Ripples in the Tide

Black Friday Shopping Mob Tramples Wal-Mart Employee to Death

2008-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

This Black Friday was an especially dark day, leaving four customers wounded and one Wal-Mart employee dead. A crowd of over 2,000 shoppers were waiting outside a Wal-Mart store in Long Island, New York. When doors opened, the mob rushed into the building, tearing the doors off their hinges and sending employees scampering on top of vending machines to avoid the onslaught.

Jdimytai Damour, a 34 year old Wal-Mart employee, couldn't get out of the way fast enough. He was trampled to death by the mob of customers. Police and rescue workers tried unsuccessfully to revive him. Rather than stopping to help, crazed shoppers continued to step on the rescuers. Four other people were injured, including a woman who was 8 months pregnant.

Police announced that someone had died and the store would be closing, but shoppers simply did not care. One witness said, "When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been in line since Friday morning!'". After a great deal of effort, police finally managed to drive out the remaining shoppers. They were unable to identify any of the perpetrators on security cameras because of the general chaos at the scene.

At 1PM, the store re-opened and was almost immediately swamped with customers again. One of the Wal-Mart employees said, "I look at these people's faces and I keep thinking one of them could have stepped on him. How could you take a man's life to save $20 on a TV?".

This gruesome and horrific scene is a real testament of what some people are capable of. It disgusts me that people could be so greedy and self-absorbed that they would act like wild animals just to get better deals on stuff for themselves and their friends. Stories like this really show just how horrible human beings can really be.

Woman Spends 400,000 Dollars to Internet Scam

2008-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Janella Spears of Sweet Home Oregon lost over $400,000 to email scams. If you have an email account without a spam filter, you have probably received a Nigerian scam at some point. This scam was named after the country from which most of these email scams originated from. The scammers will contact you by email saying they are related to you somehow and need your help to get access to millions of dollars that they have inherited. They offer to give you a few million just for sending them some money or sharing your bank account information.

I never thought anyone would actually fall for that, but it seems I was wrong. Janella sent $100 in an untraceable wire transfer to the scammers. When this worked, they asked for more money. They sent her fake bank statements, letters, and documents to reinforce their claims. They also approached her as the head of the FBI and claimed the President needed her help as well. She reportedly became obsessed with getting the 20 million dollars they promised her, and kept sending more money in hopes of getting it.

She took out a loan, home mortgage, and spend her husband's retirement fund. When asked about it, she said she hopes other people don't fall for these scams as hard as she did.

So next time you get an email from a ridiculously wealthy Nigerian or the President of the United States, do yourself a favor and just delete it.

Obama Wins The 2008 Election

2008-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. The 2008 election is FINALLY over. I'm more relieved about that than anything else at this point. This was one of the nastiest campaigns I have ever seen on both sides. Huge amounts of mudslinging, racism, feminism/anti-feminism, and overall manipulation were all over the media. Supporters of the candidates have been found faking voter registration, stealing campaign signs from yards, and attempting to scare away voters at the polls.

I have never seen so many people get upset over an election. I have never seen friends turn so savagely and viciously against friends on opposing parties. I have never seen so much manipulation and lies as the backbone of a campaign. But the election is now over. God help America. Regardless what party you support, all can agree that our great nation has suffered and slipped down to a new low. This could well mark the beginning of the descent of America from the great nation it is today to a fond memory of past glory. Now all we can do is adapt to the great change that has been promised, and pray it will be a good change.

Woman Wearing Cow Suit Arrested for Disorderly Conduct

2008-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Michelle Allen of Middletown, Ohio, was arrested for disorderly conduct while wearing a cow suit. She was said to have been chasing children in her neighborhood while wearing the cow suit, and caused a great deal of civil distress. She was also caught urinating on a neighbor's front porch. When an officer found her causing traffic problems, she was arrested. She was reportedly verbally abusive to the police, and smelled strongly of alcohol.

Obviously her clever cow disguise failed when she began cussing out the police. A real cow would never do that.

9 Year Old Designated Driver

2008-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, a 9 year old child was pulled over for driving a car underage. The mother, from Ontario, had too much to drink at a social gathering and did not feel sober enough to drive herself and her child home. So she asked her nine year old daughter to drive instead. Police noticed a car driving very slowly along Canadian country roads, and on closer inspection, saw that the driver was quite tiny. When they pulled her over, they found the child driving.

