Not Spring Quiet Yet

       Although technically it was pronounced Spring just a couple of days ago, the weather does not seem to agree. About a foot of snow was dumped into part of New England on the first day of spring. Just the other day, 500 flights were cancelled throughout the US of course the main reason being snow storms. Its strange to think that all of this bad weather is still occurring when on St. Patricks day last year, it was about 70 degrees outside! I guess the global warming affect is no longer taking action. While there are people who argue that climate change doesn't exist, all they need to do is take a look at the severe weather that affects our country in more extreme ways every day.

    Not only is this weather an inconvenience to citizens of America because it is cold, it is also preventing sports teams from practicing outside and taxing the people because of the need for more plowing. For example, my teammates and I have been practicing lacrosse indoors for many weeks now. This is giving us a huge disadvantage especially because our first game over Spring break, not to mention our first game earlier this week was cancelled due to weather. The only thing we can do about this issue is pray for better weather sooner. To find out more about the problems being caused by this nasty weather, visit this video link: http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/19/march-weather-madness/?iref=allsearch

No More Fun

      The things that I loved most about pre-school and grade school, other than recess, were the parties. Who didn't look forward to getting dressed up for Halloween, parading around the school in a costume, and eating tons of candy with lunch? Valentines Day was a lot of fun too. We would decorate a shoe box and bring valentines for the whole class. Birthdays were also a great excuse for more cookies and more cupcakes. Someone's mom or dad would always come to school at snack time, bring us a treat and read us a story. While there were rules about when to hand out birthday invitations, everyone seemed comfortable with the rest of it. All of those nice reminders that we were just little kids have changed for some Maryland school children. 

      After the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, a county in Maryland has implemented some strange new security measures. In an effort to make schools physically and emotionally a "Safer" place, St. Mary's county has banned birthday party invitations, hugs, and a push on the swings from someone other than your own parent. Cupcakes are out too. Parents who visit their own children within the 17 public schools in this county must be registered as volunteers, and can not have any physical contact with anyone other that their own child. Within the school district, there are approximately 8,000 children. Their motto is "work hard and be nice", but apparently now it is "but not too nice".

      While I feel that it is very important to be sensitive to safety issues, it really feels like these restrictions do little more than potentially suck the joy out of childhood. To view to article click on the link: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/19/17373726-maryland-school-district-restricts-hugs-party-invitations-and-cupcakes?lite--

Racist Mascots

       For many years now, the Atlanta Braves have avoided using the stereotypical "screaming Indian" mascot because it was seen as racist in the eyes of many Native Americans. Although recently, they have decided to bring back this controversial logo into their new design for batting practice caps. The logo includes a Native American wearing a mohawk with a feather and belting out a tribal yell. Many Native Americans today believe that this is unacceptable and that their race should not be viewed as this stereotypical mascot. This mascot was a part of the 1966 Atlanta Braves team and was hen retired in 1989.

      Kevin Gover, the director of the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of the American Indian said that he was: "deeply disappointed that the Braves may be choosing to go backwards". He also stated that he grew up having to live with all sorts of stereotypes but he was hoping that his grandchildren wouldn't have to do the same. This screaming Indian is not portraying Native Americans for what they truly are. But then again, you have to wonder: are the complaining Native Americans just taking it too far? Perhaps the mascot was created to look like Native Indians from the past, and are not supposed to be a portrayal of current day Native Americans. In addition, even the NFL team "Redskins" still exists and I find that to be much more racist than a simple mascot on the teams batting helmet. Do you think that it is right for the Atlanta Braves to follow through with the adding of the logo? To read more about this article visit: http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/28/report-atlanta-braves-may-bring-back-screaming-indian-logo/

Hazardous Waste

      The dumping of electronic waste has become a huge problem for the United States. Because technology changes so quickly, old cell phones, televisions and computers are disposed of in huge numbers. While the price of some of the components within these electronics make them desirable on the recycling market, most are not. Recently, two inspectors in California were doing a routine check on some warehouse paperwork. What they discovered was shocking. They found a football sized room filled with tens of thousands of old computer monitors and televisions piled up in rows that were 9 feet high and 14 feet deep. Glass and dust covered the floor presenting a toxic situation. The owner of the recycling company disappeared leaving this hazardous situation for the warehouse owner to remove. What was once a profitable recycling business is now worthless waste. In 2004, recyclers were being paid $200 a ton for the glass that they found in computer monitors and internal tubes. Now, the same companies have to pay $200 a ton in order to have the glass hauled away. It is estimated that the amount of electronic waste in the US has doubled in the last 5 years. 10 years ago there were 12 plants in the US that took old TVs and computer monitors. Now there are only 2 plants in India who want these products. Sadly, thousands of pounds of old electronics fill landfill sites across the country. Some of the components contain highly toxic mercury. 660 million pounds of glass are being stored in warehouses across the country costing between $85 and $360 million dollars to responsibly recycle these materials.
       I found it so surprising that this kind of electronic waste has not been dealt with more efficiently. How is there no sensible solution to this growing problem? Should electronics be designed with a longer lifespan in mind? Can there be a creative way to reuse old computers and TVs? Our generation is going to have to deal with this growing problem unless something is done soon.

