They're Getting A Free Education, But What Are They Learning?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5926025

  The No. 3 ranked Kansas Jayhawks have indefinitely suspended senior guard Mario Little. The player was arrested following an altercation with a man at his girlfriend's apartment, after his girlfriend became enraged and left for a friends apartment, Little allegedly followed her. When asked when he would bring Mario back to practice, Coach Self responded saying that "it won't be anytime soon."

 These types of stories really make me angry. College athletes need to understand the privileges they are equipped with. Most Division One athletes do not pay a cent in tuition, but so many abuse such a gift. My message to these athletes is this: Stop breaking the law! Violation of team rules usually results in some sort of fine or suspension. Sometimes college athletes take things too far and break major laws. One of the most high profile superstar to nobody transitions which took just one day is the ordeal Tyler Smith went through. Smith was a star guard for the University of Tennessee about 2 years ago. That all changed when he was pulled over for driving a teammates' car while high. Smith was kicked off of the team while his teammates in the car were suspended. Every year there are many high profile crimes committed by College Basketball players and it is a trend which does not seem to be on the way down. College athletes need to understand that there are many people out there who would die to be in the positions that these athletes are in. If they keep taking their situation for granted, there could be major backlashes by the NCAA resulting in decreases in the number of scholarships each coach will be allotted to offer.

At The Age of 77, It's Time for Me to Spend More Time With My Wife and Family

http://m.yahoo.com/w/ynews/article/topstories/4?url=http%3A%2F%2Fca.rd.yahoo.com%2Fdailynews%2Frss%2Fmobile_topstories_fp%2F%2A%2Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fca.rss.news.yahoo.com%2Frss%2Freuters%2F101217%2Fentertainment%2Fcentertainment_us_larryking&.ts=1292573300&.ys=1292568536&.intl=CA&.lang=en-ca

  It finally happened. Larry King announced his retirement and completed his last ever show. At the age of 77, King said he wanted to spend time with his wife and 2 sons, and possibly pursue stand up comedy. King was an icon for many newscasters but over the past few years was seeing his ratings absolutely plummet in attempts to compete with FOX news and MSNBC. King signed off after 25 years, and was most adored for his "nonconfrontational interviews." Any politician who had some sort of aspirations for their careers would have a stint on the show along with anyone who had already advanced their career. King became lovable with celebrities simply because he did something every modern journalist today does. Which would be putting his nose into other peoples' business.

  It's sad that King is officially out of the business for now. On the other hand, it was about time. In today's world of action packed, riveting, detailed analysis of news and celebrities, King no longer fit the bill. It's the reason CNN could no longer compete with the likes of FOX and MSNBC. The other networks have strong and edgy personalities which simply garner one's attention. While King's show quite frankly was boring by the end of its tenure. It was an emotional ending to the show, leaving King in tears. Even though he was knocked off of the list of most popular talk show hosts, viewers and stars will always have some form of admiration for the show. King may have retired a little later than he should have, but he will always be remembered fondly.

Wiki Leaks Founder Allowed Out on Bail

http://m.yahoo.com/w/ynews/article/topstories/3?url=http%3A%2F%2Fca.rd.yahoo.com%2Fdailynews%2Frss%2Fmobile_topstories_fp%2F%2A%2Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fca.rss.news.yahoo.com%2Frss%2Freuters%2F101217%2Fn_top_news%2Fcnews_us_wikileaks&.ts=1292573300&.ys=1292568536&.intl=CA&.lang=en-ca

  Wiki leaks founder Julian Assange is now walking free in Britain after being released on bail. He had been attempting to fight extradition to Sweden after being accused of committing sex crimes. The allegations were made by two Wiki leaks volunteers. Assange was released on bail for approximately 200 000 pounds. For those who don't know, Wiki leaks is a non profit organization that publishes submissions of otherwise unavailable documents from anonymous sources.
 
   Whether or not Julian Assange committed sex crimes, is something which I do not know. I will say that for the sake of exciting news, I am enthralled that he will not be imprisoned. Assange has already stated that he is going right back to work, something U.S. officials are not to happy about I will assume. Wikileaks is becoming, or already is, a global organization of sorts. There are older men and women joining now, as well as teenagers my age becoming part of the system and uncovering conspiracy stories of their own. There is another debatable question surrounding Assange as well. Is this man breaking the law in his methods of uncovering the hidden truth? Personally, I would say no, but he should be very aware of the steps he takes when he digs up his next conspiracy. The U.S.A. has already filed an indictment calling for his arrest while other nation leaders are acting with mixed emotions. Australia's PM made a statement recently praising Julian and his co-workers for the work they are doing. I myself, love what they are doing and hope that they will continue until no stone is left unturned.  

