stoffolla’s Blog

Last Saturday there was a huge earthquake that hit Chile. It was so big that scientist at NASA have said that it may have shifted the Earth’s axis and created shorter days. The days were only shorter by 1.26 microseconds; a microsecond is one-millionth of a second. Shortly after they were struck by a tsunami, there where man relaxing by the seaside and knew they should have moved quickly. They were too late, the tsunami came in three waves surging 200 yards into this Pacific Ocean resort town and dragging away the bus they’d piled into, hoping to get to higher grounds. The bus contained tourists and they have not found any of their bodies except for five. Length of days was shorted by 6.8 microseconds after tsunami. Pelluhue’s horror underscored the destruction wrought by Saturday’s pre-dawn 8.8-magnitude quake and the tsunami that ravaged communities along Chile’s south-central coast — those closest to the quake’s epicenter. With all of this happening looters burned stores and residents complained of deteriorating security and slow government delivery of food and other basic supplies. Residents of the city, with a population of 600,000, said they were organizing groups to defend their properties from robbers and looters. Soldiers though fired teargas in efforts to restrict disorder. Chile’s death toll reached 723 – this includes all of the regions especially Pelluhue’s. This is a disturbing tragic and is not just a human nature act, but they are also having problems with their own country.

Many things have happened to our world lately. For all we know the Earth may have shifted and caused us to have shorter days – not by much, but still that is a great thing that has happened. This can also be a hard comeback for them because after their earthquake tragic they were hit by a tsunami. It is also hard for us to hear because we have tried helping Haiti as much as we can and still had problems helping and now there is Chile who has had it even harder than Haiti. World news is becoming more of a human nature act; we have no way of stopping Mother Nature doing her work unlike any other world issues. I just pray that we can help in every way to those who have had hard times and are trying to make it through it all.

Another shooting has occurred around the area of the Columbine shooting in 1999. Recently, Deer Creek Middle School had a shooting by 32, Bruco Strongeagle Eastwood. He was accused of shooting and wounding two Middle School children. Reagan Weber, one of the two students who were shot in her right arm and Matthew Thieu, who suffered rib and lung injuries in the shooting. The convicted felon has a rap sheet that includes arrests for domestic violence, assault, menacing, driving under the influence and motor vehicle theft. At the beginning of the day he was yelling and just frustrated with everything his father stated; Bruco was still haunted by the Columbine and lately was starting to over react about the whole situation. He would always just talk about the shooting, but never yelled or got set off enough to make his own shooting. At first all the kids heard shooting and didn’t quite understand what was going on until another shot went off; that is when all disaster occurred. They started running out from every room to get away. Students and staff really didn’t know where the shooting was coming from until one teacher suddenly saw the man and reacted off of instinct – a teacher tackled a man armed with a high-powered rifle it took the teacher some wrestling to get the gun away. This is a scared and horrifying deal; it could have gone much worse. We should be more protective and careful about whom we let into our school. This should teach us all a lesson.

Wow! Not another school shooting – how much can one community take; or just one simple area. They have already dealt with the Columbine shooting, which we can all say was devastating enough. Yes, someone who is still haunted by that is going to have mixed feelings and is going to want to solve matters into their own hands. The shooter Bruco was in surrounded by the Columbine shooting and it still haunted him, but shooting again is not the answer; no matter how angry you are – you should never take your anger out on anyone (not even yourself). This would be such a hard moment for not just those injured, but school boards, staff, students, community, and families either involved or not. There are some places that have never had to deal with a shooting and we should all be thankful and pray that it never does happen to us.