Obviously the mother must have been pretty far gone to let her kid drive. She must have been really wasted to think the kid would do a better job than she would. I'm always a supporter of the designated driver program, but this is a bit over the top.

Woman Knocked Out by Dolphin

2008-10-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Barbara Howard was enjoying a boat ride with her husband, daughter, and daughter's boyfriend when a dolphin suddenly jumped out of the water and landed on their boat. The 8-9 foot long marine mammal had apparently tried to jump over the boat and misjudged the distance. It knocked Barbara unconscious and pinned her and her husband to the deck of the boat. As it floundered around, its tail repeatedly beat her husband.

Her daughter's boyfriend mustered up more strength than he knew he had and pushed the 4-500 pound dolphin off the boat and back into the water. The couple had some minor cuts and bruises but were released from the hospital relatively unharmed.

I'm sure this must have been especially embarrassing for the dolphin. They are supposed to be some of the most intelligent creatures on earth, but even they make mistakes from time to time.

Bank Robbed Twice in One Day

2008-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

A San Diego-area Wells Fargo bank in La Mesa, California, was robbed twice in one day. First, a robber referred to as "The Hard Hat Bandit" came in and demanded the bank hand over its money. No more than three hours later, "The Chatty Bandit" arrived on the scene and tried to rob it again.

Both criminals are still at large and their location is unknown. What we do know is that one of them must be pretty ticked off at being beaten to the punch.

Fish Pedicures Banned in Texas

2008-10-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

One of the newest trends in beauty treatment is the fish pedicure. Patrons to some of the few salons offering this luxurious treatment can soak their feet in tanks of water while the aptly named Doctor Fish nibble away tiny bits of dead skin. This new trend was starting to pick up steam until Texas authorities shut it down due to health concerns.

The Texas health department explained that the fish could transmit disease through contact with human feet. Their tanks were also impossible to safely sterilize without harming the fish. While there have been no reports of any form of problems related to these fish, authorities say they would rather be safe than sorry.

I think a nice fish pedicure would be a great way to clean up your feet. Unfortunately for those of you living in Texas, there will be no more fish pedicures... unless you can lure in some fish in a local pond. Or you could always just stick your feet in your fish tank.

Officer Expects House Cat, But Finds Mountain Lion

2008-10-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Police officer Mike Ableman was called in to remove a problem cat from a home in Casper, Wyoming. The dispatcher told him he was supposed to shoo off a big house cat. When he arrived at the scene, he was hissed at by a 90 pound mountain lion. He immediately ran back into the house and called the Game and Fish department. Wildlife officers then arrived to tranquilize and remove the cat.

I bet the officer was expecting a boringly easy job, and probably feeling a little down for having to do such a menial task. Instead he ended up in the world news. Life is like that sometimes.

Interview With Man Who Punched Shark to Save His Dog

2008-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have kept up with my blog have probably read about the Florida man who punched a shark to save his dog. It's always so much better to hear the story straight from the mouth of the source. Here's the CBS video interview of this amazing story.

And for those of you who feel bad for the poor dog getting attacked, here's a video of a dog attacking a shark. It kind of levels the playing field. The owners of this dog seem more negligent than heroic. But he seems to be fending for himself pretty well.

Stock Market Crash

2008-10-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

The stock market hit a record low today, plummeting over 680 points in a single day. It has fallen by around 5,000 points over the course of the year. We are not currently showing signs of recovery, and the market could continue to plummet. Some experts are calling this a slow crash, and expect stocks to crash completely. Many are also looking at this as a great opportunity. There are large numbers of solid businesses with very cheap stock right now, and new investors could easily turn huge profits if the stock market goes back up. We will have to wait and see how things continue to develop. America could either make a solid comeback or sink into a full scale depression.

World's Fattest Man Gets Married

2008-10-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Manuel Uribe was once declared the world's fattest man. The 42 year old man from Monterrey, Mexico once weighed in at 1,230 pounds. He has gone on a diet and lost over 550 pounds. He will be towed in a specially made bed through the streets to have the wedding. Manuel said he will have a bite of cake for the photos, but that is all his new diet will permit. After losing all that weight, it is yet to be determined whether he will be allowed to remain the world's heaviest man.

