Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver Announce Separation

LOS ANGELES -- Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced that he and his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver are separating.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/arnold-schwarzenegger-maria-shriver-separation_n_859750.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Caim%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk1%7C61846

Tortured Logic, Continued

The Obama administration got Osama bin Laden through a combination of persistent intelligence gathering, extensive surveillance, and well-coordinated military action But now a rogue's gallery of right-wing ideologues and Bush administration operatives are trying to argue that the key to the success in finding Bin Laden was torture (or "enhanced interrogation," to put it more gently and less accurately).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-hartung/tortured-logic-continued_b_858971.html

Torture May Have Slowed Hunt For Bin Laden, Not Hastened It

Defenders of the Bush administration’s interrogation policies have claimed vindication from reports that bin Laden was tracked down in small part due to information received from brutalized detainees some six to eight years ago.
But that sequence of events -- even if true -- doesn’t demonstrate the effectiveness of torture, these experts say. Rather, it indicates bin Laden could have been caught much earlier had those detainees been interrogated properly.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/06/torture-may-have-slowed-h_n_858642.html?page=2

Osama bin Laden is dead and buried at sea - conspiracy theory or true?

Assuming that bin Laden's body was buried at sea, why did the U.S. forces act so hurriedly? They had 23 hours and 20 minutes to do away with his body - sufficient time for them to even transport the body to the United States, confirm the identity of the body properly and then dispose of the body.


http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/140347/20110502/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-and-buried-at-sea-true-or-conspiracy-theory.htm

Osama bin Laden had been 'hiding in plain sight'

Peter Bergen met bin Laden in 1997 and believes that al Qaeda will perhaps be irrecoverably damaged by the death of bin Laden.
"There's no one who can replace him. When you join al Qaeda you pledge a personal oath of allegiance (to him)

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/02/bin.laden.death.pakistan/index.html

Bin Laden was unarmed when killed, White House says

Abbottabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Osama bin Laden was not armed but did put up resistance when U.S. forces entered the compound he was in, then killed him, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/03/bin.laden.dead/index.html?hpt=T1

Reflection On Immigration Discussion

I was glad we got to discuss this topic because I had a chance to research on it a little more. It was intresting to hear the response of my peers. I didnt like the fact that some people wouldnt listen when others wanted to speak or were only open to people that shared their ideas. I did like to hear the personal stories and how close they are to so many of us. I believe that immigration is a very sensitive topic but I believe that the way to save our economy is by slowly allowing people who have lived here for many years ilegally to prove they can contribute to this contry and become legal citizens. Although this topic seems to go back and forth and it seems to go nowhere, allowing discussions is the number one factor to bring awareness and make people want to act on it by informing knowledge about the topic and educating those people who seem to have an opinion without knowing any facts.

Governor says Obama leaving Texas in the dust

SAN ANTONIO — Texas Governor Rick Perry criticized the Obama administration on Thursday for not responding to a request for a disaster aid for the parched state, where wildfires have scorched nearly 2 million acres

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42823736/ns/politics-more_politics/

A pair of kisses seal marriage of William, Kate

LONDON — Prince William and Catherine Middleton sealed their wedding vows with a traditional kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace Friday as millions in London and around the world roared their approval.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42799375/ns/today-today_people/?GT1=43001

Circumcision ban in San Francisco considered

say what!?

SAN FRANCISCO — A group opposed to male circumcision said on Tuesday they have collected more than enough signatures to qualify a proposal to ban the practice in San Francisco as a ballot measure for November elections.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42784426/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/?GT1=43001

Argentine leader says Cristina Fernandez will not bid for re-election

Argentine presidential pre-candidate Eduardo Duhalde , on the campaign trail, assured that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner will decide not to seek re-election in June because ”she will realize that she has no chances of winning” in a second round.

