Flooding affects roads, train service in Northeast

The state of Rhode Island is having problems with flooding. This would be putting it kindly. The recent storm dumped 8.75 inches of rain in East Providence, 7.6 inches in downtown Providence and 5 inches in Cranston. This is catostrophic to the people of Rhode Island who are loosing their homes to the rising water. Transportation is nearly all cut off. President Obama has issued a state of emergency for the state. Schools are closing and people are rapidly leaving the area. The Yantic River set a record when it crested Tuesday at 13.6 feet -- 4.6 feet above flood stage -- in Yantic. I found this the most incredible.

I believe that there should be a procedure put in place just as there would be for a tornado in any other town for flooding to a certain region. There needs to be a certain way of ranking how bad the flooding is. If it is begining to flood so and so much above the flood level then there should be a procedure for that level. The next level would be the next step up above the flood level and there would be a procedure for that also. so on and so on so that by the point the state hits this level of flooding there is already actions being taken to keep the water at bay and the state safe.

Obama energy plan would open Atlantic and Gulf drilling

For the last 20 years there has been a ban on drilling for oil in the gulf of mexico. Today Obama announced his plans to drill for oil in the gulf. Obama believes this will create job opportunities. It will also reduce our dependence on foreign nations for oil. However it is not all cut and dry, there are people that are against the drilling of oil claiming that it will disrupt the marine habitat in the gulf. Tree huggers everywhere are claiming that it will reduce the use of fishing grounds in that area and people in florida could be put out of work and take millions of dollars out of the economy with it.

I believe that the fish and other marine life will be fine. If they miss their homes so what they can swim to a new part of the ocean, its huge. Also, I believe this is the best idea Obama has had since he was elected. Finally we can cut down on how much oil we buy from the middle east, after all that has caused nothing but problems for us. Also having the price of gas drop this summer wouldnt be too shabby! I dont understand why have not been utilizing these resources that we have had for so long! Why was there a ban on drilling when this could be a big part to reducing our deficit.

4 dead in D.C. shooting

Four people have died after a shooting in southern Washington, D.C. There were a total of 7 males injured and 3 females injured. Authorities said multiple shooters opened fire on a crowd Tuesday night. The shooting started a police chase that ended in the arrest of three men. Four officers recieved minor injuries from an accident during the chase. The suspects were found with an assult rifle. Another person was shot on nearby, but it wasn't clear whether that shooting was related. The authorities believe that it was a gang related shooting just when they were under the impression that gang related violence was decreasing.

I think it is a shame that some places have so much violence. From what i have heard D.C. is a pretty rough town. It is definately not somewhere i would like to live. I believe that more money needs to be spent taking down gangs that are killing innocent people and selling drugs. also i believe that most of the killings that happen especially in bigger cities like this revolve around drugs. I think that if we put more effort into the war on drugs we will reduce violence in the process.

$250 million for abstinence education not evidence-based, groups say

The health care reform legislation that President Obama signed recently isn't only about insurance coverage. There's also a renewal of $50 million per year for five years for abstinence-focused education. The 250 million dollars would go towards abstinence programs in school to prevent people from have sex before marriage. Obama protests that sex before wed-lock can cause negative psychological and physical effects. People are having problems with this part of the health care bill because this 250 million is going to state organizations that have proven to be ineffective. Medical professional organizations also criticize abstinence education on ethical grounds, for leaving out potentially lifesaving information. Abstinence only programs "are inherently coercive by withholding information needed to make informed choices," the American Public Health Association said in a statement.

How do I feel about this? I do not think that the 250 million dollars is being spent wisely. It may be a good in theory but how would anyone actually keep kids in school from having sex. I dont think just because there is more advertising against sex people will just decide to refrain from sex until marriage. With the way that the younger generation is I do not believe any type of exposer to anti sex campaign ads will change anyones point of view. I do not also agree with Obama about the negative effects that sex can have psychologically. The only harm i see in sex before marriage is risk of pregnancy and also std's. The money should be spent on reducing these two things but not sex itself because it will never stop happening.

Judge: Boy, 12, will be tried as adult in double homicide

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/29/boy.homicide/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

Today in Pennsylvania a 12 year old boy accused of shooting his fathers pregnant girlfriend with a 12-guage shotgun is on trial. The catcher in this case is that the child is being charged as an adult, this is because in Pennsylvania it is manditory for any person over the aged of 10 that has commited either a homicide or a murder to be tried as an adult. He is now facing a maximum of a lifetime sentance. When he commited the murder he was only 11 year old. Also the shotgun that the child used was made for someone of his stature, it is assumed that it was his gun.

This article had me split in my decision to support either the Pennsylvania law and say that he should be tried as an adult and my prayers for the 12 year old kid to be tried as an adolescent. The first part of me wants to think he is so young that he doesnt know anybetter. After all 12 years old it very young. Not even old enough to shave he knowingly commited a murder? However the other half of me is for this law. This child had probably had used the gun before being that it was made for him. This would eleminate all my beliefs of it being an accident. And also being 12 is the legal age to need to be certafide to hunt, he was close enough he should have known what he was doing.