There once was a time when a certain group did not have any rights. They were not even treated as human beings. Never the less, they did have their hero’s. Rosa Parks was one of the main African American’s who changed everything for the black people. Rosa lived her life on many quotes, but one she insisted would make a difference, “I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people”. She met with a white couple who were politically liberal and helped Rosa stayed in their home while attending Highlander Folk School, a black community school about racial equality and the rights of workers. Returning to Montgomery was one of her most memorable moments. In Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks made history by being the black woman who refused to obey the driver of the bus when he gave her the order to give up her seat on the city bus to make room for a white passenger. Yes, she was arrested for this action. However, she did make history – she set an example for many. This event also became the key part of the modern movement for civil rights. The reason Rosa Parks stance was so huge in the civil rights movement is because it challenged something many just took as a fundamental rule of society. Rosa Parks wrote, “People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in. I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move. Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it.”

She stood for more than just a “stupid” black women for not moving her seat, she stood for a black women who stood up for what she believed in. Rosa was one of the strongest women in all time. Parks knew exactly what would happen to her if she did not move to her part of the bus, get arrested. Rosa didn’t understand why they could not have the opportunity to exercise their rights given to them by the Constitution – the Bill of Rights. She is just one of the few who knew they deserved to be treated like human beings, not just “monkeys.” I believe it is the best thing to do when you stand up for what you believe in. Who knows you might just be the difference. WE should all be proud that we can use our rights and put them to action. Don’t let them just slip away, who knows if we will have them forever.

Toyota is going through one of its roughest times right now, with the recall and all of the problems it is coming with as well. “We do apologize for the inconvenience and concerns we’ve given to the customers,” President Akio Toyoda.  They have said that they will recall 473,000 of its 2010 flagship Prius hybrid and other gas – electric models worldwide to fix a glitch in the braking system. This latest recall was the first of Toyota vehicles sold in the domestic Japanese market. Japanese automakers moved to contain a crisis over defects of all ranges of vehicles. It was stated that about 223,000 of the cars recalled are in Japan. Some 155,000 are in the United States and another 53,000 in Europe. Toyota has said that, they are recalling 270 plug-in Priuses, 28,000 Lexus HS250hs, and 11,000 Sai hybrid and older Priuses are unaffected by the problem. Another problem occurring because of all the recall’s is Honda’s top finance executive warns that Toyota’s growing recall effort could have a ripple effect throughout the industry, as consumer lose faith in the world’s automakers. They are trying to find ways of fixing the problems without having to stop selling, but there are a few cars that they will stop selling for the safety of their business such as: Sai and Lexus HS250h.

In my opinion, this could be ruining the entire industry. How do they expect any of us to trust them for future reference? I guess they will still have business because how else will we have transportation for small towns or traveling. Not everyone will be able to ride a subway or bus or a thing of such. Not everyone lives in the city with that type of transportation. It’s just that Toyota will probably or most definitely not have the same business they once did. They should have some sort of conclusion to help their business still reach success. Hopefully they don’t have to recall any more vehicles.

The new movie Avatar was a major hit! It was said to have sold more tickets than the well known Titanic. That is amazing. Avatar also led the Academy Awards Nominations with nine, it was said to be one of the most awkward Academy Awards show. Why you ask is it going to be one of the most awkward of the shows? Both James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow, former spouses, are up for the same nominations, they both had amazing films to most. It will be awkward for them by one being better than the other. They have beaten each other before and have both said that it is quite awkward graciously giving the other applaud for their film. The best pictures’ nominations are Cameron’s “Avatar,” Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker,” Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds,” the feel-good hit “The Blind Side,” sci-fi thriller “District 9,” British coming-of-age film “An Education,” dark comedy “A Serious Man,” “Precious,” “Up” and “Up in the Air.” All these movies deserve great awards for their act of pleasing our entertainment side. I feel that the night will only get awkward enough if one of the former couple’s win majority of the nominations.

So, my opinion is that why do we care. Most American’s these days are getting divorced and they have to handle the awkwardness as much as everyone else. Why are we making it such a big deal to get into their business and make it one of the current events? To me it is ridiculous and we should just let their business be their business. It just shows how much our nation is going down the drain. We just want to look at everybody else’s faults instead of standing up for our own and just claiming the things bad in us, our nation, and our future. We are the ones to blame for the mistakes in our future.