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/03/04/argentine-leader-says-cristina-fernandez-will-not-bid-for-re-election

political cartoon

funny political cartoons about donald trump running for the elections of 2012

http://bltwy.msnbc.msn.com/politics/donald-trumps-potential-presidential-bid-as-explained-by-cartoons-9872.gallery#!wallState=0__%2Fpolitics%2Fdonald-trumps-potential-presidential-bid-as-explained-by-cartoons-9872.gallery%3FphotoId%3D39706

Dozens killed in deadliest day of Syrian uprisings

watch this video of what is happening in Lybia today
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/42724240#42724240

Error caused first lady's plane to abort landing

WASHINGTON — A plane carrying first lady Michelle Obama came too close to a massive military cargo jet because of an air traffic controller's error and had to abort a landing at Andrews Air Force Base, U.S. aviation officials said Tuesday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42669951/ns/politics-white_house?GT1=43001

The 10 Greatest Muscle Cars of All Time

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=1182735&icid=autos_1801>1=22011

Syrian president orders release of protesters

BEIRUT — Syria's president ordered the release Thursday of hundreds of detainees involved in a month of protests seeking to wrest political freedoms from one of the Middle East's most repressive governments.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42594776/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Obama's first 2012 campaign speech

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
President Obama's address today was part a recent history of America's growing deficits, part a defense of entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and part an explanation of his vision how to reduce trillions of dollars over the next several years.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/13/6465630-obamas-first-2012-campaign-speech

Rebel leaders born from lost hopes in Gadhafi son

BENGHAZI, Libya — Not long ago, Moammar Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam was seen as the sole hope for change in Libya. He talked of greater democracy, human rights and economic development. He attracted technocrats, many Western-educated, to take up positions in the regime, hopeful he meant what he said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42538759/ns/world_news-africa

Debt ceiling brawl threatens economy, consumers

Washington is gearing up for a battle over how many trillions the federal government can borrow to pay its bills, and it's shaping up to be an even bigger brawl than the one just resolved over funding the government for the next six months.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42536397/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy

Budget talks languish, shutdown looms

No deal from meeting late Thursday, Obama says; House Republicans pass stopgap bill
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met again late Thursday, trying to break a budget impasse and head off a government shutdown, but Obama said afterward that there was no agreement.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42467884/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

Gadhafi to Obama: Please end airstrikes

WASHINGTON — Moammar Gadhafi has appealed directly to President Barack Obama to halt what the Libyan leader called "an unjust war" and wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42456636/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Libyan rebels condemn NATO as too slow to act

BENGHAZI, Libya — Libyan rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces on Tuesday criticized NATO as too slow to act and said they would ask the U.N. Security Council to suspend its mission unless it "did its job properly."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42440124/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Obama, House leader fail on budget deal

WASHINGTON — A visibly frustrated President Barack Obama emerged from a failed meeting on a budget deal Tuesday and said he would demand daily sessions with House Speaker John Boehner until an agreement was hammered out to prevent a U.S. government shutdown at week's end.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42428125/?GT1=43001

US submarines surface in tug of war over Arctic riches

APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY ICE STATION, Arctic Ocean — The United States is staging high-profile submarine exercises in the Arctic Ocean as evidence mounts that global warming will lead to more mining, oil production, shipping and fishing in the world's last frontier.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42269650/ns/us_news-environment/

NATO agrees to enforce no-fly zone over Libya

NATO countries agreed on Thursday to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya to protect civilians against Moammar Gaddafi's forces, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters.He said the U.S.-led military alliance's mandate did not go beyond the no-fly zone but NATO could also act in self-defense.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42247045/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

technology in a cigarette?

I always see this product around the mall and in commercials so once i saw this article I was intrested to see what it actually was. Its a fake cigarette that can be use with or without nicotine for people who are trying to quit smoking

http://www.weeklyhealthusa.org/latest/articles/breakthroughdiet/adb/us4/

Snipers, shells, tanks terrorize key Libyan city

TRIPOLI, Libya — Moammar Gadhafi's snipers and tanks are terrorizing civilians in the coastal city of Misrata, a resident said, and the U.S. military warned Tuesday it was "considering all options" in response to dire conditions there that have left people cowering in darkened homes and scrounging for food and rainwater.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42216979/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/?GT1=43001

The Key to Success in Libya Is Setting Low Expectations

This the opinion of Anne Applebaum concerning the issue in Libya.
she believes that Obama is staying quite now because he cannot make promises that in the end will not be acomplish. Low expectations is Obama's safe ground.