Well, at least we know she's not marrying him for his body... or is she?

Man Punches Shark to Save His Dog

2008-10-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

Greg LeNoir was taking his dog, Jake, for a swim one day at a marina in Isla Morada, Florida. A 5-foot shark surfaced suddenly and grabbed the dog in its mouth. Greg wasn't about to let his pal become chum, so he dove off the pier headfirst and punched the shark in the back. He apparently scared the shark enough to make it let go, and he and the dog swam safely back to shore. The little rat-terrier was wounded but not critically injured. He was rushed to an animal hospital where he is making a full recovery.

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite stories of bravery/stupidity I have heard in a long time... and I write about incredible news stories all the time. I'll admit, I would probably do the same thing in the heat of the moment. I love my dog too. But afterwards, the only thing I would be able to think would be, WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Man Caught With Nearly 2 Million Dollars in Traffic Fines

2008-10-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

In other news, a man in San Paulo, Brazil was finally caught after racking up a huge array of traffic fines. Authorities traced his charges back to 2001 when he bought his car. In just 7 years, he has managed to get around 1.9 million dollars in traffic fines. The man claims he never received any of these tickets because he was too busy to register the car in his name.

I personally believe this story. How would he have any time to register his car when he's too busy out getting speeding tickets? This man definitely deserves the worldwide recognition he's receiving. This is a huge accomplishment. And thankfully it is now safe to drive in Brazil again.

Chinese Milk Poisons Thousands of Children

2008-10-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

Now for more disturbing news. Melamine, an industrial chemical, was found to be contaminating milk and baby formula in China. This chemical is toxic and can cause kidney stones when consumed. It has already killed 4 infants and made over 6,200 sick. The milk was recalled and removed from shelves. Now thousands of worried parents are swarming outside child clinics awaiting checkups.

China is already known for its poor quality manufacturing and lax product testing but this goes too far. What worries me even more about the whole thing is that China exports huge quantities of food and material products to other countries. If we don't get some quality control at work, no one is really safe.

13 Year Old Boy Killed For Stealing Snacks

2008-09-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

This is yet another reason you DONT MESS WITH TEXAS. A group of teenagers repeatedly broke into the trailers of residents in a Texas community. One night they were breaking into the trailer of Jose Luis Gonzalez when the 63 year old man caught them in the act. They had twinkies and cookies stuffed into their pockets when he beat them with the barrel of a shotgun and shot one of them in the back. Gonzalez claimed in court that the thirteen year old boy was advancing towards him and he fought back.

This case went to trial and the jury acquitted Gonzalez of charges ruling that it is within a homeowner's right to defend his property, and use deadly force if necessary. This was a very important case in many regards because it sets the precedent for similar cases. It's a tough call because the teenage kids may not have been a huge threat to his life, but then again they probably could have easily overpowered the elderly man.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to leave comments.

Hurricane Ike Unearths Civil War Ship

2008-09-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

When the storm surge of Hurricane Ike finally subsided, it left behind massive flood damage and thousands of dead fish. It also uncovered a large wooden boat that had undoubtedly been buried off the coast of Texas for centuries. Scientists believe it is either a Civil War schooner from the 1860s or another ship from around 70 years later. Either way it represents a very valuable find for the history of America. It just goes to show that sometimes the waves of disaster can stir up new discoveries.

Man in West Virginia Passes Gas on Police Officer

2008-09-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

A man in South Charlston, West Virginia, faces jail time for assaulting an officer in a very unusual way. Jose Cruz was pulled over when police found him driving with his headlights off. Sobriety tests quickly made it apparent he was driving under the influence. He was arrested for DUI and brought in. While they were taking fingerprints, he reportedly moved over to an officer and passed gas on him. The officer reported that the odor was extremely pungent. Cruz now faces charges of battery against an officer, obstruction of justice, and the original charges of DUI. It just goes to show that skunks aren't the only animals capable of defending themselves through chemical warfare. Perhaps this story will serve as an example to others who might be tempted to try the same strategy. Either way, we now know that a big problem like being arrested for DUI can quickly lead to becoming a worldwide laughing stock. So remember kids, don't drink and drive... and especially don't pass gas on an officer.

