The "Happiest Place on Earth" is Not So Happy After All...

"Mickey, Minnie and measles for nine Disneyland tourists"

By: Kevin Conlon

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/07/health/disneyland-measles/index.html

    Between December 15 and 20, nine tourists from California and Utah visited Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park and were infected with the measles. Measles is caused by a virus and spreads through the air; it causes runny nose, cough, fever, and blotchy rash on the entire body. It can also result in red, watery eyes, body aches, and tiny white spots with blueish/white centers found inside the mouth. The reddish-brown body rash usually begins three to five days after the typical flu symptoms occur. Measles are a very serious case as it is highly contagious and can be fatal. It was considered eradicated in the United States in 2000 but in 2014, we saw a record breaking number of confirmed cases. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), there were 610 cases confirmed last year. Health officials assume that Disneyland was where the highly contagious disease was prevalent. “Travelers to areas where measles is endemic can bring measles back to the U.S., resulting in limited domestic transmission of measles. Disneyland and other theme parks in California are international attractions and visitors come from many parts of the world, including those where measles is endemic”, says a health official from the California Department of Public Health (1).  Those who show symptoms of even the simple flu (fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, sore throat) should immediately contact their doctor since the rash appears a few days later. People must be very careful as measles are passed on through the air and the only way to prevent it, as of now, is to getting vaccinated. 

Kidnapped By His Own Father?

"Police: Boy missing 4 years found hidden in Georgia homePolice: Boy missing 4 years found hidden in Georgia home"
By: Ralph Ellis, Jason Hanna, and Chandler Friedman
Source: CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/29/justice/georgia-missing-child-found/?cid=ob_articlesidebarall&iref=obinsite


 A 13- year old boy was reported missing four years ago. On Saturday, November 29, he was finally reunited with his mother. According to police, he was taken by his father and step mother and was kept behind a false wall in the Atlanta-area home. Neighbors claim that they would have never seen something like this coming. All those that were interviewed stated that the couple (the father and stepmother) were very nice people and that they showed no signs of suspicion. They also stated that the boy did not seem like he was at all under any distress.
 The boy's father, Gregory Jean, 37, and stepmother, Samantha Joy Davis, 42, were arrested and charged with false imprisonment, cruelty to children and obstruction. Three other people were also charged in connection and involvement with the incident.
 Police said they had already visited the house in Jonesboro twice to look for the boy starting Friday night after somebody left them a tip telling them to check the home; the police kept the name anonymous. They were unsuccessful in finding the boy the first time because they did not have enough information about the boy. But for reasons that are unknown to the public, the police officers returned to the home. While visiting the second time, the boy somehow got contact with his mother by phone and she was able to tell the police to look behind the wall which happened to be a false wall. Neighbors were still very shocked and felt guilty because they could have helped this poor boy but were not suspicious or aware enough.

Not Even Government Officials Can Be Trusted..

"Top local cop arrested in missing 43 Mexican students case"
By: Michael Martinez and Shasta Darlington
Source: CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/22/world/americas/mexico-missing-43-students-arrest/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

Cesar Nava Gonzalez from Mexico City was recently arrested for his connections to the disappearance of he 43 college students. Nava was a top local police official and the former deputy director of the Cocula police department. He had been on the run since the disappearance of the students back in September. Nava was allegedly called to the neighboring town of Iguala and helped round up the 43 students. He then allegedly handed them over to a drug dealing gang for them to be massacred. There is no solid evidence to this information. Nava has yet to be apprehended.
On September 26, 2014, the 43 students went missing after they traveled in buses about 77 miles away from their college into Iguala. They were going into this city to protest a speech by the mayor's wife. After arriving, things got violent with the police. Authorities believe that this is when the 43 students were captured by the Iguala police and turned over to a gang only to be executed 14 miles away. The mayor of Iguala was also arrested for six counts of aggravated homicide and one count of attempted homicide.
Overall, 75 people have been arrested for having connections to the disappearance. Federal authorities say they heard confessions from drug traffickers saying that the college students were in fact rounded up on the orders of the Iguala mayor and then delivered to the drug gang to be executed. Families are not accepting this and want actual proof of what happened. On Thursday, tens of thousands of people went to Mexico City to protest against the injustices. These protests ended in violent clashes with police.
The people of Mexico City put their faith and safety in the hands of these police officials and mayor...But not even they can be trusted anymore.

Open Your Eyes

I hear the asphalt crunching under my shoes as my shadow follows me with every step I take. My skin welcomes the sun’s heat as I stroll down the steep hill. After several minutes of walking, I reach my destination. The warm and light breeze result in a sudden shiver, causing goose bumps to rise against my arms and the back of my neck.  The beautiful view I am looking at does not allow me to look away. The short, wet grass brushes against my legs as I stride toward the big rocks placed all around the park. I sit down on the somewhat uncomfortable rock and look into the distance. I smell a faint smell of a Sunday barbeque being cooked somewhere around the neighborhood. The trees in sight all slightly sway to the light breeze; leaves that are slowly changing color litter the park’s grass. The thing that catches my eye the most is the gorgeous sun setting in between the tall trees. The sky looks as if it is painted; going from a light blue, to a bright pinkish red and a yellowish orange. I sit and do nothing but stare. A few dogs run around the park chasing tennis balls and Frisbees. Their owners mingle, laugh loudly, and seem familiar with one another.