http://www.slate.com/id/2288872/?GT1=38001

Class Reflection on Education

Last wednesday we had a class discussion on Education and I was glad to hear that many of my peers feel the same way about school. I think the main conclusion we brought out was that we feel schools should raise their academic standards and force kids to reach their highest potential. I think that everyone in the discussion seemed to be on the same side concerning higher standards for high school requirements. I personally spoke about my struggle in math and how i somehow got away through the system with completing the minimum requirements but in the end feeling like I had not learned enough. I dont feel preprared for college math and I know this will be a struggle for me. The biggest Question is how to solve this issues we have with education in the United States and honestly I dont have an applicable solution. In my opinion the culture or lack of culture in the United States is what leaves many without an identity. Feeling as not belonging to a place gives people a lack of incentive to progress, move forward, and have the need to make a positive change in society. But I guess this is the price the United States pays for being number one and keeping power thanks to taking in the best of all countries. If somehow this place offered a stable groud for people to serve as a duty and not a decision i believe we would have less problems. Overall I believe the offorts for solution are not in vain and slowly with gradual change public education may reach back all the respect it has lost.

Fighting rages on despite Libya cease-fire declaration

Twenty-five people were killed after tanks rolled in and heavy artillery bombarded the city, witnesses said.
"Gadhafi's forces are bombing the city with artillery shells and tanks. We now have 25 people dead at the hospital, including several little girls," Dr. Khaled Abou Selha told Reuters by satellite phone.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42145571/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/?gt1=43001

If You're a Recent High School Graduate

You remember what school was like because you just lived through it. Use your skills to help kids get on track — and stay on track — to graduation.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019663_2017587,00.html

The key to a long Life

This interesting video eliminates all myths on diets and shows many examples around the world of communities that live a long and healthy life.

Millions in Japanese cold struggle without electricity, heat

When Japan lost a large chunk of its electricity-generating capacity to the one-two punch of earthquake and tsunami, the narrative in parts of one of the world’s most technologically advanced societies was transformed overnight into one of Third World hardship.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42079799/ns/world_news-disaster_in_japan/?gt1=43001

Kid bodyslams bully, becomes instant Web hero

A scrawny bully sucker punches a larger chunkier boy multiple times, as other kids look on, some taunting. Then suddenly, with the speed and agility of an alligator, the victim responds, flipping the kid and bodyslamming him.
By Wilson Rothman

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/15/6275007-kid-bodyslams-bully-becomes-instant-web-hero?gt1=43001

Emergencies declared at 5 Japan nuclear reactors

TOKYO — Japan declared states of emergency for five nuclear reactors at two power plants after the units lost cooling ability in the aftermath of Friday's powerful earthquake. Thousands of residents were evacuated as workers struggled to get the reactors under control to prevent meltdowns.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42025882/ns/world_news-asia-pacific/?GT1=43001

Cries from the quake: 'When are we going to be rescued?'

TOKYO — Nearly 24 hours after a massive, magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck Japan's northeast coast, unleashing a 23-foot tsunami that swept hundreds to their deaths and washed away structures, rescuers fanned out Saturday morning to search for survivors and victims.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42023385/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?gt1=43001

Woman's role in the middle East Democracy movement

woman's role in the revolution for democracy is great. The story of a woman shot in the heart to death recorded on tape brought up the issue of agression towards woman in public.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/03/07/nr.women.mideast.democracy.cnn

School for homeless children

Monarch school is a public school in San Diego supported by a non profit corp. They offer free medical, dental care, tutoring a place to shower and clothing for homeless children.

http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/01/07/n_homeless_kids_school.cnnmoney/

Scientists 'seed' cells, make new organs

Engineering organs begins with something missing -- a phantom organ in the body that causes a patient incredible discomfort, dysfunction or pain. It ends with a Star Trek-esque feat of engineering where missing organs are replaced using cells culled from a patient's own body

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/07/building.new.urethras/index.html?hpt=C1

Boy, 12, held after parents slain, siblings shot

'Pleasant, helpful ... good kid' taken into custody; friends say Colo. family was deeply religious
BURLINGTON, Colo. — A 12-year-old boy who reported shots fired at his home was in custody Wednesday after officers arrived to find his parents dead and two of his siblings in critical condition.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41883757/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

Political War

Car Runs Down 40 Bicyclists At Brazil Critical Mass Ride

SAO PAULO- A motorist sped his car through a pack of more than 100 cycling activists in southern Brazil, sending bikes and screaming riders flying through the air and landing hard on the asphalt. At least 40 cyclists were injured, with most suffering cuts and broken bones, but nobody was killed, authorities said.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/car-runs-down-bicyclists-brazil_n_829425.html

'My People Love Me': Moammar Gadhafi Denies Demonstrations Against Him Anywhere in Libya

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK By CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR
TRIPOLI, Libya, Feb. 28, 2011

Gadhafi denied using his air force to attack protesters but said planes had bombed military sites and ammunition depots. He also denied there had been demonstrations and said young people were given drugs by al-Qaida and therefore took to the streets.

