Jesse James has returned from a “treatment facility” for “personal reasons.” …OK? In other news, his wedding ring did not return with him. He was spotted taking his kids to school Monday morning without the band of gold. Remind you of Sandra hiking sans ring a few weeks ago, huh?

Bret Michaels, of Poison and dating hookers fame, was rushed to the hospital last Thursday night where he was diagnosed with a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage. In other (English) words, he is bleeding from the base of his brain stem. He remains in ICU and doctors are searching for the cause of the bleed.

File this under “reasons NBC is dumb.” The little show that could, a.k.a. “Southland” has been given the O.K. for season three. The show that was promptly axed from NBC even after steady rating and a rapid fan base, moved to TNT for its second season. The network has ordered 10 episodes.

The next James Bond film, known as Bond 23 has indefinitely been put on hold. Producers of the film cite “uncertain future of MGM and the failure to close a sale of the studio” as reasons. MGM is so greatly in debt they have tried to sell the company… and failed. I’m sure going to miss Judy Dench.

Lindsey can’t get a job. Lohan that is and she was fired from another movie. The former mean girl (well probably still is) was axed from a new film called “The Other Side.” Director David Michaels says Lohan is “not bankable.” Supposedly the film was not getting the necessary financing with Lindsey attached. Thanks for realizing what the rest of the world already knows guys.

Classes are canceled on April 22, but do you know why? Students have been working for months on presentations in preparation of this year’s Arts, Research and Scholarship Symposium. It will give Cabrini students, faculty and staff the chance to present their research and findings.

Works presented will range from paintings and creative writings to research on  scientific studies. Students are chosen by faculty who then become mentors.  The symposium is a culmination of their hard work.

“It’s a way to celebrate and showcase a student’s hard work to the campus community,” Dr. David Dunbar, biology professor and a faculty adviser of this year’s symposium, said. “Also, hopefully other students that attend that have not presented at the Symposium will be motivated to do so the following year. It really looks great on a resume and is something to talk about at job or graduate school interviews.”

“The range of topics is very wide,” Dr. John Cordes, communication professor and the organizer of this year’s event, said. “Everything from literature critiques in Spanish to sociological and psychological studies to detailed life and physical science experiments.  The opportunity to present research is an excellent way to close the research process for a particular question while at the same time opening up new avenues for related research.”

The idea for the Symposium came up about five years ago when Dunbar and Dr. Charlie McCormick, former dean for academic affairs, attended a science conference sponsored by The Council of Undergraduate Research. The theme of the conference focused on the merits of undergraduate research. “At the conference it was suggested for us to host a Research Symposium to showcase student creative works and to motivate other students to take on research projects,” Dunbar said.

For students it’s a chance to feel the pressures and rewards of academics after college. “The students have the option of choosing either to prepare a poster or to give an oral presentation,” Cordes said. “This year there are more than 75 posters scheduled and more than 40 oral presentations.”

The work does not go unnoticed by peers. “I’m excited to see the biology presentations,” Emily Fiore, sophomore education major, said. “I don’t really understand them but it’s cool to see students doing such complex work.”

As for the students set to present, they’re ready for the end. “It was a lot of work and we put a lot of hours in to it,”  Sam Webb, sophomore communication major, said. Webb will be presenting on rain forests. “It was a great experience but I’m excited to put it out there.”

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Obama makes first visit to war-torn Afghanistan

President Obama visited Afghanistan last week to meet with President Hamid Karzai and American troops. This marks Obamas first visit to the war-torn nation. President Obama used the trip to emphasize certain promises made by President Karzai that have not been kept.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 New drilling sites to open

The Obama administration announced plans to open vast off-sea sites for drilling exploration in search of natural gases and oil. The area spans from Delaware to central Florida. No date is given on when this exploration would start.

Thursday, April 1, 2010 Haitians illegally enter U.S.