Haiti is still dealing with their terrible tragic, the earthquake didn’t only ruin their land but their emotions and their way of life. Haiti is known as one of the poorest and least developed countries and they have many problems that were already occurring that have just made matters worse. Their problems ranged from near-constant political upheaval, health crises, severe environmental degradation and an annual barrage of hurricanes. On January 23 they put the body count at 150,000. The devastation caused many difficulties for those attempting to bring foreign aid. The Argentine Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Argentine Mobile Military Hospital – which they say is the only hospital functioning in Port-au-Prince – has treated more than 800 people. One of their major problems is fighting for shelter. They have had many people competing for the canvas homes have boiled into arguments and machete fights. The fighting is a sign of desperation of thousand of peoples wanting shelter for their families. Haiti’s president has asked the world for 200,000 tents and he has said that he will even lie in a tent. The earthquake was the worst in the region in more than 200 years. It destroyed everything. They no longer have government buildings, foreign aid offices and shantytowns. Schools, hospitals and a prison collapsed. Everything was left in rubble, just dust that floats in the air they breathe. A disaster can ruin ones’ life in a matter of time and it only takes a person to help in a matter of time; help out in any way you can.

My opinion on the Haiti disaster is mind boggling. How can some people not even do anything to help them out? I feel some people are selfish and greedy or that some people are only helping to get their name big and have a good reputation for themselves. This is a disaster, this people lost everything and most people only care about how they will look in the outcome. If it was the United States we would be wanting everyone to help us and wanting to receive something out of it. We would be hurt if someone didn’t help out of their goodness of their heart, but out of their own greed. I feel the United States should be leading by example and keep having everyone helping out. We are helping them as much as we can or think is enough. We should try to involve our citizens in this project. I feel they need more help than anything right now with shelter and hospitals. We could be the difference.

Gay Marriage is arising to be a major problem for us at the start of the year. There are many people who wanting their issues or testimonies to be seen through everybody else’s life. So, the U.S. Supreme court has decided to put the debate for this happening on YouTube for everyone in the world to view. With the U.S. Supreme Court considering the legality of the plan, backers say the videos would give the world a chance to hear and see unfiltered arguments in a way they never could before. They know that they are doing this with a high risk of it being distorted and falsified, but it is also opening a gate at which everyone can see all of the information, that will be very good for most people. The testimonies will with hold information from two Ivy League historians who will discuss the nation’s experience with matrimony and anti-gay discrimination. Monday was the beginning of this trail and is the first time the federal court has to decide the constitutionality of state bans on gay marriage. On Monday they heard their first testimony of two gay couples challenging Proposition 8, who both said despite how the public voted; the same-sex marriage ban is wrong and constitutionally illegal. “We are all Americans who simply want to get married just like everyone else. We believe in our constitution and that the courts will lead the way to equality like they have so many times in the past,” said Plaintiff Jeff Zarrillo. Regardless of the outcome, the case is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it could lead to laws that restrict marriage to a man and a woman being upheld or abolished nationwide. This is going to be an ongoing problem and it has hit many people hard, gay and straight. It is only a short matter of time to see the outcome of this mess.

Well, I’m really not one to judge. I do have a lesbian aunt which I totally disagree with because of my morals and my religion. It just does not seem right. But, when I have seen my aunt with her girlfriend she seems really happy and fortunate that she has found someone like her. I do NOT agree with gay marriage and feel disgusted by it, but it is not my choice and they do seem to keep their relationship more healthy than ours. We don’t regularly hear about gay marriages divorcing all the time, but straight couples are divorcing left and right. They are actually the ones keeping our marriages in the right of love and staying together until death do us part. They are not morally right, but keeping their word. I do not agree, but it is not my life to judge. It is a free country and they should do as they please.