The uprising that began Feb. 15 has posed most serious challenge to Gadhafi in his more than four decades in power. His bloody crackdown has left hundreds, and perhaps thousands, dead.

"They love me. All my people with me, they love me," he said. "They will die to protect me, my people."

American in Libya: ‘Our city is free’

“Today, I am proud to be Libya(n) and from Misurata. To see people stand together, united in the face of uncertain times, is amazing.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41740893/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/

QOW education

I would rate my education a 7 because I believe it has many useful tools to help students learn. This country has the capability and more money compared to other coutries to offer the best education. I would not rate the education in the United States any higher because I believe it has an enormous gap between high school and College and students do not graduate with the required skills to graduate. In my personal experience this system of education works for me because I am intrested in learning, I enjoy it and take advantage of the experience. I would also not rate it any higher because I dont believe in those tests that the government gives to check progress, or to measure our knowledge, honestly a test score simply measures what facts you remember at the moment you are taking the test and it does not go any more further than that. As a closing statement I believe this country has a ground and nesessary tools to have great eduacation for children but they are lacking skills to teach and programs to motivate and help students learn to learn.

Student accused of plotting to bomb Bush home

A 20-year-old Saudi student has been charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and may have targeted former President George W. Bush, the Justice Department said Thursday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41758705/ns/us_news-security/

A reaction to: Class Discussion "For or Against builing the Mosque"

I enjoyed this discussion because it gave me new point of views to think about. In the beginning I was in the middle (undecided), but by the end I was convinced by the conversations we had. As it is now I think I am back in the middle because this is a very sensitive subject and in the end they should do what the majority wants to, just to keep the peace with everyone. I thought it was very interesting to see a lot of people in the middle at the beginning of the discussion and how it shifted to the majority of people “for building the mosque” at the end. This means that the argument “for building the mosque” made stronger points to persuade the audience. Here is where I stand, if someone asked what my opinion
was on this subject I would say personally I would have no problem with Muslims building a Mosque near ground zero. But considering that many people took it as an offence I would have to be realistic and say that it is impossible to change their mind and since this subject has become so delicate I would simply build it somewhere less controversial for the safety of everyone. This being said the only reason I did not shift to “against building it” was because the arguments for “not building the mosque” in my opinion were not accurate or reliable, they were simply opinions based on personal preferences and religious biases. In the end the strength of each argument is what made me decided on what side I stood. This taught me how important it is to watch carefully what I say and how I say it, to get my point across and avoid misunderstandings.
-Brenda Delfino

What GOP budget cuts say about party priorities

The House will be voting this week on a Republican bill, called a “continuing resolution” or CR, to cut $100 billion from President Barack Obama’s funding request for programs for the remaining seven months of this fiscal year
Tom Curry

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41609293/ns/politics

Pictures of FREE EGYPT

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41350012/?GT1=43001

Navigating the budget battles to come

A staggering $3.7 trillion in federal spending this year and nearly that much next year — how can Congress keep track of where it all goes?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41493642/ns/politics

This is a song by The Black Keys. The name of this song is These Days

I heard of this band not too long ago and I fell in love with their Indie Rock/Blue's sound. Dan Auerbach is in the vocals and guitar, I find him absolutely clever:)

Mubarak still in power as government, opposition talk

CAIRO — President Hosni Mubarak held onto power Monday, defying a popular uprising against his autocratic rule, after the government opened talks with opposition groups to resolve Egypt's deepest crisis in 30 years.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41445147/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that Egypt must respect the rights of both protesters and journalists covering the protests, and an immediate and peaceful transition of power.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/41413157#41413157