At least 30 survivors of the Haiti earthquakes are now in jail for entering the U.S. illegally. These Haitians were waved onto military planes by Marines in the immediate aftermath of the quakes. All are being held for deportation although deportation to Haiti has been halted indefinitely.

Friday, April 2, 2010 Security systems revamped on all flights entering U.S.

The security systems on passengers of flights entering the United States will be revamped. This idea is the product of analysis of current security after the Christmas Day bomb threats. This new system will be implemented mostly on flights landing from 14 Muslim countries.

Saturday, April 3, 2010 Unemployment rate shows upturn

In an early sign of recovery, the Department of Labor reported a payroll surge. Over 160,000 jobs were added while national unemployment held steady at 9.7. The economy is poised to make a steady, albeit slow, upturn, according to some analysts.

Sunday April 4, 2010 Strong earthquake hit Baja California

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Baja California, Mexico, late Sunday. The quake was felt in the Southwestern United States, especially Los Angeles. No word yet on the effect the 60-second quake had on the area.

On March 21, 2010 the House of Representatives passed the bill, already approved by the Senate late last year, that made health insurance a requirement for all people, giving 95 percent of the country coverage. The uproar of disagreeing Americans could almost literally be heard as the bill passed with a vote of 219-to-212.

There is an internet full of facts for me to post but what’s the real purpose of this article. To write about my favorite subject, my personal opinion. I am a political science minor (I know, impressive), so I am more than qualified to give a logical unbiased report. Not.

I am as pro-health care reform as I am anti-Michael Bay movies. Which is a lot. But why? I am pro-health care reform because I believe that as a financially-secure American (well my family), I need to help others. Some people cannot afford to have healthcare and are putting off doctors’ visits and medical tests because they can’t afford them. People are losing their homes and livelihoods because their family members are becoming ill. People are dying because they can’t afford preventative care. There is a price for saving millions of lives. It’s a small tax hike, most of which is on the rich and not on income.

I always say that I am a Democrat because I understand that higher taxes get things done. I am willing to pay higher taxes if it means better education and safer streets. This is the same thing.

It seems that the debate on health care has been focused on the money. An important part, yes, but not where the focus should be. People’s lives are being saved. You can’t put a price on life. But this is our chance.

While were on the subject let’s talk money. New health care will cost just under $1 trillion dollars (about $980 billion) over the course of the next 10 years, but that would save us money compared to the path we were headed down. Like I said earlier ,most of the money comes from a higher income bracket a.k.a. rich folk. Some other spots the government will be sucking us dry (sarcasm alert!) is through a tanning tax. Sorry, ladies and a couple of gentlemen, but a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning facilities would raise $2.7 billion dollars by 2019. Also, in the why-didn’t-we-do-this-sooner department, a tax on health care industries.

For us college students, here’s the best part. Your parents’ healthcare with cover you until the age of 26, effective immediately. This will make the job hunt that much sweeter.

The only dark cloud on this sunny day that is health care reform is the public opinion. 54 percent of Americans disapprove of health care reform. I think that a more accurate figure would be 54 percent of Americans don’t understand health care reform. I know I didn’t until recently. While positive public opinion is not necessary, obviously, it does make things far easier. President Obama definitely made some enemies in the fight for this bill. For example pro-life Democrats in the House promised their votes if the bill didn’t cover abortions.

Whether you approve or not doesn’t seem to matter anymore seeing as Obama will have signed the bill into law by the time this article is published. Guess what? Your insured! Yay! Now throw a party for yourself with the comfort of knowing that no matter how much you torture your body you’ll be insured!

Frank Emmerich '92, an attorney, speaks with senior Meghan Smith. photo by Matt McGuirman.

Cabrini students gathered to get a leg up on the job hunt and receive advice from alumni.

A Speed Career Networking event, held in the Mansion on Tuesday, March 16, helped students get ready for interviews and start making connections.

Alumni from multiple job fields gave advice, based on their real world experience, to interested students ready to start job searching.

The alumni gave students mock interviews and traded contact information.

