Discovery Lands

The space shuttle Discovery landed safely at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, completing a 13-day mission that included expanding the number of astronauts who can live aboard the International Space Station. "It was a beautiful landing," said NASA launch manager Leroy Kaine. "About the only thing that beats a beautiful orbiter landing like this is the next launch."

Discovery and its seven-member crew lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, last Sunday, to continue work on expanding the international space station's crew capacity from three to six. The official mission time was 12 days, 19 hours, 31 minutes and one second, according to NASA. The trip covered 5.3 million miles.

Vermont governor says he'd veto same-sex marriage bill

Vermont Gov. James Douglas announced Wednesday that he plans to veto a bill that would grant same-sex couples equal rights in marriage, if the bill reaches his desk. The same-sex marriage bill passed 26-4 in the state Senate on Monday; the House was in hearings on the matter this week.

Sandy Cote-Whitacre, 63, and her spouse, Bobbi Cote-Whitacre, 62, said they have waited 42 years -- the time they have been partners -- for the vote. "We have been together for so long and this means so much to us," said Bobbi Cote-Whitacre, who expressed disappointment at the governor's announced intention to veto the same-sex marriage bill. The couple was joined in a civil union in Vermont in 2000, shortly after the state passed the nation's first civil-union law. Bobbi Cote-Whitacre's mother, then 89 years old, walked the couple down the aisle.

The House, which is expected to vote this week, would need to approve the bill by a two-thirds majority to override the governor's threatened veto. Meanwhile, the Cote-Whitacres and Vermont Freedom to Marry have launched a television advertising campaign to promote the bill. Whatever the outcome, Sandy Cote-Whitacre said she and her spouse are willing to be patient.
"We are going to keep at it even if we have to go down the aisle with walkers," she said.

Increasing the price of tobacco

President Obama last week signed into law CHIP legislation that will be funded by an increase in the federal cigarette tax. According to the Journal, the legislation comes as at least 16 states are considering raising cigarette taxes by as much as four times the current amounts to offset "gaping budget holes" or fund state programs. The federal cigarette tax will increase from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack in April. The average state cigarette tax currently is $1.19 per pack. The national average cost for a pack of cigarettes, excluding federal and state taxes, is $4.32, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Don't Spring Break In Mexico

The U.S. State Department and universities around the country are warning students headed for Mexico for spring break of a surge in drug-related violence south of the border. An advertisement in the Daily Illini notified students of the state department's warning. It urges students to avoid areas of prostitution and drug-dealing and take other commonsense precautions. More than 1,000 people are reported to have been killed in Mexico so far this year as gangs battle over lucrative drug routes into the US.

SPRING BREAKERS BE CAREFUL!!! YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT!!!

Man kills 11 in Alabama then himself

Authorities in a southern Alabama community are trying to determine what caused a man to open fire on family members and apparent strangers on Tuesday, killing 10 people, before turning the gun on himself. By the time Michael McLendon ended his rampage, he had fatally shot his mother and set fire to her house, and killed his grandparents, his aunt and uncle, the wife and child of a sheriff's deputy, and three other people, according to King and the coroners of the two counties where the shootings occurred. By early Wednesday, authorities were still trying to piece together the chronology of events and the motive for McLendon's actions.

Another mass killing occurred in southern Alabama in 2002, when Westley Devon Harris gunned down six members of his 16-year-old girlfriend's family at their farm in Luverne. Harris was convicted and sentenced to death in 2005.

High school football coach charged in player's death

On August 20, 2008 during a summer practice Max Gilpin, 15, collapsed during practice and died three days later. A popular Kentucky high school football coach was arraigned on a reckless homicide charge in the heat-exhaustion-related death of Max.

"He was breathing," Webb said during the deposition, WLKY reported. "You know, he had a pulse. And we -- I automatically thought we might have had an exhaustion situation. He was sweating profusely."

Gilpin's body temperature reached 107 degrees and witnesses said Stinson had denied the student water on the hot August day, WLKY reported. Gilpin was rushed to an area hospital where he later died.

This is not the first time a player has died at football practice, if you search on the internet you will find many more cases.

Craigslist Being Sued

This past summer the Chicago Police Department arrested 76 prostitutes found through Craigslist. There is such a demand for prostitutes on Craigslist that they decided to require them to pay a posting fee with a verified credit card. The Cook County Sheriff has had enough. The Cook County Sheriff is suing Craiglist because he believes that it is “the single largest source of prostitution in the nation.” So far Craigslist doesn’t have any responses.

No plan to seek death penalty !!

Prosecutors for Casey Anthony have no plans to seek the death penalty. The state's attorney says they are preparing for trial as charged. Casey Anthony is facing the possibility of life on murder one charges. I feel they should seek the death penalty, because she killed her daughter. Whether it was on purpose or an accident does not matter, what matters is that she killed an innocent child. I think the prosecutors need to rethink their decision.

Finally Home

I am so glad to finally be back home. After PBL Competition and Dance Competition, I am exhausted. We did good at PBL Competition, and got first place at Dance Competition. The PBL Competition was a little unorganized but all in all it was a great experience. I am glad that I had the opportunity to have this experience. I would recommend it to anyone.