Edward Nasau, Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo were lost at sea for 50 days before being rescused by a tuna boat
Island of Miracles: Three teens rescued after 50 days adrift at sea
by Lauren Urban
Atafu, an island serene enough to serve as a computers screensaver, is now a place of miracles, as three of its native youths were rescued by a fishing boat after spending 50 days adrift in the South Pacific.
The boys - Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo, both 15, and Edward Nasau, 14- went missing in early October after attempting to row between two islands in the New Zealand territory of Tokelau. They were trying to find a girl on a neighboring island, Fakaofo, about 100 miles away. The girl had captivated the boys after visiting their island for a sports tournament, according to newser.com.
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After drinking alcohol, the teens’ liquid courage led them to steal a small aluminum boat, stocked with some coconuts, beer and a fuel tank, and set sail into the dark sea shortly after midnight on October 5, according to monstersandcritics.com.
After their craft ran out of fuel, the adventurous teens helplessly drifted 800 miles to an uninhabited section of the Pacific northeast of Fiji before being spotted by the tuna boat San Nikuna headed back to New Zealand on November 24, according to Yahoo News.
According to Foxnews.com, the boys survived on rainwater, coconuts, raw fish and a seagull that landed on their 12-foot-long boat. They were rescued just in time. It hadn’t rained for several days, and the boys began to drink sea water.
After the rescue, one of the teens reached his grandmother by phone from the fishing boat. She began spreading the news. The Atafu villagers, who had held eulogy serviced for the boys two weeks earlier, were overcome with joy.
It's a miracle, it's a miracle," said Tanu Filo, the father of Filo Filo. "The whole village, they were so excited and cried and they sang songs and were hugging each other in the road. Everybody was yelling and shouting the good news," he told Radio New Zealand International, according to Foxnews.com.
Tai Fredricsen, first mate of the tuna boat that rescued the teens, said a crew member spotted the small boat bobbing in the open sea in an area that was far off from any normal commercial shipping routes. “We knew it was a little weird,” Fredricsen told Foxnews.com.
As the tuna boat approached the vessel, they saw the three young boys waving frantically. After their rescue, all the boys could respond was “Thank you very much for stopping,” Fredricsen told New Zealand’s National Radio.
At the time of their rescue, the teens appeared undernourished, severely dehydrated and badly sunburned. Fredricsen said, “They looked very bad - bones protruding from underneath the skin, but mentally strong, strong as an ox," according to CNN.com
A Fiji navy patrol boat escorted the tuna boat into the harbor of Suva, Fiji’s capital. New Zealand consular officials took the boys directly to a hospital for medical examinations, according to Foxnews.com.
Commander Francis Kean, Fiji's naval commander, said the boys had been unable to keep down solid food and that they would be fed fluids and carefully observed by doctors at a military hospital. Kean said the teens would not be accessible to members of the media until they were healthier and in a more stable condition, according to Foxnews.com.
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Friday, December 3, 2010
Island of miracles: Three teens rescued after 50 days adrift at sea
Monday, November 22, 2010
Man Doesn't Sleep for over a Month!!!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Naked Truth: The Image of our Safety
Camera shy or people’s healthat risk? Full-body scanners are causing controversy with pilots and travelers in airports for demanding the naked truth to insure safety.
New Rochelle, NY – Pilots and travelers have been speaking out about the growing number of security systems put inside airports in the recent months. Most recently these scanners have been introduced to John F. Kennedy International Airport to better help security officials detect weapons and explosives.
The new full-body scanners are a part of Advanced Imaging Technology that give off x-ray like images to security officials conducting the screening. The picture images that show up in the screen show everything on a person’s body even underneath their clothing. On a more advanced level plastic objects can also be detected as well as other object hidden within a person’s body.
With the hype about the safety of pilots along with travelers it is almost inevitable for people to question health risks from the radiation waves from the scanners. Last week the FDA (Food and Drug Administrative) approved of the x-ray scanners saying that they have “miniscule” potential health risks. The FDA also included in a letter to John P. Holden, President Obama's science and technology advisor, “concern that the dose to the skin may be dangerously high is not supported.”
David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University and a professor of radiation biophysics, also told CNN, “If you think of the entire population of, shall we say a billion people per year going through these scanners; it's very likely that some number of those will develop cancer from the radiation from these scanners.”
The argument that has been going back and worth to various researchers, doctors and Politian’s is almost at the point of a stand-still. To those that are actually experiencing this security process, they not kept quiet to say the least. Protests have been occurring more often especially to those who are asked to be exposed to this type of radiation on a day to day basis, pilots. The concerning uproar from pilots hasn’t been easy after the FDA’s letter was sent to Washington D.C. and opened up to the public eye, many pilots questioned the statistics received from different sources and pilots don’t know who to believe or turn to. The U.S. Airline Pilots Association recently spoke out about the issue.
