Current Events and Advice

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32722511/ns/world_news-terrorism/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32690557/ns/health-swine_flu/

Living in a college town, it is true the students are disconnected from the real world. I know for me I have not heard of any current events since I have been here. Because of that I decided to use my current events Google toolbar and read some new events and I found two to be very important and worth knowing.

One MSNBC news article is about how the swine flu deaths are climbing and how the virus could infect a third of the world’s population according to WHO estimates. That is a really scary thought. As of last week according to the World Health Organization, 625 people have been reported dead from swine flu. That figure is more than 20% of the 2,837 known deaths since the virus emerged. Scary thing is that “Spokesman Gregory Hartl says the figure far understates the actual number of cases because countries are no longer required to report each infection as the caseload so high.” “WHO said Friday that laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease have now reached 254,206.”

After reading this article I am thoroughly scared that the swine flu will just go through the college and everyone will be sick. I, however, do realize that this isn’t the first scare that has happened in awhile. First, there was the bird flu, mad cow disease, anthrax, etc then after a couple of months, the news and everyone stopped talking about it and the topic just died. This one just feels different, because the flu each year already takes the lives of millions and now there is a flu that could be worse than the one we already have. We cannot live in fear of getting the flu; we can only try to protect ourselves. If we cough, sneeze, etc. then wash our hands, if we are about to eat use hand-sanitizer or go to the restroom and wash our hands, we should try to eat healthy food at least once a meal such as an apple, salad, orange juice, etc, we should keep up with personal-hygiene, wash our clothes, use Clorox wipes or Lysol spray to clean up your dorm room every week or every two weeks, and we should try to get eight to nine hours of sleep a night. I think simple things like this will help keep this campus a healthier place.

The second MNSBC news article is about the biggest terrorist attack since Sept. 11th. “Three British Muslims were convicted Monday of plotting to murder thousands by drowning at least seven airliners bound for the United States and Canada.” The conspirators were smuggling liquid explosives as soft drinks onboard the airplanes. “British and U.S. security officials said that plan was directly linked to al-Qaida and guided be senior Islamic militants in Pakistan.” “British authorities estimate that, if successful, around 2,000 passengers would have died. If bombs were detonated over U.S. and Canadian cities, hundreds more would have been killed on the ground. “The conspirators were going to make the bombs in the restrooms.

After reading this article, I felt stunned. I just keep thinking of the thousands of soldiers fighting over there and why they are there fighting. Even I had relatives that fought over there and were blessed enough to return home, but to think of the thousands that have not made it home. It is such a sad and touchy subject. All I know is there is new power in the world so there better be change for the better!!

I know what it feels like to lose someone due to age and health problems. It has happened to me this year. But as Nickelback said it “each day is a gift and not a given right,” and as Envy on the Coast put it “I am not afraid to die, I am afraid to live and not remember why.” If we take that advice and use it every day maybe it would get rid of the ultimate fear of dyeing and losing the people that are close to us. Each person is different but if they really care about the person, when they die they don’t want the people to cry over them they want them to remember all the amazing times that you had together. Maybe invent something in honor of them, or think of them when you are living your life. No one ever dies until you forget about them. I know for me when I die I want people to celebrate the time we had together and not cry but have a party in honor of me. The book “Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom is not what you would think it would be. The plot is about a person’s live and the 5 different people that have affected his life. The first person he meets explains to him that each person he meets will teach him a lesson and by this he will discover his meaning and purpose in life. It is a really good book, had me crying at the end. I feel maybe the book explains why we should not be afraid of dying but maybe afraid that we did not live today, we lived tomorrow always waiting, wishing, and hoping for tomorrow but not realizing what we have today. Our purpose in life cannot be to sit around waiting, it is to take action and make a difference in the world. It can be as small as making the person next to you smile or as big as inventing the cure to the swine flu. Whatever our purpose is in the world it is big in each and every way, and more in likely by the way we affect those who we left behind. Just remember if you are like one of my best friends that lost someone close to him last weekend, or me this year. They are not dead until you completely forget about them, so always keep them close to you in your heart, thoughts, and prayers.

