"Third Palestinian Intifada" Page Cut from Facebook

A high-profile Israel appeal called for the "Third Palestinian Intifada" page to be removed from facebook. When it was taken down it had 350,000 fans. Facebook said the page originally started as a peaceful protest, but as the page grew more popular the comments deteriorated to calls for violence. Facebook's content regulations state that it prohibits the posting of material that promotes violence directed at a particular group, including those based on religion or nationality. As "Facebook Revolutions" helps to bring down regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, the social netoworking site has become a more powerful politcial tool. This leaves Facebook with a greater responsibility. The content on the site will not just endanger people, but the site itself. The growing involvement in politics has people crying out for government regulation. If Mark Zuckerberg would like to remain in sole control of his site, he should watch out for the pages popping up on Facebook. -Associated Press

New Haven County Least Healthy

In a study released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it was stated that the New Haven County in Connecticut has three times the rate of sexually transmitted infections than that of Tolland County. New Haven County also has three times the teen birth rate. In New Haven County the poverty rate of children 15%, in Tolland County the rate is only 6%. The rankings used by the study include: smoking, obesity, excessive drinking, teenage births, uninsured adults, availibility of doctors, and high school graduation rates. -The Associated Press

Old East Hampton Town Manager Won't Face Charges

The ex-town manager for East Hampton, Jeffery J. O'Keefe, who was accused of sexual harrassment and unlawfully removing the police-chief will not be facing charges. After an invesitgation by the Connecticut state attorney general's office announced that it was decided not to charge O'Keefe. O'Keefe commented that the investigation found "no credible evidence to support" the accusations. The police chief has since reinstated. -Associated Press

Music Review: Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More

Track list:

1. Sigh No More

2. The Cave

3. Winter Winds

4. Roll Away Your Stone

5. White Blank Page

6. I Gave You All

7. Little Lion Man

8. Timshel

9. Thistle & Weeds

10. Awake My Soul

11. Dust Bowl Dance

12. After the Storm

This is a fantastic album. The band from the U.K. penetrated the U.S. with their single Little Luion Man and now have stops scheduled on the west coast and will also be stopping in on the Beale Street Music Festival this summer. This is a group of talented musicians. They have a wide mix of uptempo and ballad style songs. One of the things you will notice in this Irish rock feel is the driving force of the banjo. Not typically considered a rock instrument, the banjo adds an extra texture into their music. With their originality and their musical talents they pulled a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Music Review: Shirock-Everything Burns

Track List:

1. New Solution 8. Calm Inside the Storm

2. Time Goes By 9. Silver

3. Still Young 10. Everything Burns Intro

4. I'll Take the Rain 11. Everything Burns

5. Say it Out 12. I Have Been Redeemed

6. Drag You Down

7. Man inside

Shirock's debut album, "Everything Burns" realesed on March 22, 20011. This pop/rock band from nashville has started off fairly well. After listening to this entire album you can respect them as musicians. They lean a little bit to the pop side but have written some decent tracks. There is not much unique about the tracks. It seems like good background music, not something you belt at the top of your lungs. What they do have are some well constructed songs. They don't always stick to the same four chords and they have a good mix of ballads and up tempo songs. This young band has a long way to go but i see them goping no where but up. I would give this alubum 3 out of 5 stars.

Man Dies After Being Struck By Tractor Trailer On I-95

According to courant.com, a man from Killingworth that was hit by a tractor trailer on Interstate 95 southbound on Sunday morning has died. Police said that 58-year-old Richard Casey parked his vehicle on the right shoulder of I-95 when he walked from the front of the car to the right lane. A tractor trailer that was driving in the right lane tried to avoid Casey by trying to merge into the left lane of the 2-way highway. The truck struck Casey near the left lane. The accident happened right before 11:30 am, between exits 61 and 62. The highway was closed for several hours. Casey was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he died from his injuries. The tractor trailer driver, a Canadian man named Claude McNeill was not injured. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the accident to contact Troop F at 860-399-2100. Police are still investigating the crash.

Rebels In Libya Advancing.