Fish in a Fence After Hurrcane Ike

2008-09-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ike left an unusual and disquieting scene in the wake of its storm surge. Thousands of dead fish were found covering roads, yards, and in a chain link fence. Ike's storm surge caused massive flooding in coastal areas and did a great deal of damage. When the water went back down, it revealed some of the more unusual debris. The fish pictured above was apparently trying to swim through the chain link fence when it became trapped and died. Other dead fish lay all over the city in West Orange Texas. One resident had to get rid of an eel and an alligator that were left in his hard. This scene from an intersection shows thousands of rotting fish. I guess you could say the fishing is pretty good in Texas now.

Fouad Mourtada Masquerades on Facebook as a Moroccan Prince

2008-09-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting piece of news. Fouad Mourtada was recently arrested for a very bold and quite stupid case of identity theft. He stole the identity of the Prince of Morocco and masqueraded as him on Facebook. He probably felt pretty high and mighty until police came and locked him away. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison and a $1,300 fine. Authorities say the Moroccan royalty does not and will not use Facebook. Still I have to congratulate this guy for being prince for a while.

September 11th Twin Towers Attack

2008-09-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today is September 11th, the anniversary of one of the most disturbing and devastating attacks on American soil. I still remember when it happened. I was on vacation and in a hotel when I saw everyone standing around, glued to the TV. It took some time to realize what was going on as we saw huge plumes of smoke surrounding the twin towers where so much Wall Street commerce goes on. As we watched in horror, the buildings came crashing down into piles of rubble, leaving a haunting gap in the proud New York skyline.

It hit especially close to home because my cousin works in the twin towers. We found out later that she was at home on that day on maternity leave.

So many Americans have been protesting the war in Iraq and it seems all I ever hear about is how wrong the war was. But unlike them, I still remember the panic and terror this country felt after this attack, which promised to be merely the first of many. Our war crushed the hearts of terrorists and reminded them that America does not negotiate with terrorists. It goes to their home and crushes them where they stand.

Stopping the Growth of a 7 Foot 12-Year-Old

2008-09-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I wrote about Brenden Adams, the 7 foot tall twelve-year-old. Scientists and doctors have finally discovered the cause of his abnormal rampant growth. Human DNA contains chromosomes that determine many factors of our body. Brenden's 12th chromosome has broken off and reattached onto the wrong place in his DNA. This disrupted the gene that controls growth. It therefore affects every single cell in his body. Because of this, his current size is absolutely irreversible, but the doctors wished to slow him down from growing any bigger. They came up with a very simple solution. They are injecting him with large amounts of testosterone to start puberty. This naturally slows the growth of an individual when they near adulthood. Brenden may have a fully mature body by the time he is a teenager. Even with the slowed growth, it is expected he will reach over 8 feet tall before he stops growing.

7 Foot Tall 12-Year-Old

2008-09-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Brenden Adams is only twelve years old, but he already towers high above most adults. He has a rare growing condition--so rare that doctors have never seen or heard of anyone like him. He is still growing at an alarming rate. When he was four months old, he had all his teeth. At age 4, he was about the size of an 8-year-old. Doctors were puzzled at what to do with him. Most people suffering from giantism simply are too big for their organs to handle and their bodies just wear out. Doctors have been working to find the cause and a cure for this rare disease.

Stabbing Victims Screams Ignored

2008-08-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

New York is a rough city and the people there can be very cold, but this is a little extreme. A young woman was stabbed 12 times in her NY apartment and screamed for help for over 30 minutes. Her neighbors ignored the screams that long before finally calling a hospital. By the time paramedics arrived, she had lost too much blood and she died hours later in the hospital.

She could have most likely lived had her neighbors cared a bit about her, but they simply let her die. This is why I do NOT love New York.