Recently, we have had an attempted terrorist attack through air flight again! This event occurred on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. The suspect, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, officials say he was trying to light a mix of explosive powder and liquid. The passengers were not going to let him do this so they attacked the man preventing him from detonating the bomb. The young man was supposedly told to extenuate the plane over US soil by the Al Qaida. The affect that we have done is the Transportation Security Administration already has directed airlines, to give full body, pat – down searches to US travelers from Yemen, Nigeria, Saudi, Arabia, and 11 other countries. President Obama has stated that he will not tolerate this type of stuff happening to his country. He also stated that, “We have to do better and we will do better. And we will do it quickly.” He has high hopes for our nation and hopefully these things do not turn into a state of fear for our nation.

I saw this coming to our country and I think others saw this too. The attempted terrorism attack on us is not a shocker to me. It felt as if it was going to happen because we elected a President who is Muslim and that is just opening doors looking for trouble. I’m not trying to get religious on you, but in the Bible it states that one day the Muslim flag will fly over our country and rule for eternity. To me Obama is the ending of our country and lives. Another sign of this happening is Obama having the all terrorist move into the middle of Iowa. Why would we do that? Having them there is going to bring so much fear and distraught to our country and no one will ever feel safe again in our free living nation.

As you may know we are in the Play-Offs for the NFL. We all love the game and we love the suspense! But we hate the upsets and when our team loses! One of the most shocking upsets was the New York Jets vs. the San Diego Chargers. The game ended with the final score of 17-14. What helped the Jets was the way they handled the ball when they had it. When they did have the ball they wanted to run the ball! They also mixed in some sneaky plays involving wide receiver Brad Smith taking the snaps. When the Chargers had the ball it was a different game. Philip Rivers is one of the league’s third-rated passer, but he was completely off that game. He didn’t just mess up his season; he also messed up some of his ongoing accomplishments. They aren’t ever going to be able to get that moment back. The Jets beat them at everything during that game. They had better defense and a better running game. After the game, Chargers made a final decision on having their coach stick around for four more years. His contract will be ending in 2013. The team was expecting for the coach to have his contract extended, but most of the fans booed him and wanted him to be fired. The San Diego Chargers went through a rollercoaster ride as they lost their Play-Off game, but the New York Jets were more ecstatic than most.

Football Play-Offs is one of my favorite times of the year. I love watching how some underdogs come from behind and prove everyone wrong. I also love to see the teams that have worked hard for so many years or just during a season deserve to win and take it all. I am really pulling for the New Orleans Saints to take it all. After all of their deficits, they still work hard and show how much they wanted and it would not just symbolize a win, but heart. The New York Jets has been the only upset so far during the Play-Offs. I hope the rightful team gets the ring and takes home the win.

Recently, we have had an attempted terrorist attack through air flight again! This event occurred on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. The suspect, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, officials say he was trying to light a mix of explosive powder and liquid. The passengers were not going to let him do this so they attacked the man preventing him from detonating the bomb. The young man was supposedly told to extenuate the plane over US soil by the Al Qaida. The affect that we have done is the Transportation Security Administration already has directed airlines, to give full body, pat – down searches to US travelers from Yemen, Nigeria, Saudi, Arabia, and 11 other countries. President Obama has stated that he will not tolerate this type of stuff happening to his country. He also stated that, “We have to do better and we will do better. And we will do it quickly.” He has high hopes for our nation and hopefully these things do not turn into a state of fear for our nation.

I saw this coming to our country and I think others saw this too. The attempted terrorism attack on us is not a shocker to me. It felt as if it was going to happen because we elected a President who is Muslim and that is just opening doors looking for trouble. I’m not trying to get religious on you, but in the Bible it states that one day the Muslim flag will fly over our country and rule for eternity. To me Obama is the ending of our country and lives. Another sign of this happening is Obama having the all terrorist move into the middle of Iowa. Why would we do that? Having them there is going to bring so much fear and distraught to our country and no one will ever feel safe again in our free living nation.