2 & 4 year old forced to smoke Marijuana

This is insane! I logged onto CNN World News to check out what's going on in the world. And here it is, in Fort Worth Texas a teenager was put in prison today for "coaxing" his 2&4 year old nephew's into smoking marijuana. I have niece's who are 2 & 4 they are precious and I can not believe that anyone would want to do that to a child, and a teenager at that.

The CNN article says, "The video shows one teen lighting a marijuana cigarette in the 2-year-old's mouth, then laughing as the toddler coughs. One teen then tells him to pass it to his brother, who also smokes it and coughs." This is disgusting, what is wrong with people these days. This is child abuse and this teen has 8 years in prison to realize it.

S.T-W

"Americans can keep guns at home for self-defense, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday in the justices' first-ever pronouncement on the meaning of gun rights under the Second Amendment" First paragraph on Yahoo News.

Putting firearms in the hands of the people - we all know it happens, we all know with a permit its legal. Its a hard issue, think about it. If a man walks in your home and attacks your children and is attempting to strangle them and you have a firearm what would you do? Naturally protect your children.

The idea scares me - we'll see what happens with this soon. Will there be more accidental deaths, more lives saved from crime and atatcks - who knows. I'm glad I am not the one making final decisions on these things because the outcome could be really bad.

tell us how you feel about this.

S.T-W

This morning when I clicked on Mozilla this headline was on the front page
"8 die as violent weather tears across Midwest"

President Bush declared major disaster. "Flood water levels are greater in some locations than they were during the great Indiana flood of 1913," the U.S. Geological Survey reported, and "more heavy rainfall is predicted for tonight."

Pray!

Mexico goes to war

A familiar site if you've been to Mexico recently. We use to take random trips across the border for tacos and beer but the last few times we've crossed the border large army trucks with dozens of armed men sit in the back of the truck. Not a site a tourist wants to see.

President Felipe Calderon has decided to start a war against drugs in Mexico. I hope that those men in uniform with guns are fighting for the right side, with all the corruption in Mexico's government no one knows. I hope Calderon's war will help stop the huge drug issue in Mexico so it's people can enjoy some peace. Check out the LA Times for more info.

Texas Polygamist families reunited with children

Texas welfare authorities say the state didn't have a right to take away over 400 children. I am dumb founded by this whole thing. The state is fighting to separate the children again but for now they are home. I believe children should be with their families but in this case I think its wrong. Young women being forced to be married to older men sounds unethical to me.

I was listening to NPR the other day and there was an interview from a few couples in Phillie who have embraced the polygamist lifestyle. One of the couples wife requested another wife be brought in the home and she even picked the second wife. Another was older and her husband requested the second wife who his first wife had resentment towards the second wife. Wifey #1 states they function as a normal family.

At the end of the day I can't understand the concept of sharing a husband. Seems to me like the male gets the better end of the deal. Never alone- jumps from house to house enjoying sex with several women and leaving the children behind. For the women - some days alone while her husband is with another women-taking care of their children and cleaning their home so when he returns everything is ready. RIDICULOUS, I am definitely not a fan of the idea. It seems unethical!

Bella

Bella-beautiful movie about the complex decisions we have to make in life. Difficult adult decisions we have to make and aren't always ready to make. Even with support and wisdom our tunnel vision causes us to make decision that we may regret one day. I highly recommend it-it takes place in New York and has a beautiful blend of latin culture in it. I love watching good movies and this was definitely one of them!

Lights Camera Action

STIR|World Vision

Living is the United States and LA i am constantly blinded and distracted by the reality of the world outside of my bubble that i live in. Many people in major cities across the globe can live their lives blinded by the media and self indulgence. I found this clip today and was moved by it because it brings a glimpse of reality to my world. It seems that in this day and age we have to work real hard to seek truth. STIR in Australia is on the right track. Here is a stat from their website "11 Million children die every year before they are 5 years old. This is mostly due to easily preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and malaria. 54% of these deaths are attributed to malnutrition. 99% are in the world's lowest-income countries." And that is as real as it gets.

-PW

Gay Marriages

California state Supreme Court has open the doors to same-sex marriages.  I read an article on-line from Mercury News that says there is a post on Craigslist for an ad for a gay/lesbian wedding planner.  June 16 is the soonest gay couples are expected to tie the knot.  In the San Franscisco Chronicle they said twenty minutes after the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that same-sex marriages are legal a few dozen couples showed up hoping to get married right then and there. 

I am personally really surprised I haven't heard much about this.  I am wondering how long this will last.  Tell us how you feel about this subject.

human trafficking in california

I was reading The California Progress Report today and came across a post from December 2007 The California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery Task Force released its final Report on trafficking in California.  Take the time to review some of it.  It's an issue that is right under our nose!

• "In July 2005, the federal government arrested more than 40 people in LA and San Francisco and seized more than $3 million in illicit proceeds in Operation Gilded Cage.  This operation involved more than 100 Korean women told investigators that they were taken from their country against their will and forced to work as erotic masseuses."

• "In 2004 a women who was lured from the Philippines under false pretenses, then forced to work 18-hour days at the home of an executive at Sony Pictures.  She had to sleep on a dog bed and was threatened with never seeing her family again if she complained".

• "In 2001 a Berkeley landlord and restaurateur was sentenced to more than 8 years in federal prison for smuggling teenage girls from India in a sex and labor exploitation ring spanning 15 years.  He repeatedly raped and sexually abused his vicims and forced them to wrk in his businesses".