Behind the Mass Killings

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/mass-killings/index.html#title

A new study is out regarding mass killings. The government doesn't report a lot of shootings; only some of them actually get mentioned to the public. At least 172 mass killings happened between 2006 and 2011. Public massacres are 1 in 6 of the mass killings.  Around 50% of the killings are family. Relationship problems, and the holidays are two other causes of killings. 6 year olds are the second most killed age group. Around 94% of mass killings are done by men, while women only account for 4%.

Mrs. Obama Not Upset About Selfie

http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/12/11/obama-barack-michelle-david-cameron-helle-thorning-schmidt/3985867/

At Nelson Mandela's memorial service, someone took a picture of Barack Obama and two other world leaders taking a selfie, and Mrs. Obama doesn't seem thrilled about it, although she says otherwise.  After President Obama gave his eulogy for Mandela, and then went to take his seat next to the British and Danish Prime Ministers. The Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning Schmidt took her phone out to take a picture with Obama and the British Prime Minister. In the picture, Mrs. Obama looks mad that they're taking the selfie, although she wasn't; apparently she was joking around with them right before it was taken. Even if she wasn't upset about it, is it appropriate for Obama and other world leaders to be taking selfies at a memorial service? Especially at one of this importance?

REALLY Premature Baby

Ward was born three and a half months early when his mom, Lyndsey, was told that she had a clot in her placenta.  He was born at one pound and thirteen ounces, but he dropped to one pound and seven ounces after he was born.  Lyndsey and Ben Miller, Ward's parents, were told that there was a 50/50 chance that their son would grow up to be normal. After ten days of being alive, it was found that Ward has blood in his brain tissue; it eventually went away. Ward spent over one hundred days in NICU in Ohio before being released to go home. Throughout the entire journey, Ben Miller documented some very important times like when they were finally allowed to bring baby Ward home. After a very tough first year, Ward is growing, and acting just like a 16 month old boy should be.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/23/health/preemie-baby-viral-video/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Zimmerman At It Again

George Zimmerman, the man who shot 17 year old Trayvon Martin, was arrested Monday for pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend.  This happened while he was packing up his things to move out.  He also shoved her out of her apartment. By the time police had arrived at the apartment, he had blocked off the door with furniture.  Zimmerman's girlfriend Samantha gave the police a key to get in, and they shoved aside the furniture. When the cops got to him, he was unarmed and did not resist them while being arrested. He was arrested around 1 pm for domestic abuse, criminal mischief, and for aggravated assault.
The argument started when Samantha asked Zimmerman to pack up his belongings and leave.  He cocked the shotgun, put in away, got angry and took it back out, and then "asked her if she really want to do that," when Samantha said she was going to call the police. Zimmerman pulled a stunt similar to this with his ex-wife Shellie in September.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/18/zimmerman-trayvon-arrested/3628591/

Beauty Is Who You Are

http://www.today.com/news/marine-life-after-severe-injury-beauty-who-you-are-2D11577222

Operation Mend, a group that helps severely wounded soldiers, has helped a former Marine named Aaron Mankin.  He has inspired many people, and overcome so much in his life already.  On May 11, 2005 Aaron's life changed forever when his platoon in Iraq ran over an IED killing four, and injuring eleven.  Different parts of his body were severely damaged; his mouth, nose, ears, and part of his cheeks, and his fingers.  He was the very first patient for Operation Mend in 2007.  After 65 surgeries, and 8 1/2 years of recovery, he's looks great.  He is so thankful, and says "He never though I would look this good."  He uses his story to inspire others, and is doing a good job.  Aaron has significantly inspired the family of William and Christina Geist, and that's why they started Operation Mend.

Justin Bieber Walks Off Stage

While performing in Argentina, Justin Bieber walked off stage.  He apologized to the fans telling them he wasn't feeling well, and later blamed it on food poisoning.  The fans paid large amounts of money, and booed him as he walked off.  Prior to coming onto stage, he didn't feel well either, and didn't get on stage until an hour later than originally planned. His manager was tweeting about him saying he gave it his all. He also said that Justin spent multiple hours hooked up to an IV. Hopefully this doesn't happen again, because his fans are very upset.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/11/11/justin-bieber-has-troubled-tour-in-south-america/3497915/

Sneaky Sea Lion

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/sea-lion-swipes-fish-right-off-the-dock-172909355.html

A rouge sea lion known by the name Pancho made yet another appearance in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  While filming an episode for a new TV show called "Chef on the Water," Yvan Mucharrz is robbed of his catch.  Mike Ritz, his fisher-friend cannot get enough of it.  Pancho is supposedly blind in one eye, making it difficult for him to catch his own food. Therefore, he takes what the fisherman catch, from them! But don't worry, Mucharrz wasn't mad; the next thing on his list to catch is Pancho.

Elephant Massacre

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2470219/Elephants-graveyard-300-animals-poisoned-poachers.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Over 300 were poisoned by poachers who put cyanide in their drinking water.  Elephants are not the only animals who have been killed and affected by this.  Animals would eat the elephants body and then they would become contaminated and die.  The tusks of the elephants were ripped out by the poachers once they were dead.  The poachers knew that the elephants would be attracted to the salt because they need salt to survive.  14 people have been arrested so far.  9 alleged poachers were among them, and a South African businessman was thought to be the person behind the poisonings.  

