November 23, 2009
On October 22, 2009, Microsoft released its newest version of Windows, called Windows 7 featuring touch screen technology. This is the latest in a long list of upgraded operating systems that is full of promises. While initial reviews are good, only time will tell if can live up to the hype. The previous Windows version, Vista, was touted as being ultra secure, but many users grew frustrated with it as it required multiple authorizations for approved functions. It was also a “heavy” software that requires significant hard drive space and memory. Many users were sorry to have transferred to Vista and some downgraded to its predecessor, Windows XP. In fact, Vista was so reviled that it took only eight hours of pre-sale for 7 at amazon.co.uk to surpass Vista’s sales for its first 17 weeks! All of this has given Microsoft’s competitor, Apple Computer, much fodder to mock the software giant and steal some of its customer base.
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November 4, 2009
Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, announced the acquisition of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp, the nation’s second largest railroad. Currently Berkshire Hathaway owns 22% of the company and will buy the rest for approximately $34 billion. Railroads are a quality investment as it will continue to be an attractive transportation option with the rising costs of diesel. In his statement, Buffett is quoted, “Most important of all, however, [this acquisition is] an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States. I love these bets.”
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October 28, 2009
The Walt Disney Company announced yesterday it would offer refunds to purchasers of the Baby Einstein products between June 2004 and September 2009. This is in response to a complaint filed by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) alleging false advertising. People can bring in their Einstein videos and receive a different title, a discount coupon, or a refund for $15.99. This offer is valid for up to four DVDs. Baby Einstein utilizes classical music, art, poetry, and puppets . . . however the American Academy of Pediatrics states children under two should not watch any television. In a separate survey, 49% of parents believe “educational videos,” such as Baby Einstein, are important to the intellectual development of their child. Research indicates that one-third of all babies aged 6 months to two years have at least one Baby Einstein video.
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October 14, 2009
Zero tolerance rules on weapons in schools seem like a good idea on paper but in the real world, the context of the situation should also be considered. In Newark, DE, six year-old Zachary Christie has found himself in the crosshairs of this dilemma. Christie was so excited about becoming a Cub Scout that he brought a camping tool to use with his school lunch. The tool can be used as a fork, spoon, or knife. However, since this action violated the Christina School District’s Code of Conduct, the zero tolerance policy dictated a suspension and 45 days in the local reform school. Christie himself, sums up the situation in this way, “It just seems unfair. I think the rules are what is wrong, not me”. On October 13th, the Christina School Board voted unanimously to reduce sentences to a suspension ranging from three to five days for younger offenders.
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October 13, 2009
Singing karaoke at Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery Cafe’s in Stamford, CT can be dangerous. Just ask a 25 year-old woman who suffered a beating after getting off the stage. The victim (whose name was not released) was kicked and punched by six women who did not like her singing. She suffered a chipped tooth and bruises and was treated at a local hospital. All six assailants were arrested and released on $500 bail each. Bobby Valentine is a native of Stamford and enjoyed a 40 year professional baseball career.
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September 20, 2009
Recently, two stories hit the news back-to-back about mothers who endangered their children with the use of alcohol or drugs. In Coatsville, PA, police pulled over a Dodge Durango with a woman in the passenger seat and a 6-year old at the wheel. The mother, Lakisha Hogue, was high on marijuana and told officers she was “teaching her daughter to drive”. In Ferndale, MI, Dena Ellington, was driving her 9-year old son to school with a .29 blood alcohol level – nearly four times the legal limit. She was so impaired that she drove him to the wrong school and had to ask a police officer for directions to the correct school. She was arrested and driven to jail while police took her son to school.
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September 19, 2009
When Peggielene Bartels of Silver Spring, Maryland was woken by a 4am phone call, she heard words no American woman ever expects to hear; “You have been named King!” It was explained to her that her uncle, the king of Otuan (population 7,000) in Ghana, Africa had passed away. A ritual involving praying and pouring schnapps on the ground by the town elders revealed she was destined to be the new ruler. Female kings are rare but (apparently) not completely unheard of. While the job is a high honor, it does not pay well. Therefore, Bartels will retain her job, condo, and 1992 Honda in the U.S. while using vacation time to occasionally travel to her kingdom.
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September 17, 2009
Los Angeles, California like many other cities in this economy is struggling financially. So much so, that city officials decided to institute an amnesty program for business owners that owe years of taxes. The program ran from May 1 to July 31, 2009 and allowed businesses to pay those back taxes without the normal penalties, potentially running as high as 40%. The program, which was expected to bring in $10 million dollars, instead raised $18.6 million, and was deemed a success by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. However, the city is still considering cutting jobs and issuing furlough days for city employees in an effort to close its $405 million budget gap and avoid bankruptcy in early 2010.
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September 5, 2009
As summer ends and fall begins the time of year known as “flu season” is quickly approaching. With the recent outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as Swine Flu, the U.S. Government is working hard to educate the public. The elderly, ill, and children are especially susceptible to the illness. In an attempt to teach children good hygiene such as sneezing into the bend of their arm and frequently washing hands, the government partnered with famous Sesame Street character, Elmo. The ads were originally aired in May 2009 but they have now been redesigned to promote the government’s flu website, www.flu.gov.
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September 3, 2009
Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, was fined $2.3 billion for promoting drugs for uses that they were not approved for. In the past decade over $11 billion in fines has been assessed against the U.S. drug industry for similar offenses. This is the fourth time that Pfizer has been reprimanded. However, this record fine is designed to be a warning to all drug manufacturers who regularly see these fines as the cost of doing business. One example of their deception was to market Bextra for acute pain and surgical pain in doses above the approved maximum when it was only approved for arthritis. As a way of promoting the use of the drugs, Pfizer gave away trips, golf junkets, massages, and other perks to ply doctors into prescribing the drugs.
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