Writing for Web News

22-year Travel Ban May Be Lifted

Officials are looking to end a 22-year ban disallowing foreigners who have HIV seeking to visit or immigrate to the U.S.

Public comment is being sought by officials at the Center of Disease Control and Prevention through Aug. 17. This new proposal would remove HIV from the list of diseases that keep people who aren't U.S. citizens from entering the United States.

This newly proposed rule occurred more than a year after Congress repealed the 1987 restrictions implemented by President George W. Bush.

Even though the legal requirement of people who are HIV positive was excluded, the Health and Human Services department decides whether the disease will remain on the "no-entry list."

Week 5 ... International

Looking for love? Australian study has some ideas

If you're looking for happily ever after, Australian researchers have a suggestion: Find a partner who shares your smoking habits

Couples' habits can either make or break a relationship according to an Australian study.

Researches at an Australian National University studied 2,482 married or cohabiting couples and learned what couples that were going strong after seven years had over those that did not last.

Age was a key factor.  If a man is one year younger up to three years older than his partner, the couple had less than half the separation risk than those with the man being nine years older or more than two years younger.

Sharing the same desire to either have or not have kids is a factor as well.

Money talks, even in relationships.  According to the study, couples with a lower average income were more likely to split than those with moderate or high incomes.

A shared habit of smoking also can be a factor.  In couples where one partner smoked and the other didn't, the separation rate shoots to more than 75 percent than couples where neither partner smoked.

Interestingly enough, religion, education and alcohol had no effect on the stability of the relationship status.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009472879_apasaustraliahappilyeverafter.html

This was a neat article to read.  I love reviewing results of studies done outside the U.S..  Australian culture, however different from our own, has similarities.  The results might vary here in America, but I think many would be the same.  I was surprised that the religion, education and alcohol didn't have an affect.  I would think those would be some of the top factors in relationship stability.

Week 5 ... National

Southwest checks planes after hole forces landing

Federal safety officials are investigating how a foot-long hole opened in the top of a Southwest Airlines jet, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Charleston, W. Va.

By DAVID KOENIG

AP Airlines Write

Safety officials are investigating a Southwest Airlines jet after a foot long hole opened in the top of the aircraft, forcing an emergency landing.

The Boeing 737 jet was carrying 126 passengers when the cabin lost pressure.  Luckily there were no injuries.

An inspection in January turned up 8 cracks that required repairs in the 1994 aircraft.

After the incident, Southwest inspected all identical Boeing jets Tuesday night before allowing them to travel again.

Damages to planes that old aren't unusual.  Southwest agreed to pay a fee of $7.5 million to settle charges on operating planes without the required 14-year inspection.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009146976_apusemergencylanding.html

Recent events such as missed inspections, overlooking minor details, and outright negligence have costs many lives.  Luckily this event was not the same case.  But it could've been.  Any type of transportation used the public should be inspected, and people should make sure these inspections happen.  I do not understand why they think it is okay to put it off when they are putting lives at risk whenever they do.  Our government should look into cases such as these.  There should be consequences for inappropriate actions, or no actions done at all.

Week 5 ... Local

Deputies arrest man accused of posing as a firefighter at scene of crash 

By MATT BARNARD World Staff Writer
Published: 7/15/2009  8:29 PM

Officials arrested a man who is accused of posing as a fire fighter and interfering with a deadly crash scene.

Joel Clay Lack, 22, resides in the Tulsa County jail on charges of impersonating a fire fighter, interfering with emergency personnel and two counts of grand larceny.

According to officials, Lack posed as an off duty fire fighter after an accident where an SUV hit a group of cyclists.

He flashed a badge at the scene, claiming to have had medical experience, authorities said.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=298&articleid=20090715_298_0_Sherif891716

On one point, this is shocking that a man actually impersonated a fire fighter for no given reason.  On another, I am surprised I haven't heard about something like this happening before.  People these days are weird and crazy.  He could have made the situation ten times worse by improperly treating someone, and what's worse is that people truly believed he was what he said he was.  Accidents are scary enough as it is, we don't need fake paramedics out there making it even worse.

4th Blog Week ... International

Russia warns US over missile shield

By STEVE GUTTERMAN

Associated Press Writer

The U.S. will jeopardize progress towards a new treaty with Russia if it creates a nuclear defense system.  Russian and U.S. presidents reached a preliminary agreement setting goals for further reductions of the world's largest nuclear arsenals.

The START replacement pact states that the two sides must reduce the number of warheads between 1,500-1,675.

The U.S. however has been debating a decision to create an American missile defense system with global reach that will in turn question the reductions in strategic offensive weapons.  President Obama has issued a review on this proposed plan.

http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/1310489.html

This article was somewhat difficult to understand due to its technicality.  However, it was somewhat interesting to know that two powerful countries have a plan to reduce the size of nuclear production.  Normally, both countries would not likely reduce the numbers at free will.  I think the biggest contributor to the reduction factor is that there is an agreement for both to do this, not just one or the other.  

4th Blog Week ... National

Irish national police probe snub of 3 Plano travelers

By MATTHEW HAAG / The Dallas Morning News
mhaag@dallasnews.com

An investigation is pending for the Ireland national police as to why three Plano men were denied entry into the country Friday.

The three friends landed in Dublin to begin a backpacking trip across western Europe.  They did not expect to get sent directly back to the States. 

They were told they could not enter Ireland because they could not provide an address where they planned to stay or produce a bank statement showing they had enough funds to afford the trip.

Ireland's national police, Garda Siochana, released a statement saying how it was quite rare for U.S. citizens to be denied entry into the country because the majority know the regulations and requirements.

The police press secretary highlighted the point that only a very small number are refused entry at entry ports in Ireland each year.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/070709dnmetirish.191a4a5c.html

This story is a wake-up call for ignorant Americans.  Just because we are Americans doesn't mean we can get away with not having an idea of rules in foreign countries.  Name dropping doesn't always work.  It is sad that these guys got there and had to come back.  That would be very frustrating, but at the same time, if it were the other way around and three Irish men tried to come here under those circumstances, I am sure they would be denied and it wouldn't seem like a big deal.  It's all about perspective.

4th Blog Week ... Local

University of Oklahoma student’s idea takes headache out of medicine
OU STUDENT’S IDEA TAKES HEADACHE OUT OF MEDICINE

Buzz up!

BY DUSTY SOMERS

A University of Oklahoma pharmacy student took medicine to the new level without inventing a new product.  His tactic is to eliminate confusion of the consumer when trying to choose the right cold and flu medication.

Chad Harrison, 30, invented SymptomPak which is more of a marketing strategy that enables users to buy a group of medications, all with separate purposes.  Depending on the symptoms, the consumer can choose either one pill, or all five.  The purpose is to take only medications that are needed and to educate the consumer on what each does.  With a combination pill, the consumer doesn't always know what is or is not working.  

Harrison had a difficult time pitching the idea due to his "student" status.  He finally got a small manufacturer in New York to agree to produce the product.

http://newsok.com/ou-students-idea-takes-headache-out-of-medicine/article/3383389?custom_click=lead_story_title

I think Harrison is on the right track with his idea.  It is true that consumers don't know what they are ingesting every time they take a medication.  The product he is producing not only has one specific purpose, it educates the user as well.  The users will be more informed on what they are putting into their body.  When it comes to one's health, ignorance is not always bliss.  I would love to try this product because there is no need to be taking a medicine for one purpose and get multiple side effects from the other active ingredients that I don't need.