“Based on currently available medical information, has determined that frequent exposure to TSA-operated scanner devices may subject pilots to significant health risks," Capt. Mike Cleary, president of the USAPA stated.
Officials say they are taking the pilots into extreme consideration with other options to offer pending further agreement from U.S. officials and the Transportation Security Administration.
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Learn more about how Full-body scanners work
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Good Drug/Bad Drug
An alarming trend is has been seen on college campuses nationwide. Students are turning to Adderall, a central nervous system stimulant, as their drug of choice to gain an edge in their academic performance.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, this drug is typically prescribed by a doctor to people suffering from ADHD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. However, students are abusing this drug mainly to help them pull all-nighters and increase their focus while they study.
An estimated 1 out of 5 students has abused this drug, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For those who actually require this drug, it increases alertness, raises libido, improves mood, and stems fatigue. However, when those who do not have ADD or ADHD, Adderall, like other powerful amphetamines causes euphoria which increases the risk of addiction.
But you don’t have to have a medical condition to obtain this “study drug” as it is sometimes referred to as. According to Fallon Shultz, a licensed clinical social worker and addiction specialist in Hoboken, New Jersey, "Doctors prescribe too easily, colleges don't take misbehavior seriously, parents are in denial and young adults need to be better educated.” She also says that college kids can “fool” doctors because they can find symptoms of ADHD on the Internet.
Another way that students are obtaining this drug is simply buying it from other students. According to www.npr.com, students say that Adderall is “easy” to get and one pill usually sells for about $5 but the price can go all the way up to $25 per pill during midterm and finals weeks.
Although Adderall sounds like a miracle drug, it does have its consequences. A 2009 report in Scientific American suggests that despite the short-term benefits of the drug, long-term use could change brain function enough to depress mood and boost anxiety. It can also lead to increased dopamine levels, higher rates of aggression, psychosis, and suicide. In addition it can also trigger bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia.
Kyle Craig, a student at Vanderbilt University took his own life in April of 2009 after he developed psychosis from abusing this drug.
This little pill can wreak major havoc if abused. Students may need to cut this ingredient from their recipe for academic success.
Monday, November 15, 2010
By: Timothy Vallely
New Rochelle--Matt Lauer, NBC’s host of the Today Show interviewed George W. Bush in his first sit down conversation since leaving the Oval Office. President Bush talks about his memoir and the struggles that he endured during his eight-year term.
In his first one-on-one interview after leaving the White House, President George W. Bush expressed many regrets that he developed after leaving office. One can infer that Bush faced more difficult issues and tragedies than any other president. Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 were the two tragedies that Bush focused on during his interview with Lauer. Unfortunately for President Bush, his reputation as the leader of the nation took a hit after how he handled both situations.
On May 1, 2003, Bush stood at the podium on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and made a speech that most Americans will never forget. He declared that America’s mission was accomplished and combat in Iraq had ended. Bush states in his memoir that he was caught up in an “exhilarating moment”, after Saddam Hussein was captured and his enormous statue in Iraq was brought down.
Lauer and Bush also discussed what triggered Bush’s premature celebration to the nation. Bush stayed away from the deep controversy of the WMD (weapons of mass destruction), but did comment on the subject. In his memoir he states, “No one was more shocked or angry than I was when we didn’t find the weapons. I had a sickening feeling every time I thought about it. I still do.” Lauer tried to dig deeper into the president’s statement when he asked, “Was there ever any consideration of apologizing to the American People?”
Bush answered how any president would have if they were in his position during the nations worst attack on American soil, with confidence. He stated that he wasn’t sorry because the threat was at an all-time high and he thought he made the right decision.
Hurricane Katrina and the issues surrounding rescue and clean up was another damper on Bush’s legacy. Many Americans blamed Bush for his lack of effort and response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The African American population was outraged at Bush following the disaster, which brought the president much regret.
The infamous photo of Bush looking out the window of Air Force One at the region damaged and covered in water was a topic Lauer decided to cover. Bush expressed his remorse and admitted that a fly over done in Air Force One was not the right thing to do. Bush explained the situation in two words, “detached and uncaring.”
Bush also discussed other personal events that he had encountered in his life before his presidency. He informed the nation about his prior drinking problem and the miscarriage of his unborn sibling. These personal issues did not relate to Bush as a president, but did give a sense that the so-called golden boy from Texas did experience adversity in his life.