Meth in Sports Medicine!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/14/tests-of-supplements-craze-and-detonate-find-methamphetamine-like-compound/2968041/

Craze, a pre-workout powder claims to contain only natural ingredients, but that is not so! The US and South Korea are doing tests on it to prove that it secretly contains a chemical that is somewhat like methamphetamine.  "The U.S. researchers also said they found the same methamphetamine-like chemical in another supplement, Detonate, which is sold as an all-natural weight loss pill by another company: Gaspari Nutrition."  Craze has not been sold at Walmart.com since this has all come up, but it is still being sold at different places.  Since the government is shut down, U.S. Food and Drug Administration were not able to be reached for comments. " A month after USA TODAY published its report about Cahill and Craze, a team of South Korean scientists published an article in a journal of the Japanese Association of Forensic Toxicology saying they had found a methamphetamine-like compound in samples of Candy Grape flavor and Berry Lemonade flavor Craze."  The effects on the body are unknown right now, because Craze has never been tested for that specifically.  

Predicting Suicides in Army

Suicide in the Army is becoming more common, and now there's a plan to prevent, and recognize which troops are suicidal.  In 2012, the Army recorded about six suicides per week.  The Army is working towards predicting which soldiers are going to kill themselves, and then stopping them before it's too late.  There are mixed emotions about the idea, but for the most part people are all for it.  "'In the work world that I know, there's nothing with this kind of depth," says Helen Darling, president and CEO of the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit group that helps Fortune 100 companies improve health care and productivity." 


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/05/army-suicides-predicting-risk-scientists/2793053/

Revenge of the Disgruntled

On Friday night in Pittsburg there was a shooting involving two families that have been fighting for just about two decades.  Josephine Ruckinger, daughter of John and Roberta Frew, and her husband Jeffery attempted to murder her parents and brother.  After John, John Jr., and Roberta arrived home from a dinner out, they were relaxing in the living room when Josephine and Jeffery arrived at the house and knocked on the door.  Roberta answered and then yelled to her son John Jr. who tried to arm himself because Roberta had yelled that they had guns.  Josephine and Jeffery were heavily armed; she had a 12-gauge shotgun and he had a pistol and .22 caliber semi-automatic.  Josephine shot her mother at point blank range and then Jeffery shot John Jr.  John Frew managed to grab a .22 revolver from the bedroom and shot his daughter (who he did not recognize) and then Jeffery after they both shot at each other.  After all of that, John called the police.  In the Ruckinger's car which was parked at the end of a long driveway, police found a gas can and lighter fluid; investigators said that John acted in self defense and that his family were victims of a pre-planned murder.  The motives are unknown still, but it is known that Josephine and her family had not gotten along since she was 20 years old.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/29/daughter-killed-mom-shotgun/2891963/

Cure for Cancer: Marriage

Scientists and recent studies are saying that if you're married you have a better chance of surviving from the cancer rather than if you're divorced, single, widowed, ect.  Regardless of the type of cancer, this was shown to be true.  "The real secret to survival may be "social support," rather than a wedding ring, said first author Ayal Aizer."  Having your spouse drive you to and from the doctor and hospital, give them their medicine, and helping them emotionally are thought to be key factors.  People with spouses are also almost 70% more likely to stick with their treatment plan according to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.  There are many more signs that have been recognized among married couples dealing with cancer: they don't show as much stress, they cope better, their anxiety and depression levels are increasingly lower, and the list goes on.  Is this all just a coincidence?  If you're married then you have something to live and fight for; the person you love the most in this world, which will increase your drive and determination.  What about all of the children, widows, etc. who battle cancer?  Do they have people to live for, but just not on the same emotional levels as married people therefore sliming their chances of surviving?


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/23/marriage-cancer-patients/2845087/

Navy Yard Shooting

On September 16, 2013 Aaron Alexis, a 34 year old former Navy Electrician opened fire around 8:30am killing at least 13 people.  Investigators don't know what motivated him or why he did it although they are still trying to figure that out.  Officials are saying however that it didn't seem to be a act of terrorism.  Alexis was killed on site.  More than three people were injured with non-fatal wounds and probably more to be announced.  There were hundreds of workers in the building who had to hide or run for safety from the gunman in order to survive.  Some people who witnessed people getting shot right in front of them are speaking out and telling what they saw from inside the building.  Hopefully investigators and officials find and tell about the motif behind this awful act against Homeland Military Installations.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/16/navy-yard-shooting/2819543/

Teen Obesity and Eating Disorders

Researchers are finding that teens who were once obese or overweight are the ones who are at a greater risk of suffering from eating disorders. The symptoms that teens show go unnoticed or are overlooked because they are trying to lose weight and working out. Some teens who have annual check ups with their doctors still have symptoms that go unnoticed.  Studies are showing that teens are also turning to hurtful and unhealthy ways to lose weight such as: vomiting, binge-eating, laxatives, and diet pills. The reasons behind the growing percentages in eating disorders in still a mystery to most people although it is still trying to be figured out.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/09/obesity-eating-disorders/2772885/