Jon Ciccone

Jon Ciccone, born in Manhattan, New York on July 17, 1991, is an adventurous, courageous, creative, sports fanatic, one of a kind guy. While Jon was growing up, Jon’s parents, Bruce and Liz Ciccone, had a handful. As a child, there seemed to be nothing that him and his close buds would not try. They played games in Jon’s room that ranged from Dodge Ball, where they would throw at each other whatever they could find from socks to encyclopedia books, to Room Ball, where they would use racket balls, PC pipes, and targets on the wall. Jon said, “Room Ball is similar to baseball.” Even as he got older one of his favorite memories was with his close group of friends kick boxing on the Trampoline. Jon says there were some injuries but it was well worth it. Because of Jon’s love for sports, in high school he played everything from tennis, basketball, to running cross country. Whenever he has a chance he plays any sport he can find that other people are playing and joins in. After playing tons of different sports, Jon says, “I am accident pron.” He has broken both middle fingers, had a moderate knee sprain, broken his nose three times, “has too many concussions to count, maybe around 15,” and a broken back that he didn’t know about until 3 months after it happened. It is safe to say he is very courageous and adventurous guy. Some brakes Jon is not too proud of such as getting into a fight with his younger sister, Christina now fourteen years old, and coming out with a broken nose.

Jon did a summer program at Virginia Tech called STEP, this is for Engineers to help them get adjusted between high school and college. He met one of his best friends there, Charlie Jones. Whenever each of them have any spare time, they are hanging out and playing sports such as racket ball, volleyball, and basketball. Charlie says one time both of them got all decked out in all the racket ball gear from the gloves to the goggles. Participating in that fun game together became a memory that will last a lifetime.

Not only does Jon play sports he also enjoys watching them then on television. When asked who is your favorite sports team Jon says, “I am a BIG Yankee’s fan and even gets there scores sent to me phone daily using YES, the Yankee Network.” He tries to go to as many games as he can, and watches the other ones on the television. Before the World Cup in Soccer Jon picks a team and follows that team until the end. In 2006, he picked Italy and was really happy when they actually won. For basketball he is a huge Knicks fan. Jon says, “The Knicks are terrible at basketball but they are the most fun team to pay attention to because there is never a dull moment.” Jon has been watching football since preschool and says, “That is all I watch in the fall.” Even though he likes college football better than the pros, his favorite NFL team is the Philadelphia Eagles. On that team his favorite player is Donovan McNabb and Jon says, “I was overjoyed when the Eagles got Mike Vick, big Mike Vick supporter.” His favorite team over all is Virginia Tech and that is all he watches in the fall. Some of his favorite games are Virginia Tech vs. Texas 1995 Cotton Bowl, Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia 1998, and the first game he attended in 1999 Virginia Tech @ RU and Virginia Tech won by fifty plus points.

Since, Virginia Tech is his favorite team it is no wonder why he wanted to attend Virginia Tech for college. He is actually not the first person in his family to attend Virginia Tech. Jon’s mom and her three brothers and one sister all went to Tech. That is not the only reason why Jon wants to go to Virginia Tech; he wants to be a mechanical engineer. Jon says when he was younger that he would always build crazy projects out of legos and he says that one set he used was 5,000 pieces. With this degree Jon wishes to be able to move in a big company such as GE, nothing like aerospace where it is focused in a general area.

Jon is going to Virginia Tech from out of state; he currently lives in Essex Fells, New Jersey. Back at his home in New Jersey, there are important people in his life that he truly misses. One person he misses the most is his girlfriend, Alinoel Navia. They are still dating even though they are miles apart. Jon says, “It is difficult to deal with a long distance relationship, it sucks.” She is not the only person that has supported him and influenced his life greatly. Jon’s nanny and her husband helped to teach him manners, how to talk to people, etc. Jon’s says, “My nanny influenced me, made me a better person, and really shaped who I am today.” Jon is also really close to his guidance counselor, he would go to him if he were having problems in school or outside of school. He was always there whenever Jon needed him during his high school years.

The summer before senior year, Jon went on a trip to Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand with an ambassador group. He said this was his favorite trip. In Fiji, he went to the beach, a wild life reservation, and even island hopped. He stayed in a home of a native New Zealander and was really able to experience their culture. In Australia, he toured Sydney. Right before this three week tour he was a little skeptical about it but it turned out to be the best experience of his life.

When Charlie Jones was asked to describe Jon he said it best, he said fun, outgoing, very caring, and easy to talk to guy.