Americans have the right to judge and make comments on George W. Bush. After Bush declared war and invaded Afghanistan in 2001, there has not been an attack on American soil. He stood his ground at a time where the nation was in panic and did the only thing he could do, counter. Unfortunately many American soldiers lost their lives in preventing the reoccurrence of terrorism. President Bush is a human being and made mistakes. History will tell how severe his mistakes were and also how America benefitted from his duties in office.
Bush on Oprah 11/9/2010
A Real Iron Man
By: Alexander M. Bishop
New Rochelle, NY-
Robert Downey Sr. gave his son drugs starting at the age of 8. From that point on, Robert Downey Jr. has been through drug infested crimes and ordeals throughout his career as a successful actor.
Robert Downey Jr. stated in a recent Rolling Stone Magazine interview: ”Smoking dope and smoking coke, you are rendered defenseless. The only way out of that hopeless state is intervention.”
Indeed, Mr. Downey has overcome a part of his life that many can never overcome. He admits of being an alcoholic, enduring years of snorting cocaine, smoking crack and getting involved with heroin. He even had his first taste of marijuana at the tender age of 6.
His drug use was not the only handicap that was preventing his career to propel. The academy award nominee for his role as Charlie Chaplin, was arrested several times between the years of 1996 and 2001. Along with jail sentences, he was in and out of rehab numerous times. Due to his consistent drug related problems, producers and directors wouldn’t allow roles to be filled by RDJ because of the fear he wouldn’t be completely “focused.”
However, since leaving rehab in 2002, Robert Downey Jr. has been considered one of the best comebacks in entertainment history.
During his rehabilitation weeks, RDJ went to therapy sessions and took part in group recreation. It has been a long road back but family and friends have helped believe in what Robert Downey Jr's recovery.
Mary Jo Slater, a casting director and the mother of famous actor Christian Slater, has said: "When he gets that smile, and we look at each other, I know he's back inside there. Robert wants to get better...I think people will root for him because of his talent."Indeed people have rooted RDJ to victory and he has proven himself through his recent accomplishments in the motion picture industry. In the first years of a sober lifestyle, Robert Downey Jr. has won critics over with his lead acting roles. The most recent movie Due Date has been dubbed one of the funniest movies of the year. Along with Due Date, Robert Downey Jr. has gotten positive results with Tropic Thunder, The Soloist, Iron Man 1 &2 and Sherlock Holmes.
There is no speculation about Robert Downey Jr.'s sober lifestyle returning to drugs and certainly no future of his acting career.
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RDJ
Artifacts from the Attacks
New Rochelle, NY - For the many who remember the attacks of September 11th 2001, the massiveness of what happened still may not be a reality for them. At Hangar 17 in John F. Kennedy airport they are given the opportunity to take a closer look into the smaller remains of an enormous atrocity.
Remains that were taken from the World Trade Center site, during the cleanup of Ground Zero, were brought to Hanger 17. As one walks through this museum of twisted steel and crumpled fire trucks there is a greater sense gained of what happened on that Tuesday morning.
There is uniqueness about this site, which is that eventually all of the steel will be donated to cities around the world. Beyond the steel one would find on this site, bike racks with the bikes and chains still on them, the crushed fire truck of the first responders, and many more items captured in the moment of the attacks that have never been changed.
For now it has been open to a few media and, its primary purpose is to hold the evidence of an attack on America. It is made up of over 1,300 pieces and in total weighs over 30 tons. In the near future it will be open for public viewing according to FOX News.
Shepard Smith of FOX News while doing a series on the aftermath of the attacks, called the “Rise of Freedom” did a report on this story. He describes this place as a “time capsule” of September 11th 2001.
There is one artifact that holds a lot of symbolism which is a large piece of steel twisted like a strand of DNA. This item which weighed tons and was the support of an entire building is swirled into something so twisted it could no longer be used.
In order to obtain a piece of the World Trade Center a town or person has to fill out a detailed piece of paper that states exactly where it will be displayed and further details about the use of it, and why they should have the honor of holding a piece.
In Pennsylvania there is an American Legion site, which is now home to a 15 foot piece of steel. Todd Nelson, the local commander of the Sons of the American Legion stated in an interview, "That's a hallowed piece of steel...to us, our community and to our country that is the most valuable steel you will ever get your hands on… "it's one of the main columns that supported the twin towers."
They started building this memorial site years ago what they applied to get the piece from Hangar 17. When they found out they were getting it they organized at seven mile long motorcycle motorcade from New York to Pennsylvania to escort the piece of steel properly.
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“Rise of Freedom”