New York Nun Accused of Embezzling Almost $1 Million While Gambling

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2010/12/10/16504066.html

  Some stories are just plain bizarre. Sister Marie Thornton, former Vice President of Finance at Iona College in New York, "is charged with sending phony invoices to the school to pay off personal credit card bills and expenses." Between 1999 and 2009 is when the thefts occured until Thornton resigned from the College. This is where the humour comes in. Sister Marie is actually accused of gambling the embezzled money away on her frequent trips to Atlantic City. According to the Iona basketball coach, the nun had a reputation for visiting Atlantic City.

 Anyone else find it ironic that a nun not only stole but gambled away around $850 000? The good news: the school was able to recover most of the missing funds. The bad news for Iona is that it is under heavy scrutiny for not reporting that there was a substantial amount of missing money. Alumni and Donors are very upset and rightfully so. Why give to a cause that has shown so much irresponsibility? The Iona College are also at fault here for not reporting the missing money until 2009! I really don't feel much sympathy for the Institute. You would generally think to question a nun who has the financial means to travel to Atlantic City as often as she did and continue to gamble for such a long period of time. The nun entered a plea of not guilty, to federal embezzlement charges. Only time will tell is this Sister will be behind bars sometime soon.

Court Denies the Appeal Sentence of Murderer

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20101215/rengel-bagshaw-sentence-appeal-denied-101215/

  David Bagshaw had his appeal to alter the adult sentence he received denied by the Toronto Court of Appeal. He was just 4 days from his 18th birthday when he gruesomely murdered Stefanie Rengel. Bagshaw lured Rengel out of her home before stabbing her 6 times with a kitchen knife on New Year's Day 2008. In a related note, Bagshaw's girlfriend at the time is serving a life in person sentence with no chance of parole for seven years. (The maximum sentence for someone her age.)

  The Toronto Court of Appeal got this one right. There is no way the Bagshaw deserves to be let off in such a short time. Not for a murder of that nature. A point which Bagshaw's defence tried to stress at the time of the original sentencing period was that David's girlfriend at the time was described as a puppet master of sorts. Trying to convince the jury that Bagshaw did not premeditate these attacks by himself. The motion was disregarded quickly because while his girlfriend ( Melissa Todorovic) may have planned the attack, Bagshaw was still the one who ended up carrying out the act in an absolutely disgustingly painful way. I find it absolutely unbelievable that the defence was trying to push for Bagshaw to be tried as a youth with a maximum sentence of 10 years which would include the time he would spend in pretrial custody. The government got this one right.

Kenya Under Heavy Scrutiny From U.K. and Canada

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20101215/kenya-urged-to-prosecute-corrupt-officials-101215/

   Kenya is coming under heavy pressure from Canada, U.K., UNICEF, and World Bank after corrupt officials in Kenya stole more than 1 million dollars which was supposed to go towards sending children in poverty to school. Kenya is being urged to prosecute the officials which took part in the acts of theft. The operation had been continuing for about 4 years before World Bank realized that over a million dollars had been unaccounted for. Kenya is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, sixty percent of Kenyans live off of under two dollars a day. Officials of the Ministry are still not co-operating with investigators.

This is a crucial moment for Kenya as a nation. Countries around the world are putting together their best efforts in their attempt to lift the country out of poverty and help brighten the future and lives of many children. I firmly believe that support for the country will start to fade if Kenya does not show that they truly understand how impoverished their nation could be without the aid of international organizations. With the situation the economy is in, not to mention the intense debt some countries are experiencing, support for this nation will falter considerably in the event Kenya decides not to take action. There will be revolt in this already divided nation, Kenya has a critical decision to make. The fate of their country may depend on it. 

NCAA Recuiting Violations Occuring in Greater Volume

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ys-uconnphone032509

    The University of Connecticut has been found guilty of violating NCAA recruiting laws. This is the second time in the last year that the university has been investigated. This time around though, the league said they had crossed the line in their recruitment of guard Nate Miles. Miles had committed major NCAA violations by being represented by agent Josh Nochimson. Nochimson provided Miles with lodging, transportation, and restaurant meals. Along with phone calls exceeding the limit for a prospect, they was excessive text messaging. Miles has now taken his talents to the College of Southern Idaho.

  Okay, the reason I bring this to the attention of the public is not because I simply want to report on the UConn violation. More and more high profile schools are committing recruiting violations and the NCAA is finally starting to crack down on them. So far in 2010, the likes of UConn, Tennessee, Memphis, Kentucky, Iowa, Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi State and many more have been sanctioned by the NCAA.

WHO IS AT FAULT HERE?

  Both sides are at fault. But if I had to choose who is more guilty in recruiting violations as a whole, I would come to the conclusion that the coaching staff is at fault. Think of it this way, when a student arrives at a university straight out of high school they are 18, but when they are being actively recruited and sought out by a potential basketball program, they are generally in the 11th grade or just beginning their senior year so they are about 16 years old. Many recruits do have principles and a sense of right or wrong, but even they can be worked over by a coaching staff simply because as a recruit you assume that a potential coach would be looking out for your best interests. It is a naive way of thinking but I do not fault a player for thinking in this manner. If a potential coach offered me something of material value and said that it was within NCAA rules, I would probably accept the offer. Recruiting violations are more and more frequent these days, and they quite frankly need to stop. Historic programs are having their names tarnished and I am sick and tired of it.