Worlde

Constitution: has each and every right we posses as Americans. Any reform or progress spoken in the SOTU has to continuously look back at this ancient piece of our government that maintains a balance for no one to abuse power.
Leaders: The leaders of our country are not just Politicians. I see our country led by the idea of self interest and also led by the media.
Duty: The biggest duty that Obama has as a president is to maintain a moving economy and try to fix controversial topics without adding on to our nation’s debt.
Progress: Obama constantly spoke of progress. He promised this in the elections and now he has to make his words reality, in my opinion making changes in the military and health care are a big step to progress.
Succeed: For this country to have a successful future it needs the participation of all its citizens, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Union: People tempt to focus on what makes us different, they build barriers and drift further away from each other, the SOTU’s attempt to mix republicans with democrats was an honest attempt to pass along the idea of unity.
Allies: In order for this country to stay on top, it needs to maintain peace and respect towards all its allies. We should not give other countries a good reason to hate us; one way would be eliminating the abuse of power.
All: This word has a lot of significance for me because it unites every individual into one country, all Americans are of the same importance and Obama needed to get that message across, which he did, by mentioning specific people that make a difference with very little.
Marchers: It is always difficult for the government to handle protests and marchers because they have to respect their point of view but at the same time try to bring peace all around.
Convictions: Obama’s entire career is centered on convictions, he has to do everything possible to convince the majority of Americans what is best for the country, I believe in the SOTU he convinced many that to move forward we need to unite.
Disagreements: These may in a way be positive to keep balance between powers and make this country a democracy, but disagreements may get out of hands and turn into ugly violence.
Fears: I believe the ultimate factor that prevents growth is fear; Insecurities and fear of the unknown.
Prevail: This word makes me think of triumph, Obama used this word to make people imagine a positive and victorious future.
Debt: This is one of the hardest subjects to deal with because every movement or change this country makes has to see how it will affect our debt. Obama in this speech promised that every change was going to lower the debt.
Poverty: I believe Americans had forgotten what it feels to suffer through a recession; many are now realizing what living in poverty really means.
Life: Liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the principles this country lives for. I believe out of these three, life is a gift, liberty and happiness a right.
Communities: I liked how Obama mentioned many small communities around the country and set them as an example of excellence and hard work.
College: College is another issue for the youth in America, it gets difficult to pay in this time of recession and I believe many where waiting for Obama to see what his plan on that was, he spoke a lot about education but no specifically the way he would make it better.
Children: In the SOTU Obama focused a lot in children and how they are the future and the hope for a better America, he brought the point that education needed more of our attention.
Change: This is the word that Obama used for his campaign as the president of the United States. We all desperately want to see some of that change.
Challenges: One of the challenges that Obama mentioned in the SOTU is the limited amount of spending we have as a country and the investments we still need to make.
Hope: This speech gave me hope because it made me feel I was in good hands and I actually got to see that there are people out there doing things right.
Job: We need to create more jobs in these times of needs, it saddens me to see young adults graduating from college and being unemployed with a degree in hands.
Future: The future we are longing to see is in our hands, we need to make the change now to see good results in the future.
Aspirations: Our aspirations should not only focus in individual fulfillment but it should also be more focused on the positive impact it can create to people surrounding us.
Adversity: I believe that Obama made it clear we are in times of adversity, actually I believe there has never been a time without adversity, but it is up to us to recognize this and be more unified now.
Encouraged: Like it was spoken in the SOTU tragic events should not be used to weaken us, instead to encourage us to change our ways.
Woman: I believe behind every good man there is a good woman… that is all I have to say about that.
Spirit: Our spirits may be shattered from all the violence and darkness surrounding us, but these things can also make our spirits stronger to withstand any storm.
Strong: America should stand strongly to its core values of freedom and equality, it is the only chance to survive.
Strength: I believe Obama made a powerful speech to strengthen his authority as president and re state that we are in good hands.
Together: The only way to accomplish anything is if the people stand together.
Constitution: has each and every right we posses as Americans. Any reform or progress spoken in the SOTU has to continuously look back at this ancient piece of our government that maintains a balance for no one to abuse power.
Leaders: The leaders of our country are not just Politicians. I see our country led by the idea of self interest and also led by the media.
Duty: The biggest duty that Obama has as a president is to maintain a moving economy and try to fix controversial topics without adding on to our nation’s debt.
