Runaway Love

Concrete Angel

Preventing Swine Flu

Who Were Our Presidents? Part 4

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
August 17, 2009

Editor’s Note: How many of us along with our children? Know who our Presidents were and what they have done in Office.

Each week we will pick a President and tell you about them and their accomplishes.

We hope that you will enjoy this series. And let us know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

4. JAMES MADISON 1809-1817

At his inauguration, James Madison, a small, wizened man, appeared old and worn; Washington Irving described him as “but a withered little apple-John.” But whatever his deficiencies in charm, Madison’s buxom wife Dolley compensated for them with her warmth and gaiety. She was the toast of Washington.

Born in 1751, Madison was brought up in Orange County, Virginia, and attended Princeton (then called the College of New Jersey). A student of history and government, well-read in law, he participated in the framing of the Virginia Constitution in 1776, served in the Continental Congress, and was a leader in the Virginia Assembly.

When delegates to the Constitutional Convention assembled at Philadelphia, the 36-year-old Madison took frequent and emphatic part in the debates.

Madison made a major contribution to the ratification of the Constitution by writing, with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, the Federalist essays. In later years, when he was referred to as the “Father of the Constitution,” Madison protested that the document was not “the off-spring of a single brain,” but “the work of many heads and many hands.”

In Congress, he helped frame the Bill of Rights and enact the first revenue legislation. Out of his leadership in opposition to Hamilton’s financial proposals, which he felt would unduly bestow wealth and power upon northern financiers, came the development of the Republican, or Jeffersonian, Party.

As President Jefferson’s Secretary of State, Madison protested to warring France and Britain that their seizure of American ships was contrary to international law. The protests, John Randolph acidly commented, had the effect of “a shilling pamphlet hurled against eight hundred ships of war.”

Despite the unpopular Embargo Act of 1807, which did not make the belligerent nations change their ways but did cause a depression in the United States, Madison was elected President in 1808. Before he took office the Embargo Act was repealed.

During the first year of Madison’s Administration, the United States prohibited trade with both Britain and France; then in May, 1810, Congress authorized trade with both, directing the President, if either would accept America’s view of neutral rights, to forbid trade with the other nation.

Napoleon pretended to comply. Late in 1810, Madison proclaimed non-intercourse with Great Britain. In Congress a young group including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, the “War Hawks,” pressed the President for a more militant policy.

The British impressment of American seamen and the seizure of cargoes impelled Madison to give in to the pressure. On June 1, 1812, he asked Congress to declare war.

The young Nation was not prepared to fight; its forces took a severe trouncing. The British entered Washington and set fire to the White House and the Capitol.

But a few notable naval and military victories, climaxed by Gen. Andrew Jackson’s triumph at New Orleans, convinced Americans that the War of 1812 had been gloriously successful. An upsurge of nationalism resulted. The New England Federalists who had opposed the war–and who had even talked secession–were so thoroughly repudiated that Federalism disappeared as a national party.

In retirement at Montpelier, his estate in Orange County, Virginia, Madison spoke out against the disruptive states’ rights influences that by the 1830’s threatened to shatter the Federal Union. In a note opened after his death in 1836, he stated, “The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated.”

Editor’s Note: He helped write the Bill of Rights. Co-wrote the Federalists Papers, he also supervise the Louisiana purchase when Thomas Jefferson was President.

We would like to know what you think? We would also like to know if he did anything else? dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

Source: White House Wiki Answers

17-Year-old to Sails Around the World

By Zach Jones
August 17, 2009

Zac Sunderland, 17, used to dream about traveling all over the world. Now, he has made his dream come true. Last month, Zac became the first person under the age of 18 to circumnavigate, or sail around, the globe alone.

When he was little, Zac read a book called The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone by Robin Lee Graham. Robin was the first teen to sail around the world by himself, in 1965. Robin began his journey when he was 16. He finished almost five years later, when he was 21. Inspired, Zac decided he could do it faster.

Getting Started

Zac is no stranger to the sea. His family lived on a sailboat for nine years. “I learned to sail before I could ride a bike,” Zac said in an interview with Scholastic.

That’s why his parents were OK with his trip. But sailing and living on a boat solo takes a lot of work. So Zac made a plan with his family’s help.

First, he needed to buy a boat. He got jobs fixing boats in the summer. Zac saved enough money to buy a sturdy sailboat. He named it Intrepid, meaning courageous or bold.

