Airline hike bag fees- Ashton

Taking effect on thursday United Airlines is charging passengers for bags. A 25 dollar fee for the first bag checked, and then a 35 dollar fee for the second. Checking bags in online will cost 23 dollars and 32 dollars for the second. The reason they are doing this is to match delta, and continental airlines. Some passengers like first class, or frequent flyers are exempt from most luggage fees. Most airlines started adding these fees in 2008 and reported collecting nearly 740 million in third quarter of 2009. Other companies like southwest do not charge for first or second bags.
These extra fees are a little ridiculous. the airlines are just trying to squeeze every last penny out of travelers without losing any customers in the process. They make the fees seem necessary and part of the trend, but companies like southwest are doing their best to keep the extra costs to a minimum. In these hard times where the economy isnt its best everyone is looking for new ways to make a little more profit. If the airlines are looking to do this charge the first class and rich people luggage or include it in the bill and exclude the lower class people. After all people flying economy class are mostly families going on vacation and are flying economy for a reason;money is tight. I wont wine about these luggage fees if they're doing it for a cause like keeping lower class jobs at the airline. However if that extra money is going to those fat cat, rich ceo's and owners there's going to be a problem. Im sick and tired of hearing how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This would be a great example of why that's happening and I think it's about time we take a stand.

Ashton Gronholz - Nasa Rocket Casey by vangness

The article that Casey commented on was about a rocket Ares I-X, taking a NASA crew to land on the moon. Casey believes it's a big step towards possible discoveries, and knowledge of space. However, with the economy the way it is everyone is suffering and funding is an issue. Some believe NASA is spending more than their current funding. Casey also saw the issues behind that and agreed there isnt really a rush to land another aircraft on the moon. In hard times such as this we should focus on other problems, and put this mission on hold.
I agree with what Casey had to say 100%. The reasoning behind this is, although it's been forty years since the U.S. has had a man on the moon, there is no reason why we need to rush and suddenly put one on immediatly. In the near future possibly, but not now. At the moment our government and the people are in a minor crisis. With the economy as tight as it is, I think the funding could be put to better use. It really has no gain for us, what I mean is certain knowledge of the moon wont help us with our current problems. We need to put this mission on hold, and focus on more important issues.

Obama TARP losses-Ashton Gronholz

President Obama is looking into the future expecting billions of dollars lost in Troubled Asset Relief Program. He is working on a plan to cushion this expected blow. He will release his plan on Thursday that will put fees on the countrys biggest financial institutions. It would raise up to 120 billion to ensure the taxpayers that paid for bailing out the banks are paid back. The 700 billion program allowed Obama to ask congress to recoup money if bailouts werent paid back.
I think this is a great idea, and a huge step in paying back this massive bill we needed that put us in debt. The companies that we helped get their foundation back are now strong enough to begin paying back their dues to the people that helped them. Obama did exactly what needed to be done and did exactly what he said he was going to do if the bill wasnt paid back in time. Not many presidents do what they say and I have a little more respect for him now. Our economy is slowly getting better and the taxpayers that helped rescue our corporations in trouble deserve retribution for their contribution to society. Bills are slowly being paid back and only time can tell when we will be in full stride again.

Senate health care bill clears key hurdle- Ashton Gronholz

This is another article pertaining to the new health care bill still in limbo between the different political parties. People on both sides of the parties are for and against the bill with their own reasoning of why. The main bullet point of the article is the democrats recently "won a major victory in their push for the health care reform". The package has been revised to an $871 billion bill. The vote line was 60-40. It was casted around 1 a.m. and is keeping democrats on line to pass the bill on Christmas Eve. President Obama is that much closer to claiming victory on his push for the bill. This would be the biggest expansion of health care guarantees since medicare and medicaid 40 years ago.
The new health care bill is possibly the hardest decision Americans have had to make in the last 20 years. This being said its no wonder why people are having trouble taking sides. I myself am having difficulty siding. No one knows whether it would help the country and its people or pull us apart. There are only educated guesses on what would happen if the bill passed. Im slightly leaning towards the passing, because I strongly agree in equality and fairness. Everyone deserves the same health care even if they cant afford it. When it comes to this there should be no separation of classes, all people are created equal and its very typically for the wealthy to recieve priority over lower classes and this isnt fair. Money shouldnt separate people when it comes to health care, the severity of the illness should without a doubt be the only contributing factor.