According to CNN: The rebel forces in Libya have continued to push westward and have taken "operational control" of two vital cities, Brega and also Ras Lanuf. According to the rebels in Libya, the two cities they gained were to have made up for the losses from Gadhafi's army at the start of the conflict. CNN reporters also state that around 116 civilians have been either wounded or killed in the past 7 days, due to Gadhafi's forces; that are now stationing snipers on the rooftops around main roads and even some back roads. Tanks have also been sited roaming the streets of Misrata. According to CNN, the fighting may just be heating up. http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/27/libya.war/index.html?hpt=T1

Tuberculosis cases at an all-time low

The CDC has reported the cases of tuberculosis in the U.S. were at an all time low in the past year. Last year only 11,181 cases were reported. This is a 3.9% drop from the previous year. California, Texas, New York and Florida accounted for 49.2% of all cases last year and the majority of people who had tuberculosis were born abroad. Tuberculosis is curable but it requires a full 6-9 months of treatment to cure. Many people do not finish the full treatment and end up developing a drug resistant strand. More research of drug resistant tuberculosis is currently being funded. Sources: LA Time

NATO takes over Libya no-fly zone

Thursday, NATO officially stated it will take control of the no-fly zone over Libya from the U.S. NATO has been in a dispute about whether or not to take charge of the no-fly zone to enforce the UN's resolution for Libya. The U.S. initially took the lead role in enforcing the no-fly zone but they have stated that they wish to hand over the responsibility as soon as possible. Right now half of the 350 aircraft and 12 of the 38 ships, that are being used to enforce the no-fly zone, are from the U.S. The U.S. has expressed its efforts to not be the leading force in the enforcement due to political criticism. A main concern for the operation is the lives of innocent civilians in the areas of the enforcement on the ground. But NATO is doing everything to limit and prevent civilians from being injured. NATO will take over the operation's missions possibility as soon as this weekend. Sources: BBC

Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79

Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor has died on March 23, 2011. Taylor has spent the past 2 months in a Los Angles hospital for congestive heart failure. Taylor was a talented actress who starred in hit movies of the 50's and 60's such as "Giant," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Cleopatra." In her career, Taylor has won 2 Oscars, nominated for an Academy Award in 1957 , became a fashion icon and a movie legend and was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. She also supported the fight against HIV/AIDS and lived her life to the fullest. Taylor knew, and supported late pop singer Michael Jackson during his child molestation cases in the late 1990's. She died early Wednesday morning surrounded by her 4 children at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Sources: CNN

Woman charged for day care fire found in Texas

Jessica Tata, a day care teacher responsible for a fire in her Houston Day Care Center that killed four children, has been found in Texas and is now on trial for the fire. Police investagators believe that Jessica allegedly left 7 of the daycare students in the classroom alone with a stove turned on. Jessica has been charged with mansalughter, multiple charges of leaving children under 15 alone, and reckless injury to children and 1 account of unlawful flight to evade the prosecution.

-CNN

Japan Restricting Radioactive Food

According to CNN:

In the midst of the ongoing incident with the partially-melted nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan, restrictions have been placed on food produced in provinces near the reactors. Sales of milk from the Fukushima Prefecture and spinach from the Ibaraki Prefecture, both very close to the reactors, have been banned. This ban has come after discovering very high levels of radioactive iodine and cesium in the products from each province. The two regions also happen to be major areas of fruits, vegetables, rice, and pork production and are home to some of Japan's most efficient farmland. Very low amounts of radioactive iodine have also been found in tap water samples. Hygiene experts say that the radiation found in food and farmland will have a devastating effect on the nation's farmers.

U.S. and Allies Launch Attacks on Libya

According to CNN:

Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the skies above Libya throughout Saturday and Sunday. British, French, and U.S. forces assaulted military positions in Tripoli using missiles and air force strikes. The attacks came when the coalition deemed that Libyan president Muammar Gadhafi was not following a cease-fire mandated by the United Nations. The strikes on Libya are supposedly the first phase of a military operation that will include a no-fly zone enforced over the country. President Gadhafi called for other Islamic nations, as well as Asia and Latin America, to "stand with the Libyan people in its fight against this aggression." He also declared that the U.N.'s cease-fire allowed the nation to defend itself in a "war zone" and that he will open weapons depots. Libyan military officials state that attacks occurring late Saturday night killed almost 50 people. However, these reports are yet to be confirmed.