Progress: Obama constantly spoke of progress. He promised this in the elections and now he has to make his words reality, in my opinion making changes in the military and health care are a big step to progress.
Succeed: For this country to have a successful future it needs the participation of all its citizens, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Union: People tempt to focus on what makes us different, they build barriers and drift further away from each other, the SOTU’s attempt to mix republicans with democrats was an honest attempt to pass along the idea of unity.
Allies: In order for this country to stay on top, it needs to maintain peace and respect towards all its allies. We should not give other countries a good reason to hate us; one way would be eliminating the abuse of power.
All: This word has a lot of significance for me because it unites every individual into one country, all Americans are of the same importance and Obama needed to get that message across, which he did, by mentioning specific people that make a difference with very little.
Marchers: It is always difficult for the government to handle protests and marchers because they have to respect their point of view but at the same time try to bring peace all around.
Convictions: Obama’s entire career is centered on convictions, he has to do everything possible to convince the majority of Americans what is best for the country, I believe in the SOTU he convinced many that to move forward we need to unite.
Disagreements: These may in a way be positive to keep balance between powers and make this country a democracy, but disagreements may get out of hands and turn into ugly violence.
Fears: I believe the ultimate factor that prevents growth is fear; Insecurities and fear of the unknown.
Prevail: This word makes me think of triumph, Obama used this word to make people imagine a positive and victorious future.
Debt: This is one of the hardest subjects to deal with because every movement or change this country makes has to see how it will affect our debt. Obama in this speech promised that every change was going to lower the debt.
Poverty: I believe Americans had forgotten what it feels to suffer through a recession; many are now realizing what living in poverty really means.
Life: Liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the principles this country lives for. I believe out of these three, life is a gift, liberty and happiness a right.
Communities: I liked how Obama mentioned many small communities around the country and set them as an example of excellence and hard work.
College: College is another issue for the youth in America, it gets difficult to pay in this time of recession and I believe many where waiting for Obama to see what his plan on that was, he spoke a lot about education but no specifically the way he would make it better.
Children: In the SOTU Obama focused a lot in children and how they are the future and the hope for a better America, he brought the point that education needed more of our attention.
Change: This is the word that Obama used for his campaign as the president of the United States. We all desperately want to see some of that change.
Challenges: One of the challenges that Obama mentioned in the SOTU is the limited amount of spending we have as a country and the investments we still need to make.
Hope: This speech gave me hope because it made me feel I was in good hands and I actually got to see that there are people out there doing things right.
Job: We need to create more jobs in these times of needs, it saddens me to see young adults graduating from college and being unemployed with a degree in hands.
Future: The future we are longing to see is in our hands, we need to make the change now to see good results in the future.
Aspirations: Our aspirations should not only focus in individual fulfillment but it should also be more focused on the positive impact it can create to people surrounding us.
Adversity: I believe that Obama made it clear we are in times of adversity, actually I believe there has never been a time without adversity, but it is up to us to recognize this and be more unified now.
Encouraged: Like it was spoken in the SOTU tragic events should not be used to weaken us, instead to encourage us to change our ways.
Woman: I believe behind every good man there is a good woman… that is all I have to say about that.
Spirit: Our spirits may be shattered from all the violence and darkness surrounding us, but these things can also make our spirits stronger to withstand any storm.
Strong: America should stand strongly to its core values of freedom and equality, it is the only chance to survive.
Strength: I believe Obama made a powerful speech to strengthen his authority as president and re state that we are in good hands.
TogConstitution: has each and every right we posses as Americans. Any reform or progress spoken in the SOTU has to continuously look back at this ancient piece of our government that maintains a balance for no one to abuse power.
Leaders: The leaders of our country are not just Politicians. I see our country led by the idea of self interest and also led by the media.
Duty: The biggest duty that Obama has as a president is to maintain a moving economy and try to fix controversial topics without adding on to our nation’s debt.
Progress: Obama constantly spoke of progress. He promised this in the elections and now he has to make his words reality, in my opinion making changes in the military and health care are a big step to progress.
Succeed: For this country to have a successful future it needs the participation of all its citizens, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Union: People tempt to focus on what makes us different, they build barriers and drift further away from each other, the SOTU’s attempt to mix republicans with democrats was an honest attempt to pass along the idea of unity.
Allies: In order for this country to stay on top, it needs to maintain peace and respect towards all its allies. We should not give other countries a good reason to hate us; one way would be eliminating the abuse of power.
