Category: U.S.

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Politics U.S.

Will the Racial Divide in the USA Ever End?

racial divide, racism in America
racial divide, racism in America

Racism in America is a big subject, especially right now after the Michael Brown case, but why is there still such a big racial divide in 2014? The USA has an African American President, a sign that every race can achieve any position if they stay in school, work hard, and become productive citizens. Many of the top leaders in the black communities are accused of keeping the racial divide open in order to profit from the unrest, and some say that these are the ones who still foster racism in America today. Statistics show that 93% of African Americans are killed by others of their own race, and in the USA today every child regardless of race or religion has access to a free education.

Some African Americans are speaking out about the Michael Brown case, the racial divide, and what some feel are high levels of racism in America today, including celebrities like Charles Barkley and Chris Rock. Even black celebrities are divided, with some advocating that the leaders of black communities start in their own neighborhoods and mentor young kids so that they stay off the streets and out of jail. In Ferguson, Missouri there were violent riots and the burning down and looting of many businesses in the suburb, and the stepfather of Michael Brown was caught on camera after the grand jury returned a true bill, telling the crowd to burn these —– down. The National Guard had to be called in to protect the public and the remaining businesses in town, and more than 100 people were arrested for criminal acts during the rioting.

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Breaking News U.S.

The Grand Jury Found No Charges for Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson

Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, Michael Brown
Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, Michael Brown

Recently the grand jury found no charges for Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown, and this has fueled violence, protests, and a debate about whether the Ferguson police officer feared for his life. An 18 year old man is dead an that is tragic, but the grand jury went over all of the evidence in the case and determined that officer Darren Wilson was justified in using deadly force. Witnesses who saw what happened were conflicted, and 3 different autopsies did not clarify things as much as the jurors would have liked. There is no evidence that Brown had his hands raised in surrender when he was shot, in fact some of the witnesses corroborated the testimony of Darren Wilson that the teenager was charging him.

The forensic evidence in the Michael Brown case shows that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot Brown while still seated in the police vehicle after Brown came into the side window and assaulted Wilson. There were witnesses to this altercation who have stated that Michael Brown was the initial aggressor in the confrontation. There is also evidence that the teen had stolen cigars from a nearby convenience store, and surveillance footage from the store shows the teen pushing the clerk around. Many are trying to portray the troubled teen as a boy scout who was an angel and the facts show that this is not true. Any person, regardless of color or age, should expect to be shot when assaulting a police officer.

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Canada Entertainment U.S.

Edge of a Revolution by Nickelback Inspired by Michael Brown Case

Edge of a Revolution by Nickelback Inspired by Michael Brown Case
Nickelback, Michael Brown

Chad Kroeger, the front man for the band Nickelback and a Canadian by birth, has said that the latest hit for the band titled Edge of a Revolution was inspired by the Michael Brown case as well as politics in America today. The band was working on the latest album called Fixed Address when the Michael Brown case hit the news. Media saturation on the case was very high when unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, and the attention has not dies down since the incident. After the shooting the streets of Ferguson were full of rioters, and many were upset that police used what appeared to be military vehicles and equipment to stop the protests.

The grand jury in the Michael Brown case is expected to release the results of their investigation soon, and many believe that officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted and that further protests will occur. The court has promised to alert police to the verdict when it is delivered, and to keep the verdict secret from the public for 48 hours so that police have time to prepare for any expected protests. According to Nickelback member Chad Kroeger in an interview with Yahoo Music “The issue of the black boy who was shot by the white cop in Missouri was a major story and there was rioting like crazy. This was all happening right when we were working on the music. It definitely seemed like the seeds of revolution were being planted, and I wanted it to feel that way in the song.”

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U.S.

Pig Virus Drives Up U.S. Ham Costs as Farmers Create Fatter Pigs

Pig Virus Drives Up U.S. Ham Costs as Farmers Create Fatter Pigs
pig virus, U.S. ham costs

U.S. ham costs are exorbitant right now thanks to a pig virus that killed off millions of piglets. As a result of the losses pig farmers in the United States have been feeding the hogs more, and for longer periods, so that they are fatter when they go to market and the farmer gets more for the animal. Since ham is taken from the hind legs of a pig, and the pigs are much heavier, the animals are too fat for the standard 7 pound ham that many families serve on the holiday. Instead the hams are bigger and heavier, and therefore more expensive to purchase. Approximately half of all the ham consumed in the United States is eaten during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, and Americans will pay more for this treat this year because of fatter hogs.

Thanks to the recent pig virus which killed off most of the piglets born to pigs on farms in the United States the U.S. ham costs are up 26% this year, and that can mean a big difference in the cost of a holiday dinner for family and friends. The chief financial officer for the Michigan division of HoneyBaked Ham, Brian Mariuz, explained “This year has been a struggle for people that sell half hams because heavier hogs are coming to market,. Seven-pound hams are in the highest demand and in the lowest supply.” Higher prices also affect other countries which import ham from the United States, making it harder for some to afford ham for the holidays.

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Health U.S.

Iowa Student Takes a Stand Against Weighing Teens in School

Iowa Student Takes a Stand Against Weighing Teens in School
weighing teens in school, student takes a stand

An Iowa student takes a stand against weighing teens in school, and as a result the student was sent to the principal because she refused to be weighed by a teacher. The weighing and measuring of students in the United States has become almost commonplace as schools attempt to measure the Body Mass Index of their students, and this practice is very controversial with some students and parents. Many believe that this is something that a parent and physician should take care of, and that schools have no place in this type of medical process or in any determination of abnormal weight. When 13 year old Ireland Hobert Hoch was order to step on the scale she refused, telling a local newspaper that this practice not only made her uncomfortable but was also uncomfortable for other female students as well.

After Ireland decided to speak out and refuse to participate in weighing teens in school she was punished by being sent to the principal’s office. When the student takes a stand school administrators are rarely happy, and that was the case with Ireland Hobert Hoch. Instead of admitting that they may be in the wrong school personnel offered to weigh the 13 year old in another location, like the nurse’s office or the front office, however Hoch refused. “I don’t feel like it’s their business,. I feel like it’s my doctor’s and my mom and my own business…I don’t even know (how much I weigh) right now.” Heather Hobert Hoch, Ireland’s mother, agrees with her daughter that weighing teen sin school is not appropriate. Heather believes that this is something that the family physician should do instead.

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Politics U.S.

Can US Congress Stop President Obama From Acting on Immigration?

Can US Congress Stop President Obama From Acting on Immigration?
US Congress, President Obama

President Obama, the elected leader of the United States, is moving forward with his plans to act alone on immigration and to make major changes using an executive order. After the midterm election results this is a bold move, and perhaps a foolish one as well. Can the US Congress stop the president though, or are they helpless to do anything about the move that some say is presidential overreach? The United States Congress does have some options, but none that are without drawbacks and disadvantages though. Congress does control funding, and it is possible that the new Republican majority in both houses of the US Congress may decide to keep President Obama from any real changes to immigration by cutting off his access to funding for the programs that he is planning.

From all the reports so far neither President Obama nor the US Congress wants to shut down the government. This happened last year when both parties could not agree, and both sides received some blame and lost credibility and trust with the American public. This is not a scenario that anyone who is elected to their current position wants to revisit. There is talk of suing the president, but some believe there is a better solution. If the US Congress passes laws that make the executive orders from President Obama obsolete then this could be a winning solution for Republicans. A law restricting the number of work permits or green cards, or even a law requiring that immigration laws are enforced as written could solve the issue.