A Little Late

        Several years ago, The Federal Bureau of Investigation decided to reopen over 112 "cold cases" from the 1960's. These cases all involved blacks who were killed by whites in the south during the civil rights movement. Only 20 of these cases have resulted in anything more than a hand delivered, long overdue, letter of condolence to the surviving family members of the dead. In 1965, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI, received a letter asking for justice in the killing of a well respected black merchant. Frank Morris owned a shoe repair store in Louisiana. When he went to work one day, he was met by two white men. One pointed a gun at Frank while the other poured gas out of a canister and lit a match. Mr. Morris lived for four days after the attack, but never gave up the names of the men who committed the crime against him. He feared for the safety of his family. The letter sent to Mr. Hoover stated: "Your office is our only hope so don't fail us." It was signed: The Colored People of Concordia Parish (Louisiana). This crime, along with many others, was never solved. Oftentimes, the police either looked the other way or were somehow involved themselves. Fifty years later, the FBI has decided to look into the violent crimes that consumed the south during the 1960's. While some people have had their hopes raised that justice might be served, others believe that the letters they received have just added more of an insult to their loss. The letters basically say: the case has been officially closed and that there is nothing more that can be done. "Please accept our condolences." Is this just a dignified way for the government to recognize their mishandling of these cases and issue and apology? Some people think that it is.
      Part of the problem with reopening a 50 year old case is that there is very little new evidence that can be authenticated. Most of the people involved in these cases are in the seventies and eighties, and some of the parties are dead. Peoples memories of the details of the cases are no longer very reliable. Opening up the painful past has not resolved very much for the families of the victims. In only a couple of cases has justice been served. What is the purpose of the Cold Case Initiative? Some government officials claim that they are trying to find justice for the families who never saw anyone tried for these murders. Other government officials say that it is more about just finding the truth. While I am not sure if I would want that kind of painful memory reopened, I think that the government acknowledgment and apology can only help heal those wounds.

Cracking Down on Fake IDs

          For many years, the fake ID industry has thrived both in the US and overseas. People under the age of 21 have acquired fake IDs in order to buy alcohol and to get into bars with their friends. Fake Ids have also been used by people who want to change their identity and potentially commit terrorist acts. The State of New York and North Carolina have recently come up with new technology that will make forging a license almost impossible. According to an article that appeared in the New York Times: Black and White and Wallet-size, unfit for Faking, the new licenses will be issued on hard polycarbonate cards that are closer to a CD than the flexible plastic licenses that we have today. It is claimed that while the new license technology might look old school with it's black and white photograph, the production method is almost impossible to forge. These license are engraved and contain multiple features that a re both seen and unseen. These licenses will also be a little more expensive to produce. In 2012, the Department of Motor Vehicles collected over 1,450 counterfeit drivers licenses in underage drinking stings alone. Overseas forgers have smuggled in false IDs in the soles of imported shoes.

       While I was aware that underage people purchase false IDs in order  to buy alcohol, I was surprised to learn that fake IDs are being used for even more dangerous criminal behavior. I think that the new licensing techniques will make it harder to produce "fakes" and will keep this country safer as a whole. An entire criminal industry will also be shut down once licenses can no longer be reproduced. I will be very interested to see how many more states will follow New York and North Carolina's lead.

Are We All Equal?

        Anyone who has ever watched a crime scene on tv has probably heard the Miranda rights that were established in the 1963 Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona. The Miranda rights are: "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."
       In a New York Times article called: Right to Lawyer Can Be Empty Promise for Poor, I was very surprised to learn that this law only applies to criminal cases. The article states that 80 % of the legal needs of the poor are not met. Three examples were given in the article. In one case, a poor man could no longer afford his child support payments. He ended up serving 17 months in a Georgia jail because there was no lawyer to advise him that he could come up with a payment plan. He was brought back to court in shackles on a monthly basis until he was able to contact a legal aid group for help. In another case, an 89 year old man living in a rent-controlled apartment for 43 years got into an argument with his landlord. He was almost evicted because he represented himself and could not afford a lawyer. 

    The article also quotes a judge who says that he believes that the right to a lawyer should be extended to procedures where a person faces the potential loss of liberty even if it isn't a criminal case. I completely agree. It does not make sense that parents can lose their children and that people can lose their homes just because they do not have someone representing them that knows the law and the court system. The United States ranks 66th out of 98 country when it comes to providing legs services to the poor. That is a pretty sad commentary on how little progress we have made since the Miranda rights became law 50 years ago.