Sunday also saw several airstrikes made on a Libyan military compound in Tripoli belonging to Gadhafi. Coalition military leaders state that the compound was targeted to weaken Gadhafi's ability to command and control his forces. It was stated, however, that Gadhafi himself was not the target. The Libyan president's whereabouts are currently unknown.

New York Times Announces Paywall

According to nytimes.com:

The New York Times has announced that, starting March 28, it will introduce a paywall for its non-subscribed users on its website. The plan is that viewers are allowed to view 20 articles per month for free, but once they click on the 21st article for that month, they won't be taken to the article right away. Instead, they will be shown an offer to buy one of three subscriptions to read further articles on the website. These subscriptions are $15 every four weeks for access to the site and a mobile phone app, $20 every four weeks for site access plus an iPad app, and $35 every month for full access. Any subscribers of the print newspaper will receive free and unlimited access to the site, except from e-readers like Amazon's Kindle; only casual online users who are not subscribed to the print will have to pay. Chairman of the NY Times, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., has stated that, "This move is an investment in our future. It will allow us to develop new sources of revenue..." "...while maintaining our large and growing audience to support our robust advertising business." How this move will affect the company's viewers and financial status is yet to be seen.

One Dead After Morning Hartford Crash

According to courant.com, one driver that was involved in a severe accident late Thursday morning in Hartford has died, police said. The collision involved two cars that crashed into each other at Hawthorne and South Marshall streets. The accident later started a chain-reaction crash. Four ambulances were called to the scene. The victim, a male passenger in one of the cars, was pronounced dead shortly after the crash at St. Francis Hospital. According to Nancy Mulroy, police spokeswoman, in addition to the death, there were two other people that received minor injuries. Anyone who has witnessed the crash are asked to contact Hartford Police or call Hartford Crime Stoppers at 860-722-TIPS.

Ashford Woman Killed In Crash

According to courant.com: On Thursday evening a woman died after her car hit a tree, state police said. Heather Fox, 33, of Ashford was driving west on Horse Hill Road in her 1999 Volkswagen Jetta when the car went off the road, struck a tree, and then stopped next to an oak tree. Fox was ejected from the car during the accident and was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash was reported at 7:45 pm.

"Angry Birds" Expands Globally

(story courtesy of CNN.com)

The famous smartphone app "Angry Birds" was made by game studio Rovio on a low budget in 2009. Since then, it has been at the top of the iPhone and Android list of top games, receiving over 100 million downloads and generating $42 million in revenue. The game has continued to gain worldwide popularity as it has extended to almost every smartphone, including the iPad and iPod Touch, and soon it will see development in the areas of making a Facebook-based game as well as film and television debuts.

"The Android Platform has seen phenomenal growth, and it's great that new avenues for app distribution are opening up," Rovio CEO Mikael Hed said in a press release.

Over 2 million plush toys of the characters of the game have also been sold, and Angry Bird-based clothing lines are beginning distribution.

The game shows a prim example of business success in the ever-growing, ever-changing world of technology.

Lupe Fiasco: "Lasers" Album Review

On March 4th, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco released his anxiously-awaited third studio album entitled "LASERS". The 16-track deluxe edition features a whole plethora of uniquely themed music that does not at all adhere to the poppy, auto-tuned mainstream rap scene. After four long years, Lupe Fiasco released the album's hit single "The Show Goes On" was released and met with widespread critical acclaim.

Lupe's new album "LASERS", an acronym for "Love Always Shines Everytime: Remember to Smile" , is according to his official bio, "a reflection of a 14-point manifesto the Chicago-born MC composed to guide him on the project, including items like 'We want substance in the place of popularity and "We will not compromise who we are to be accepted by the crowd.'"

After such a long wait, fans have received everything they have been waiting for. "LASERS" is very diverse with its choice of beats and styles, and Lupe's lyrical and rhythmic talent shine through very strongly. It is very likely that many of his tracks will explode and hit spots in television, radio, and film.

Rating: 4.5/5

All of Lupe's tracks are very well done, but a few come off a little too mainstream-pop. While the album is not perfect, it is one of the best hip-hop albums released in recent months.

