Senate report: Rice, Cheney OK'd CIA use of waterboarding

A new Senate intelligence report shows that Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, and other top Bush officials approved the use of waterboarding by the CIA in 2002. President Obama has banned waterboarding, a interrogation technique which simulates drowning, and classified it as torture. In 2002 Rice approved the waterboarding of several top terror suspects, and the Justice Department deemed it lawful. One memo shows the CIA used waterboarding on its top two suspects over 266 times. Cheney continues to stand by the Bush administrations waterboarding, saying that the "alternative interrogation methods" were successful, and gained a wealth of information.

Opinion: I firmly believe that waterboarding is a form of torture, no matter how torture is defined. It sickens me how the government adjusts the meaning of 'torture' whenever it benefits them. Waterboarding, although not lethal, causes tremendous mental pain, and physical pain. It terrorizes victims to the point of panic. Torture is torture. The excuse Cheney uses, that waterboarding is worth the information it gives the government, is bogus. I doubt the legitimacy of any information which is gained under torturous circumstances. When a person is brought to the point of near death, they will say anything, true or false, to save themselves. The prisoners know what their 'interrogators' want to hear, and they can spin as many lies as they want to escape the pain. How does one know if the information they are getting from a terrorist is real or phony, especially if it is during torture? I am relieved that the Bush administration is out of the White House so that our country will no longer be disgraced by this embarassing human rights violation. If it were any other country doing this, the world (including the U.S.) would have cracked down on them, and punished them. We are too powerful to see our own faults sometimes.
http://edition.cnn.hu/2009/CRIME/05/09/georgia.professor.shooting/index.html

Residents race to fill sandbags as flooding threatens North Dakota

Up to 6,000 homes are threatened by dangerous flood waters from the Red River in Fargo, ND.
Officials say they need about 1.5 million sandbags to stem the devestating floods. The river is expected to crest over 40 feet (flood stage is 17ft) this week, and rain over the next days will determine how bad it will be. The National Guard and FEMA have come to help, as well as many volunteers and residents. The record flood (40.1 ft) occured in 1897, but in 1997 and 2001 similarily bad flooding occured.

I completely agree with Lauren that the huge effort from our state to North Dakota to help fight the floods shows 'Minnesota Nice' is alive and well. Even though we are lucky enough to live in a town that is staying relatively dry, dozens of highschoolers devoted a day to save a strangers home. It is true that times of crisis and tragedy create community, and generosity. There is always something good that comes out of something bad, you just have to look a little harder to find it. Hopefully all the hard work of volunteers working around the clock will be enough to save thousands of homes and businesses. I still hear horrible stories from the flood of 1997, and I think everyone is hoping we can avoid the same outcome. It makes me glad to see how people can come together to help each other out, whether it benefits themself or not. Its good to know that if we ever find ourselves in a catastrophe there are always good people ready and eager to help.

http://www.current-events-lauren.blogspot.com/

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/26/marshal.killed/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Tents on wheels give homeless people roof and pride

EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) is a new organization in L.A. which is distributing 7ft canvas living spaces to the homeless. After listening and talking to 62 homeless the founder held a design contest to develop the units. The homes have an expandable base that stays off the ground, four wheels, and are covered by a water and flame resistant canvas, with a mattress and sleepingbag inside. The EDAR method is much less inexpensive than building permanent shelters, and is a great way to get homeless men, women, and children off of the damp concrete, and give them privacy and health. Soon land and bathrooms may be provided for families. The 'hobo condos' are a stepping stone to getting people off the streets, and gives the people hope and pride.

Opinion: This idea is brilliant, and so is the person who thought of it. I love cities, but whenever I drive through one the sight of a homeless person on the side of the road makes me so sad. I disagree with anyone who says these people deserve what they got. There is a sad story behind every person on the street, and they deserve a chance just like anybody else. When people think of 'the homeless' a picture of a bearded hobo usually pops into thier head. In reality the old and kids, men and women, and even people in little Alexandria are homeless. As I said, everyone deserves a chance. The founder of EDAR apparantly has the same philosophy as me, and with a little work he has changed 60 lives for the better. A person without a home, a job, a family, or a hope can finally get a little comfort and peace from an EDAR, and maybe get their life on track. With the economy the way it is today who would have expected the homelessness situation to actually have more hope?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/10/homeless.tents/index.html?eref=rss_topstories#cnnSTCVideo

Obama's other gray matter

Summary: After six weeks as president Obama already has more gray hair. The stresses of our economy and wars, and the 750 days since he began campaigning for president have caused this. At one point during the election battle it came so rapidly people accused him of dying it (his long time barber denies this). Scientists believe the buildup of hydrogen peroxide blocks pigment from reaching hair follicles (high stress affects the follicles). Former president Bush blamed his gray on his teen daughters, not the presidency. Obama's barber says that he isn't much grayer Inaguration Day saying, "I don't think we should worry about it that much. It hasn't affected his basketball game. He can still shoot some hoops."