Planning his route was the most important part of his preparations. He needed to keep his boat close to land. This would let him refuel and get help if he was in trouble. So Zac had to research port cities in countries along the ocean.

Fortunately, he had Robin’s route to guide him. Zac mapped a path close to the equator, the imaginary line that encircles the Earth, dividing it into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. He set sail on the Pacific Ocean from Marina del Rey, California, on June 14, 2008.

Zac’s first stops included Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. He met the President of the Marshall Islands as soon as he got off the boat in that country. Zac was off to a good start.

A World of Adventure

Next he traveled to Papua New Guinea, a country near Australia. Then he sailed south of the islands of Indonesia to the Indian Ocean. Later, Zac’s father flew out to meet him in South Africa. To get home, Zac sailed through the Panama Canal to Mexico and then on to the United States.

On July 16, 2009, Zac returned to California. He had completed his journey in only 13 months! Although that is a short time for sailing around the world, it was a long time to be apart from his family. He couldn’t wait to see his parents!

Sailing long distances in open water was challenging and often dangerous. Severe storms damaged Zac’s boat near the eastern coast of Africa. Luckily, Zac had enough training to repair the damage.

Seeing the world was exciting, but Zac found that staying inside a boat all day could get boring. To fight boredom, Zac read almost 70 books! He brought along his surfboard and surfed everywhere he stopped, and watched DVDs on his computer.

In addition to battling boredom, Zac also fought loneliness. Sometimes his route made him sail without touching land, completely alone, for weeks at a time. After his first two weeks of being on his own, he started to get restless.

How did he keep himself from feeling isolated? He wrote to his family in an online journal. Zac also found sailors like him at each stop, so he met lots of new friends. “I’ve got friends all over the world,” Zac told Scholastic.

He’s glad to be home now. But Zac is already itching for a new adventure. What’s next? Zac won’t say anything for sure, but he does admit he wants to climb Mount Everest. Still, graduating from high school is Zac’s biggest goal this year.

Source: Scholastic News Online

Editor’s Note: We want to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Home Town Hero – Irwin Stovroff

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
August 17,  2009

Here is today’s Hero Irwin Stovoff.

 

Irwin Stovroff is a WWII veteran who served in the 8th AF out of England. He flew 35 missions as a bombardier, was shot down, became a POW in Germany and at the wars end was liberated by the Russian army. He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the French Legion of Honor medal.

Upon retirement Irwin became a volunteer Service Officer for Ex-POWs at the V.A. center in Palm Beach Florida.

In January 2007 he learned that our government does a complete rehab for young veterans returning, but if they are blinded during combat or have other major injuries, they must rely on private donations to help them in their next phase of returning to a life of independence with a specially trained dog.

Irwin became affiliated with America’s Vet Dog Program in Smithtown, N.Y. and founded the group Vets Helping Heroes.

He began to raise funds — it cost $30,000 to train a dog for 2 years to help the blind or injured soldiers, airmen and Marines have a chance to live independently with dignity. Since inception he has raised $1,600,000 and 28 dogs were placed last year.

Irwin now has over 120 applicants and the list is growing.

This gift of life is at NO COST to the vet and if in 9 years his dog is retired, he will immediately have a replacement, which continues for the rest of his life. All professional training and learning with the dog is a part of the program.

Check out Phil Keating’s report and more importantly,  go to vetshelpingheroes.org to help Irwin repay these heroes who have sacrificed to much for our country.

Source: Fox News Hannity

Movie Review – Bandslam

By Kerry Bennett
August 16, 2009

A desire to win their school’s “battle of the bands” competition brings together an unlikely group of teens (played by Vanessa Hudgens, Alyson Michalka and Gaelan Connell). As they practice, the group discovers they may have more in common than just their love of music.

Nerdy guys aren’t what they used to be in the movies. These days they are the ones getting the girl, or in this case the girls.

At his old school, Will Burton (Gaelan Connell) was on the bottom of the pecking order—literally. After suffering another day of humiliation, he slithers down the steps of the school bus to greet his waiting mother. (Note to parents: Meeting your high school student at the bus stop does not help your child’s standing with his or her peers.)

But Karen Burton (Lisa Kudrow) has good news for her unhappy offspring. The conscientious and slightly smothering single mom has a job offer that will allow her son to move to a new school and get a fresh start. Initially, Will only groans about the prospect of being subjected to more torture from a different student body. However when he arrives in New Jersey, he is almost immediately befriended by one of the most popular Senior girls on campus.

After Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka) discovers Will’s vast musical knowledge, she also invites him to manage her fledgling rock band that is aiming for an invitation to the upcoming interstate Bandslam contest. When Will finally hears Charlotte and her backup singers, Bug (Charlie Saxton) and Omar (Tim Jo), he knows he has a lot of work to do, especially if they want to beat the school’s other rival band headed up by Charlotte’s former boyfriend (Scott Porter).

Unfortunately Will’s heady infatuation with his newfound popularity and the band’s lead singer interferes with his ability to complete a group project with his classmate Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens). With a deadline looming, Will finally finds time for his homework assignment with the moody girl. And despite Sa5m’s (pronounced Sam) gloom and doom outlook (which matches his own), Will soon discovers he has feelings for his sober partner as well. Torn between two girls, Will finds himself with an enviable problem—by any nerd’s standards.

However, while the characters in this film represent many of the stereotypical teens seen on screen, they undergo plenty of development as their back-stories and intentions are revealed. Some of these students do the wrong things for the wrong reasons, yet the script allows for personal growth and gives ample justification for their motives. And though these teens are far less perky and prone to bursting into song in the middle of the hallway or basketball court than the cast from High School Musical there are still plenty of musical interludes with above average performances as various groups prepare for the fierce competition.

With more depth than the average adolescent flick, this production acknowledges difficult teen issues and gives credibility to the students who deal with the challenges of growing up.

Studio: 2009 Summit Entertainment. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

This high school tale contains scenes of bullying. A student is knocked down, pushed, hit with a water balloon and called names. Characters trespass in an abandoned building. A girl drives erratically. Students lie about their pasts or motivations. A preschooler eats glue. Death of a parent and divorce are discussed. Teens kiss and a teenager kisses an adult woman. Comments are made about the dangers of drinking and driving. The script contains conversations about teen angst, terms of Christian Deity and brief crude terms.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Although Will’s mom seems anxious for her son to make friends, why is she so unwilling to let him get involved with the kids in the band? What personal fears might she be facing?

How do different characters handle hard times in this story? How do they show compassion to one another in times of difficulty?

Charlotte tells Will to do the things that scare him. Is it important to move beyond our current comfort level? What does Will learn about himself and others when he accepts new challenges?

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Parent Previews

Bandslam Official Trailer

Michael Phelps Unhurt After 3-Car Crash

By Stephen M. Silverman
August 14, 2009

Michael Phelps walked away uninjured Thursday night in downtown Baltimore after being behind the wheel of a late-model Cadillac Escalade when it collided with a Honda Accord that a woman was driving, say reports.

Police told the Baltimore Sun that besides Phelps’s SUV, the Accord and a parked vehicle were seriously damaged during the 9 p.m. incident.

The female driver was described as “shaken up” and reportedly taken to a local hospital as a precaution. Police are said to have quizzed Phelps on what occurred. Alcohol was not a factor, according to news reports.

Phelps, 24, holds the Olympic record with 14 gold medals for swimming. In 2004, shortly after winning six gold medals at the Athens Olympics, he was pulled over by police after running a stop sign. He subsequently pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.

Source: People

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Officer of the Week – Sergeant Michael S. Curtin

Remember September 11, 2001
Angels Among Us
Sergeant Michael S. Curtin
Shield 3256
ESS-2
(recovered)
August 12, 2009

Editor’s Note: We at the Chronicle, will never forget those police officers, who have given their lives in 9/11. Each week we will honor one with their stories.

This week we feature:

Sergeant Michael S. Curtin
Shield 3256
ESS-2

Sergeant Michael S. Curtin, 45, was appointed to the NYPD on January 26, 1988, after serving 12 years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps. He began his career on patrol in Field Training Unit 13. He was originally assigned to ESU in July 1991, but saw his police career interrupted when, as a USMC reservist, he was called to duty during Desert Storm. Serving on the front lines, he held the rank of gunnery sergeant and retired from the Reserves as a Sergeant Major. After returning to the NYPD, he responded to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and was also assigned to FEMA in the Oklahoma City rescue efforts. He was promoted to sergeant in December 1995, and re-assigned to ESU in 1998. Although he had recently taken up golf, most of his spare time was spent working on his house. He is survived by his wife Helga; children Jennifer, Erika, and Heather; and brother Jack.

– SPRING 3100, Commemorative Issue

Source: NYP Angels

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