“You need to think about where you are, and what you need to do in order to advance your career” Nancy Hutchinson, director of the co-op and career services center, said.

Students and alumni were given name tags and numbers.

The numbers were associated with tables, similar to the event’s inspiration from speed dating.

Students and alumni would find their seats and following 10 minutes of advice and conversation, the students move on to the next table.

“It was nerve wracking but once we got into it, it was easy,” Jenn Bollinger, senior political science major, said. “The alumni know what it’s like to be at Cabrini and then go out and try and get a job. I was really hoping to start my job search here and it worked out better than expected. These connections are real and I hope to use them to get my dream job.”

Alumni gave advice for seniors starting their careers as well as to underclassmen thinking about their futures.

“An event like this is important because it helps students meet the right people in the right industy of work, ” Michaela Enriquez, senior human resources major, said. “It helps get their name out there to successful people who are willing and eager to help them. It was even better that they were Cabrini Alumni because they could relate to you and knew what you were going through.”

Students interacted with alumni in fields of their interest but also other various fields, giving them practice for future job hunting.

The event also debuted a new position within the co-op office. Jocelyn Tutrani, coordinator of first year career development, brings a full array of professional assistance for students of all levels.

There are also new ways to get students into the working world. Job shadowing allows students to literally follow the foot steps of someone in any career path.

This means not only will students get a first-person look into a career, but networking is bound to happen.

It was noted that the social networking site, Linkedin, is like Facebook for networking.

Cabrini alumni have a strong presence on the site. There, students can meet new people, get help with preparing for jobs and possible even get jobs on the site.

In a recent episode of Fox comedy hit “Family Guy,” a passing joke has led to a heap of trouble. The character of Chris, voiced by Seth Green, went on a date with his crush Ellen. Ellen happened to have Down Syndrome.

In this small scene, the character of Ellen states that her mother is the former governor of Alaska. No name was mentioned, but every conscious human on the planet knows that the former governor of Alaska and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin gave birth to a son, Trig, a few months before the 2008 election began who was prenatally diagnosed with Down Syndrome.

Palin is not afraid of a war of words and this time was no exception. The next day, she responded on her Facebook (side note; way to go Sarah, nice social networking skills) to the episode calling the comment, “another kick in the gut.” She goes on to quote her eldest daughter Bristol, who said, “When you’re the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent.”

When dealing with the portrayal of special needs people on film and television, you walk a fine line. It can come across as empowering or defacing. The best route is to have honest roles. Characters like Carla Tate from “The Other Sister” played by Juliette Lewis and Claire Danes as autistic “Temple Grandin” show that the real story, the good and bad, is the best story.

Another issue in this kind of plot is actors. When casting the question arises as to whether to cast an actor to play a disabled character or a disabled person to play a character? “Glee” producers got slack from Performers with Disabilities, a part of the Screen Actors Guild, for casting an able-bodied actor in the part of a paraplegic. In the case of “Family Guy,” the actress voicing Ellen is Andrea Fay Friedman, a woman living with Down Syndrome.

In a statement released by the actress after Palin “posted” her response, she said, “In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.” Point Friedman? I think so.

What this comes down to it, this is about Sarah Palin, not Trig Palin. This joke, which is literally eight words long, is pointed at Sarah. It’s a pop culture reference more than anything. Also, Friedman and Bristol Palin make a great point. Bristol talks about having thick skin and Andrea speaks of the importance of a sense of humor. The combination of these traits make anyone, not only those with special needs, but everyone a better functioning member of society at least mentally.

Whichever side you agree with, hopefully everyone can agree this is a small thing blown way out of proportion to get everyone talking about Sarah Palin. And we fell for it…

Soldiers scan for possible snipers in nearby apartment buildings in al Noor neighobrhood, north Mosul, Iraq on January 26, 2008. Charlie Company, First Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Fourth Division based at Fort Carson, Colorado (Steve Lannen/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT)

U.S. rocket kills 10 Afghan civilians

The 10 deaths, five of which were children, came two days into a new military strategy in Marja. Top American commander Gen. Stanley A. McCrystal apologized to President Hamid Karzai. Avoiding civilian deaths is the basis for American strategy in the Middle East.