Police Rescue Robber Found Hanging Upside Down

2008-08-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

A burglar really bungled up his recent robbery. He was not only foolhearty enough to break into a streetside window in broad daylight, but he somehow got his shoe stuck in the window as he crawled through it. He was found hanging upside down by his shoelace. He was left to hang there for over an hour while onlookers gathered to laugh at him. Police and paramedics finally showed up and cut him down, then hauled him immediately to jail. He pleaded guilty of attempted robbery and will be sentenced in September.

I have to hand it to him, he's about the worst burglar I have ever heard of, and there are some pretty dumb burglars out there.

9 Year Old Boy Banned From Pitching for Being Too Good

2008-08-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Jericho Scott pitches for his team in the Youth Baseball League at New Haven, Connecticut. He is an excellent athlete and can pitch at speeds of over 40 mph. He pitches so well, that other teams refused to even try to hit anything he throws. His last opposing team forfeited their match with his team, declining to play at all. The league officials banned Scott from playing and plan to distribute his teammates among other teams in the league. His coach resigned and his team refuses to split. Parents are now protesting the league games demanding he be allowed to play. This is the first time a child has been under so much discrimination for being TOO good. It's amazing how far society will go to persecute people who truly excel.

Bigfoot is a Hoax AGAIN

2008-08-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

So now we come back to part two of our Bigfoot saga. It turns out the mythic skunk-ape was really just a stinking lie. When scientists finally got their hands on the block of ice supposedly with a Bigfoot in it, they got to do some real science. It didn't take long for them to figure out that the big feet were really made of rubber and most of the possum hair had been burned onto it. The two men who supposedly made the find of a century are nowhere to be found. Their voicemail says they are off searching for the Loch Ness monster and leprechauns. One of them was formerly a police officer in Georgia but he has been discharged from the force because of the questions this hoax raised about his integrity.

Michael Phelps Shatters World Records

2008-08-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Michael Phelps made history this week in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He swam for a perfect 8 gold medals in a single Olympics. This shattered the old record by one gold. His final gold medal was especially nerve wracking because his last race was a relay. He had to depend on 3 of his other teammates to take the gold with him. If any of them were to fail, he wouldn't have won his gold. He also got to show the French team what he was made of after they rudely mocked him before his swim. He is not quickly becoming very famous after making the world record. I hope he has a big trophy case to put all that gold in.

Bigfoot is REAL!

2008-08-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

... or so claims a pair of men in Georgia. They have supposedly recovered the body of the mythical Bigfoot. This seven-foot-tall ape is crammed in a freezer in some undisclosed location awaiting tests to determine if it is in fact real. Initial blood tests have shown nothing conclusive and scientists are holding their breath to wait for the autopsy results.

I'm not getting my hopes up, personally. While I could see a family of reclusive giant apes going undiscovered for centuries in the wilds of northern America, I find it hard to believe they could remain hidden in the middle of Georgia, thousands of miles from any previous sightings.

The Experian Scam

2008-08-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have all heard of FreeCreditReport.com. Its commercials have aired over 90,000 times so far. But what they take great measures to cover up is the fact that FREECreditReport.com is a huge scam. There is nothing free about its credit report. It gets people to sign up for what they think is a free credit report, and automatically signs them up for a $15 monthly charge. Most of their customers never notice they have been scammed into paying for this, and they have no mention through the sign-up process that they actually will charge you anything. If you don't pay attention, you will pay about $80 a year for the rest of your life, or until you notice they are slowly leeching away your hard earned money. And they don't give you anything worthwhile in return either. You can get a truly free credit report from the government at any time without having to pay a penny, and it's much easier. Businesses like Experian should be shut down by the government for preying on innocent people. It's legal robbery, and it should be stopped.

Girl Survives 14 Story Fall Down a Chimney

2008-08-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Grace Bergere, a 12 year old girl from New York, was showing her cousin the view from the top of her apartment building. She climbed up a 25-foot chimney to get a better view, and promptly fell into the open hole. After falling 14 stories, she landed in a 2 foot deep pile of soot and ash. When rescuers reached the furnace, they feared the worst. But a hand reached out of the soot and Grace was pulled out relatively unhurt. She is now in the hospital recovering from an injured hip. Miraculously that's her only injury. We can thank New York's dirt and grime for saving the life of this girl.