All: This word has a lot of significance for me because it unites every individual into one country, all Americans are of the same importance and Obama needed to get that message across, which he did, by mentioning specific people that make a difference with very little.
Marchers: It is always difficult for the government to handle protests and marchers because they have to respect their point of view but at the same time try to bring peace all around.
Convictions: Obama’s entire career is centered on convictions, he has to do everything possible to convince the majority of Americans what is best for the country, I believe in the SOTU he convinced many that to move forward we need to unite.
Disagreements: These may in a way be positive to keep balance between powers and make this country a democracy, but disagreements may get out of hands and turn into ugly violence.
Fears: I believe the ultimate factor that prevents growth is fear; Insecurities and fear of the unknown.
Prevail: This word makes me think of triumph, Obama used this word to make people imagine a positive and victorious future.
Debt: This is one of the hardest subjects to deal with because every movement or change this country makes has to see how it will affect our debt. Obama in this speech promised that every change was going to lower the debt.
Poverty: I believe Americans had forgotten what it feels to suffer through a recession; many are now realizing what living in poverty really means.
Life: Liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the principles this country lives for. I believe out of these three, life is a gift, liberty and happiness a right.
Communities: I liked how Obama mentioned many small communities around the country and set them as an example of excellence and hard work.
College: College is another issue for the youth in America, it gets difficult to pay in this time of recession and I believe many where waiting for Obama to see what his plan on that was, he spoke a lot about education but no specifically the way he would make it better.
Children: In the SOTU Obama focused a lot in children and how they are the future and the hope for a better America, he brought the point that education needed more of our attention.
Change: This is the word that Obama used for his campaign as the president of the United States. We all desperately want to see some of that change.
Challenges: One of the challenges that Obama mentioned in the SOTU is the limited amount of spending we have as a country and the investments we still need to make.
Hope: This speech gave me hope because it made me feel I was in good hands and I actually got to see that there are people out there doing things right.
Job: We need to create more jobs in these times of needs, it saddens me to see young adults graduating from college and being unemployed with a degree in hands.
Future: The future we are longing to see is in our hands, we need to make the change now to see good results in the future.
Aspirations: Our aspirations should not only focus in individual fulfillment but it should also be more focused on the positive impact it can create to people surrounding us.
Adversity: I believe that Obama made it clear we are in times of adversity, actually I believe there has never been a time without adversity, but it is up to us to recognize this and be more unified now.
Encouraged: Like it was spoken in the SOTU tragic events should not be used to weaken us, instead to encourage us to change our ways.
Woman: I believe behind every good man there is a good woman… that is all I have to say about that.
Spirit: Our spirits may be shattered from all the violence and darkness surrounding us, but these things can also make our spirits stronger to withstand any storm.
Strong: America should stand strongly to its core values of freedom and equality, it is the only chance to survive.
Strength: I believe Obama made a powerful speech to strengthen his authority as president and re state that we are in good hands.
Together: The only way to accomplish anything is if the people stand together.
President: Obama has a strong presence as president and in my opinion he is the best president when it comes to speeches.
Unemployment: with the recession, unemployment is the first thing the government needs to fight off and it my opinion it has gotten better.
Afford: There are many things we cannot afford right now, but the greatest is paying the price of complaints and missing out on growth.
Time: Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery and today a gift, that why they called it present.
Growing: Growth requires sacrifice that many have to be willing to take to see results.
Possible: I believe it is possible for controversies to be settled.
Tonight: Obama spoke of tonight, to remind everyone to live in the present and to for a moment forget anything else, but that moment in time.
Taxes: Taxes are going to be raised for the rich, I agree.
Education: Is one of Obama’s biggest plan of investment, I believe this is the best investment we could ever make.
Bill: Our Bill of rights has helped America maintain order, balance and safety since it became free.
Blaming: We have to stop blaming each other! If there is anyone to blame is ourselves. If we want to see change in the outside, we first need to change in the inside.
Healthcare: Although many refuse to the new health care plan, I agree with Obama that we need to move forward and risk changes.
Reform: This is the first president that has turned the health care reform into real law, props to that.
Soldiers: In the SOTU Obama promised that our soldiers were coming back home, and that this war was going to be over.
social security: Social security is one of the things that Obama spoke on making cuts on.
War: In my opinion war will never be over, because the battle never ends within us, the battle wont end in the outside, we are in constant warfare.