Secret raid captures Taliban commander

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a top Taliban military commander, was captured in a secret joint raid by American and Pakistani intelligence officers. American officials call Baradar the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago.

New nuclear reactors approves by government

The U.S. government has approved an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to build two nuclear reactors in Georgia. These will be the first new reactors built on American soil since the 1970s. President Obama has embraced nuclear energy as a clear energy alternative.

Snipers are effective for Afghan offense

Afghan military have begun using snipers in combat in the new U.S. campaign in Marja. There have been five Marines hit by these long-range shots, one fatally.

States consider cuts to Medicad

Virtually every state is eyeing possible cuts to Medicaid. In order to try and save money, states are cutting optional coverage since they are not allowed to change eligibility. This comes at the same time as Democrats pushing for $15 million in funding for the program.

Anthrax case officially closed

The F.B.I. has officially closed the case on the anthrax attacks from eight years ago that killed five people. The attacks were carried out by Bruce E. Ivins, a military biodefense expert who killed himself in 2008. The 92-page report is considered the largest F.B.I. investigation in history.

Jobless to stay jobless in better economy

As the economy starts to head north, don’t expect the unemployment rate to do the same right away. Economists are worried that there will not be enough new jobs to meet the needs of the record number of Americans without them.

Cabrini is preparing for Relay for Life to come onto campus for the first time. Students are in the midst of planning and getting participants for the event, scheduled to take place on March 20.

Relay for Life is an event that raises money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

The event’s main feature is a continuous walk around a track. The teams continue their walk throughout the night to raise money.

Other features are the Survivor Lap and Survivor Dinner. While the event’s main feature is to raise money, celebrating those who have won their battle is important.

“Everyone, at some point in their lives, is affected by cancer in some way,” Katie Keller, sophomore accounting major and event co-chair, said. “The American Cancer Society and RFL realize this and are working to help those victims of cancer with fundraisers such as this.”

At Cabrini the road to get this event is a long one. After freshmen attended the RFL at Villanova last year they were inspired to bring it to their own campus.

“Last April I contacted the American Cancer Society and spoke to a representative,” Danielle DiBartolo, sophomore social work, sociology and psychology major and co-chair said. “We met in May before we went home for the semester and decided we were going to do it. I talked with people from Cabrini all summer to pick a date and get approval and our committee started meeting in August and we have been working hard since then.”

Gaining momentum in the planning has been going on for a while and is going well. Getting people signed up and excited is a different story.

“A challenge we have faced and are facing now still is a general lack of familiarity of Relay for Life on campus,” Keller said. “Since this is new to Cabrini, many students did not know what RFL does or who it is affiliated with.”

“We are a first-time event and getting word out there is really hard,” DiBartolo said. “We also were not given a set guideline of what to do or how to make it happen. Our American Cancer Society representative is incredible and she has helped us every step of the way, but the majority of the logistics and making it run smoothly is up to us.”

Current numbers are good, with 16 teams and almost $3,000 raised. The goal, 200 participants and $20,000, may be far but not impossible.

The hard work put in by this year’s committee will hopefully lead to an annual event.

“We hope as an executive committee to eventually pass our responsibilities and what we have started on campus to future students,” Keller said. “It is for an amazing cause and in some way or another everyone is affected by cancer,” DiBartolo added.

For more information on the event and how to start a team or donate visit www.relayforlife.org/pacabrini.

Black History Month was kicked off with a performance of “Slave Narratives Revisited; A Celebration of Freedom.” The play, written by E. Shockley and starring Shockley and Lary Moten, was performed at the Centre Theater in Norristown. The show jumps through time to show small vignettes of slavery in many forms in many time periods.