Workers Swept Away by Sewage

2008-08-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

Workers in Tokyo, Japan were repairing a broken manhole when a sudden wave of sewage swept them away. One worker was found unconscious floating in a nearby river but the other four are still missing. I have heard of plenty of natural disasters, but sewage water is a new one to me.

Lost Luggage

2008-08-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

There are lots of absent minded people in this world, and unfortunately for some children, many of them become parents. On Monday, an Israeli couple remembered to bring their 18 suitcases on an international flight, but they forgot their three-year-old child at the airport. They were informed mid flight that they had only remembered four of their five children. Airport staff found the girl wandering alone in the bustling terminal. They sent her on the next flight and she was reunited with her parents. Next time they may pay more attention to their children than their bags.

Crazy Art Cover-Up

2008-08-04T10:50:00.001-07:00

It's amazing what will hit the news nowdays. Today's headlines featured a move made by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to help his image. A huge painting used as the backdrop for many press conferences featured a scantly clad woman with more exposure than the press would like to cover. While this is common in Italian art, this offending painting was deemed to be going a bit too far for cameras. They painted a garment over the offending parts to better cover the painting. THe Prime Minister took a great deal of heat for this alleged defacement of fine art. It's apparently a big enough deal to attract worldwide attention.

Diver Saves Endangered Shark

2008-07-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

I always thought of sharks as bad things and wouldn't mind having less of them in this world. But this week some divers found an endangered nurse shark with a pole sticking out of its mouth. They called in a team of scientists who caught the shark, reached down its throat, and pulled out the pole. It turned out to be a gaff, or long hook used to pull sharks out of the water when fishing. They set it free and it swam back into the ocean and most likely will recover.

Koala Hit by Car at 60 MPH and Lives

2008-07-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

A Koala was hit by a car going 60 miles per hour while crossing a road in Australia. Its head was lodged in the grill of the car and it was dragged over 7 miles before another driver noticed it and stopped the car. They say it survived because its head was stuck and it was able to hang on. It was cut out with scissors and rushed to an animal hospital where it came out of shock and was fine in a couple hours. It is not making its recovery at the animal hospital founded by Steve Irwin.

Drug User Crashes Into Police Car

2008-07-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Police officer, Tim Pochron, was just starting his first day on the force when his squad car was wrecked. He had been on active duty for about 30 minutes before someone crashed into the parked car. The driver was found to be on drugs and immediately arrested. The lucky police officer made his first arrest without even having to do anything. It just goes to show if you leave drug users alone long enough they will take themselves out.

Political Cartoon Causes Uproar

2008-07-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

The political supporters of Barack Obama have been in an uproar over the satirical cover of "The New Yorker" magazine. It depicts Obama dressed in Muslim clothing with his wife dressed as a terrorist. They are giving each other a hi-five as the American flag burns in the fireplace of the oval office, below a portrait of Osama BinLaden. Despite the outrage of Obama's supporters, the magazine does not apologize but asserts its satire is meant to point out aspects of the candidates in a satirical way. McCain's campaign leaders agree that the picture is tasteless and offensive. I am always thankful when I see things like this happen because I know in many countries people would be killed for publishing something like that. In our country, people just get angry and raise a big fuss.

Bush Pushes for Offshore Drilling Ban to be Lifted

2008-07-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

George W. Busch will be lifting the executive ban on offshore oil drilling that has been in effect since his father's presidency. While environmentalists have been up in arms about offshore drilling, it actually has very little effect on the environment. If all is done correctly, the oceans will still remain protected but we could start generating our own oil. This could lead to much lower gas prices, which our country is absolutely desperate for.

Pulling Troops Out of Iraq

2008-07-14T10:27:00.001-07:00

America is now considering pulling some of its troops out of Iraq as early as September. At least one of the 15 combat brigades may be withdrawn, allowing them to return to their families. Nothing is final as of yet, but it could represent a much awaited homecoming for many families.

World's Oldest Blogger Dies at Age 108

2008-07-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Olive Riley of Canberra Australia died today at age 108. She was the world's oldest blogger, sharing stories of her life over the past century. It's amazing to think there are people still alive who were born before the year 1900. When you think about how much the world has changed, you realize just how valuable the opinions of people like Olive really are. Very few of us has the kind of perspective to see all the changes in the world over such a long time. She will be missed.

