Wednesday, September 9, 2009

New York Times

So this will be a combination of two papers that I have...Friday the 4th and Tuesday the 8th.
Fridays Paper:
A headline on the front page reads, For Poor, Firefighters Are Health Care Brigade. This article grabbed my eye because my father is a retired fire fighter of over 40 years. It wasn't until I was older when I learned that he was also a paramedic and responded to some of the most horrific medical calls, not just involving fires. The article touches on the health care crisis and it's affect on a firefighter's duty. "About 80 percent of the calls handled are medical emergencies because [Engine Company 10] serves one of the city's poorest areas, where few residents have health insurence..." Drug addiction, violent crimes and the increase in homeless people are also leading factors to the career change for firefighters. I feel like this issue is bigger than just firefighters and is just another example of how the health care crisis is affecting more than it's patients. On the plus side, fires are happening less thanks to new consumer protection laws and fireproofing technology, so medical emergencies are helping keep firefighters employed.

In other reports, back-to school sales are down, swine flu has killed 36 childern thus far, and global warming has significantly dettered an ice age inthe not so near future.

Tuesdays Paper:
I had planned on using this post to be taken from NYT.com rather than the paper, however the front page of this issue was heart wrenching. A skeletal arm reaches out a canteen of water to a decreped looking woman in Kenya. The headline, Lush Land Dries Up, Withering Kenya's Hopes is a precautious introduction to the disturbing article. A devastating draught is sweeping across Kenya, killing lovestock, crops and children. It is causing high tension and deadly battles between once connected communities over the last pieces of fertile land. What's sad, is the Kenya is one of the most developed countries in Africa and houses the most UN offices as well as aid workers. It's another step back for aid workers in the country which were hopeful that Kenya was on the brink of a success story. The northern lands of Kenya have taken the hardest hit, many areas haven't seen a drop of rain in years and residents are relying on cacti and pig feed as a source of food, and because much of the country relies on hydropower for electricity, many go without power. The gonvernemnt conflicts with recent elections isn't helping matters and it seems as though Kenya is falling through it's own cracks of its arid land.

Other matters of interest in this issue: experts cite alternatives for the fight in Afghanistan, fewer flyers sent home from schools as they are being posted on the web, aa new computer program offeres fast help for HIV exposure, and cinnamon oil kills bacteria!

RECYCLE FUN: roll or crumble news papers for insulation or dog bed stuffing!

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