Wayne Dyer, American psychologist and speaker, is quoted in the program saying, “Freedom means you are unobstructed in living your life as you choose. Anything less is a form of slavery.” This sets the tone for the show which shows classic images of slavery in Civil War era America, but also more unconventional ideas of slavery.

For example, one character with a large part in the play was Mordechai Vanunu. Vanunu is a former Israeli nuclear technician who opposed the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. He leaked some nuclear secrets the British press in 1986 and was kidnapped and imprisoned for 18 years by the Israeli government. His slavery came not only in the form of his imprisonment, but the consequences he faces for doing what is right in his mind. The play calls him a “prisoner of conscience.”

These different views on slavery gave the show a broad scope of ideas but also muddle it down a bit. The program becomes an essential guide on this journey. It’s the only real footing there is on where and when any given scene is taking place. Some scenes and settings would pop up several times through out the course of the play while other were one timers and could get lost in the shuffle of things.

“The play was a lot to take in but really made me appreciate my history and the history of my country,” Alyssa Ciccone, sophomore special education major, said. “Also it’s fun to get out and experience what culture this area has to offer.”

This culture takes the form of the Centre Theater in Norristown. On the top floor of an unassuming building lies a theater in possibly the last town one may expect to find one. John Doyle, the artistic director of the Centre Theater, said the theater’s purpose is to take shows with legs and give them an encore.

This show specifically, part of the Independent Voices Festival, is not for everyone. In order to give the message of freedom the focus, the stage is bare except for a few minor props and set pieces. The two actors dive in to a seemingly empty pool with vigor and life and play every character with no more or less fervor than the last. They create something from nothing.

At the core of this play is a message that is different for everyone. It is different depending on your background or your race. No matter what the message is we all have something to gain from it.

“Slavery is something that happened and is still happening, especially when it comes to American history,” Danielle Mclaughlin, sophomore communication major, said. “While it might be a rough topic to talk about there are things we can learn. We need to be humble and accept our failures.”

Cabrini is preparing for the Relay for Life to come onto campus for the first time. Students are in the midst of planning and getting participants for the event, scheduled to happen on March 20.

The Relay for Life is an event that raises funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. The event’s main feature is a continuous walk around a track. The event, which is overnight, has teams walking throughout the night to raise money. Other features are the Survivor Lap and Survivor Dinner. While the events main feature is to raise money, celebrating those who have won their battle is important.

“Everyone, at some point in their lives, is affected by cancer in some way.” Katie Keller, sophomore accounting major and event co-chair, said. “The American Cancer Society and RFL realize this and are working to help those victims of cancer with fundraisers such as this.”

At Cabrini the road to get this event is a long one. After freshmen last year attended the RFL at Villanova they were inspired to bring it their own campus. “Last April I contacted the American Cancer Society and spoke to a representative,” Danielle DiBartolo, co-chair and sophomore social work, sociology and psychology major, said.  “We met in May before we went home for the semester and decided we were going to do it. I talked with people from Cabrini all summer to pick a date and get approval and our committee started meeting in August and we have been working hard since then.”

Getting momentum in the planning has been going on for a while and is going well. Getting people signed up and excited is a different story. “A challenge we have faced and are facing now still is a general lack of familiarity of Relay for Life on campus,” Keller said. “Since this is new to Cabrini, many students did not know what RFL does or who it is affiliated with.”

“We are a first-time event and getting word out there is really hard,” DiBartolo said. “We also were not given a set guideline of what to do or how to make it happen. Our American Cancer Society representative is incredible and she has helped us every step of the way but the majority of the logistics and making it run smoothly is up to us.”

Current numbers are good with 16 teams and almost $3,000 raised. The goal, 200 participants and $20,000, may be far but not impossible.

The committee hopes that their hard work this year will lead to an annual event. “We hope as an executive committee to eventually pass our responsibilities and what we have started on campus to future students,” Keller said. “It is for an amazing cause and in some way or another everyone is affected by cancer,” DiBartolo added.