jobs and welfare blog issue #1- Ashton Gronholz

Does life really have to be unfair. That is a well known statement parents use on children when they deny them something they want. It's also used by wealthy Americans who are on the top of the mountain looking down at others working their butts off just to get off to get to the first ledge. Issue #1 talks about the increasing gap between the wealthy and middle class. While the share of national income going to the wealthy has increased 8%, the share going to the bottom 20% of society has actually decreased. This is a problem facing the American government as well as in other countries but the solution can't be found when people are butting heads to stand up for their side. Some people believe increasing taxes on the wealthy while decreasing taxes on middle class and people in poverty will help dramatically. The other side says job protection and trade barriers would reduce business profits and leave less to distribute to employees which barely helps the workers. They also believe raising taxes on wealthy would hurt everyone and eventually everything will work itself out. Globalization helped America because we are the kings of innovation, but now we are working to adapt and find a way to prosper once again.

In my mind there's only 1 clear cut answer to this problem, raise taxes. The wealthy people are only getting wealthier and this makes absolutely no sense. Why should they be getting richer when poverty is increasing and more and more people are struggling each day just to survive. The rich can argue by increasing taxes they will have less money to pay their employees and will only be forced to fire some. That is a lie, they do have the money if they are getting richer and if this is the case we need to set strict restrictions limiting their options. There are always going to be those people only looking out for themselves, but we need to try our best to cut them out of the picture. It may be true people get corrupt with power and only want more for themselves, and when that happens its time for them to take a gut check and look for the greater good. I dont see how they can sit and watch others suffer when they are reaping the benefits. In my opinion the corrupt wealthy people are among the most smug and evil criminals in this world and its about time would find a way to stop them. Tax the wealthy and if they have a problem with it tax them more because if they need to learn a valuble lesson the only way to get through to them is punishment. David Obey a Wisconsin Democrat and the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee agrees with taxing the wealthy. It doesnt say he directly agrees with taxing them more for everything, but he's definately for it. His stand point is taxing the wealthy for an increase in troops over in Afghanistan. Someone needs to pay for them if they are sent and he strongly thinks the wealthy should. Tim Lukes issue # 2,Kate Gearman.

Bully video- Ashton

This story was a video of a bully someone captured on tape. They were heckleing a girl that clearly wanted nothing to do with them. In the background there are others talking some agging the bully on and others telling her to stop, but no steps in and actually stops whats happening. It doesnt turn into a full scale fight, but the bully eventually punches the other girl then walks away. It doesnt show what caused to girl to act out like this. Im sure it was an over reaction to something small.
I think its great this is on the news because incidents like this happen all the time where a bigger boy or girl pick on another person just because there bigger, stronger and want to. It's not blown out of proportion when its put on the news. Things like this need to be stopped. Kids need to know they should help one another if their in trouble. Fighting solves nothing and is tramatic to everyone. Violence starts at a young age and progressively gets worse as people grow up. They start feeling more confident and may do things others wouldnt dream about. So its best we stop it at the root and makes sure kids are aware of problems like this so in the future it won't happen and crime rates would almost certainly go down.

Tiger Woods apology- Ashton

In an article recently published it talks about Tiger Woods and a possible affair he had. He apologized on wednesday for his transgressions but never admitted to an affair. He said he let his family down and wasnt true to his values. He said his family deserves better. He also said he is very short of perfection and dealing with his problems publically as it should be.
Its hard to believe there wasnt an affair because he did apologize. However, if his family is having issues there is no reason the whole world needs to no. He is a normal human being and other affairs arent plastered all over the news if some unknown family is having problems. No one is perfect and he admits he's not and he did apologize for anything he did, but he shouldnt have to share anymore. Reporters are so annoying, and should get their noses out of other peoples business. The only thing their good for is important news like weather and tragedies like massive storms. This is a minor problem and the world shouldnt revolve around it. Let Tiger and his Wife settle it with some privacy.