Opinion: I've heard it said that one year of being president is equal to aging three years. I don't know if that's true, but one look at a before and after shot of Bush is hard to argue with. It really isn't suprising that the presidency would have a physical toll, there really isn't a more stressful job. One false move and you go down in the history books as a failure. Thas is one job which I won't apply for, no matter how bad the economy is. It is insane two years ago Obama started campaigning! At this rate it looks like the campaign for 2012 elections will start in just months. No suprise that this whole application process for Commander and Chief caused some graying. But really is it anyone's business whether or not this man dyes his hair? It's pretty trivial. Last time I checked hair color couldn't fix this messed up economy, bring peace to the middle east, or create bipartisianship. I just hope that Obama can do his job well, and keep good health while he does it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29524174/

Clinton: Iran stirring division in Arab world

On Wednesday Secretary of State Clinton accused the leaders of Iran of creating divisions in the Middle East, promoting terrorism, and attempting to intimidate many countries . She said many foreign ministers worry over Iranian threats, which intend to interfere with international affairs and keep funding terrorism. Supreme Iranian leader Khamenei said Obama is making a mistake by supporting Israel. Its difficult for Obama to improve relations with Iran (the U.S. stopped diplomatic relations with them 30yrs ago), but Clinton says he is open to talks. Iran's nuclear program, which is believed to be intended to make weapons, concerns the U.S. even though Iran claims the program is only for energy production. Iranian president Ahmadinejad will only talk to the U.S. if they stop accusations of nuclear weapons and terrorism. This explains why Clinton says "attempts to reach out to Iran have been unsuccessful."

I think the distrust and stubborness of Iran is quite frightnening. We seem to be between a rock and a hard place on this issue. According to Iranian leaders the only way to talk peacefully with them is to take back our accusations that they fund terrorism and have nuclear weapons. Well, those two issues are the reason we desperately need to talk to them in the first place. There is no way that we can simply pardon them of these very serious and frightening possibilities. I personally can't see a way to get around this. Even though both the U.S. and Iran say they are open to talks, it doesn't seem likely to ever happen. It seems like the problems in the Middle East are endless. Iraq, Afganistan, the Gaza Strip, Israel, and Iran are all hot spots for violence and tension. I remain hopeful that one day leaders will be elected into these countries who aren't so set into these ways. I have heard that there will be an Iranian election sometime this year. If the president of Iran, Ahmadinejad, is put out of office then perhaps we will have possibility of diplomatic relations. As president he has just fueled the flames of hatred towards the west in his country with hateful speeches and bogus statements. It is leaders like him who cause such tension in the Middle East. According to Clinton the U.S. is by no means the only country who is afraid of what Iran can or may do.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29513202/

Obama urges Americans to follow Lincoln

President Obama spoke on Thursday, Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, calling on Americans to follow Lincoln's example. He said Lincoln didn't seek revenge against confederate soldiers after the war, knowing this was the only way to heal the nation. Obama compared the division in the country then to today, with republicans giving almost no support to the stimulus plan. Obama has given many tributes to Lincoln; he began his campaign in Lincoln's hometown, used the same train-route Lincoln did to the innaguration, using Lincoln's bible, and and more. Both men were great communicators, had independant advisors, were lawyers who served in the Illinois legislature, had short Washington careers, 'inexperienced', and became president. Obama is one of Lincoln's biggest admirers, a black man following in the footsteps of the great emancipator. Some say it's risky for Obama to compare himself to this great man, but today he simply said Lincoln was a man who faced a crisis and succeeded. I don't think Obama could have chosen a more worthy historical icon than Lincoln to try to bring our country together. In my opinion, Lincoln was our greatest president who made the biggest impact on our country. He not only reunited the north and south but also ended the most horrific piece of our past, slavery. It may be that Obama is setting the bar high with comparisons between the two, but I think that by doing this he is giving people hope, and he is setting a precident for himself to be the greatest president he can be. Hope has been the biggest message in his campaign. I wonder how Lincoln would feel, and what he would say, if he could see how far our nation has come since he ended slavery. He never could have imagined that in less that 200yrs a black man would be taking the oath of office on his bible, and that across a grand marble monument to Lincoln himself watched across the mall. I think he would be suprised at the success of the civil rights movement, and honored that all of this success was ultimately due to him. The simularities between Obama and Lincoln are incredible. Without one we wouldn't have the other. I hope Americans and politicians listen to Obama and follow in old honest Abe's footsteps. If history is right, I think following in those footsteps will lead us out of anything, even this recession. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29159686/

"Man accused of Obama threats pleads not guilty"

On Tuesday Timothy Ryan Gutierrez, 20, appeared in court on charges of threatening to kill President Barack Obama and to blow up the Mall of America. He pleaded not guilty to the Colorado grand jury, and was detained without bail. The man had emailed the FBI 8 days before the inaguration saying they had 48 hours to stop him from assasinating the president-elect, and a second email threatened to blow up 40 pounds of dynamite in cars in front of the mall. Gutierrez says this was a prank, and he turned himself in on January 29th in Durango, Colorado.

It is both terrifying and sad that we live in a world full of bomb and death threats, where no one can really with total peace of mind. This man claims that the emails were a 'prank' but in my opinion that is almost as sick as making the real threat. Murder of the president and other innocent people (within our state of Minnesota!) is nothing to joke about, and if he believes this is funny he needs serious help. I have been so excited for Obama to be our president, but since he was elected I continue to hear whispers that since he is black someone is bound to assasinate him. I believe this is a horrible and wrong way to look at this exciting new era in our nations history. Why must people automatically be so pessimistic? Why can't we believe in the deep-down good nature of people? The answer to that question lies with people like Mr. Gutierrez who continue setting a horrible precident for the good of humanity. I hope that this man will get the help he needs, and is stopped from causing any more chaos. I also sincerely hope that the safety of our new president and our contry is kept secure from the likes of him.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29009525/#storyContinued, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28917435/