For more information on the event and how to start a team or donate visit www.relayforlife.org/pacabrini.

Shannon Keough

In 17 degree weather, a crowd of hundreds submerged themselves into water warmer than the air itself. Were they a crowd of lunatics? Is there some sort of treasure submerged in the icy lake? No, and not only is it by choice, but it’s for a great cause.

Cabrini students and members of the community joined together for this icy swim to benefit the Special Olympics 2010 Polar Bear Plunge series.

The event, which was held on Saturday, Jan. 30 at Neshaminy State Park, raised money through donations and pledges from volunteers who go for the infamous dip.

Polar Bear Plunge events happen across the country to raise money for local Special Olympic branches.

Here at Cabrini, students have been working with the Special Olympics, and more specifically the Polar Plunge, for years.

Dr. Dunbar of the biology department is known for his participation in the events.

Since it was held on one of the coldest days the Delaware Valley had seen in a while, not every person took the plunge.

“I myself did not have enough courage to actually participate in the plunge,” Megan Creed, sophomore exercise science major, said. “I just volunteered at the registration tent but it was great to see how many people showed up and donated.”

One person that did participate without hesitation, was Traci Beltz, senior exercise science major, who organized Cabrini’s participation in this years event.

“Cabrini has a strong focus in helping others as part of our curriculum,” Beltz said. “You have to find a population that you can really care about and find a passion for.”

For Beltz, it’s the athletes that participate in the Special Olympics Pennsylvania that keep her coming back for more.

“We have spent time skiing and bowling with them and wanted to help fund these programs and I think that we successfully did that this year,” Beltz said.

Events like this are crucial now more than ever. Money raised at this event and others like it keeps SOPA afloat. “Cabrini Honors students used to volunteer at the Winter Ski Competition for Special Olympics but it hasn’t had enough funding to run for the last two years,” Beltz said, “I was able to experience the enjoyment and happiness that the event brought to the athletes and I wanted to help raise money this year so that no more programs would be cancelled.”

Cabrini students alone raised $1000. Demika Poole, the SOPA coordinator, said that their goal of $60,000 was easily made since the number of “plungers” jumped from 70 last year to almost 400 this year.

Shannon Keough

The Cabrini College swim team got back in the water on Saturday, Jan. 23, with both the men’s and women’s teams in a dual-meet at Swarthmore College. The Cavaliers fell to the Phoenixes at the end of the day. The men’s final tally was 74-55 and the women lost with a score of 148-88.

“The team just really needs to stay focused and keep motivated ’til the end of the season. We’ve been practicing for a while now and I hope we don’t lose sight of our goals and hopefully we keep getting faster as the season comes to a close,” Emily Yurick, junior business administration major, said.

While the score might show a swift victory for the Garnet, the Cavs put up a good fight. Bill Boylan, junior accounting major, had a stand-out meet with races in the 100-yard freestyle and, along with sophomores Walt Jesruncosky, Sean Corrigan and Neil Cogno, first place in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The lady Cavs really performed well in the 500-yard freestyle with a one-two finish from senior Anne Konicki and junior Katie Bonanni. Yurick and freshman Taylor Bonanni saw a similar finish in the 200-yard Individual Medley.

“We swim a lot of great teams and it’s an honor to swim against the teams we do. They push us to do our best every time we swim,” Lisa Somers, junior social work major, said.

This meet comes on the heels of the announcement of both the men’s and women’s teams joining the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

“We are elated for our men’s and women’s student-athletes who will now be able to experience the benefits of competing within an intercollegiate conference,” Joe Giunta, the Cabrini director of athletics and recreation, said.

The new conference includes schools like Penn State Altoona and Pitt-Bradford. “We’ve added some great meets over the last few seasons, but a conference affiliation and end-of-season meet for our swimmers legitimizes the program even more,” head coach Mike Kernicky said.