Concessions in Egypt before march of a million

CAIRO — Egypt's anti-government protesters, sensing victory after President Hosni Mubarak agreed to discuss sweeping political reforms, rallied support for what they hope can be a million-strong march for democracy on Tuesday.
msnbc.com staff and news service reports

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41347609/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/?GT1=43001

American Government: Health Care Class Discussion

To be Honest I was a bit nervous about the discussion on Friday. Not so much because I was shy or afraid to speak up, but because this issue always brings controversy and sometimes it is hard to bring out a positive aspect that can bring everyone to agree upon. I felt that I had to be double the careful with the words I chose or the things I said because there is always one person that might take it too personal. I believe that discussions are necessary, it’s also necessary to have people on different sides of an argument because that way there is no biases. One may bring another person to place themselves on someone else’s shoes and understand instead of judge others. Some great points were made about the health care reform, but in the end I know those who stood strong in their word will most likely ignore anything that went against them. This is why I sometimes get frustrated when I try in a civilized way to bring a point across... But I guess the whole point of discussions is no to convince others but just to make one's own convictions a little stronger, to pick a side and avoid the middle ground that will take us nowhere. Out of this discussion I am even more in support of a Health Care Reform.

Emanuel can run for Chicago mayor

CHICAGO — Illinois' highest court put Rahm Emanuel back in the race for Chicago mayor Thursday, three days after a lower court threw the former White House chief of staff off the ballot because he had not lived in the city for a full year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41291795/ns/politics-more_politics

New spirit in Washington, same old divisions

President Barack Obama pushed forward an agenda of government spending and investment that is sure to be met with fierce resistance by an emboldened Republican Party in Congress.

Tom Curry
msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41263357/ns/politics/

Riverside Woman Gives ‘Bread Of Life’ To Homeless

This is a very special article for me because the "woman" they are talking about is my sister, Vanesa Delfino. She's been feeding homeless people for around 8 months and it has been an inspiring experience for us as a family and for the community around. She was awarded a "KNX Hero" for December 23, 2010 and this is how this article appeared at the CBS Los Angeles news.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/12/30/riverside-woman-gives-bread-of-life-to-homeless/

The Federal Budget of California

The president's Budget Cuts and investment for the state of California.
New Jobs, Less taxes, better schools, fixed highways and support for college students.
-The White House

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget_factsheet_ca

Fox News Poll: Most Think Obama Policies Have Failed to Help Economy

Almost all American voters think the country's economy is in bad shape, and few see benefits from the Obama administration’s economic policies
By Dana Blanton
Published January 21, 2011

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/21/fox-news-poll-think-obama-policies-failed-help-economy/

Giffords arrives at Houston hospital

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords got a dramatic send-off from her hometown Friday as throngs of sign-carrying well-wishers lined the streets to wave at the ambulance taking the wounded congresswoman from the hospital to the airport, where she was flown to Houston just two weeks after she was shot.

msnbc.com staff and news service reports

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41188722/ns/us_news-life/

Plans being drawn up to let states declare bankruptcy

By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH
Policy makers are working behind the scenes to come up with a way to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions they have promised to retired public workers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41188877/ns/business-the_new_york_times/?GT1=43001

The Art of Poetry

To gaze at a river made of time and water
And remember Time is another river.
To know we stray like a river
and our faces vanish like water.

To feel that waking is another dream
that dreams of not dreaming and that the death
we fear in our bones is the death
that every night we call a dream.

To see in every day and year a symbol
of all the days of man and his years,
and convert the outrage of the years
into a music, a sound, and a symbol.

To see in death a dream, in the sunset
a golden sadness--such is poetry,
humble and immortal, poetry,
returning, like dawn and the sunset.

Sometimes at evening there's a face
that sees us from the deeps of a mirror.
Art must be that sort of mirror,
disclosing to each of us his face.

They say Ulysses, wearied of wonders,
wept with love on seeing Ithaca,
humble and green. Art is that Ithaca,
a green eternity, not wonders.

Art is endless like a river flowing,
passing, yet remaining, a mirror to the same
inconstant Heraclitus, who is the same
and yet another, like the river flowing.

Jorge Luis Borges

2 students shot in L.A. high school; suspect arrested

A 17-year-old boy arrested after a handgun in his backpack accidentally discharged and wounded two other high students Tuesday was able to bring his automatic pistol on campus apparently because the Los Angeles school does only random metal detector checks.

By Michael Martinez, CNNJanuary 18, 2011



http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/18/california.high.school.shooting/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Suspect charged in congresswoman's attack

Federal prosecutors brought charges Sunday against the gunman accused of attempting to assassinate U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killing six people at a political event in Arizona.