Trick or Treat?
This Halloween, I'm going out as a geek. At least, that's what my sister always tells me, and that's what many of you will think when you see the end of Friday's show. (But if there's any time when it's acceptable to act like a geek, it's Halloween...)
Tell us what you plan to do on Friday. And whether it's watching movies or scaring up some fun in your neighborhood, be safe and have a great time. And do a little trick-or-treating for me, because after you've grown tall and graduated, people will answer their doors with a lot less candy than funny looks.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Troops without Votes?
I find it hard to think anything more unpatriotic than not counting the votes of U.S. servicemen and women. In my last post, one viewer said she wonders who American troops want as president. Whoever that is, there's no question to me that all of their votes should count.
These are people who are thousands of miles from home, missing their families, working through holidays, risking their lives. It's unthinkable that they shouldn't be able to help choose their next commander-in-chief.
I understand there are obstacles to getting this done, like challenges with the mail and difficulties verifying addresses. Doesn't matter. Fix it.
If any votes should count, they should be the ones of U.S. troops.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Where the Candidates Stand
Wherever you live, chances are you can't travel a mile without seeing a sign, symbol or sticker supporting Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama. (Is anyone really influenced by a bumper sticker?) But amid all the sound bites and campaign coverage, we felt the issues themselves needed some more airtime. That's why we're breaking them down all week on CNN Student News. On Monday, it was the Iraq war; on Tuesday, it's energy. Our hope is that, even if you're not old enough to vote yet, you'll have a better understanding of where the two major candidates stand as they make their final pushes for the presidency.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Pink Hair Strands and a Candy Ban
My first topic in this post is about the student who risked suspension to dye her hair pink. There's no doubt it was for a good cause: to raise awareness about breast cancer. But here's the hitch: If school rules clearly say, "No unnatural hair color," and you dye a streak of your hair pink, aren't you risking the punishment? She could've worn a pink ribbon, a pink bracelet, pink socks or pink shoelaces. You may totally disagree with me - and that's fine - but I'd side with the school on this one.
However, I think the Massachusetts district's decision to ban all candy and soda from campus is WAY too extreme. The new rules won't take full effect until January 1st, so Halloween candy will be all right for now. But come 2009, NO candy will be allowed at school - and I think that's ridiculous. While it may cut down on calories, I feel it unfairly penalizes those who eat sweets in moderation. (Right now, in my desk at work, I have a bag of candy corn, and I'd be pretty ticked if someone took it away.) So I side with the students here.
What's your take on these stories?
Carl Azuz, Anchor
PUMPKINHEAD
If you'd asked me my expectations when I started anchoring, I GUARANTEE you they never would've included this. But I have to say it's extremely flattering (and a little surreal) to see my face on a pumpkin!
If you'd like to send us an iReport of your own Halloween-themed carving or costume, click on this link. And if you want to tell us about your Halloween plans, comment right here!
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Punishing Parents when Students Skip
Part of the reason I didn't skip school: I was afraid of what would've happened if my mom found out. And she's a teacher, so she knows every trick students use to get out of class. (Plus, she knew some of the teachers at my high school. Let's just say it was in my best interest to show up.)
But I knew some people who didn't show up. And after you see the truancy report in Tuesday's show, you might ask, "Why should a parent get punished when skipping is the student's fault?" The answer may be in the statistic: Investigator Jones says 70 percent of the parents who get in trouble, get their kids back in school. So if punishing parents works...
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Candidates on TV Shows
On Monday, we show you another way in which candidates are trying to reach voters: through TV shows. Like video games, you probably don't think of Saturday Night Live as a serious news outlet. But an appearance on the program gives candidates the chance to show that they don't take themselves too seriously - or to show a side to themselves that we don't normally see.
So what do you think: Should candidates who are serious about elections put themselves on programs that are anything but?
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Ads in Video Games?
I knew there were billboards in the Burnout series, but I never really paid attention to them. I was too busy trying to wreck.
But the story in Friday's show made us wonder if you would even care if you saw a political advertisement in a video game. I mean, would you be any more interested in a candidate if you noticed an ad for one in a game you were playing? And do you even think games are a good place for political ads?
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Debates: Your Opinion
The primaries, conventions, and debates are all wrapped up. Millions of people have tuned in; millions of dollars have been spent. Millions of opinions have been voiced, and in just a few weeks, millions of ballots will be cast.
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama have done their best to lay out their ideas, and they'll continue doing so in the days ahead. But for now, we want to hear yours. Whether you watched the candidates live, looked up info on your own, or heard the recaps on our show, we'd love to hear what you thought of the debates.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
Finally...Good News on the Economy
Market losses have become so commonplace recently that it's actually a major headline when things go up. Believe me, it's a refreshing change on Tuesday's show to be telling you about good news for the U.S. economy.
Of course, that doesn't mean it's going to last. Wednesday, I may be bringing you more gloomy news from Wall Street. But the silver lining is this: If the market hasn't bottomed out yet, as some think it has, it will eventually. And after that happens, you'll slowly but surely see a turnaround in reports about stocks, credit, home sales, and businesses from the streets of New York to the streets of your neighborhood.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
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