Even more is at stake as the season starts to come to close. Seniors Andrea Carabello, Shawnee Gehman and Konicki are down to there last few meets with the program.

“We have one meet left and we are all excited for the season to wrap up,” Yurick, said. “It’s been a long season, but it also has been one of the best years for the program. We will also be sad to see the season come to end since we are losing three great seniors this year.”

Shannon Keough

The American Medical Association voted to change their 72-year stance on marijuana as a substance with no medical value. This is the first step to legalizing marijuana. The fact that it hasn’t been utilized for its medical benefits alone stumps me. The fact that this potential resource is still criminalized is perplexing, too.

The first evidence of smoking marijuana dates back to the third millennium B.C. at burial sites in present day Romania. Cannabis was utilized in religious ceremonies by the ancient Assyrians, ancient Chinese and some say even Christians and Jews. Even Shakespeare was thought to have been a user after pipes were found buried in his backyard at his home in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The status of marijuana today is different wherever you go. In most cases, decades of misinformation from sources like “Reefer Madness,” a 1936 film about marijuana addicts and scared parents, has blurred the truth. Basically weed has been given a negative connotation.

The legalization of marijuana could help our country immensely. If regulated by the government and taxed like cigarettes, it could become a multi-billion dollar industry. It would mean job creation and economic stimulus, all of which we could afford to have more of.

Some worry about the explosion of drug users if weed were to be legalized. A similar case is that of Portugal, which completely decriminalized all drugs in 2001. While this shouldn’t be what our country does (as far as drugs other than marijuana), it is interesting to see the effect. For a period of about three years drug use was up, but it went down quickly after that. Portugal also believes that a prison sentence caused users to go underground and risk their lives for a high. Users can still be arrested but instead of prison they are offered therapy and rehab. The government saw a decline in users, addicts and deaths within six years.

I compare marijuana to alcohol and cigarettes. Like alcohol once was, marijuana is illegal. Most doctors actually believe that alcohol is more dangerous than weed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “What America needs now is a drink,” at the end of prohibition. Right now I think America needs a joint.

Again, as with alcohol cigarettes are more dangerous than weed. While weed does have a similar effect on the lungs, it is much less habit forming than nicotine. Also the regulation of cigarettes still makes millions of dollars for the government even after smoking has become less fashionable.

“The most dangerous thing about marijuana is jail time,” Judge Jim Gray, L.A. judge and former prosecutor, said. He’s right, the only thing you do under the influence of marijuana is eat and listen to techno music. If the government were to step in, they could regulate the quality and prevent deaths caused by dealers trying to make extra money by putting glass or cocaine in their product.

At the end of the day marijuana criminalization helps no one but pharmaceutical companies and nervous parents. When Americans start seeing weed as a resource not a loaded gun, we’ll all be better off.

New Mexico women’s soccer video goes viral

A video of New Mexico University women’s soccer defender Elizabeth Lambert assaulting a Brigham Young University player has become a sensation online. It shows Lambert punching and hitting players and eventually pulling a girl down to the ground by her hair. Lambert has been suspended indefinitely.

Three Phillies players head into surgery

Raul Ibanez, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge will all be undergoing surgery to correct injuries from this past season. Raul Ibanez will have a sports hernia repaired, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge will both have “loose bodies” removed from their elbows. If the procedures go well, all three should be ready for spring training in March.

Yankees win World Series in game six

The New York Yankees won the World Series in game six against the defending champs, the Philadelphia Phillies. Hideki Matsui was named MVP after hitting .615 (8 for 13) with three home runs and eight RBIs. This is the 27th title in Yankees history, the most in the MLB.

Feliz declared free agent

Third baseman of the Philadelphia Phillies, Pedro Feliz, is not being granted his $5.5 million option for the 2010 season. Despite the option, Feliz will receive a $500,000 buyout. The two year starter will now be declared a free agent. He finished the 2009 season hitting .262 with 12 homers in 158 games.