Now That I Have My Learners License, I Should Be Able to Vote Now Too, Right?

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101215/bc_voting_age_101215/20101215?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

   Liberal leader Mike de Jong has an interesting campaign platform in preparation for the next election. The politician has promised British Columbians that if elected Premier of B.C., he will change the legal voting age in our province to sixteen years old. This would be a difference of two years in regards to the current legal voting age of eighteen. De Jong has come under heavy scrutiny, unsurprisingly.

  I am whole heartily against Mike de Jong's proposition. It doesn't get too much simpler than that. It is quite difficult for me to view this proposition without automatically thinking that it is a scheme to persuade teenagers to vote for the Liberals. I am a senior in high school myself, and I can safely say that 50% at best would not have the proper intelligence to vote simply because they do not understand politics. Yes, there are some teenagers who have the capacity and strong will that they would not be swayed easily by different parties. Let's face it, at the age of sixteen the majority of teenagers are not mature enough to make an important decision involving politics. My age group are the most easily swayed demographic that politicians would appeal to. If the government is legitimately trying to find a way to incorporate teens into the political system, they should have someone deliver mandatory seminars at local high schools in order to educate students on the world of politics. If students find it bland and uninteresting, clearly they have not yet reached the appropriate maturity which is needed for such a responsibility.

Gang Wars Beginning to Spiral Out of Control in Vancouver

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Assault+rifle+found+Shaughnessy+following+night+terror+mayhem/3965577/story.html

    Just one week after Vancouver RCMP warned the public that there will be increased volume of gang activity, Vancouver had some of the worst gang violence it has ever had. On the night of December 11, just after 2 a.m., shots rang through Oak Street. The gun play left 10 people wounded, 2 in critical condition. With the increase in gang activity in recent months, police say they fear there is a new gang war brewing in Metro Vancouver. After hits in Kitsilano, Coquitlam, Richmond, Mission, Delta, and the most high profile murder occurring in Burnaby outside of Metrotown Mall. Gurmit Singh Dahk was executed outside of Metrotown, he was well known to police as a longtime gangster.

  To those who are expecting me to talk about the pride I have for the city of Vancouver, you will be sadly disappointed with my opinion. Big cities come with big problems. Of course there is going to be more severe violence in a city like Vancouver which is already large and still rapidly growing. In 2009, 20 people were killed in Vancouver as a result of gang violence. In Toronto, 300 people have been killed as a result of gang violence in the past 5 years. Now, I do not condone violence or crime in any way shape or form. Vancouverites also need to understand that these are the problems that come along with living in a big city. If there is one piece of advice I could give to the Federal Government, it is very simple. In order to slow the rate of violence, the judicial system must become more strict and tougher. Known gangsters are being let off with short sentences and are back on the street far too soon. Its an easy solution to recommend, but carrying it out is far more difficult than people understand. I'll give the ideas, but it's up to the government to come up with the nuts and bolts now.
  

I Was Going to Say Your Name...But Because of Copyright and Trademark Laws I Can't.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/sports/10trademark.html?_r=1&ref=sports

     In today's day and age, athletes, celebrities, and any other categories of so called "famous people" are constantly looking for a new way to make a quick buck or find some way to be considered unique. The newest fad out there is the trademarking of certain expressions and nicknames, sometimes even actual names themselves. Who would do such a thing? Superstar athletes who are self obsessed thinking the world revolves around them. This is happening in different sports leagues right around the U.S. Darrele Revis, cornerback for the New York Jets, claims athletes do it because people are trying to make a profit off of the athlete. Okay Darrele, I hear you loud and clear. You don't want people to make a quick buck off of your abilities, but why does it really matter to you or any other athlete for that matter? Revis just signed a 4 year $46 million dollar contract. Now let me ask you: would the average person still care about some guy on a street corner making five bucks off of a T-shirt stating your nickname, which because of trademark laws I will not risk saying.

     Now I am not at all trying to target Darrele because his actions do not warrant a personal attack in any way shape or form. There are worse things you could have trademarked other than a nickname. Right Lebron? If you don't already know, Nike actually owns the rights to the name "Lebron." Suddenly I don't really care that Darrele Revis trademarked "Revis Island", that Terrell Owens patented "I love me some me," or that Chad Ochocinco trademarked "Kiss da baby." Your name? Really? In the article, Vince Young's lawyer stated in regards to athletes that "they need to be cautious of their names, and they need to protect themselves." I didn't realize that stars are becoming so self absorbed that they now want to choose who can and cannot say their names. My response to this practice of trademarking nicknames and names is critical, and I'm sure many will say that I'm overreacting. All I can say to those who disagree with me is this: stop looking at this from a legal perspective and take a step back and use your common sense and then take a look at the situation. There's a big difference.