Lawn Chair Balloon Flight

2008-07-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

In Caimbridge, Idaho, a man named Kent Couch strapped a huge mass of helium balloons to a lawn chair, loaded up his BB gun, and took flight on July 5th, 2008. He used his BB gun to shoot the balloons if he got too high, and packed 15 gallon jugs of kool-aid to drop if he went too low. This 48 year old gas station owner flew over 230 miles in about 9 hours. I really got a kick out of this. I still can't believe he pulled it off. It's a lot cheaper than a hot air balloon ride.

The World is Getting Happier

2008-07-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

According to a Michigan University study, the world as a whole is getting happier. Polls and surveys have contributed to this "Happiness" to quantify the study. Apparently America is only the 16th happiest country in the world. Denmark is said to be the happiest, and Zimbabwe is the most unhappy. The study shows overall world happiness is on the increase on average. This is probably due to globalization. Resources are being split more evenly so the wealthy are less rich and the poor are less poor. The end result is a "happier" world. I still don't see how you can break happiness into numbers and analyze them, but hey, it does make sense when you look at the logistics of it all.

Drought in Australia

2008-07-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

Australia is suffering one of the worst droughts in its history, which happens to be mostly focused on one of their most important crop growing regions. This drought has lasted nearly a decade, and threatens their very way of life. Without the water that is necessary for life, the food supplies are greatly decreasing. Australia could be in a very bad situation if this continues.

Amazing Photo of a Jet Breaking the Sound Barrier

2008-07-11T07:13:00.001-07:00

This is an amazing picture of a jet breaking the sound barrier. It seems the vapor in the air allowed the photographer to actually capture a visible photo of this phenomena. This is what happens to the air when a sonic boom occurs. It collapses on itself and explodes with great volume.

Afghanistan Refugee Camps

2008-07-11T07:12:00.001-07:00

Reports show the situation for Afghani refugees trying to return home from neighboring countries. Organizations have set up refugee camps to harbor the refugees and provide them a place to live. Apparently the wells have run dry, the water supplies are low, they can barely get enough food, and many are considering just returning to the cities that are already established, even though they can't afford to live there. It seems the efforts to aid these displaced people are failing miserably.

American Man Wounded by Bulls in Spain.... and Everyone Cares

2008-07-11T07:11:00.002-07:00

In Pamplona during the annual San Fermin Festival, they release huge bulls to run through the streets. Just because something is tradition doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid. Why people would do this, I don't know. What intrigues me more is why this hit the worldwide news. According to the Navarra regional government, a 31-year-old American was hospitalized with a severe head injury. He regained consciousness later and will go through tests to see how badly he was damaged. I can almost guarantee that hundreds of Spaniards are wounded or even killed in this silly festival each year. But this time an AMERICAN got hurt, and that makes it world news worthy. It's listed in news right above the Afghanistan refugee crisis. I think America needs to gain some serious perspective.

John McCain's Views on Social Security

2008-07-11T07:11:00.001-07:00

John McCain revealed his opinions on the social security system today. He sees it as out of date and unfair to the younger generation that pays into a system that they will not benefit from. He calls it a disgrace. I've yet to see anything on what any of the politicians actually want to do to fix the system. It could seriously mess up our economy in the future if something isn't done.

Jessee Jackson Apologizes to Barack Obama for "Hurtful and Wrong Remarks"

2008-07-11T07:10:00.001-07:00

During an interview with Obama and Jackson, Jessee Jackson made a crude remark when he thought the microphone was turned off. He said in much more colorful language that he wanted to cut his privates off. When Jackson learned that the clip would be aired, he quickly apologized. Obama accepted this apology.

Ripples in the Sands of Time

2008-07-11T07:06:00.000-07:00

Even a tiny pebble can make waves. Each event that happens in history can have great effects on the entire world. This blog is meant to be a sort of worldwide scrapbook, taking tiny snippets of the worlds events and capturing them for later viewing. It will be a sort of time capsule to chronicle what matters to the people of our time. What makes the news and shapes our world will grace the pages here. Today's news is tomorrow's history. This blog will be a sort of chronicle of history in the making.