Moldy Tomato? No Thanks.

Today's business section was a cover to cover read for me. In particular I would have to say would be the story titled "Hidden Ingredient: The Sweetener",

We all have some knowledge that there are bribes going on in the business world, it is all about who you know after all. But I had no idea that the people handling our food every day are actually not paying attention to what goes on the shelves if looking the other way means an extra thick lining for their pockets.

How do these people sleep at night? Knowing that people could be seriously harmed from the moldy and sometimes chemical-filled goods and not stopping production or packaging methods- it's disgusting.

I don't know who is more guilty- corporate buyers or the food corporations executives?

Man Saved by 17-year-old Refugee

At 6 a.m. this morning James Laboke, 17, found 80-year-old Francois Truffaut unconscious in his car on top of the Amtrak train tracks in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

The Amtrak train has a Downeaster route which goes from Portland, Maine to Boston. During the summer there is an Old Orchard Beach stop added. The stop times begin at 6:10 a.m.

Laboke, a Sudanes refugee who has lived in Old Orchard for the past three years, knew of the train schedule and ran 100 yards to the police station to report the incident. He then went to work at Eezy Breezy restaurant where his boss, Charles Champaigne, upon learning of the incident said “It doesn’t surprise me at all. That young man is one of my most responsible employees. He’s just a great kid.”

Captain Janet Paradiso of the local police department was first to arrive on the scene and made the split second decision to take her cruiser full speed into Truffaut’s vehicle, getting him safely across with thirty seconds before the train came through.

The conductor, Shirley Temple, was at a loss of what to do upon seeing Truffaut on the tracks. “It takes a good mile for the breaks to bring this train to a full stop. Plus if I were to hit the brakes hard I could have endangered the passengers on board.I'm just glad it all worked out.”

Truffaut was taken to Southern Maine Medical Center where he remains in stable condition. According to the police report he is a diabetic and may have received his insulin shot before the incident which could have resulted in him becoming unconscious.

Man Found Unconscious on Train Tracks

Francois Truffaut, an 80-year-old Canadian tourist, was found unconscious behind the wheel of his car that was stalled on the train tracks in Old Orchard Beach, Maine at 6 a.m.
An Amtrak train runs through Old Orchard Beach every morning at 6:10 a.m at an average speed of 40 miles per hour.
James Laboke, 17, found Truffaut and ran 100 yards to the police station to inform them of the incident.
Captain Janet Paradiso of the town police force was almost a mile away from the scene when she heard the news come over her police radio. Arriving with five minutes until the Amtrak was scheduled to come through town Captain Paradiso drove her police cruiser full speed into Truffaut's car, pushing it safely off the tracks. "I knew there was no time. I had to do something." Records show that thirty seconds after the car was off the tracks, the train came through town.
Francois Truffaut was taken to the Southern Maine Medical Center where he remains in stable condition. He revealed that he was a diabetic and does not remember anything leading up to or the incident itself.
According to the police, Truffaut could have had an insulin shot before reaching the train tracks which may have caused him to become unconscious.

Bad Teachers Finally Have Consequences for Their Actions

On the front page today there was an article about the Bloomberg administration's effort to get rid of the teachers who have proven themselves to be incompetent.
This article caught my eye because I've never heard of such a thing. Growing up and still now as I am in my final years of college, the teachers and professors have always seemed highly protected and it would take nothing short of an army to get them fired.
Last semester I had a horrible professor, he had no intention of teaching his subject, but rather teaching his way and if you did things differently or looked at something differently he decided to fail you.
I would say there are many teachers out there that shouldn't be, that have lost sight of what education should truly be about-sharing information and enlightening students, enabling them to go out into the world educated in many areas. They are more concerned with their tenure then the minds they are shaping.
So I support this move in NY and I think others should take notice. After all any type of change in this world has to start with education and if we have incompetent people at the core of our schools then we will go nowhere.

Banks Losing Power

Today's business section had an interesting article on the new laws concerning overdraft fees and the extent of the banks power in such situations.
The article states that last year alone the banks made a profit of almost $40 billion dollars from overdraft fees. More than half of which was from debit card purchases and A.T.M withdrawals. Because debit cards have become the majority's main method of payment this source of profit is huge for the banks.
However, new laws are limiting such power and profit and now banks must have their customers choose the overdraft option in order to keep the fee income high. Banks have since taken it upon themselves to send threatening letters to customers, making it appear that they will lose major privileges if they don't choose the overdraft payment option.
Honestly I think it is time the banks face the facts: they need to adapt with the times. They should be partnering up with their customers not taking away from their lives even more. These aggressive emails and letters only expose the disgusting, animal-like money and power hungry executive pigs for what they are.

Finally Someone With Power Using it For Good

On the front page today the article "Obama To Seek Federal Power Over Insurers" was about one of the best things to read and made my day. Obama wants to propose giving the federal government the power to stop insurance companies from increasing the rates.
Could this be an indication of the reforms to come concerning health care? Will the current main players have to step aside? Imagine health care that works for the people and not against them...

Feb. 18th paper: Do You Even Need to Leave Your Car?

Technology is such a fast developing industry I can barely keep up. After reading "Television That Streams, Even if Traffic Doesn't" I began to wonder if futuristic views such as the Jetsons are not that far off.
Qualcomm, the same company that is trying to push cell phones as the next tool for students, has a subscription service called Flo TV which they are trying to get into cars so families can watch broadcast TV anywhere and anytime.
I personally think this is ridiculous..we are in the car to drive, maybe listen to music and talk...not lay back and watch our favorite shows. While I am impressed with the advancements in the technology industry, I think a lot of the advancements are so unnecessary and take away from people communicating one on one rather than through text or email.