury will find him guilty. Hopefully in the new trial they will have some physical evidence to back up the case because I think that it will definitely affect the outcome of the trial.

Group 2 (Jimmy Luccas on O. J. Simpson)

In the article Simpson Arrested on Charges Related to Robbery, Noah Adams and Ina Jaffe talk about another one of OJ Simpson’s problem s with the law. On September 16, 2007 OJ Simpson was arrested for reportedly being a part of an armed group that broke into a Las Vegas hotel. Simpson is facing seven charges, six of which are felonies. He was accused of stealing some memorabilia that documented his career in sports, while being armed with “deadly weapons.” OJ Simpson is a retired NFL star running back that became famous for more than just his football career. OJ Simpson was accused for killing his wife and her friend. This incident was made public very quickly. The case became so popular that it is now known as the “trial of the century." His record keeps filling up with more and more crimes. Finally OJ may be put in prison! With a couple counts of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary with a firearm, and other crimes, OJ may have had his last stand.

Seeing this article really frustrates me because it took this long to get this man into prison. It seems like people can do whatever they want because the penalties they receive are not harsh enough. Maybe if he was jailed before this, Simpson may have seen reality and understood that he cannot do whatever he wants . More and more issues are occurring where pro athletes commit crimes and they can just get away with them. I see a similar future with Michael Vick. Hopefully they will stop him before he gets out of hand. There needs to be the same penalties to all people, whether they are famous or not.

Group 3 (Bryanna McCarrell on Sentencing)

Prosecutor Who Opposed a Death Sentence Is Rebuked (New York Times, September 15, 2007)

Robert E. Owens, an Alabama prosecutor, was criticized by the state attorney general for arguing that a man on death row should not be put to death because the gunman in the execution he was a part of was not put to death. Marcus Presley was convicted with LaSamuel Gamble for the murder of two people at a pawn shop in 1996. A security camera shows that Presley was the gunmen in the crime and Gamble only checked the victims’ vitals and picked up the shell casings. Both men were sentenced to death before an amendment ruled it unconstitutional to sentence anyone under 18 to capital punishment. Presley, the gunman who was 16 at the time, was then put to life without parole. Gamble, who didn’t pull the trigger, was 18 so he was still on death row until winning his appeal to convert his sentence to life in prison just last week. The state attorney general says he will try to reinstate the death penalty on Gamble.

I do not think that Gamble should be put to death since the gunman in the crime wasn’t even put to death. The state attorney general is wrong in criticizing Robert Owens. Owens makes a very good point when he says, “I couldn’t lay my head on my pillow at night if I stood by and let a person who didn’t kill somebody be executed when the person who did kill somebody was not.” The evidence was there that Gamble didn’t kill the victims so why was he sentenced to death in the first place? Even if Presley was executed, Gamble should not be. However, if Gamble is executed, Presley definitely should be too. Presley was the one that pulled the trigger and should not be able to get away living if Gamble does not.

Group 1 (Beau Dobson on Rainwater Collection)

Saturday Sept. 15
Roll Out The Barrels

Katie Dean from The Capital Times sheds light on a new technique that could be useful and appreciated by many. People are using unique 55 gallon barrels to collect rain water before it hits the ground. Although the idea is not new, advances in the barrels are contributing to a heightened popularity. These specially designed barrels were improved by MATC and UW-Madison students. The MATC students contributed a logo and to inventory management while an engineering class at UW-Madison developed an environmental friendly spigot, that is attached to the barrels.

These barrels have several uses that are discussed in the article. It is stated that the growth of algae is enhanced by the phosphorus found in fertilizers, sediments, and animal waste. By collecting the water from roofs of homes, water runoffs cannot collect these things and in return reduce the unwanted algae amounts in bodies of water. Others are using the barrels for more practical uses such as watering plants because the rain water is free of fluoride, washing pets, or simply to save money by not using as much power. The water barrels are also ways for people to do their part to combat global warming.

The water systems themselves are suppose to be easy to clean, sealed to eliminate mosquito problems, capable of handling overflows, and have spigots that can be attached to a garden hose.
Single or double barrels kits are available over the internet for $75 and $115 respectively.

Group 3 (Whitney Spahn on Hillary Clinton)

Clinton Bills Herself as Agent of Change, Voice of Experience (Washington Post, September 2, 2007)


Hillary Clinton, democratic presidential candidate, is expected to have a much accelerated campaign this fall. Clinton has been promising change to the American people and says she is the perfect person for the job: “I have spent my whole life fighting change,” she claims. Clinton continues to slam both President Bush, about his current policies, and also the other democratic candidates. She believes a bluep rint alone is not enough to solve problems such as world health-care and a new energy plan. Clinton states in order to make changes like these, one needs to form a large following. This following she claims to have; sighting her experience in Congress. Both Clinton and her husband have been traveling together to support her run for office. Some believe this is a good approach because former president Clinton's experience will add to his wife’s potential. Some points Clinton has taken a stand on include ending the war in Iraq, expanding diplomatic outreach, and providing benefits for the middle class including job growth. At the end of the article Clinton states that she realizes compromises must be made or nothing will get done.

I feel Hillary Clinton, although well experienced in politics, is coming out too strong to the American people. I think her negative comments about the current president and her fellow democrats will hurt her campaign in 2008. I feel she should concentrate more on her individual points and strengths than her opponents’ faults. She has made stands on several issues including the war and health care. I think her campaign will run smoother and be more successful if she concentrates harder on these points of interest! I also personally believe that Bill Clinton does not add appeal to Hillary’s campaign. I think his past may actually hurt her chances of taking the white house.