Norwich Fire Displaces Residents Of Multi-Family Home

According to courant.com, occupants of a multi-family house have been forced out because of a fire in Norwich on early Saturday morning. Firefighters responded to a fire at 38 Laurel Hill Drive at 5:42 am. The firefighters contained the fire to a bedroom on the first room, according to fire officials. There are no reported injuries, police said. Residents of the home are being assisted by the American Red Cross. According to officials, it is unknown how many people have displaced by the fire. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Rising Gas Prices

According to "The Courant"



The gas prices in Connecticut have been in a range of about $3.64-$3.67 since the beginning of Febuary. However, as the months pass by the price could likely hit $4.00 by the Summer of 2011. One gas station manager who didn't want to identify himself said "We're not the only kid on the block. With these kinds of prices, even my loyal customers are going down the road for cheaper prices. People are shopping around." The gas prices have always been a problem since 2008. Most people are now taking advantage of car-pooling and tipping the driver for gas money rather than driving their own cars to save fuel.

Fire Reported In Ellington

According to courant.com, firefighters answered a call about a fire at 86 Burbank Street in the Crystal Lake section of Ellington. The fire has been declared "under control" but firefighters are still at the scene. Three fire stations reported to the fire; Ellington, West Stafford, and Tolland. According to fire officials, the people living in the house were in the home at the time of the fire, but were instructed to get out immediately. No injuries so far have been reported.

"Jane Eyre" Movie Preview

"Jane Eyre", the upcoming movie based upon the novel by Charlotte Bronte, has received widespread attention. Based upon solely the trailer for the film, it is difficult to tell whether it looks like riveting, dramatic oscar-bait or like an overly serious attempt at drama. After watching the electronic press kit for the film (courtesy of Focus Features), it seems most like the latter option.

While watching a few short scenes from a movie cannot accurately tell whether of not the entire film will be good, Focus Features' selected scenes from Jane Eyre are nothing special. The dialogue is crafted very intellectually in the 1800s time period fashion, yet it is done so in a way that causes the scenes to lose their emotion. The character Jane Eyre, played by actress Mia Wasikowska, acts well for the period, but she is not able to bring forth enough feeling from the dialogue. Everything she says seems like an attempt at heart-wrenching drama instead of naturally having any sort of intensity. From what Focus Features has shown us, the entire film is just a giant string of dialogue from Mia, all crafted in this disappointing fashion. Films based on the era that Jane Eyre has been set in often have the problem of being too strict and serious with their characters and they try too hard to be dramatic. Jane Eyre appears to be no exception.

Jane Eyre based off the press kit deserves a 3/5. It seems just like just an average movie trying to fit into the shoes of an oscar-worthy epic.

The App That Can Save Lives

Scientist Aydogan Ozcan has created a lens-free cell phone microscope, the first of its kind. While this may sound useless at first, Ozcan's new device is nothing short of a scientific breakthrough, revolutionizing the field.

"Our main goal is to replace bulky optical microscopes with computer codes and architectures that can make them extremely lightweight, compact and cost effective," said Ozcan.

The small lens works by putting an LED light through a slide sample to create shadows on a phone's digital camera sensor. With the right programming, the phone's card can then read these shadows and accurately define what is on the slide. This means that while traditional high-tec optical microscopes can cost hundreds of thousands of dollar to buy, a cell phone will be able to do the same work for as little as a $5-$10 adapter.

The breakthrough achievement was created with malaria and tuberculosis diagnosis in mind, and it within two years it is expected to hit the market for use.

(story courtesy of CNN.com)

Two Wounded In Hartford Shooting

According to courant.com, two people were injured with gunshot wounds after a drive-by shooting on Albany Avenue. Police were informed of shots being fired in the vicinity of 1450 Albany Avenue on Tuesday around 5:45 pm. No victims were at the scene, but two arrived separately at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, according to police department spokeswoman, Nance Mulroy. The victims received injuries that were not fatal. They were treated and later released. Mulroy said that storefronts and cars were hit also by gunfire. The department's Major Crime division is investigating. People that have any information related to the incident are asked to call the Crime Stoppers tip line, 860-722-8477.