White House Crashers

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/01/state.dinner.couple/index.html

This article is about the couple that supposedly crashed a dinner at the white house.  I think that whatever this situation pans out to be it should not be publicized.  It seems clear that the couple was not on the guest list so either they were doing this to get publicity and get their minute of fame or they were just trying to get passed white house security and succeeded.  Either way I do not think they should be advertising this on every news channel.  What the couple did is wrong if they were in fact not on the guest list and if they were this is an embarrassment the white house security.  The last thing this country needs is people thinking that they can invite themselves into dinners with the president!

NFL fines

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-titans-adams&prov=ap&type=lgns

This article is about the owner of the Titans being charged $250,000 for a hand gesture he did during the game last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The 86 year old owner was found giving the middle finger twice during the game and owners are held to the same rules that players are when it comes to conduct rules. I think that this is a bit extreme. That is a lot of money for simply showing emotion about a game he was passionate about. Players that have done similar wrongs have been charged $7500 or $10,00 in the past. I think this fine is outrageous along with other fines the NFL believes in. I do not think that they should fine players for celebrating during the game. These fines violate basic rights and although it is understandable that in order to avoid chaos rules need to be implemented but $250,000 that’s so ridiculous. I wonder what they are doing with this money I would hope it would go towards something ethical but I’m guessing not!

Military Punishments

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091111/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_fort_hood_military_justice

The article pertains to the shooting in Fort Hood and how punishment is handled in a military court.  Only 15 people have received the death sentence in the past 25 years.  In order for someone to receive the death sentence the jury’s vote has to be unanimous and in order to receive a life sentence in jail the ¾ of the jury must agree.  The president himself has to approve before anyone in military court is put to death.  These facts are disturbing considering the horrible crimes some military members are committing.  Just because someone is a member of the military does not mean they should not be held accountable for their actions.  This is almost a reason for someone to join the military because they will not be punished for doing wrong.  Yes I think that people serving our country should receive many benefits for their courageous duties but I feel that they deserve to be treated at as any other civilian when it comes to being found guilty of a serious crime.

The Swine

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/30/h1n1.swine.flu.er.kids/index.html

This article is about the swine flu and the growth of hospital patients because of the illness. The article says that a lot of parents are bringing their children to emergency rooms that don’t need treatment. The article is stressing that unless your child is showing warning signs don’t bring them to the hospital because they will probably be fine. This article just really makes me mad because of the way the media is portraying the swine flu. I know that if I had a child that was showing any symptoms at all I would want them to be seen by a doctor. The way the media has portrayed this flu it seems like a very scary and life threatening thing. I don’t think doctors should be telling everyone to calm down about it when the media is exaggerating and highlighting how horrible the sickness is.

Insurance Coverage

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2009/10/23/kaye.insurance.limbo.cnn This is a story about a woman who has an illness that makes her feel as if she has the flu every single day. The woman is not being covered by insurance for some reason. She is constantly fighting for some insurance coverage but is only covered for catastrophic events such as being hit by a bus. I find this so ridiculous and unethical. I have heard another story on the news this week about a baby who was not covered by its parent’s insurance company because it weighed too much. Is this real? How could an insurance company not cover an innocent new born baby that is maybe a little bigger but otherwise perfectly healthy. I suppose these stories bother me more because I have heard stories of people who have gotten plastic surgeries covered by insurance that were not necessary for any health reason but were simply done to enhance looks. I feel reformation is in the works for health insurance but I hope that the new system will help those who truly need it.

Peace Prize

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091011/us_time/08599192955300

This article is about how the Nobel Piece prize should have gone to the nuclear bomb instead of president Obama.  The award was given to Obama because of his work on and commitment to nuclear disarmament.  This article describes the world before the creation of nuclear weapons and it was in fact much more violent than the world today.  So the author of this article believes that instead of giving the peace prize to Obama for his efforts to get rid of the weapons the award should actually go to the weapons themselves.  I saw on Saturday Night Live a skit about Obama receiving the award.  The comedians joked about how premature the award was.  I agree with them in that I think that although the president has many great plans for world peace I do not think that he deserves this award until these plans are carried out successfully.

David Letterman

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=11248808#

This article is about the recent David Letterman scandal.  Letterman admitted to having sexual relations with women on his staff.  Letterman was blackmailed by someone who wanted $2 million to stay quiet.  David Letterman is a married man with a child so this is no matter to take lightly.  I watched the clip of his revealing this information to the audience.  The audience was obviously confused about the news because they were laughing as if the confession was part of his comedy act.  The question of weather Letterman is going to be able to keep his job as a late night comedian is unanswered.  This scandal is very serious and nothing to take light or ignore.  What Letterman did is very wrong and I think he should have to pay consequences.  Just because he is a comedian does not mean that his actions are funny.  In any other area of work I feel a boss would absolutely get fired for this type of behavior.  I personally do not think I will be watching Letterman’s show any time soon.  I feel his reputation is definitely ruined and he makes no sense to be because so many of his jokes are centered around other people who have done what he is now admitting he has done

Daycare

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090929/ap_on_re_us/us_baby_sitter_backlash_mich

This article is about a woman who got neighborhood children on the bus because their parents had to go to work.  The woman received a letter from the state saying she was breaking a law that forbids babysitting of unrelated children for more than four weeks out of the year without a daycare license.  This situation brought up the fact that this law is completely ridiculous.  The lady was simply doing a favor for her neighbors.  The state is looking into changing the law.  This article also makes me think about how expensive childcare is.  In this economy both parents almost have to work to make enough money to raise a family.  So I wonder is it ethical to charge sometimes more than half someone’s income to take care of their child.  I have seen advertisements stating that Obama wants mothers to go back to school and get into the workforce but what is the point when so much of the money you would make goes to daycare services.

High School Football Coach

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090922/ap_on_re_us/us_player_death_coach

This article is about a high school football coach from Kentucky who had charges pressed against him pertaining to the death of one of his players.  The boy passed away a few days after he was overworked at practice on an extremely hot summer day.  The reason I wanted to write about this article is because I saw a television interview with the coach and he refused to apologize to the boy’s mother because he was proven not guilty.  I understand that a coach’s job description involves pushing kids to the next level to be all they can be but I think this man has taken things too far.  I think the fact that he will not even say he is sorry makes him insensitive.  I do not think this man should be aloud to coach kids on this level anymore because based his actions he simply doesn’t care about the students.  This coach does not have the morals to be a role model for high schoolers.

Wal-Mart

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800

This article is about Wal-Marts new strategic business plan called Project Impact.  Wal-Mart plans to wipe out the competition with a new store layout and improved customer service.  When I was reading this article the vulturous attitude of Wal-Mart made me wonder if their motives are ethical.  We are in the midst of a serious economic recession and I feel that Wal-Mart is being insensitive in these hard times.  It is proven that Wal-Mart had already squashed small businesses in the past that simply couldn’t compete with their low prices.  It is normal for every business to want to be ahead of the competition but I feel like what Wal-Mart has in mind is more of a monopoly than healthy competition.  Its attitude to knock out all the business that has actually made it though the recession is just not appropriate in these times.  Wal-Mart’s strategy may very well cause other businesses to go under and they have every right to being the best they can be because obviously they have a competitive advantage they have earned.  I just feel their goal to wipe out all these companies in the midst of these hard times are inconsiderate and socially irresponsible.  Our government is constantly trying to create jobs and stimulate the economy and I feel like Wal-Mart is doing the complete opposite by wiping out these businesses