The smell of the fresh, crisp air reminds me that my favorite season, autumn, is near. The colorful leaves and “ombred” sky give me a confusing and unknown feeling of happiness and nostalgia. Watching the sun set from this park has always been the perfect escape for me; it gives me a chance to be alone with my own thoughts and also enjoy a snippet of the beautiful world we live in. Every time I walk to this park, “breathe in” my surroundings, I realize that we take this world for granted. We litter and pollute and abuse the Earth, when all it does is show us true beauty; all we need to do is open our eyes once in a while…

Business Partner or Family Murderer?

"'Cold and callous' murders of McStay family solved, authorities say"
By Michael Pearson
Source: CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/07/justice/mcstay-case/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

In 2010, a family of four vanished from their homes. Almost a year to the day after an off-road motorcyclist found the remains of the family who authorities announced to be murdered. On Friday, a man was reported to be arrested for the responsibility of their deaths. Charles “Chase Merritt” was charged with four accounts of murder due to the killings of the entire McStay family. Merrit also happened to be Joseph McStay’s business partner. Police say they believe that the family was killed due to “blunt force trauma” in their home, but they denied any other information to the public.

The McStay family consisted of Joseph and Summer McStay, along with Gianni and Joseph Jr; 5 and 3 years old. The police who searched the house post disappearance was confused to find eggs on the kitchen counter and bowls of popcorn on the table, showing no signs of a struggle. Authorities had no clue what happened to them until the discovery of their bodies on November 11, 2013. There was video surveillance that showed a family matching their description that was found soon after their disappearance. A motorcyclist biking past the area found the remains of the bodies in two shallow graves. After extensive investigation, investigators concluded that Merritt acted alone in killing the family and the video of the family by the border was unrelated to their case. District Attorney Michael Ramos has not yet decided whether or not Merritt will be sentenced to death penalty to what he called a “cold and callous murder of an entire family” (1).

Class of 2035

Congratulations class of 2035!
Highschool for this graduating class will be a breeze; everything will be technologically based, meaning everything will have a shortcut. Teachers will start teaching everything based strictly off technology as well; no books, no written essays/tests. Homework will be turned in through the internet, laptops and iPads will be permitted in the classroom for note-taking, essays and tests, and Kindles or E-readers will be used in the place of textbooks. We already see a glimpse of this with our generation, but by 2035, everything will only be technological.
Students will be reading about how, just 20 years prior is when this technological uphill spiral started. They will be taught about how their generation is so different from prior generations and how it might even be considered harmful that they are so dependent on technology,  yet their teachings will completely be contradicted by the amount of technology they are enforced to use. In my opinion, I feel as though the entire education system 20 years from now will be a complete contradiction upon itself for this reason. I do think they will still be reading books (through electronics of course), but the books they will be told to read will be even more meaningless then the ones we read nowadays. If I were to go forth in time as one of the teachers of that generation, I think the amount of electronics would drive me nuts. I am generally very good with electronics and technology and figuring things out, but Kindles/E-readers are not something I am usually fond of.

Trick-or...get hit by a car?

Halloween; the night of October 31st, where children and adults alike dress up and go trick-or-treating. This is a night meant for candy, costumes, and fun. Not a night intended for death.

On October 31st, 2014, three 13 year old girls were out trick-or-treating with one another, when while crossing the street, were hit and killed by a speeding vehicle. Two of the three girls were twin sisters. These girls were hit so hard that their bodies were thrown more than 100 feet. There are suspects for the drivers, but after the crash, they fled the scene. The car was found nearby, empty. Investigations indicated that the driver was going 50 mph in a 25 mph zone.

Although Halloween is meant for a night of scaring and fun, it is considered one of the deadliest nights of the year due to the high number of drunken drivers and pedestrians on the road. The deaths in California were only some of the incidents that happened the night of the 31st. In Lake Wales Florida, two children and two adults were out trick-or-treating nearby a highway, when the 2 year old child climbed out of his stroller and walked into the highway. A bus who was not aware of the child hit and killed him. In Greece, New York, two minors got into a car crash, in which the 16 year old was injured and the 3 year old was killed. In Winnetka, Illinois, a 3 year old child was struck by a car and dragged 40 feet before the driver realized and stopped the car. He survived the accident and is now in the hospital recovering from injuries.5 people were struck by a car in Phoenix, Arizona, leaving one of them with minor injuries and the other 4 in critical condition.