Glen Brammell

Deep below the surface of the earth, 33 men are trapped in a Chilean copper mine. The men have been trapped since august 5 when a landslide blocked their exit back to the earth’s surface. There are plans to build an escape tunnel for the men, but the effort will be time consuming.

The men have been reached by a small hole in which a camera has been lowered. They are also being fed through the hole and ventilation is being provided. Family members have high hopes for their rescue. It will be nice to see the miners return to their loved ones.

The country of Pakistan is experiencing some of the worst flooding they’ve ever had. The rains have caused waters to rise and have wiped out thousands of homes and fields. The government has not been able to give relief to the people and this has caused much dissention. Adding to the problem is the confirmation of at least one case of cholera.

Cholera is a water-borne disease that can be very deadly. Quick action is needed to prevent the spread of the disease. The international community is helping with relief funds, but the country needs much more to combat the deadly floods.

In the era of government bailouts, it’s not surprising that many taxpayers are crying foul when they hear about CEO’s of companies who get large severance packages for leaving their company. This recently happened when CEO Mark Hurd left Hewlett-Packard. He reportedly got more than $30 million dollars.

Mr. Hurd stepped down from HP after a series of allegations that he falsified expense reports. He is also accused of sexual harassment. Shareholders are furious that he will walk with so much money. I think it’s a shame that these people can take advantage of their situations and still be rewarded.

The American presence in Afghanistan is still ongoing. Soldiers are fighting the Taliban in an effort to win the peoples hearts and minds in an ideological battle. The war has raged on for nearly nine years and shows little sign of being over soon. Americans are getting tired of spending money and lives on a losing battle.

This month, 66 U.S. soldiers were killed in action. This number is even higher than last months 60 killed. Commanders say the higher numbers of dead are a result of increased fighting. I hope this war is going somewhere and we will see some tangible results soon.