Store owner kills 3 would be robbers

A jewelry store was targetted in a robbery attempt on Thursday. Two men, pretending to be customers, were in the store when a third man came in and announced a robbery attempt. All three pulled out handguns and took the wife of the store owner to the back and tied her up. Ramon, the storeowner, pulled out a handgun and killed one of them. Discarding it for a shotgun, he continued to fire away until all three were killed and his wife and store safe. Ramon was shot three times throughout the gunfight.

For three men to charge into a store with guns, and lose to a 52 year old clerk is almost pathetic. The shopkeeper is a hero, and deserves so much credit for fending them all off and ensuring the safety of his wife and store. It is always such a pleasure to hear of these stories versus hearing, "Three gunmen shoot store clerk and wife, and rob the jewelry store." Bravo to you Ramon, bravo.

Issue 2 - Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients

A regulation is trying to be passed in our government concerning the quality of care for Medicare patients. As of 2008, doctors who treat Medicare patients will receive cuts of 5 to 10 percent. The way Medicare is currently setup, doctors bring in bigger reimbursements when they treat more people, rather than the quality of the care they provide. The regulation is trying to ensure that Medicare patients get the best care they can possibly get the first time, rather than a second or third visit. With the current system, a doctor can misdiagnose a patient and they will have to return for another prescription. With that, the doctor has a bigger reimbursment. In 2006, a "pay-for-performance" bill was introduced. When a doctor provides information about the treatment, if it is applicable, they will receive a 1.5% bonus.

I think they should go for the "pay-for-performance" bill. If a doctor can bring in more money by incorrectly prescribing patients, and they know it, they might just screw up to get more money. Doctors are some of the highest grossing people in the world, and they dont need any more money than they already get. If we related that to a mechanic, we can more clearly see the problems this causes. If the mechanic is payed by quantity of services rather than quality, he could repair a hundred cars a week with duct tape, and have them all break down again within a week. This mechanic now has two hundred fixes in a week rather than one thousand. Plus, if the mechanic is careless lives could be at stake when the cars breakdown. The exact same is true for a doctor. If he is careless and only goes through the motions, rather than fully diagnosing a patient, lives could be at stake.

http://www.nejmjobs.org/career-resources/pay-for-performance.aspx

Issue 1- http://arj-robinson.blogspot.com

Issue 3- http://angelicaseniorsocial.blogspot.com

Backpack too racy for elementary school

Fred Ferrer is challenging the Richey Elementary public school. He was told his sons backpack should not be allowed in elementary school. The backpack has a bikini wearing woman "showing too much cleavage." The principle claims the images portrayed on the backpack are too graphic for the elementary setting. The school has some preschoolers as young as 3 attending. The son, Quentin Ferrer, has used the very same backpack for the previous two years. Just this year another parent saw the backpack and notified the secretary for the school. Now the student was threatened to be suspended, but a compromise was soon followed. He could bring the backpack to school, but once there empty it out and carry the books to class, leaving the backpack in the office. He could pick it up at the end of the day.

This whole scenario is all Freedom of Speech/Expression. To wear what you want is completely up to you, until others rights are infringed upon. Nobody should care what the backpack was showing. The cleavage shown is exactly the same as cartoons Betty Boop and others. The only difference was the person. For mothers to be offended by another students backpack is clearly an overreaction. Their child sees similar images, if not more vulgar, everyday on television. It all depends on whose point of view you look at. I feel that the Ferrer's are perfectly right in their decision to move this to court. His son should not have to go through this because of a backpack with an "inappropriate picture"

'Superheroes' brawl at parking garage

On halloween night, a kerfuffle was created by two men. One, Captain America, was found beating the father of the second, Spider-man, in a parking garage. The fight continued for awhile, and then Captain America's girlfriend, who was dressed as Ivy, got in on the fight and punched Spider-man in the face before police broke it up.

This fight broke out because one man started attacking another mans father. To go after an elderly person when the attacker is in their mid twenties is pathetic. The Captain America clad Michael Sanchez should get a life. There is no reason whatsoever to attack a 50 some year old. As for Ivy, to come in late to a fight and punch a man sticking up for his father is just downright outrageous. Both should be punished for the horrendous crimes they have committed.

President Palin?

With election night behind us, its time to take a look at the results and what it means for future elections, most importantly the presidential one in 2012. With the Tea Party and Sarah Palin giving huge endorsements to the Republican party, helping the overturn of the Senate, theres a good chance that they will end up supporting her in her upcoming race for President. However, many people feel Palin doesnt have the qualifications to lead a nation such as ours. She does have a way with media and attention, but she just cant get the public support.

I feel Palin is a terrific woman. She has done so much for her state up in Alaska, and she has a good chance of doing well in the upcoming election. If she wins, she will be the first female president, and it will radically change the course of our country.

"Navel fluff" collection weighs a record 22 grams

An Australian librarian has recently enter the Guiness Book of World Records. His unique collection is not the largest stamp or button collection, but belly-button lint. Over the last 26 years, he has emptied out his naval cavity and stored the lint in a clay jar. To date, 22 grams have been collected. Every day he claims 3 milligrams of lint is produced. To further the point that this is a staggering amount, 1000 milligrams=1 gram. This man is now over 22 grams, and he says he wants to double that throughout the remainder of his life.

I'm unsure as to whether this man is pathetic or a pioneer. Collecting his naval lint and storing it up to see how much he can gather is new, but odd to say the least. Most people are not curious as to how much lint accumulates in their bellies, but this man wanted to know. I feel sorry for the guy. Collecting lint probably doesnt go too well with the wife.

Issue Number 2 - Spending What We Can Afford

First Mark Baucus called for the suspension of pay-as-you-go payments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAYGO). Now he is currently telling the public to completely avoid pay-as-you-go payments. If we eliminate pay-as-you-go payments altogether, the national debt and defecit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_deficit) will continue to rise. Eventually it would get out of hand, and we would be unable to pay off the piling debt. The alternative to spending money willy-nilly, whether you have it or not, is to only spend the amount of money you have readily available and available to pay it off.

http://www.concordcoalition.org/files/uploaded_for_nodes/paygo-issue-brief-chart.jpg


I am 100% against Mark Baucus. Being a younger generation, I am actually afraid as to what might happen with the national debt. With all the politicians being 40+, they have nothing to fear if their debt keeps climbing. By the time it will matter they will be dead, and our current teenage generation will have to pay it off. Not only this, but the Social Security funds are already depleted, and future generations will not be able to benefit from that. On January 27th, President Obama urged the Senate to adopt pay-as-you-go payments in his State of the Union address. I feel Obama is recommending the right thing here, and that the Senate should really consider taking that policy in.

http://arj-robinson.blogspot.com/ -Issue 1
http://cassiesamazingblog.blogspot.com/-Issue 3